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Remember the excitement of strolling up to a Redbox kiosk, browsing the latest movie releases, and picking out the perfect DVD for a cozy night in? Those days are officially over, as Redbox has shut down its DVD rental business, marking the end of an era. But does this signal the complete demise of DVDs, or is there still a niche for collectors, home media enthusiasts, and users of media servers like Plex and Jellyfin? And are streaming titans pushing for the death of physical media to dominate content ownership?

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The Rise and Decline of the DVD Era

A Nostalgic Look Back

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, DVDs revolutionized home entertainment. They offered a leap forward in quality over VHS tapes, with crisper video, surround sound, and interactive menus. Owning a DVD became a way to access bonus features, such as director commentaries and behind-the-scenes footage, enriching the overall movie experience.

The Streaming Takeover

Today, streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max dominate the landscape, offering instant access to vast libraries of content. According to the Digital Entertainment Group, the physical media market has steadily shrunk, dropping by more than 50% over the past decade. The pandemic accelerated the shift as consumers turned to on-demand entertainment, and now, physical media faces an uphill battle against the convenience of streaming.

Redbox’s Shutdown

Redbox, once a staple for DVD rentals in grocery stores and shopping centers, is in the process of shutting down as part of its ongoing liquidation proceedings. While many of its 26,000 remaining kiosks are still operational, all are set to eventually cease functioning. Redbox’s online streaming services and mobile app were discontinued in July 2024, marking the company’s shift away from both physical and digital media rentals. This signals a major shift in the industry, as one of the last strongholds for physical rentals is slowly being phased out.

Why Streaming Giants Want the DVD Business Dead

Controlling the Narrative: From Ownership to Licensing

One of the lesser-discussed consequences of the streaming revolution is how it has shifted the concept of ownership. DVDs and Blu-rays offered consumers a permanent copy of their favorite films, allowing for rewatching at any time. Streaming services, however, operate on a licensing model, where content comes and goes based on deals between studios and platforms.

Streaming titans likely benefit from the death of physical media because it erases the idea of permanent ownership. By keeping everything in the digital space, they retain full control over what viewers can watch and when. This monopoly over content means consumers are forever locked into paying subscription fees to access their favorite shows and movies, with no guarantee that content won’t disappear overnight.

The Battle for Content Monopoly

The decline of physical media aligns with the interests of streaming platforms that want to consolidate the entire entertainment experience under their umbrella. With no physical copies in circulation, these platforms are able to maintain complete control over content, dictating the terms of access, pricing, and availability. The elimination of physical media reduces competition from other distribution channels and reinforces their control over the film and TV industries.

The Role of Plex and Jellyfin in the Future of Media Ownership

Ripping and Digital Libraries: A Form of Resistance

For tech-savvy enthusiasts, physical media offers an opportunity to preserve their collections by ripping DVDs and Blu-rays to personal digital libraries using media servers like Plex and Jellyfin. Ripping allows users to digitize their collections and stream on-demand within their home network or remotely, bypassing the control of streaming giants. This form of personal ownership resists the trend of subscribing to an endless cycle of streaming services where access is only temporary.

• Plex and Jellyfin: Both platforms provide a seamless interface for organizing and streaming ripped media, offering metadata like cover art, synopses, and cast lists, and allowing users to create their own private streaming experience.
• Custom Libraries: Ripping DVDs and Blu-rays allows users to retain the highest quality, uncompressed versions of their media. Unlike streaming, which compresses files to save bandwidth, personal media servers can deliver superior quality with full control over playback settings.

The Future of Plex and Jellyfin

As streaming platforms continue to consolidate control over content, the future of platforms like Plex and Jellyfin may face challenges. These services thrive on the idea that users own and control their media, a concept increasingly at odds with the direction of the entertainment industry. Streaming giants may seek to limit tools that allow consumers to rip and store content, arguing that it threatens their subscription model and intellectual property rights.

• Potential Legal Battles: With digital rights management (DRM) laws tightening, there could be a future where the legality of ripping DVDs and Blu-rays for personal use becomes even more contested. Already, the DMCA makes it illegal to bypass encryption on discs, though many people still do it for personal archival purposes.
• Dependence on Community: Platforms like Jellyfin, which are open-source and community-driven, may thrive as bastions of independence for people who refuse to rely on corporate-owned services. However, the more centralized and commercialized Plex might face greater scrutiny if media companies target tools that support ripping and personal content libraries.

Physical Media as Cultural Preservation

Beyond convenience, ripping DVDs and Blu-rays has cultural value. Streaming services often remove or alter content based on licensing agreements, censorship, or shifting cultural norms. Owning physical copies and digitizing them allows people to preserve films and TV shows in their original form, keeping a record of media history that might otherwise be lost or changed.

The Risks of a Streaming-Only Future

A future without physical media, and without alternatives like Plex or Jellyfin, risks erasing the diversity of content and film preservation. The monopolization of content by a few streaming giants could lead to the homogenization of available media. If the only way to access films and TV shows is through a handful of streaming services, unique or niche titles could disappear altogether, or be subject to removal at any time.

Collecting Physical Media in the Age of Streaming

The Vinyl Parallel

Vinyl records, once considered obsolete, have seen a resurgence in popularity, especially among younger consumers. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), vinyl sales surpassed CD sales in 2020 for the first time since the 1980s. Could physical movies follow the same path? The desire for tangible media and nostalgia may keep DVDs and Blu-rays relevant for a niche but dedicated audience, especially as a form of rebellion against corporate-controlled content.

Rarity Equals Value

As production of DVDs declines, rare editions and out-of-print titles may become valuable collectibles. Limited releases, steelbook editions, and titles not available on streaming platforms can command high prices among collectors. With many films still absent from digital catalogs, physical media remains the only way to access certain works. Ripping these rare finds to a home server not only preserves them but also allows easy access at any time.

The Benefits of Physical Media for Ripping

Superior Quality

Though streaming quality has improved, physical media like Blu-ray and 4K UHD discs still offer superior video and audio fidelity. These formats provide uncompressed data, delivering the best possible picture and sound for home theater enthusiasts. Streaming, on the other hand, often compresses files, leading to lower bitrates. Ripping Blu-rays for Plex or Jellyfin allows users to enjoy this superior quality without depending on external services.

Bonus Content

Physical media continues to offer bonus content, such as director’s commentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive interviews, which are often missing from streaming releases. These extras are a goldmine for movie buffs and those interested in the filmmaking process. Ripping DVDs or Blu-rays also lets users preserve these additional features in their personal libraries.

The Future of Media Consumption

Niche Markets and Independent Servers

As mainstream demand for physical media fades, niche markets and independent media servers like Plex and Jellyfin will continue to persist. While the mass market may gravitate toward subscription services, a dedicated group of collectors and media server enthusiasts will keep physical media alive, both as a cultural artifact and as a form of resistance to monopolized streaming platforms.

The Hybrid Approach

Many consumers now adopt a hybrid model, using streaming services for convenience while owning physical copies of their favorite films and shows. This approach offers the best of both worlds—streaming for casual viewing and physical media for high-quality, permanent collections. Ripping discs to personal media servers bridges this gap by providing digital access to owned content, giving users control over their libraries.

Technological Innovation vs. Corporate Control

As technology continues to evolve, there’s speculation about whether future innovations, such as 8K resolution and more advanced audio formats, could reinvigorate interest in physical media. However, as streaming giants expand their control over content distribution, the future of independent media ownership—like that enabled by Plex and Jellyfin—may face increasing threats from corporate control and legal restrictions.

Conclusion: The DVD Isn’t Dead—It’s Just Changing

While the mass-market appeal of DVDs and Blu-rays has declined, the format is far from obsolete. Collectors, cinephiles, and those who value the tangible aspects of media still find joy and value in physical copies. Redbox may have closed its kiosks, but physical media continues to hold its place in the world of collectors, independent media server enthusiasts, and those who resist the monopolization of entertainment by streaming giants.

Is now the time to start—or expand—your collection? If you appreciate the permanence, flexibility, and independence that physical media provides—and want to rip it for your own Plex or Jellyfin server—the answer might just be yes.