• AnyStream is having some DRM issues currently, Netflix is not available in HD for the time being.
    Situations like this will always happen with AnyStream: streaming providers are continuously improving their countermeasures while we try to catch up, it's an ongoing cat-and-mouse game. Please be patient and don't flood our support or forum with requests, we are working on it 24/7 to get it resolved. Thank you.

Disc Rental Services in 2021 - What do you use?

DQ

Well-Known Member
Thread Starter
Joined
Feb 28, 2016
Messages
2,696
Likes
2,612
Is anyone out there still renting discs? I am still doing this via Netflix and have been since about when they started Netflix. However, I think they are getting close to cutting that off as the mail times get longer and discs get harder to get. Not to mention they do not rent 4k and still charge a premium for Blu-ray.

I know there are some other services out there but not many that I can see. One I was thinking of trying was GameFly because they have 4k discs, their pricing is reasonable and you can easily buy a disc you might really want. And I always prefer to have a hard copy of my favorites.

Just looking for some suggestions/recommendations. Thanks.

EDIT#1 - I am in the USA (thanks Ch3vr0n)
 
Last edited:
Perhaps a tip to mention at least your country? The one i use may not be available in your region ;)

Yeah, mine definitely won't ship to the USA from Belgium lol :)
 
Last edited:
Perhaps a tip to mention at least your country? The one i use may not be available in your region ;)

Yeah, mine definitely won't ship to the USA from Belgium lol :)

Nah, it would be about the same shipping times as Netflix at this point ! LOL

Pretty sure Netflix is drawing that service to a close soon. But that's just me saying that although I have seen many an article mention the same recently.
 
I use Redbox to rent all Blu-ray discs that I don't want to buy. I'm in the US, by the way.

Most of the time, if I like a rental, then I'll buy it from Amazon.

:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: DQ
I use Redbox to rent all Blu-ray discs that I don't want to buy. I'm in the US, by the way.

Most of the time, if I like a rental, then I'll buy it from Amazon.

:)

Does Redbox do by mail or are they kiosk only?
 
Is anyone out there still renting discs? I am still doing this via Netflix and have been since about when they started Netflix. However, I think they are getting close to cutting that off as the mail times get longer and discs get harder to get.
I was on a grandfathered DVD plan with Netflix until recently, 8 discs out at one time. Until a couple of months ago the return location was very local, same US city. Then I noticed the ship transit time was getting longer, along with the mailers having a return address of the main NF HQ.

When for nearly 2 weeks I had not received a single disc, nor had any being receipted as returned I called the main customer service line and talked with a human. They admitted many of their return locations had been shuttered. Well, I cancelled my by-mail DVD service, keeping the streaming component only. Until this change I had rarely streamed.

Now my monthly NF bill (US$13 + tax) is a fraction of my former mailed DVD + streaming bill (US$68 + tax).

I've tried RedBox in the past, but the type of discs I would rent aren't the usual fare of what I want to watch. Older movies/TV series.

IMO most of the current Hollywood product is garbage.
 
Last edited:
One of my favorite pastimes is to trawl through Amazon looking for cheap Blu-Ray and 4K movies. Sad, yet true :p

I'm so addicted to buying DVDs and Blu-rays from Amazon, it's not funny. My daughter laughs at me and I say, "you won't be laughing when I die and you inherit this mess." She says she doesn't mine. I have a 5-bedroom house and I'm running out of room to store them!
 
IMO most of the current Hollywood product is garbage.

Agree 100%. I find I dislike most anything beyond 2010 but my favorites are mostly 80's and 90's. In fact I have Plex collections based off 80's and 90's. LOL
 
One of my favorite pastimes is to trawl through Amazon looking for cheap Blu-Ray and 4K movies. Sad, yet true :p
I recently purchased BD copies of Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff. I have both on DVD from around 2015.

A13 is the 20th Anniversary Edition, has lots of special features extras included, and on Amazon was actually cheaper than the "feature only" BD of TRS.

I don't have the ability to play 4K discs, so BD and DVD is still my go-to purchases from Amazon. There is content only on DVD that isn't an arm-leg gouging on BD, or Region 1/A available only on DVD.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DQ
One of the reasons I cancelled my by-mail NF account was receiving so much content I never really saw much of it. I only purchase DVDs/BDs I want to watch more than once.

I use a couple of streaming services; Amazon Prime, Netflix, HBO Max (included for "free" in the cable bundle fees) so most movies/TV series I haven't seen before I can watch without a lot of added cost.

AnyStream is a nice idea, but I really don't want to become another content vacuum I have little space to store or find time to view.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DQ
I use Redbox to rent all Blu-ray discs that I don't want to buy. I'm in the US, by the way.

Most of the time, if I like a rental, then I'll buy it from Amazon.

:)
I have a couple of streaming services I use, and most content previously un-seen that I might consider buying I can stream. Several BD purchases on Amazon came from that.
 
I recently purchased BD copies of Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff. I have both on DVD from around 2015.

A13 is the 20th Anniversary Edition, has lots of special features extras included, and on Amazon was actually cheaper than the "feature only" BD of TRS.

I don't have the ability to play 4K discs, so BD and DVD is still my go-to purchases from Amazon. There is content only on DVD that isn't an arm-leg gouging on BD, or Region 1/A available only on DVD.

I do the same thing. My most favorite movies I have on DVD and Blu-Ray, typically because I got them on DVD early on and then wanted the higher quality. Now I am adding 4k discs but I don't play the disc directly I use Plex for those like the rest of my collection.

I do a few of the streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max and Prime. Although I think I am going to dump Netflix soon and I too don't pay for HBO Max directly it comes with my internet service.

So all of that nonsense is why I use EMDB so much. I keep track of what I have and what formats I have it in so I can easily search and check before I make a purchase.
 
I hope you people don't mind me jumping in here, but I guess I have to start somewhere.....This old geezer is in the same boat as what's been said here, my DVD/BD collection is around 10K discs now and my AS collection is growing.

As I've been patiently backing up my discs with the other Red Fox software, I need to start thinking about:

1. Organizing this info in some type of data base - that can be shared with others.

2. Start figuring out how which type of NAS server / storage to use

3. Should I back up my discs as ISO's or MP4's?

4. Use what to stream it?

I'd really appreciate any advice and guidance, and leads to the right forum for this conversation.
 
1. I just use an Excel spreadsheet. It has VBA scripts into to show cover art for the current line. I see a lot of people are using EMDB. I'm planning on looking into that.
2. I use an 8-bay QNAP. I use to LOVE it, but lately QNAP has been installing more and more crap you can't uninstall (I should never have upgraded the firmware). But all in all, it works well.
3. I have two sets of backups, the pristine rips and the transcoded MKVs. I don't do ISOs as I don't care about being able to recreate the disc, nor do I care about 3D, or the extra space a folder rip may take up. I just find folder rips easier, but I know many here disagree (which is fine).
4. I used to a WDTV, which I LOVED but it's getting long in the tooth. It doesn't handle h265, etc. I am currently using a Nvidia Shield Pro and Kodi (the guy who maintains the Amber skin was nice enough to make a WDTV-like view for me). I also have Plex on my NAS, so my daughter can watch stuff on Roku when she visits.
 
I hope you people don't mind me jumping in here, but I guess I have to start somewhere.....This old geezer is in the same boat as what's been said here, my DVD/BD collection is around 10K discs now and my AS collection is growing.

As I've been patiently backing up my discs with the other Red Fox software, I need to start thinking about:

1. Organizing this info in some type of data base - that can be shared with others.

2. Start figuring out how which type of NAS server / storage to use

3. Should I back up my discs as ISO's or MP4's?

4. Use what to stream it?

I'd really appreciate any advice and guidance, and leads to the right forum for this conversation.

This is going to be like a bunghole, everyone has one. Anyways, here is my take on your questions.

1. EMDB or Eric's Movie Database

2. You CAN use a NAS but you don't have too. I prefer not to at this time since I use a dedicated PC for Plex anyway.

3. I would say MP4 or MKV since you already have a disc. How you want to encode those and or compress them is really a matter of taste.

4. I use Plex and Roku for my entire digital collection on all my TVs.
 
Personally, I find all the various choices people have made very fascinating.

Agree completely, everyone does it at least a little different to suit their needs, often times coming up with something that helps the next guy if he were to only know about it. Which is why I like making these discovery and conversation threads.
 
Back
Top