Have to confess that when I saw the amount of email notifications I had for this thread, I assumed that a major squabble had broken out. Was pleasantly surprised to see that everyone was getting on, even if it was discussing ladies running around in shorts and wildly off topic.

Before I drag us back on topic, my take on the increased popularity of women's football is that it's down to the new rule that seems to have been instituted that seems to make it hard for unattractive ladies to play sports. When I were a lad, most female sports people were plain to moon pig, but now the reverse seems to be true. (Probably got something to do with sponsorship). I'm not a sports fan, but as a heterosexual man I'd rather watch a bunch of athletic ladies run around it shorts for 2 hours than guys. [/sexism]

Back on topic.

@wonder2wonder said:

Side note:

Perhaps it'll be cheaper to buy the DVD or BRD - used, if possible - of your favourite shows? Or will those prices rise exponentially too? Or even worse, disappeare - not made anymore - so that you'll be completely dependant on the streaming services, and you'll have to keep paying to see the same show again - and other shows - until you're milked dry or the end of time - whichever comes first?

I don't think any corporation wants us to physically own anything. Why let people pay once for something when you can effectively lease it to them?

As for the future of streaming, I see it somewhere between @Thespear 's utopia of quality and @Invidia 's Chicken Licken fallen sky scenario. I can't see Disney's foray failing, and would be surprised if Apple's did. NBC, though...

With the increased availability of less than legal ways to consume content, which few people are clued up enough to realise aren't legal and even fewer are worried about, I can see a huge growth in piracy. It all depends if the streamers still make enough money from those who do subscribe.

Phillippe LeMarchand, I feel you on the issue of staying on topic. Unfortunately, we will not see a resolution of THAT issue until people decide to follow the rules. Indeed, a much wider, more interesting, better, conversation COULD be had regarding the current women's world cup soccer championship...if only.

I don't think I am presenting a 'utopia of quality' regarding the streaming services. I am simply urging patience for a delivery system that I think is ultimately going to improve the quality of TV generally. I agree with you that today's streaming platforms have taken the place of cable companies and the smoke field production company board rooms that previously decided what we saw on TV in the past. Today we also have the option to stream from a variety of FREE platforms everywhere! We, the viewer, have always paid the piper. I am simply saying that now there is a larger collective 'we' who are paying for a larger range of better products: DSC being exhibit A (even if the 'fanboys disagree). In order for any show developer to rival the ST behemoth that is being created by CBS ALL Access, they would need to invest the kind of money that is being invested in DSC and the other new ST projects AND to create pieces of art that will have universal appeal and longevity.

DSC was never meant to rival The Orville. Can anyone REALLY see TO lasting for more than a few more seasons? How much longer will the sophomoric 'Family Guy' humor last? Yes, the show has a strong fan base but in today's world, that base is far too narrow to survive a global market place. I switched from cable to streaming because of the prohibitive costs. What I quickly found out was that although I lost out on some of the MOST popular shows, with streaming a whole new world of TV was open to me. I was able to sample TV from Europe, Canada, Australia for free and sample TV from Africa, India etc for a small fee. Generally, these shows from nations other than the US turned out to be of VERY good quality as well as being cultural gems. Then I noticed HBO and SHOWTIME try to creep into Hulu with free trails of certain shows to whet my appetite to start paying their reduce 'additional fee' again. I simply waited, after all there is only SO much TV viewing time in a day. Sometimes the shows would relent; sometime not. I would simply find something else from say...Canada to hold my interest for a few weeks.

This is what I suggest to anyone upset at the monopoly of these platforms...wait. Take what you have for now and wait. Of course, with ST I had to subscribe for CBS ALL Access but that was only an additional $5 or $7. They have a host of other shows of which I only watch one or two....by choice. There is SO much out there for free OUTSIDE the paid platforms I could care less what DISNEY or AMAZON or NETFLIX decides to do. I am sure wherever in the world you are you can get a standard streaming service at a base price and if it does not have the specific show you want, you may have pay a bit extra for a while. In the end, with streaming, you have many, many more options.

As to piracy from dubious websites, two things to remember: (i) someway, somehow you are making money for the person providing the download and (ii) SOME of those illicit sites are hubs for malicious spyware and viruses or worse, if you are using a computer.

Yes he just claimed I was talking about him again on the Disc board calling me a racist and an idiot because I called on him for sticking his nose into conversations you and I were having .He accuses everybody who disagrees with him as being racist while it is he who is acting like a racist and a fascist.And all one said that one wasn't going to get into that argument again maybe I should report on him for harassment

I was ignoring him until he posted to me again

I was he just has to keep his nose out of our conversation because it is rather annoying and serves no purpose

If he wants attention he should take a soapbox and stand at Speakers corner in London's Hyde Park or register for American Idol

I guess people won't notice him between the Trump (baby) blimps up there

Yeah but let's not waste any further time on that to go back to the topic of this thread.The biggest issue still is the overseas distribution because people abroad are not that likely to take up another streaming service just to watch one show (Picard) when the content isn't that much different from that of Netflix and if they were to pick up another streaming service it's probably more likely they will go for Apple or Disney because of the content they offer .Netflix is probably still the best choice since it offers all the other Trek shows(including the original animated series) combined with a very varied content in older and new shows ,Netflix own productions,old and new movies and documentaries and live concerts all in HD and with for the most part real Dolby 5.1 digital surround(I know for sure because otherwise the blue light on my A/V receiver wouldn't be burning(that is if you watch Netflix via a smart TV or Blu-ray player(like I do)

Look Nexus71,

Currently I have ZERO interest in what you have to say. However, if you EVER mention me in ANYTHING you post.......I will respond AS I CHOOSE. It is VERY simple. YOU do what YOU want then I DO what I want. I never act without due consideration. Don't mention me and I won't mention YOU. What can be simpler than THAT????? It should not be THAT hard, only YOU are making it that way. And I will ALWAYS call a** spade a spade**!

"I was ignoring him until he posted to me again" LIE you were NOT. You were finding a SLY underhand way to get my name into YOUR posts! Stop it!!!

Fine by me,but one shouldn't think that I was referring to you ,you may think that but it is not the case and Invidia actually mentions your name more times than I have ever done so why don't you bother her with your comments( the Inland Empire three bunnies comments to name one)? So you can't blame me when I respond to her when I'm saying that one is not going into that whole discussion again.Plain and simple

And back to the OT since we already wasted too much time on this subject

@Nexus71 said:

Yeah but let's not waste any further time on that to go back to the topic of this thread.The biggest issue still is the overseas distribution because people abroad are not that likely to take up another streaming service just to watch one show (Picard) when the content isn't that much different from that of Netflix and if they were to pick up another streaming service it's probably more likely they will go for Apple or Disney because of the content they offer .Netflix is probably still the best choice since it offers all the other Trek shows(including the original animated series) combined with a very varied content in older and new shows ,Netflix own productions,old and new movies and documentaries and live concerts all in HD and with for the most part real Dolby 5.1 digital surround(I know for sure because otherwise the blue light on my A/V receiver wouldn't be burning(that is if you watch Netflix via a smart TV or Blu-ray player(like I do)

I think it depends on the service. I'm in the UK and plenty of people have Netflix, and a lot have Amazon. It's fairly easy to rationalise a Prime sub (£80/year) to get Picard (and also The Expanse, Lucifer, Good Omens and more) when you get free next day delivery on lots of stuff too.

Well it all depends in what format Amazon is streaming ,I read that CBS All access is in 720 SD and in two channel stereo/surround while Netflix broadcasts in 1080 HD and for most of the times in dolby 5.1 digital surround so one doesn't immediately need to buy the movie or series on DVD or BRD . For me and I think for a lot of people that is important to know as well especially if one has a HD television or PC monitor or laptop screen that can be watched in HD

@Nexus71 said:

For me and I think for a lot of people that is important to know as well especially if one has a HD television or PC monitor or laptop screen that can be watched in HD

It seems that more and more - especially the younger generation - is content with watching everything on their - lower quality - smartphones and tablets.

Watching movies on smartphones and laptops suck one doesn't get the full quality heck even my CRT 100hz tv has better quality then those tiny screens plus if I would get 1€ for every moron who is watching his/her phone without paying attention to traffic that comes in front of the wheels of my bike I would be rich man.It's the same thing with music streaming services it's convenient but it sounds like shit.I have a very large DVD ,VHS,CD,cassette,and minidisc collections plus one has a pretty kick ass tower of equipment so it would be a mortal sin not to play those on the best equipment available .But one can definitely hear the difference from music I recorded via a streaming service(in the best available quality) on tape and music from an original source(LP.CD) because it sounds quite dead and bland and that is without when one uses an equalizer to give the sound of the streamed music a little more "life and atmosphere" when one is recording the tapes.

@Nexus71 said:

Well it all depends in what format Amazon is streaming ,I read that CBS All access is in 720 SD and in two channel stereo/surround while Netflix broadcasts in 1080 HD and for most of the times in dolby 5.1 digital surround so one doesn't immediately need to buy the movie or series on DVD or BRD . For me and I think for a lot of people that is important to know as well especially if one has a HD television or PC monitor or laptop screen that can be watched in HD

In the UK Amazon offer a variety of formats: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201648150 with a lot of UHD content: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/storefront?ie=UTF8&merchId=UHD

That said, whilst a lot of people have 4K/HDR kit, a lot of them get it because it's the latest thing and don't have a clue how to use their equipment properly. A family friend is constantly amazed that the picture on my 1080 set betters his 4k. I just use better/appropriate sources and bothered to set my TV up well.

Of course, there is this:

@wonder2wonder said:

It seems that more and more - especially the younger generation - is content with watching everything on their - lower quality - smartphones and tablets.

Sad but true. I've read that people are starting to produce porn in portrait format because people are viewing on their phones and used to everything being in portrait as they can't work out how to hold their phones properly for filming .

https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/vertical-video-in-marketing-infographic