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I've been hearing chatter from a lot of journalists and electronic industry "leaders" for some time now, from Microsoft to Apple, tout how very soon digital streaming and downloading of HD video content will eclipse conventional packaged media (i.e. DVD, Blu-Ray) and be a simpler method than the old ways of content delivery. I would also love to believe that flying cars and teleportation are coming out next week, but I'm having a hard enough time as it is dealing with the monkey's flying out of my ASS right now!

I will admit that the wave-of-the-future will likely bring On-Demand/downloadable HD media to the masses on it's crest, but let's be honest....in about 5-10 years, maybe. I say this not because I believe that it's technically impossible, on the contrary I feel we poses the technology right now, but the infrastructure necessary to support such a massive transition will take quite some time to set in place.

And let's not forget about Joe and Jane Shmoe who have bills to pay, especially with that brand new 80" OLED touch-screen Ultra resolution HDTV they just took their 4th mortgage out on. Now they need to upgrade their computer, install a complete home network, and subscribe to the recently available FIOS service to take full advantage of that behemoth in their living room! Right? Oh, wait! 1080i only!?! I sure hope this crap can put my kid's through college cause I just blew their scholarship on it!

Do you honestly think the "powers-that-be" are really taking into consideration the advent of HIGHER Resolution signals for future content, along with their big push to get "incredible" 1080i content downloaded to us? I really don't think so! Not saying I'm not enjoying the hell out of my HD Dish service, but I ain't blind! I can see as well as any fool that there are enormous differences between what I got on HD disc and what's out there via Satellite/OTA HD. BIG FRICKIN' DIFFERENCE!!

And what kind of equipment are we going to need to store/burn all of the downloaded high definition goodness with, you know since they believe we won't need Blu-Ray anymore, and how much will THAT cost us? Speaking of "hidden costs" just how many more rights are we the people going to relinquish to the digital age before we aren't even able to own the television we're watching it all on? (OK that last part's a bit unfair as in my case the bank still owns a majority share in MY HDTV, but I'm makin' a dent damnit! )

I fear I MAY have become a bit jaded from the 11 years of service I gave to a local high-tech company, an "industry leading" firm committed to burying it's head in the sand or sticking it's fingers in it's ears and chanting, "I don't hear you, I don't hear you...". From my experience with these corporate jackholes and their infinite wisdom in forecasting future trends, I put very little faith in what they or those like them have to say, especially when logic is thrown into the mix!

With everything I've already said, consider this: How confident are you in companies to trust your video libraries to their dodgy servers and hard drives for permanent storage? And will their exemplary customer service and impeccable record's keeping rest your minds at ease, now that EVERYTHING non-tangible you own can be lost at the click of a button?

Sorry. I'm just a hopeless dystopianist...love me some 1984 and Blade Runner!