I have a friend who always downloads the smallest (by file size) copy of any video he can find. He has a 75" 4k TV, 5.1 surround speakers, the whole setup but he downloads 720p in stereo almost exclusively. He says he just doesn't care about the video or audio quality. It blows my mind, but some people are just weird.

Edit: Also, Paul is just a funny movie, if you're into goofy movie references.

[–] Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Easier to find a 75" in 4k than 720p resolution I guess?
But I can't rationalize the sound aspect.

[–] 0x4E4F@sh.itjust.works 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I have just plain stereo and wouldn't change it for the world. Have had all sorts of setups throught the years... it's so much easier when I don't have to worry about speaker mapping or what the player/browser would do with a plain stereo signal on a 5.1 or a 7.1 setup. Sometimes, everything's kosher, most of the time it's a mess.

Like it or not, stereo has been the default way to record audio for the last 80, 90 year, and it has proven that it's simple, yet effective at making the music "come alive" in the listener's mind. Sure, surround does it better, but there is too much maintenance into it, plus mastering albums in surround is a real PITA, especially electronic music (not real instruments, so how are you gonna map that effect/sound 🤷). Most TV stations also air plain stereo. Cameras, phones - plain stereo. Most series - also, plain stereo. Movies are basically the "odd ball out" because they're a combined multimedia experience (video and audio) and they're usually just shots of real world stuff happening in front of a screen, so it's not that difficult to surround map the sound on them (i.e. the video tells the story of how the auido should ”move").

[–] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

stereo has been the default way to record audio for the last 80, 90 year

No it hasn’t been. 70yrs would be a stretch. Even in the 60s you’d still have Mono albums released regularly, as well as alongside Stereo releases. Stereo television broadcasts weren’t introduced until 1984 in the United States. For reference, the first Dolby Surround cinema release was Apocalypse Now in 1979.

[–] 0x4E4F@sh.itjust.works 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Yeah, you're right, I messed up counting backwards 😂.

Still, stereo is good enough for me, I just can't be bothered with complicated setups any more 🤷.

[–] Coasting0942@reddthat.com 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

Wait till you find out about the people who play shooters at literally the lowest quality possible AND 30fps

Edit: from my friend who does this, he likes the idea of using as little power as possible

[–] RedEyeFlightControl@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

In some cases it renders less in the game, making the game easier, too.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 1 points 10 months ago

Unless it's not rendering the baddies.

[–] PoolloverNathan@programming.dev 1 points 10 months ago

I roll a d4 for my FPS at the lowest possible quality. I literally can't go higher.

[–] wildcardology@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

A lot of pros play shooters at low just to get more fps.

[–] Coasting0942@reddthat.com 1 points 10 months ago

I’m talking about what the YouTuber LowSpecGamer used to do. Running fallout 4 on a fire stick type stuff.