Netflix is the king of streaming media, ushering in an era of digital entertainment that has done a lot to dampen the future of physical discs and actual entertainment ownership. Netflix’s streaming popularity even undid its own physical media endeavors; the company, after all, started out as a DVD mailing subscription.

The streaming giant is mighty savvy, and does a lot to keep audiences engaged on its platform. But for all its digital dominance, even Netflix admits, even if it isn’t directly, that physical media has a large place in the entertainment landscape. And deep down, Netflix, I believe, knows physical media is superior to streaming. Here’s why.

File compression worsens streaming video

Streaming services are all about convenience. Having a vast catalog of titles within a click, and being able to browse, stream, and create your own lists and carousels is mighty handy. That’s how the services dominate; they are all very clever when it comes to creating systems that make it easy to find something to watch, even if you didn’t know you wanted to watch a particular title.

However, streaming doesn’t really come that close to physical media in terms of video and audio quality. And that’s all to do with compression. In order to get the title to you in a convenient way, the original large data file needs to be compressed down to a more reasonable size so that it can move across your Wi-Fi or LAN connection. Netflix, and other services, want to make it as easy as possible for you to start playing any title you want, so that file needs to be reasonable.

This compression removes details, including sharpness around edges of objects and contrast in the background. Some compression methods are better than others, and sometimes you may not realize you’re losing detail. That is, not until you compare a title on a streaming service against one playing on a Blu-ray.

A physical disc can hold a large data file, allowing you to view a title in its original, high-quality form. Even with a wired connection from your modem to your TV, you’re still not going to achieve the same level of quality as an actual disc.

Netflix releases some titles on Blu-rays

Popular series get the box treatment

For those who are heavily invested in the streaming world, it may be news to you to learn that there are notable series and films on Netflix that can have their own physical copy. Netflix sells Blu-ray editions and even box sets of some of the bigger titles on its platform, including series like Stranger Things, Wednesday, and The Haunting of Hill House.

Sure, these were popular titles on the streaming service, and it makes sense that Netflix would release them broadly to allow for people who aren’t subscribers to see these shows. But most of the shows that find their way to physical media are going to be enhanced by physical media. These are shows that are shot like feature films, with a specific texture and color, and that require quality contrast and sharpness that are better enjoyed on physical media.

Stranger Things had a huge budget to make some pretty impressive scenes. If you’re subscribed to an ad-supported Netflix tier, you’re not getting anywhere near the optimal product you will get when you buy the Blu-ray version.

You don’t own streaming copies

Platforms control library access and titles

Another issue with Netflix and other streaming platforms is that subscribers don’t actually own anything they watch. A subscription grants you access to a catalog of titles. That catalog may change, removing titles one day and adding them another. The titles on the service may also be edited or altered. The streamer controls the catalog; licensing deals dictate what is available and when.

So no one actually owns media when they subscribe to a service. A physical DVD or Blu-ray is yours to keep. But your streaming service is out of your control. The same applies for video game streaming services and e-reader subscription offerings. It’s worth being wary of digital copies as well. Even if you buy a digital edition of a film, it’s not the same as owning a physical copy. Digital editions are offered via a platform; they can’t be traded or sold.

Which is why it’s so important to stock up on the films you enjoy and want to treasure forever. And Netflix knows this, too.

Criterion Collection adds Netflix films

Heralded stories earn coveted Blu-ray releases

Certain prestige Netflix titles have also seen a physical BLu-rauy release through the Criterion Collection. The group promotes significant contributions to film, highlighting the best offerings from the present and past. That includes some Netflix movies.

Netflix productions such as Beasts of No Nation, Okja, and Roma are available in Blu-ray format via the Criterion Collection website. While this highlights the quality of some of the Netflix features, it also emphasizes the desire by fans to physically own their own media. Fans want to own actual great movies so that they can rewatch them at their leisure and not have to worry about where the title may end up, what kind of quality it’s, and whether there will be ads to go with it.

Criterion can’t just act on its own. It needs to secure the rights to sell these films in physical form. Which mean Netflix acknowledges the power of ownership and quality. Sure, it’s getting a good deal for its involvement, but it still means that people want to own their favorite stories and want to enjoy quality.

And the Netflix titles in Criteron Collection continue to grow. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is coming to the collection soon, as is Kpop Demon Hunters. And I just know that both of these stories will be far superior in physical form.

Netflix puts films in theaters

Awards contenders and audience favorites make it to the big screen

This isn’t quite an admission that physical media is superior as much as it is that digital versions of titles aren’t the ideal way to watch the biggest, most exciting movies. Netflix occasionally releases films in theaters, whether its ahead of the home release, as is the case wit some festival favorites and movies like Frankenstein, or whether it’s after the fact following massive streaming success, as was the case with Kpop Demon Hunters.

A theatrical experience simply cannot be replicated at home. The energy of a crowd and shared communal moment does not exist in the comfort of your home. And unless you have a massive TV, the visual experience of a theater can’t really be recreated.

There is certainly a place for Netflix and all its convenience, especially if you just want to watching something mindless and silly, of which there are plenty of options. But physical media is going to provide better quality, and Netflix knows this. Even if it doesn’t want to promote that idea.