Hollywood Lumbers Toward Digital Downloads( old news - 01:24PM Tuesday Jul 05 2005) While the movie studios do offer films on-line via outfits like Movielink, they're half-hearted efforts offering limited rentals, of limited quality, via Windows XP and IE only. Right now they exist solely to cement brand recognition for future competition - but that's changing. The Contra Costa Times explores how the industry is slowly moving toward offering full digital films on-line, despite ample hurdles - many of them self-created.
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 |  | Cyron
join:2002-09-24
Charlotte, NC
| Re: Video on Demand thru cable good enough for now VOD would be enough, if they released it sooner. I've already downloaded the DVD by the time it's available on VOD. It's pretty much the same with Movielink. If they really want people to utilize these services, they would release the movie earlier (pre-DVD release). | |
| 
Its Me Again
@170.190.x.x
| DVDs They should sell those self destruct dvds(made of corn for you tree huggers) at the checkout line in stores for all new releases. Price them around $7 and there would be an increase in profit & decrease in theft.
Most movie theft is by people who can actually afford the theater, but for whatever reason do not go. Make the dvd entry point that low, it basically nullifys a "need" for theft. Seven dollars is around the price the companies are getting a ticket & it is a cheaper way to produce & distribute a film.
The theater is going the way of the dinosaur, drive-in & cassette tape. There are much more profitable ways to distribute movies that would create less headaches than theater chains | |
| | averagedude
join:2002-01-30
Mesa, AZ | Re: DVDs You need to check out Walmart's $5 bin. It seems movies are hitting the $5 faster than ever and you don't have to wait very long. | |
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guitarzan
Premium
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA | Re: DVDs Are their any good movies in that $5 bin? I have not yet looked
that is why I am asking. | |
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sapo
I eat meat
Premium
join:2002-09-16
Sacramento, CA | Re: DVDs Bargain Bins aren't really identical... get up and see.
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Hi | |
| | Cyron
join:2002-09-24
Charlotte, NC
| I'm definitely in that category. Unless I'm going on a date, I don't go to a theater, ever. I usually wait a couple of weeks and download a watchable version.
The main issue with releasing the title on DVD at that time, is you would have a DVD rip on the internet rather than some lesser quality TS or Cam. | |
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not 7
@63.124.x.x
| I dont know who's spending 7$ to watch a disk that will destroy itself in a few days. Renting is still cheaper at 4.25 a movie at blockbuster, and atleast then i can keep it for almost 2 weeks before having to pay any sort of late fee, or about 9 days for a brand new movie. Renting is still cheaper and better then 7$ a movie. | |
| | | Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO
| Re: DVDs I would tend to agree. However, I have a pretty nice home theater setup and there are just some movies that are worth watching at a theater to get the full experience of it. Otherwise I would just rent it and watch it or if I know I will like it enough I will simply buy it and watch it all I want. | |
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Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL | Tivo/Netflix Tivo and Netflix will be releasing a service soon that will allow Netflix customers to download movies from Netflix to their TiVO for viewing pleasures (and then they expire and are removed). | |
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Roundboy
Premium
join:2000-10-04
Drexel Hill, PA | Re: Tivo/Netflix thats been on the table for a LONG time now... I am very excited to see it, but gave up waiting
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Honestly. People are stupid. EVERYWHERE. | |
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Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
 ·Comcast
| Re: Tivo/Netflix said by Roundboy  :thats been on the table for a LONG time now... I am very excited to see it, but gave up waiting Correct. It was announced in 2004 (Sept), however, Netflix has stated then and now that they do not plan on allowing this type of service until sometime the 4th quarter of 2005.
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YourIP.US - Quickly Locate Your IP!
LiveWhois.Net - It's Never Been So Easy!
My Blog .. My Life! | |
| 
G_Poobah
join:2004-01-17
Schenectady, NY
| In order for it to succeed.. Ok, everyone says 'on demand' and 'protected'. That's just another word for rip-off.
What do I, the consumer expect?
#1: It must save me money..
a) Using 'War of the Worlds (crappy movie btw)' as a sample, I'll pay 24.99 at the checkout line at blockbuster, if I can get it TODAY. If I can avoid going to the theatre, I'll pay a 5.00 premium to get the movie today, and watch at home. Price it too high, I don't see a value, and I won't buy it.
#2: I must OWN in, and be able to RESELL it.
a) again, using 'War of the Worlds'. I thought it sucked. I would want to be able to sell it to someone else the day after. Why? I paid for it, I should be able to recover some of my costs. If I download it, I can burn it to DVD. Period.
#3: No damn DRM, or restrictions, or time limits. I paid 24.99 for the movie, it had damn well better be a regular, unprotected DVD. "Oh no, he'll rip it off and resell it'. Sheesh, get over it you dumbasses at hollywood. I'll do that anyway if I want to. What you can do by pricing it correctly is take away the MARKET of people I could resell it to. Your greed will be your downfall. People will pay for what they feel they are getting a value for. I have ZERO QUALMS about buying a perfect DVD bootleg copy of my favorite TV shows (Sopranos) for 20.00 vs. the 100.00 per season you are trying to rip me off. Guess what, China produces em cheaper, and I'll buy from china. Set your price right, and you will put china out of business.
#4: Of course, if you follow the first 3, you've destroyed your 'aftermarket', or as george lucas is so fond of saying 'I'll change a scene and rape you again star wars super special directors cut now with tint control' (if you're old enough to remember oliver, you'll remember the tint control joke). Get over it.
That's where the future is. It's not adding more restrictions, or trying to stop the hackers. It's providing a good value, which is something you've lost hollywood.
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Grand Poobah | |
| | nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD
·Comcast
| Re: In order for it to succeed.. said by G_Poobah :Ok, everyone says 'on demand' and 'protected'. That's just another word for rip-off. What do I, the consumer expect? #1: It must save me money.. I'm with you on that one, but my desires are a little different:
I am willing to pay $10-12 for a first run (eg, War of the Worlds), one-time view, HD video file that I can watch on my HD tv. They can have DRM, but not this crap that makes you watch it within a certain period of time; if I download it and it's a week before I watch it, so be it. Once I'm done watching it can disappear, but not until then.
This is why DRM is doomed to failure - it can't possibly cover all the different desires of customers. Represented here are just two, widely differing desires; how many more variations are out there that would have to be satisfied to make a customer buy?
If the movie industry doesn't get it's sh1t together, they gonna be gone soon.
BTW, I don't go to movies anymore, I rarely rent DVDs and I never buy DVDs. I watch movies when they come out on cable/sat...or, when I start being able to download them. | |
| | 
LilYoda
Feline with squirel personality disorder
Premium
join:2004-09-02
Mountains
| quote:
#2: I must OWN in, and be able to RESELL it.
a) again, using 'War of the Worlds'. I thought it sucked. I would want to be able to sell it to someone else the day after. Why? I paid for it, I should be able to recover some of my costs. If I download it, I can burn it to DVD. Period.
The problem is that you could burn 20 copies and sell 20 copies.
They could either make the file burnable once only, or give the option to resell your right to the file for 80% of what you paid for it. Then the second guy can resell for 80% of what *he* paid, etc... until the price of the file drops to let's say 50% of the original sale price.
Then the price doesn't drop anymore, but 20% of the money goes back to the hollywood studio, and still 80% to the seller (this to avoid people buying the movie at $5 and reselling it at $5 infinitely) | |
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andyb
Premium
join:2003-05-29
SW Ontario
 ·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| Re: In order for it to succeed.. said by LilYoda : The problem is that you could burn 20 copies and sell 20 copies. They could either make the file burnable once only, i could see that happening but not till they make a dvdr thats gaurantee'd not to fail.be a bitch if your burn failed and you have to repurchase it | |
| | averagedude
join:2002-01-30
Mesa, AZ
·Cox HSI
| said by G_Poobah :#3: No damn DRM, or restrictions, or time limits. I paid 24.99 for the movie, it had damn well better be a regular, unprotected DVD. "Oh no, he'll rip it off and resell it'. Sheesh, get over it you dumbasses at hollywood. I'll do that anyway if I want to. What you can do by pricing it correctly is take away the MARKET of people I could resell it to. Your greed will be your downfall. People will pay for what they feel they are getting a value for. I have ZERO QUALMS about buying a perfect DVD bootleg copy of my favorite TV shows (Sopranos) for 20.00 vs. the 100.00 per season you are trying to rip me off. Guess what, China produces em cheaper, and I'll buy from china. Set your price right, and you will put china out of business.
I think DVD's should be released very close to the "movie release" date. (Idea) Price the DVD close to what it would cost 3 people to see the move (maybe add cost of a drink). Now if the pricing is right, the majority of people will purchase rather than download that first run movie. Will there still be those who download for free sure, but they would be their even if the movie was 10 cents. | |
| | 
djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
 ·PHONE POWER
 ·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable
| quote:
I'll pay 24.99 at the checkout line at blockbuster, if I can get it TODAY
Making theatrical releases available to home video won't happen anytime soon. They will not cannibalize the box office cash cow. quote:
I must OWN in, and be able to RESELL it ... [snip] ... No damn DRM, or restrictions, or time limits ... [snip] ... That's where the future is. It's not adding more restrictions.
I disagree. The future is more DRM and more restrictions. The success of iTunes has spoken, people will buy into DRM restricted material. As much as we'd like to think the pirates can crack anything, schemes WILL get tougher. DirecTV piracy, for example, has been dark for a while now. Hardware based DRM is coming. The only way you're going to be able to get away from DRM is to use old technology (CD and DVD, or whatever the last "cracked" geneartion of DRM was). The industries will be looking to stop production of new material on those insecure formats as soona as possible.
And no, I don't like it one bit.
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\\ROB - a part of the SCB local network | |
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LilYoda
Feline with squirel personality disorder
Premium
join:2004-09-02
Mountains
| Re: In order for it to succeed.. said by djrobx : Making theatrical releases available to home video won't happen anytime soon. They will not cannibalize the box office cash cow. I think they have canibalized it already, with movies coming out in DVD 3 to 4 months after their theatrical release...
But that's just MHO | |
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sick_N_tired
@cox.net
| The success of iTunes has spoken, people will buy into DRM---
Um, don't think the few million in sales iTunes even comes near the CD sales marks, iTunes was simply the first to do it simply for morons. Nevermind the catchy ads, I've had many friends lose iTunes material once the ipod battery dies, how do you rectify that? with a cd or mp3, you haven't that problem. also, who's to say they aren't purposely making crappy batteries that force this situation(and up iTunes sales to fools paying twice for the same limited bogus content).
Same goes to movies, once the mega chains get outfitted with HD cams that show films, clearly, with high res content(higher than DVD), better managed sound(the yokels at my local theater couldnt setup a pair of headphones right), GOOD seating, not just barely better than b4(note the wake your ass up chair you sat in for 2+ hrs), reasonable prices for drinks and snacks, $6.50 for a hotdog, gimme a friggin break. Until this fundamental greed change happens, you can kiss the theater experience goodbye, they've bilked us saps for way too long and cannot understand our ire. My bud spent the equivalent of a movie night out once a month, for one year, for his family of 4 on building a home theater ROOM on his house. and let me tell you, it blows the doors off any theater that isn't IMAX. HD projector and all, 10 foot screen, and 8.1 sound, and some seriously sweet HT lounge chairs that caress the ass into thinking it went to heaven! It's amazing what you can do with money when you don't throw it blindly at someone dangling overpriced candy you can't really eat in front of your face(hollywood+chains). | |
| 
DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium,VIP
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA
clubs: | URLs that require registration are annoying I would love to see a policy where "news" items that require user-registration were not used as source material.
"Me too!" anyone? 
-Dane | |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA | Re: URLs that require registration are annoying "Me too!"
At least we have bugmenot.com.
-- Rob
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\\ROB - a part of the SCB local network | |
| 
TechieZero
Tools Are Using Me
Premium
join:2002-01-25
Wesley Chapel, FL
|  Of course.
It would eliminate all of the middle men they have justified us to pay for. Then there is all the wonderful packaging and distribution side deals. It is a totally different profit margin for them that they don't feel "comfortable" with.
You have a process to send my movies through the internet or through a media server for others to watch? How much will you pay *ME* (Hollywierd) to have access to that content and how many times will I get paid for each TV or PC that gets to view that content in every SINGLE household? I can't let you have the kids in their room and you in your living room watch the same movie at the same time! That is 2 copies! Give me twice the money!
It's all about nickel and diming the heck out of everyone so that all the middle men can rationalize their bean counting existance.
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"Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried."-Winston Churchill | |
| 
Dan
Hamilton Tigers?
Premium
join:2002-12-17
Eh?
·Rogers Hi-Speed
| I just wish... I just wish that the MPAA would learn from the mistakes of the RIAA. To me a DVD hold much more value than a CD, but when it won't play in my Media Centre PC, and I have to spend the time to rip a copy on my regular XP box, to watch it on my Media Centre PC... well that's just not right.
DRM is annoying, and as one poster put it, you can't satisfy all the customers, but why not make less prohibiting DRM. I don't want to copy your DVD, but in this case I have to. Ironic isn't it?
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Looks like another ID 10 T error. | |
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zemus
join:2001-01-13
Brooklyn, NY
| hmmm I don't see why theater would be going extinct. That doesn't make any sense. People goto movies because it's an event ( a date, a group outing, just getting out of the house). I don't see HD killing off theaters at all. Theaters will just have to move to DLP. Most theaters around me have DLP now, but I am in new york. And btw there's no substitution for a huge screen and 100 other people that are interested in doing the exact same thing you are (watch that particular movie). | |
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beeman65
join:2001-07-23
Mckeesport, PA
| said by zemus :I don't see why theater would be going extinct. That doesn't make any sense. People goto movies because it's an event ( a date, a group outing, just getting out of the house). I agree. That, coupled with Hollywood will always have films out in the theater for box office money. Sure, they know that most movies will probably make more on rentals and sales, but for the theater crowd, there is money to be made.
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Get Firefox. Join the new wave. | |
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44duplex
@bellsouth.ne |  walmarts $5 videos
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juilinsandar
Texas Gooner
Premium
join:2000-07-17
San Benito, TX
·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: walmarts $5 videos said by 44duplex:
Don't know for sure but I've heard that Wally world edits all its tapes\dvds. Walmart morality...huh, funny
Untrue. It's just the music cd's that are edited. Walmart does carry Rated "R" and "Unrated" movies like "Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle Extreme Unrated edition", "Ring 2 Unrated" and "Cursed Unrated" | |
| oldhand
Premium
join:2003-05-16
Saugus, MA
| Or offer DVD/HD jukebox servers... Sony and other manufacturers currently sell 400-disc jukebox DVD players. If they'd offer a version with a Gigabit-Ethernet connection, Wake-On-LAN, a fully searchable database interface (similar to iTunes), and a small hard drive so that it could feed buffered movies (to allow scheduled watching so that multiple movies could be viewed simultaneously), I'd buy one immediately and avoid the hassle of ripping and decrypting discs that I have purchased.
Although I don't download or in any other way receive bootlegged movies, Hollywood has even driven this old geezer to seek out DRM decryption software to satisfy basic Fair Use needs. Congratulations Hollywood... | |
| | Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO
| Re: Or offer DVD/HD jukebox servers... What do you currently use?
I am looking to do the same as I would like to rip all 100+ movies onto drives and have it shared throughout the home for use. I have seen a few systems that do that, but they are quite costly. ($20,000+)
I was thinking more of something along the lines of Media Center 2005, but I need the ability to password protect movies based on rating and I dont think MC2005 allows that. | |
| | ASG9
join:2003-03-22
Big Easy
| isn't that the truth? spend thousands to build a media room and then have to fiddle for an hour with DIVX, Greencine, Movielink, XP's MCE whatever to watch a movie. keeping up with Hollywood's download paranoia isn't worth the time or aggravation. if you have to drive to blockbuster, why not drive to the local ballpark and watch the kids play organized baseball. | |
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