The EZ-D. A 48 Hrs DVD. Buy it ($4-$5). Watch it. Recycle it.

[Link: biz.yahoo.com]

Willy.

"Can you say, 'DIVX', boys and girls? I knew you could."

How much profit could possibly be made in this type of product. Why not just reduce the cost even more on full DVD and that will increase the demand for movies. This idea will only hurt the market. From what I heard this was an idea that Disney (A former DIVX sponser) strongly supports.

Do you remeber when "Raiders of the Lost Ark" was released on video (Beta and VHS)? The price was under $40 when other tapes were over $70. It was a best seller and made a HUGE profit for the studio.

The current move to charge high prices for content, while excluding "fair use" (changing to another format for personal viewing) is ill advised.

Consumers have shown that they will pay fair prices for content as long as they can apply "fair use." Just as bootlegging booze has all but disapeared after prohibition, so will pirating disappear once the studios stop demanding outrageous prices for one time viewing.

The problem of illegal pricing will go away once fair pricing for legal use is reaonable.

e.p. excuse me, vodka was here.

While I agree with some of your statements, comparing pricing on something to Prohibition doesn't work. Booze was ILLEGAL, not seemingly overpriced. Big difference.

Pirating will NOT disappear if prices are lowered. There are too many people who treat it as a game, the actual cost doesn't really come into the psychology of the pirates. Look at DirecTV pirates for the best example.

Spiky is right on. Piracy won't go away no matter what they do. No digital format is secure, and my friends who know about that kind of stuff tell me a truly secure digital format is a pipe dream. It is a game, the better the encryption, the more people want to crack it. As far as that new format, I think within a few months someone will create a piece of software to rip those DVDs, and then it doesn't matter how long the actual DVD lasts. Of course this is just my opinion, I'm no software engineer.

The price of DVDs is artificially high. The cost of the disk isn't more expensive then tape (prob. less). The royalties are the same between the two so what is the difference. The difference is that they can charge that price and people want them?

If the price was much lower most of the people would prefer to buy then take the time and effort to download. There will always be sum who will prefer the download but who cares if their numbers are small. Just look at the number of people who rent. If prices were half the rental store would suffer but the studios would profit. Gee I winder who owns the rental stores.

That post wouldn't have anything to do with the current RIAA actions would it? :)

Honestly I don't think DVD's are priced too high. Sure they could be cheaper, but I'm happy with what I get for my twenty bucks most of the time.

#8 - RIAA action.. Who cares? Downloaded movies have a only a fair video quality and even poorer audio. They might be useful in weeding out the weak movies instead of wasting the $$ to rent.

I am glad you are happy since you obviously don't understand what you are getting for $20.

First I stated that the cost of VHS was cheaper in spite of the fact that the media is more. True you get extras but I but for the movie not the extras. The extra cost is strictly because they can so maybe the downloading helps keep them in check.

Second The video quality on DVDs is crap compared to what is available. The video on DVDs is 480i (480 line of resolution interlaced). Most new TVs can handle 720p or better (my plasma will handle 1125i). For years people complained about car comp. Controlling the tech. for efficient cars but what about the entertainment industry (both music and movies) controlling A/V equipment makers. Higher quality DVD would produce lager files and make it even less cost effective to copy them.

So how about $20 for something worth $20.

Jsap, I hope you weren't buying movies in the 70s or LDs ever. If you think DVDs are overpriced, you obviously don't know where they fit into the history of purchasing movies.

DVD technology is just getting to the point where it can handle HD resolutions on the same 5" disc. It will be out soon in HD resolution. There is Micro$oft's version already available in 1 movie so far.

And BTW, your plasma can convert from interlaced HD signal. It can't actually display it, I imagine.

I made the RIAA comment because I've seen very little complaining about CD and DVD pricing previous to the RIAA action. Now I see it everywhere.

The value of music and movies is subjective. Is "Bio-dome" worth as much as "The Exorcist"? How much you like the movie can determine what its worth to you. Music and movies have never been priced based on there cost to produce, manufacture, or the cost of the media and packaging. They have always been priced based on what the companies think the public is willing to pay. "8 Mile" cost significantly less to produce than "The Matrix Reloaded" yet the DVD's cost the same.

Older formats always become less expensive. VHS is less than DVD because DVD is the preferred format of today. Cassettes are less expensive than CDs for the same reason.

I don't think there is a "low resolution" conspiracy going on. New formats come when the entertainment companies think there viable. If they don't think they can move sufficient quantities of a format they won't release product on it. The mainstream consumer isn't asking for a better format than DVD right now. Look at how long we've had CDs, they could have replaced them with a more advanced version a decade ago. There's no demand, were getting new music formats now mostly based on a push to migrate entertainment to the DVD format, not because the mainstream is demanding better sound quality.

The types of theater setups people on this board have are far from the norm. Most people don't even have progressive scan TVs yet. When enough people want a better format, we'll get it.

OK I will answer these one at a time. I don't want to sound bitter, just a little disappointed.

#10. Yes I bought movies in the 80's but not LDs. LDs were expensive because of the limited audience, something that DVD doesn’t suffer from. The industry always plays to the lowest common denominator understandably). But now that low-end progressive DVD players are $50 and the average TV will soon be digital, the bar should be raised. I believe that consumer wants (demands) should move the industry and not the other way around. If we demand (willing to pay) more they will respond. HD-DVD technology is here although the VHS vs. Beta battle still has to be fought. Check here for more info.
[Link: dvddemystified.com]

By the way, my Pioneer Elite plasma can display 1280x768p so it can display a 720p signal without conversion. The Toshiba LCOS is the only TV to display 1920x1080p (true native HD).

No, my comment was about a plasma playing an interlaced signal. They all convert those. Just like most CRT based RPTVs can only display interlaced, so 720p signals are converted to 1080i.

1080p is becoming more available. Sony's new projector will have it, so will one from Sanyo. I don't think either of these are available yet, though.

The EZ-D. A 48 Hrs DVD. Buy it ($4-$5). Watch it. Recycle it.

We are getting away from answering what we think about the EZ-D. I'm not sure how well this format will fair. First of all this was an Idea for video stores to rent out movies without the need for customers to return them. They could have greater quantaties to rent out at one time. What may stop them from wanting this format is that they make tons of money off late returns.
As far as buying them in stores, I believe most people who are willing to buy a movie want to keep them in their DVD libraries to later watch them again. This format prevents that.
Another big issue is how many of these discs will eventually find their way into landfills, roadsides and what not.

I don't believe in the long run this format will survive.

Riche_guy

I think it was covered. It's garbage. Literally. I have a better chance of winning the lottery than these people have of selling me one of these discs. (and I don't play the lottery)