Self-destructing DVD's

[SVCD4Me]

Unbelievable. Check this crap out. Not that it matters all that much, but if you can rent a "self destructing dvd" for cheap that you throw away, why can't you buy a non-self destructing dvd for a reasonable price???

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030516/tc_nm/media_disney_dvds_dc_1

[Doobie]

There was a company some months ago that started sending out self-destructing promo-DVDs (the DVDs that reviewers get before the movie hits the theater, the source for the high quality screeners). This really has nothing to do with copy protection because you can still rip it while it's good.

I have some of my dad's vinyl records. The ones that have been carefully stored still sound about as good as they day they were bought, a few decades ago. I wonder if the current DVDs will last a few decades before oxidation eats them up. People who bought CDs in the early '80s already have a coaster collection, even if the CDs were only stored. And, DVDs aren't nearly as fault tolerant as audio CDs. Nevermind that both CDs and DVDs are very susceptible to damage if not handled carefully.

[Lord Sandwich]

The technology cannot be hacked by programmers who would want to view the disc longer because the mechanism which closes the viewing window is chemical and has nothing to do with computer technology.

Oh sure. That'll stop video piracy in its tracks. :rolleyes:

Buena Vista did not disclose pricing plans but said the discs, dubbed EZ-D, would be available in August in select markets with recent releases including "The Recruit," "The Hot Chick," and "Signs."

On the other hand, maybe their selection of titles WILL. :D

[mpucoder]

I can't see this becoming very popular. First of all, most rentals today are at least 5 days, and there is always the possibility of extending it if you don't get the chance to watch the movie when you thought you would.

What really troubles me is that soemone did R&D on this, instead of trying to find ways to make the things last longer.

[Arky]

Originally posted by Lord Sandwich
Oh sure. That'll stop video piracy in its tracks. :rolleyes:


On the other hand, maybe their selection of titles WILL. :D

:D <== Me laughing. A lot


On a serious note, I just can't wait to see how fast they withdraw this once it's released. I give it 2months top, before they realise what a pathetic waste of R+D this has been. One thing which will always work in favour of the public-at-large, when it comes to these kinds of tactics, is that the people who try to use them (i.e. the ones at the top of the big corporations who desperately cling to their big fat, bulging wallets) have absolutely no idea what they are doing. Look at how much Sony spent on their most recent protection for Audio CDs, and then someone of a younger generation (you know, the generation that actually keeps those executives in a job, by buying CDs in the first place) defeated thousands of dollars worth of R+D with a simple black markerpen line.

There is no way that you can rely on degradation to prevent copying - if it can be played once, then that's all that's needed. DUH!! Add to that the fact that such tactics are a downright invitation for enthusiasts to pick up the gauntlet and make a public mockery of the 'protection'.


Arky ;o)

[OUTPinged_]

If that thing would introduce a cheaper way to get movies written to your DVD-Rs, then it will be good.

Renting rare dvds over mail for 3-5 bucks a piece will rock!

./me pets his dvd-r burner, this baby will help those 48hour movies last longer.

[trbarry]

I don't think this is a copy protection issue so much as a way for them to bypass Blockbuster and go right to the stores for the rental market.

It might turn out to be an okay idea. I absolutely hate taking DVD's back and paying huge late fees but I still do it all the time.

- Tom

[Doobie]

Yes, this will bypass the rental stores and let the studios keep most of the "rental" profit.

BTW, I believe Doom is wrong in comparing EZ-D to DIVX. EZ-D only serves as a rental. DIVX served to replace ownership.

Also, if it turns out the disks go bad too fast, it should be trivial to make them last several days or longer.

[adge]

Dare I say it, I think this is quite a good idea?

I do not see this as anything like DIVX, which attempted to control how you watched DVDs you owned, but rather as an alternative to conventional renting. IIUC it affects our ripping capabilities not one bit, nor does it affect DVDs we buy.

It depends on the price, of course, but all these technologies are based around the fact that it costs almost nothing to make the disc, compared to the value of the content. And clearly it's designed to give the distributors a slice of the rental market - maybe Blockbuster are annoyed, but not I.

The technology seems straightforward - after exposure to air the plastic coating on the underside starts to darken, blocking any laser access. How long, I wonder, before people start making devices to read through the black dye?

Flexplay's web site does offer a recycling solution, although I suspect its political value is greater than its green value; I can't see many people paying $1 to recycle a $2 disc, especially compared to the other c**p we all pump out. (AOL disk, anyone?)

As for the 5 days rental - here in the UK 2 days is much more common; overnight in the case of new releases. If you want more, then simply weave Doom9's magic in the first 48 hours. Always remembering to delete the files after 5 days, of course ;)

The only danger is if the principle creeps into 'normal' DVDs: imagine Disney selling you a DVD that lasts for, say, only one year. For all we know, DVD technology has a time limit anyway.

I don't like having to return rented DVDs, so thumbs up - if the price is right.

Adge

[Valky]

From my opinion this is nonsense. The manufacturing costs cant be so much cheaper that some rental store actually buys own copy for every customer instead of just buying couple of normal dvd's and then renting those out.
Those shops are even too small to keep huge amount of discs from every popular movie.

[waldok]

According to me it cannot work. Editors will have to sell these "bio degradable" DVDs at a low price, and considering growing piracy in the DVD area, they won't make any money out of it. I can imagine they can make some money out of DVDs that are sold around 25Euros, even though there are some ilegal copies here and there, but if they drop the prices (which they'll have to do considering the special "nature" of these new materials), they won't make it.

I would clasify this as another born-dead idea (and how surprising it always comes from...Disney. They'd better put their money into creating original scenarios for their movies rather than this kind of crap).
Plus, I can imagine that the speed of degradation is most likely to vary according to weather conditions (can't be the same in Alaska and in HawaiI, can it ?). - Man, my DVD is already locked and I just received it. - That's normal pal, trust good old Disney, you oughta move to a colder country if you want to watch DVDs from now on...

Waldok:cool:

[ppera2]

I don't think that it has anything about stopping piracy - they aren't so stupid.
Probably calculate that so will sell more DVD's - people can't exchange their collections, after some time maybe you will again pay for same movie etc...
It all shows that costumer's interest is not relevant for them.

Didn't see any price - what will cost such 'renting', maybe it will work if price will be similar to rental price.
Other thing is bad taste about all this - it looks that destruction is easier than be kind and generous.

I just wait day when some brilliant mind will suggest law which will forbide any private movie (plus software etc) collection.
Why making collections when you can rent all it?

[adge]

The manufacturing costs cant be so much cheaper that some rental store actually buys own copy for every customer instead of just buying couple of normal dvd's and then renting those out.
IIRC manufacturing costs of a DVD are around 30 cents. It all depends how much the rental stores are charged for them.
Those shops are even too small to keep huge amount of discs from every popular movie
When "Die Another Day" came out in theatres our local (small) video store gave away promo DVDs containing a James Bond documentary. Cardboard sleeves, not very bulky at all. For me, that says it all on both price and storage.

In any case, I see this as maybe an attempt to bypass the rental stores completely.
Editors will have to sell these "bio degradable" DVDs at a low price, and considering growing piracy in the DVD area, they won't make any money out of it.
Presumably they are aiming at the same price as a rental (£2-£4, 3-5 euros). But why should piracy be any worse than from a rented copy? If the technology works (big if) then a 'dead' disk is no different than a returned movie.

Adge

[mrbass]

This is awesome and it will work IF they keep the price the same as a blockbuster rental. $4....if they make it $5 then I'll risk renting it a blockbuster instead.

I was always against DIVX (circuity city) because it phoned home. Same reason I won't get TIVO cuz it has to phone home. If they can get the price right I believe this will really take off.

Why this has advantages over blockbuster and video rental stores:
- This can be sold at walmart, grocery stores anywhere.
- No dang scratches which happens probably about 5-10% of the time and makes it unplayable at when renting from blockbuster.
- Are we made cuz it restricts the viewing time. Hmmm remember when blockbuster used to be due the next day...now it's two days at noon. I remember in Japan where there was kanji for [hi]. I rent it at 8pm on a Tuesday...I bring it back about 5pm the following day and they ringed me up for a late charge. I'm like what the hell..they say that hi kanji means "same-day". In other words rent it at 8pm on Tuesday and return it at 11pm on Tuesday (the VERY SAME DAY). Well at least this EZ-D gives you 48 hours.
-- 48 hours from the time you rent it? No 48 hours from the time you open it. You can purchase your rental it a week ahead of time and then watch it when you have time to watch it.

I still feel they're gonna charge $4.99 or ever $5.99 though which may ruin enthusiasm for it. But if they hit the $4 price then it may take off bigtime. Then again I could be totally wrong.

[dTb]

I don't really like this idea for environmental issues alone. I think it's sad that people would rather create more waste than suffer the minor inconvenience of a trip to the video store.

[oddball]

"I'd buy THAT for a dollar!" :D

[waldok]

@adge

But why should piracy be any worse than from a rented copy? If the technology works (big if) then a 'dead' disk is no different than a returned movie.

Very simply because rental shops buy the DVD from the editors at a very expensive price, which should cover "in advance" the exploitation licence, so editors still get a lot of money at once and don't lose too much even if there is some piracy around afterwards. If the editors now directly sell (or rent, or whatever it is) these new degradable DVDs for about 2-3 euros, they will not make such a big amount of money at once and so piracy will be a much more important concern to them (that's just my opinion, maybe totally wrong).

Waldok:cool:

[adge]

I don't really like this idea for environmental issues alone. I think it's sad that people would rather create more waste than suffer the minor inconvenience of a trip to the video store.
... conveniently ignoring the environmental cost of the unnecessary trip to the video store. At least the DVD can be recycled.
.. rental shops buy the DVD from the editors at a very expensive price, which should cover "in advance" the exploitation licence
..hmm not sure about that. Our Blockbuster buys lots of copies of new releases, then when interest fades they sell "ex-rental" DVDs at slightly less than new prices. So they make most of the cost back, plus the rental income (which probably gets split with the film company). I don't see that they pay much more than retail price for them.

Anyway, as I said, I believe this is designed to bypass the rental store, and sell at retail outlets.

The only danger I see is, as others have feared, the movie studios may want to eventually abolish "permanent" DVDs in favour of these 'pay per view' style ones.

Adge

[johnboy00]

I'd sure hate to get one of these DVDs home and find that its air-tight packaging had been breached. Back to the store, wait in line again--yuck. I'll stick with NetFlix.