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I think what you meant to say is that every song purchased from the iTunes music store can be burned to CD. In the non-apple world, there are a variety of subscription services built on microsoft DRM (of which this new service is basically another). Their business model depends on having the music only work as long you pay your monthly fee.

With these services, you can certainly burn (and re-rip) every song you purchase, but you also have the option of legally downloading music which you haven't purchased, and which you have limited rights for.

You can think of it as a superset of iTunes, if thats easier.

On the subject of paying for downloading tv episodes/movies, a couple of years ago I heard about this site called http://www.cinemanow.com/ because at one time you could pay to download the season 3 episodes of ReBoot (which the DVDs are now long out of print) but it would've cost $160 to download the 16 episodes at $10 each, and the quality is nowhere near that of the DVDs.

CinemaNow does have quite a bit of content to download, some of it free as it's subsidies by advertising just like normal tv, but most of the content is pretty obscure (read: too terrible for normal tv, but I spotted a few titles that MST3K had ripped into)

hack slash, who has all of ReBoot on pressed DVD (hence his nickname), but half of it is dubbed in Russian

1 The Longhouse Tales Episode 101

2 Ninja Academy

3 People from Space

4 Urban Street Bike Warriors

5 Maslin Beach

6 Roy Orbison: Greatest Hits

7 Dancing for Dollars

8 Fallen Arches

9 Dope Game 2

10 Flynn

score (this round):

intellectual property protection = 1, artistic integrity = 0

Yeah, it's called movielink.com and cinemanow.com. When one of these companies or viacom or whatever makes a box that I plug into my TV and internet connection, with an easy remote and under $200 pricetag, I will never rent or buy a movie again. Dude, renting ONE FUCKING VIDEO usually costs me $15-20 because I forget to return them and get the late fees. Plus just going to the video store PISSES me off, because they don't have many videos.

Cinemanow and Movielink do not have very many videos either, but they would if everyone started using them. Look at netflix, they have so much crap I'm like a kid in a candy store. Go to movielink.com and order one of their .99cent videos. They have a special player app, it buffers your video up to like 10% (takes about 4-5 minutes at 200kB/s, so you can go pop the popcorn or pop out for a cigarette or whatever) and then you can start watching and it finishes the download in the background. It's already almost easy enough, but I want that 100-200 dollar box that plugs into my TV and reciever. BTW, the videos are over 640x480 which is more than enough for a regular TV, and the sound is perfect.

I'm sure the current DVR boxes can handle this also, they just need someone to write the software and someone to serve the movies. Oh, but that's right, there's huge megaconglomerates based on trucking plastic disks around and stacking them on store shelves. So until they can make $5 per rental, they aren't going to do it. Maybe some underground film should only release to one of these services, and that would be the driving force that starts the plunge.

...The site mentioned is at http://www.cinemanow.com/ 101 titles, but I don't know how much they cost because...

"You must use Internet Explorer Version 6 or higher on a PC running Windows 2000 or later in order to use the CinemaNow service."

Well that's great. Guess we can rule out smart windows users and linux users. Apparently /. readers need not apply.

And that makes their web designer's choice of the front page image, a stock photo of a woman using what looks like a powerbook with the Apple logo removed, pretty stupid.

Can any really picky bastard lawyer who might be reading this tell us /.'ers whether or not the stock photo is creating an implied warranty for those who may manage to sign up and then try to use the service on a Mac?

I'm not saying that there are many who are silly enough to try this, but let's say someone does, and then turns around and tries to get their money back when the movies don't work in Quicktime or burn to DVDs - how would the Better Business Bureau (or whatever their name is) view the image with regards to CinemaNow's Windows Only usage?

No joke

Prices start at $9

Firewall with Harrison Ford, which has never really peaked my interest to see yet, is listed at $19.99. I guess the 'future' of DVD buying hasn't arrived, as CinemaNow.com states on their homepage. You can get this film from Amazon for

For a second there... I thought they might actually be competitive.

"You must use Internet Explorer Version 6 or higher on a PC running Windows 2000 or later in order to use the CinemaNow service."

That nice lady on the front of http://www.cinemanow.com/ must have a MacBook Pro with the latest XP-Hack installed!

There will always be room for more broadband (and cowbell). They said this about hard drive capacities way back when. "You'll never need more than X MB's." This is especially true with large movie downloads on the horizon (or right now in your face for some of us). I know there's nothing I hate more than streaming a movie from cinemanow.com and having to let it buffer. It's just as bad as a DVD skipping. Maybe this is just one remote example of a need for more broadband, but imagine if HD-DVDs start to get offered online not to mention I'm sure there's a plethora of other services I'm forgetting that could most likely benefit from this.

http://www.cinemanow.com/ and http://www.movielink.com/ are my favorites.

You only use TLJ if you're doing an action pic. For a romantic comedy you use the sexy starlet de jour.

* Front Row
* iTunes Video Store
* iPod with video

As usual, Microsoft innovates and Apple copies:

* Windows XP Media Center Edition
* Online Spotlight and Cinemanow
* Portable Media Center

If you didn't get it, I'm making fun of Apple users who constantly make the opposite claim on Slashdot. Posting anonymously because many Apple users will be offended.

Thanks for your interest in Movielink, the leading movie download service. We want you to enjoy our powerful movie experience, but it is presently unavailable to users outside of the United States.
----------
http://www.cinemanow.com/how-it-works_int.aspx
Watch on your Windows
based PC, TV or
Mobile device.

GAME OVER!

As long as it's better than http://www.cinemanow.com/ Nothing worse than watching bad movies AND having to buffer every 5 minutes.

Uh huh, no big deal. Microsoft already provides this service:
http://movies.msn.com/

Not to mention the MSN partner site:
http://cinemanow.com/

I'm personally skeptical of the ITunes movie downloads. Most here would disagree with me due to anti-Microsoft bias, but I personally have always preferred MSN's music service since I get to go through a web browser rather than the clunky ITunes interface (at least clunky on my computer). Plus, I prefer WMVHD over 3ivx.

Although they hardly have the same selection (and nothing new) check out a free trial of CinemaNow. It's only older movies and even those aren't mainstream movies for the most part. They have an unlimited download subscription, or even the chance to buy them (usually around $10) and have a non-DRM encumbered title (I think).

It is simply good business sense to move into this largely untapped market, especially if you already have a platform for charging for and delivering digital content. Though they aren't the first; MovieLink and CinemaNow are already offering movies for legal download.

There are certain legal sites out there, but they all have that all-too-familiar achillies heel: The content owners want to use the step up in technology to ratchet a step up in price. They also only work on Windows XP machines. On the other hand, these days they have a heck of a lot more movies than when they launched.

Cinema Now - High cost but a lot of good stuff.
Movieflix - Cheap and plentiful, but old and obscure.
Movielink - The original, but won't even let you in the site without I.E. Similar cost / selection to cinema now.
iFilm - Always free, always a crapshoot as to what you will get. Probably the best thing to happen to independent filmmaking since Clerks.

The PROBLEM is still that MPAA and their partners DOES NOT ALLOW USERS TO PAY THEM for downloaded movies.

someone does

These sites also offer some television content but mostly old stuff (very old). They have streaming movies which does not require you to download onto a set top device and then view on your tv. The sites are http://www.cinemanow.com/ http://www.movieflix.com/ and http://www.ifilm.com/. They have free and subscription content.

There are already a few of these, like Movielink and CinemaNow, among others. But why bother? It's so much easier to just get a DVD from Netflix/Blockbuster or to download the same film with BitTorrent and not have to worry about all the DRM crap.

Lion's Gate (LGF ) owns a majority stake in CinemaNow, the closest competition. LGF stock has been all over the place in the past few months due to Video-On-Demand deals with major studios. Unlike LGF, which grew from strength to strength after acquiring Artisan Films, is based in Hollywood, and has exclusive rights to several hundred movies as well as ties with the major players in the entertainment business, Netflix is more a rental mall for DVDs.
otoh, Netflix's CEO has been predicting his entry into the VOD market for the past few years, and they did trails with sample footage for most DVDs.
Competition's always beneficial to the consumer.

Film piracy is never going to cut into box office dollars, period. No computer setup -- not even one with a projector screen and 5.1 surround sound -- will ever duplicate the theater experience, especially with a grainy telesync. The big screen and crowded theater hold too much fascination for us as human beings, and it won't go away any time soon.

The place where film piracy will hurt the most is in the home video market, because DivX rips of DVD films are at least VHS quality, usually better in some cases. Still, the movie industry has an advantage over the music industry here, because DivX rips are hard to download and DVDs are cheap. Hell, it's easier to rent a DVD and rip it yourself then to hunt down a film on Gnutella, and even then, you're still supporting the filmmakers in some small way, because you're paying the rental fee.

If the movie industry can improve the video quality and service quality of sites like MovieLink and CinemaNow, they'll have the one thing the music industry never really created -- a convenient, inexpensive alternative to piracy in the marketplace. Gee, is that all it takes? Who knews?

I have been using cinemanow.com for months now and I like it much better than what Movielink has to offer.

Because with Cinemanow for $9.95 a month I get access to hundreds of movies (including mature flicks ;o) ). They have some PPV stuff too, but who cares about that when you have access to hundreds of other films, eventhough they are not major releases? I like a good Indie film and Cinemanow has plenty of those not to mention good older films.

Movielink only has PPV and those prices are way too high, not to mention the time limits. With Cinemanow, I can watch a film as much as I want. I don't even get PPV from Cinemanow. Why am I going to pay $2-$4 to stream a movie I can watch a better version of via other methods(DVD, Cable/Satellite PPV)?

Here is how it works. According to this page, it's Windows only. Too bad.

Take a look at this site. There are over 300 movies up (including the ones mentioned in the story). Most interesting, they offer a $9.95 / month "all you can eat" option, which is a much more interesting proposition than $4 / movie / day.

Of course, 90% of they movies they are offering are total crap, "Backyard Fight Clubs 2", you have to have Windows Media Player, and picture quality is pretty poor. The free movie I checked out had a piss-poor transfer as well as bandwidth issues.

But $9.95 for all the movies I could watch on-demand would be an interesting proposition if the catalog were any good... even with DRM.

It does have Mac support.

CinemaNow's FAQ:

STEP 1 - Register
Registering with CinemaNow is easy and painless. Well worth it for all the great films you are about to see. You can click on Log In/Sign -Up or simply go to the film you wish to view and click on the Watch button. If you have any trouble registering, please check our FAQ/Registering.

STEP 2 - Make Sure You Have The Right Components

To watch films on CinemaNow you will need the latest Microsoft Windows Media Player version 7 (which is also available for Macintosh users) and can be downloaded for free here. In addition, please keep in mind that films on CinemaNow are best viewed with a broadband connection (usually 100k or higher) and that the quality of the picture may vary based on your connectivity. If you have any difficulties watching a film, please check our FAQ/Watching A Film.

STEP 3 - Select A Film

To find a film, you can use the Channel Selector located on the left of the screen to help you browse our titles. Each film is broken down by at least one channel and each channel can be sorted by free, premium or most watched. When you have found a film you are interested in, click on the image. This will take you to the individual film page where you can launch the film, find out more information, check out special features, and more.

STEP 4 - Free Films and Premium Films

There are two kinds of films on CinemaNow, Free (actually, ad-supported) and Premium films. The free films on our site are of no cost to you the user and will often be proceeded by and streaming advertisement of 15-30 seconds. The Premium films are available in two ways. At a pay-per-view cost, which gives you unlimited viewing of the selected film for a 48 hour window, or, as part of the Premium Pass subscription. The Premium Pass is a monthly subscription which gives you unlimited access to all the Premium films on the site unless specifically noted. If you have selected a Premium Film, and are not already a Premium Pass Member, you will be prompted by a secure credit card screen. Simply fill out your credit card information and away you go. If you have any questions about the pay-per-view or Premium Pass, please go to FAQ/ Pay-Per-View and Premium Pass.

STEP 5 - Select A Connection Speed

The first time you watch a film on CinemaNow you will be asked to select a connection speed. Here is a chart for choosing a connection speed based on your Internet access. Of course, this is just a guideline and it is often the case that you must select a slower speed to receive the best quality viewing. Also, you will always be able to select another connection speed at any time on the CinemaNow player, even in the middle of watching a film!

Suggested Speeds
Dial-Up Modem, 56k - 56k
ISDN, Cable Modem, DSL - 100k
Cable Modem, DSL, T1, T3 or greater - 300k
Cable Modem, DSL, T1, T3 or greater - 700k

STEP 6 - Enjoy The Film!

Frequently Asked Questions (and the answers that go with them!)

Registration

Q: I am having trouble registering, what do I do?
A: 1) Make sure you have completed all of the required fields on the registration form and are using a valid e-mail.
2) Make sure that your "cookies" are enabled. "Cookies" allow CinemaNow to keep track of your e-mail, password and most recent connection speed so that you do not have to sign-in every time. In order to enable cookies on your browser, please follow the instructions below.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or Higher

Click on Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom Level
Reset the custom settings to "Medium" or change the "Allow cookies" to "enable"
Netscape 4.0 or higher

Click on Edit > Preferences
Choose the Advanced drop down and choose "Accept all Cookies"

Watching a Film

Q: The Windows Media Player launches, but nothing happens?
A: 1) If the Windows Media player indicates that it is opening, but never launches the film, then you may just want to try selecting a slower connection speed.
2) Check to make sure that you have the Windows Media Player properly installed. Also, CinemaNow always recommends the latest version of the Windows Media Player which you can download here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmed ia/en/d ownload/default.asp
3) If you are using Netscape as your browser, try Internet Explorer.

Q: How come the picture is choppy/unclear/ like a slide show?
A: This probably has to do with your connection. The quality of the stream often depends on the amount of bandwidth that you are receiving and this can vary based on many factors. The best thing to do is select a slower connection speed or try back at a time when there is less net congestion.

Q: How come I can hear the movie, but I cannot see it?
A: 1) First, try selecting a slower connection speed. This should allow the audio and video to synch up.
2) Make sure you have the latest version/codec for the Windows Media Player. Any required codec (upgrade) you may need for watching certain films, you should be prompted. The latest Windows Media Player can be downloaded here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmed ia/en/d ownload/default.asp

Q: How come I can see the movie, but I cannot hear it?
A: 1) If the Windows Media player indicates that it is opening, but never launches the film, then you may just want to try selecting a slower connection speed.
2) Check to make sure that you have the Windows Media Player properly installed. Also, CinemaNow always recommends the latest version of the Windows Media Player which you can download here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmed ia/en/d ownload/default.asp
3) If you are using Netscape as your browser, try Internet Explorer.

Q: Can I watch on a Mac?
A: Yes and no. You can watch FREE films and trailers on the Mac, but unfortunately, you can not currently watch any of the PREMIUM or PAY-PER-VIEW films. This is because of a compatibility issue with the Digital Rights Management (DRM) we use to securely deliver our content. To watch the free content you will need to download the latest Windows Media Player for Mac, which is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/en/d ownload/default.asp

Q: I am using Windows ME, how come the player cannot acquire the license?
A: Click this link http://support.microsoft.com/search/ for information on how to resolve this issue.

Pay-Per-View and Premium Pass

Q: How do I cancel my Premium Pass subscription?
A: Click on the My Account button at the top of the page and log in. Then click the Cancel Subscription button and follow the steps to cancel your account. If you have any difficulty or are unsure if your account is canceled, e-mail boxoffice@cinemanow.com and be sure to include your username in the e-mail.

Q: What are Premium Films?
A: Premium films are films that are not shown on a free (ad supported) basis. These films are marked with a price next to the films information. You can watch a Premium film in two ways. The first is as a pay-per-view which allows you to watch the selected film and unlimited amount of times in a 48 hour window for the indicated price. For the terms of the pay per view, click here. The second way is through a subscription, which we call Premium Pass. You can read about Premium Pass below.

Q: What is the Premium Pass?
A: Premium Pass is a subscription to CinemaNow. Premium Pass allows you to pay a recurring monthly fee in order to get unlimited access to all Premium Films. You can read more about it here (link to Premium Pass more info).

Q: How come some Pay-Per-View films are not available as part of the Premium Pass?
A: The only films that are not available with the Premium Pass are those that are marked "Pay-Per-View" as opposed to "Premium". The reason for this has to do with legal rights issues over subscription. Thus, CinemaNow can only make these films available on a pay-per-view basis.

Filmaker Questions
Q: How do I submit my film?
A: You can send a VHS copy of your film to the following address (and please remember to include your name and contact information):

Attn: Acquisitions
CinemaNow
4553 Glencoe Ave.
Suite 380
Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Or contact Eric Stein at erics@cinemanow.com with any questions.

SablKnight

The article blurb should probably mentioned that they have a free section!!! That's cool of them to offer so much bandwidth for a no-profit item, as well as get more exposure for lesser-known movies.

Warner Brothers is distributing several movies, including Harry Potter and Mars Attacks via the internet.

Warner Brothers is distributing several movies, including Harry Potter and Mars Attacks via the internet.

The requirements are as follows:

• 56k Modem or Higher (Broadband Prefered*)
• Media Player 7
• Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher

* No Shit. Really?

http://www.cinemanow.com has a per month fee for movies or pay-per-view depending on the movie. The quality is quite good, just a few notched down from VHS - if you have a high speed connection. They have some FREE movies to test out. The only problem is it uses Windows Media Player. So no Linux, though it works fine on Mac.

• NBCi Classic Movies has 'Killer Bats' and more
• Cinemapop has Bruce Lee movies and more
• MovieFlix has Three Stooges and more
• Cinemanowhas great movies like 'Killer Klowns from Outer Space'

I have a 512k cablemodem and the 300k films look reasonably watchable at fullscreen - a bit like a dodgy video cd - but the concept certainly works, and I love the idea of just being able to watch a film when i feel like it without having to worry about going to the dvd rental place or paying more to my cableco.