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Pay-Per-View to Provide DVD After Viewing?

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the less-than-the-cost-of-the-dvd dept.

Anonymous Coward writes to tell us that Comcast is entertaining an idea that would allow digital cable customers to purchase a pay-per-view movie for roughly $17 that would also include a hard copy in the mail a few days later. From the article: "The only snafu in the entire idea is the fact that only 40% of Comcast cable subscribers have the required digital box at this point in time. But still, that is 40% of 21 million customers which is not too bad. DirecTV and Dish, are you listening?"

3 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. The big question.. by almostmanda · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If you watch it, and find out it sucks, can you cancel the order/send the hard copy back? How much do they charge you, then?

  2. The alternative by Mynn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You pay $3 bucks to watch it; if you like it, you can upgrade at the end to a "hard" copy.

    Or $3 to watch it, $10 to burn your own, or $17 to have a "good" copy sent to you (some of us don't realllly trust BYO DVDs to last, having had media/upgrade problems in the past).

    --

    Face it, people are stupid, and the internet is the place where they all meet.
  3. Good idea, but doesn't quite hit the mark by tgd · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If I have to pay $17 for a PPV movie, I'm not likely to use it. If I pay $4 for one, and have the option to shell out another $13 after it for the DVD, thats something I'd use. Thats a try-before-I-buy sort of option.

    Comcast is definitely a company that "gets it" though. The on-demand works well, they're pushing out more and more HD content. 5+mbit cable modems, etc. If they could only get reasonable software on the digital PVR cable boxes, I wouldn't even be entertaining a switch to satellite. That and if they got Universal HD, so I could see BSG in HD :)