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Download-to-own Films Coming Soon

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the no-reason-to-leave-the-house dept.

riflemann writes "CNN is reporting that Universal Pictures will soon launch a service whereby films can be downloaded legally to own, i.e. non time-limited digital downloads. Currently most legally downloaded movies are time limited. Buyers will also receive a DVD version in the post. Is the movie industry finally listening? And how will they define 'own?'"

7 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. 40$ for Kong? by mrpotato · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's way to expensive. These guys still don't get it. Designed to fail.

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    cheers
    1. Re:40$ for Kong? by ScrewMaster · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, but in the process of failing they appear progressive, with the intent of deflecting criticism.

      "You see, Mr. Congressman? We tried the newfangled approach and it just doesn't work, you can't sell things on the Intarweb, so we're going back to our old-fashioned screw-the-consumer oligopoly. We know we can make money with that."

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      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
    2. Re:40$ for Kong? by billcopc · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Man can I borrow your soapbox ? Looks like yours has a big built-in amplifier :)

      Torrent networks don't "attack" things.. while it might be possible to add someone's IP to the list of tracked peers and generate bogus SYN traffic, it wouldn't accomplish much as Bittorrent clients are designed to initiate a connection less than once every 5 minutes to any given host or tracker.

      Rewinding to the main topic, the only way to communicate to these media conglomerates isn't whining on /. or threatening to pirate their movies. We are dealing with business.. big business. The only language businesses speak is the language of money. Don't buy their stuff.. any of their stuff! Stop buying DVD movies, stop going to the cinemas, tell little Nicky he can shove his Harry Potter up his ass. Now I'm not saying this will hurt the company, but their bean counters will notice and those bean counters are the ones in power. They won't listen to our voice, but they will listen to our dollars.

      The day common people understand the democratic power of money, is the day democracy will start working for everyone.

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      -Billco, Fnarg.com
    3. Re:40$ for Kong? by mix4pix · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Certain types of customers would love that sort of thing." Yeah, the ones with RAID arrays in their living rooms and time to watch hours and hours of un-color-corrected, noisy, botched takes. Hint: that footage didn't make it into the movie for a reason. While "providing all the original uncut footage" might be a wet dream for some fans, it would be horrible PR for the actors and director, and a total invasion of their privacy, not to mention COMPLETELY discounting the work of the editors, sound editors, visual effects guys, and music guys. The ONLY purpose of something like this would be to give the public an appreciation of what goes into making a film . . . something you seem to be lacking in as well.

  2. Still too much by paiute · · Score: 5, Insightful

    $35? It won't take off until it goes below $20.

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    If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
  3. More expensive than normal DVD's. by O'Laochdha · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Let's face it, most downloaders aren't in it for the convenience. Whether it's an ideological beef with the MPAA, lack of funds, or just plain stinginess, most people don't want to pay for these movies. This might catch on among people who don't feel like going out to the store or waiting for it to come via online stores, but it's not going to curb illegal downloading.

  4. Re:So when... by ozmanjusri · · Score: 5, Insightful
    So when should we expect to see download-to-own software?

    Now. http://www.fsf.org/

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."