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Amazon Unbox Video Store Launches
andrewl6097 writes "Amazon.com has launched it's Amazon Unbox video store. Looks like about 1300 movies and 350 tv series, at $9.99 and up for movies and $1.99 per TV episode. Downloads come with a DVD quality version and a version more appropriate for portable players (using Windows DRM). Also, videos can be re-downloaded from your Amazon media library. Cool!"
The FAQ here.
Which includes this showstopper for Mac and Linux users:
Minimum System Requirements
OPERATING SYSTEM: The Unbox Video player application is only compatible with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows XP Professional SP2, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP2, or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Update Rollup 2. The Unbox Video player is not compatible with Apple/Macintosh operating systems.
COMPUTER HARDWARE: A PC with a 1.5-gigahertz (GHz) processor or faster, at least 512MB of memory, and a DirectX 9.0 complaint Video (64 MB Memory) and Sound Card.
INTERNET CONNECTION: Broadband internet connection capable of 800 kbps sustained transfer speeds.
No iPods either:
Can I use Amazon Unbox on my Macintosh or iPod?
Unfortunately, our Amazon Unbox video downloads are not compatible with Apple / Macintosh hardware and computer systems.
Animoog.org
Why is it retarded? The material cost for DVDs make up virtually none of the cost... its the content that we pay for. Now if the content that we download is restricted with DRM, thats another issue, but theres nothing wrong with paying to download dvds.
It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.
You can't even transfer the file that you download between computers. Check this out, from their FAQ:
"You can only view the files using Amazon Unbox installed on the computer that originally received the downloads."
So that means if I buy one of these files and burn it on a DVD to transfer it to another computer that I own, I won't even be able to play it on that other computer. I will have to actually download it again from Amazon.com. You can store it on up to 2 computers (and 2 corresponding video players) at any given time, but files can only be played on the computer to which you downloaded it.
So that means if I want to use up to the 2 computer limit, I have to actually download it twice. There is no way to save download time by using alternative transmission methods, like a flash drive or a DVD-R. This sucks.
Remember all the early iTunes-like stores that failed? Although iTunes has DRM, it succeeded in part because its restrictions were less strong than, say, AOL's. I think Amazon.com's is too restrictive.
ITMS could beat it by being nicer about it, at least allowing you to transfer it between computers however you like. Honestly, that restriction doesn't even make sense from a DRM point of view, because you could always just require people to "authorize" a computer like ITMS. Maybe they aren't as skilled at this as Apple is?
"From time to time, Amazon will automatically deliver promotional video content (e.g., movie trailers, celebrity interviews, reviews, etc.) to your Authorized Device. Amazon may automatically delete such promotional video content from your Authorized Device without notice to you."
"If Amazon changes any part of the Service or modifies license terms applicable to Rental Digital Content or Purchased Digital Content, which it may do in its sole discretion, you acknowledge that you may not be able to access, view, or use Digital Content in the same manner as prior to such changes, and you agree that Amazon shall have no liability to you in such case."
The Software automatically checks for upgrades, but the Software will not automatically upgrade without your consent, except as provided herein. If you do not consent to an upgrade that we make subject to your consent, the Digital Content may no longer be viewed on your Authorized Device."
Java has no friends.
Nope, you are not. You can burn it to the DVD, but only in their file type. You can't burn it in a DVD-Player readable format. From the FAQ:
Can I make a DVD from my Amazon Unbox downloads?
You can store your downloaded files on a DVD or other removable computer storage device for the purpose of backup in the same format as the original files. However, any DVDs that you burn with Amazon Unbox files will not be readable by a DVD player. You can only view the files using Amazon Unbox installed on the computer that originally received the downloads..
Basically, this service blows.
I bit and bought a tv show and then downloaded and installed Unbox which after installing, started to download the show. I decided I didn't want to wait for the download and stopped that. I then tried to uninstall it from my XP SP2 system and the uninstaller connected to Amazon and restarted the download! Couldn't find anyway to prevent this even having Unbox delete the file it had created (which reserved the full space required for the video). Uninstall still kept reconnecting and trying to download the video. I finally had enough of this and used the restore point that had been created when Unbox was installed, the after rebooting, manually deleted the file that had been created. Not very friendly. Larry
Supposedly FairUse4WM 1.2 includes video support.
This guy's the limit!
Microsoft can't modify MacOS X to add copy protection crap in there at all levels. Think of the protected audio path in WinXP, or the protected video path in Vista. Apple have nothing like those, and as far as I can see they don't intend to either. Microsoft can't add those things to MacOS X themselves, so they refuse to support DRM.
MacOS X is also lacking some other bits that MS-DRM uses (like any equivalent of the "protected storage" section of the registry). Not that it really matters, since they obviously don't work, but it's a nice excuse for Microsoft to not support DRM.
Same deal with Linspire, by the way. It has officially licensed WM codecs, but no DRM because Linux has none of the restrictions that Windows does.
true, but what's the performance like?
boot camp: is it worth rebooting just to buy something from a company that doesn't care about your custom?
parallels: unbox has some pretty hefty requirements. will parallels play it pefectly?
for me, windows on a mac is about necessity or about making me money. not so I can spend money.
It looks like they fixed it to simply state "Unfortunately Amazon Unbox is not compatible with Macintosh computer or iPods" or some-such. I wonder if someone got the memo.
Per Square Mile, a blog about density
fyi FAIrUse4DRM 1.1 supported WMV DRM inluding rental DRM ;).
Bullshit. FairUse4WM works great on WMVs. 1.2 works flawlessly even on a "patched" Windows box.
I can confirm that FairUse4WM version 1.1 successfully un-DRMs content purchased from Amazon Unbox (a South Park episode, in this case). FYI, the filesize is 432MB for 22:22 minutes at 640x480 resolution.
Interesting, they charge $2 more for the widescreen. I've either never seen that before in brick & mortar stores, or never noticed.
0) you can put it on an unlimited number of ipods that are synched to your computer.
1) Every itunes account can be shared by up to 5 computers.
2) an itunes account can be migrated from one computer to another (so if your computer dies your music does not)
3) you can burn an itunes song to a CD which will work on any computer (not sure about the video)
4) you can convert any song with AAC DRM to DRM free using iMovie on a macintosh.
5) you can convert any AAC DRM song to DRM free using Jhymm.
Does that answer your question?
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
This service is only available within the US. The client seems to determine whether it is in the US by sending a GeoIP lookup request via SOAP. I won't tell you the address, you can do the legwork yourself.
Interestingly, that soap-request contains the amazon username and password to do further SOAP GeoIP lookups.
If you were really devious, you'd either proxy that stuff or manipulate the SOAP response. Nobody here is devious, right ?