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Unbox Too Restricted and Too Expensive?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the reaching-for-features dept.

abb_road writes "Businessweek takes a first look at Amazon's new video service and walks away unimpressed. Between the high cost of downloads, the sometimes-poor video quality and the restrictions required by movie studios, they're not predicting a huge hit. From the article: 'Amazon finally launched its long-awaited online video service on Sept. 7. But it's no sure thing that it will catch on with the masses. The service, called Amazon Unbox, offers downloads of movies and television shows, as well as digital movie rentals. But like all its rivals, it's shackled by a raft of viewing limitations imposed by movie studios.'"

7 of 185 comments (clear)

  1. Bears repeating... by Prometheus+Bob · · Score: 5, Insightful

    More expensive than other legal methods (just buying the dvd used), with more limitations (can't backup, can't play in normal dvd players). I can't understand why it won't do well!?

  2. MPAA by x-kaos · · Score: 4, Insightful

    We knew this was the case, to much drm and not worth the money. What I fear is MPAA spin saying "Oh, well we tried to sell downloadable movies, but no one wanted them. People would rather pirate instead." I think they could work, just not this way.

    1. Re:MPAA by pla · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What I fear is MPAA spin saying "Oh, well we tried to sell downloadable movies, but no one wanted them. People would rather pirate instead."

      Why? They've already bought draconian anti-fair-use laws that make the fines for "copyright violation" high enough to bankrupt most upper middle-class families, along with punishments for breaking DRM comparable to murder. Even if they go whining to the government, what more do you fear they'll get?

      They really can't get any more, with current technology. We have effectively "lost" as badly as we can, with only a few freedom fighters such as DVD Jon as the last holdouts. And the media cartels have only our growing hatred to show for it.

    2. Re:MPAA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful
      I can seem to think of plenty that they might want:
      • Broadcast Flag
      • Analog Hole legislation
      • Broadcaster's copyright
      • Remote key revocation
      • ???
    3. Re:MPAA by CastrTroy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's really hard to compare the price of DVDs and CDs. On one hand, I listen to at least 1 song from each of my cd's at least once a week, some albums I listen to every week. So I get a lot out of them. DVDs on the other hand, I may watch once a month (for movies anyway), and often only once or twice a year. Some movies i've bought and only watched once or twice, but since it's cheaper than renting it 3 times, I've decided to buy it. So, although music is much cheaper for them to produce, it's worth a lot more to me, and yet they still charge less than DVDs. DVDs aren't really that expensive considering how much you pay for a theatre ticket, or how much you pay to rent them.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  3. So I can buy a movie... by Overzeetop · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...but I can't watch it on my TV.

    I get to watch it on my monitor, which is fairly small.
    In my office, where there's room for one, maybe two people.
    On an uncomfortable chair instead of my couch.
    And I get to pay more than an excellent condition DVD off of ebay, often as much or more than the DVD from Amazon, and probably more than the WalMart B&M down the road.

    In return I get to avoid waiting the 2 days for shipping (which I get "free" from Amazon Prime), or driving the 4 miles to a local store.

    I'm sorry, was there something I was supposed to enjoy about this transaction?

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  4. Why does Amazon copy failure instead of success? by dpbsmith · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't get at all. Why are companies so bent on copying failure instead of success?

    DIVX disks played on ordinary DVD players, were time-limited, and cost less than straight DVDs. And failed.

    FlexPlay disks played on ordinary DVD players, were time-limited, cost less than straight DVDs, and failed.

    Amazon Unbox WON'T play on ordinary DVD player, won't play on my almost-spiffy almost-new Mac Mini, won't play on my wife's PC (Windows 98), wouldn't have played on the Hewlett-Packard PC my daughter's family uses (WIndows 2000 Home Edition) before it crapped out a few months ago, won't play on the spiffy new Mac Mini she replaced it with, apparently won't play on any portable video device... ...is time-limited, and costs about the same as straight DVDs.

    And up to now I thought Jeff Bezos was a smart guy.

    --

    "How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!