Disney to Start Renting 'Self-Destructing' DVDs

[Rick_EE]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,87114,00.html

 

Sounds intersting.  The Divx system failed because it was so intrusive.  These seem simple. 

Knowing Disney, they will try to rent/sell them for $10.

[Chris Blount]

Oh gosh, here we go again. I can't wait until the environmentalists get wind of this.

[Rick_EE]

Good point :)

[raj2001]

Bah, I'll just copy the DVD as usual.

[BobMurdoch]

Don't the ones Blockbuster ALREADY self destruct? They scratch so easily and become unplayable. This is why I buy the DVDs I want, and wait for the rest to hit the PayTV channels.

[Eyedox]

Let's see ... they want $7 a disc that only works for maybe 48 hours after opening the package. I can RENT one for 5 DAYS for less than HALF that ($3), or on PPV. Or I can go out and buy the movie and keep it forever fo a little more at WalMart. Hmmmm ..... idiots. They should at LEAST make the Discs last a week or so ... and the greedy studios wonder why people download all of their movies and music off the internet anymore. DIVX failed miserably and this will too.

[Nick]

This concept is not new. Good thing Disney doesn't sell used cars.

Walt is rolling over and over. :rolleyes:

[Steve Mehs]

Another bonehead idea from a bonehead company. I just love this idea as much as 'lets remove a movie from the shelves for a few years to create high demand and make a load of cash'. I'm glad I was never into Disney.

[Jacob S]

Disney may not be selling used cars but Wal-Mart may start doing so.

I remember a discussion about this in the past about selling DVD's that self destruct after you watch them so many times, but renting them to have them do this would not be as bad as owning one that would do that, but its still stupid nevertheless.

[Mark Holtz]

Wal-Mart and K-Mart have the notorious habit of stocking only pan-and-scan movies even if a widescreen version is available.

[Steve Mehs]

I never once saw a movie in P&S only at WalMart, WalMart is almost my exclusive home for DVDs. I did accidentally pick up a full screen version of a movie once by accident, but I just returned it the following weekend.

[Rick_EE]

Originally posted by Eyedox
they want $7 a disc that only works for maybe 48 hours after opening the package. I

Where did you get the $7 figure?

I would be real interested if the price was the same as renting.

[Mike123abc]

If Walmart carried them for $2-$3 I think they would be a huge success. But, Walmart already has tons of old discs for under $6 now.

A new movie for $2-$3 with a 48 hour limit would be about as good as they could get.

[Jacob S]

Then someone will figure out how to copy them to where it will not auto destruct. Playing it on another tv in which you can record it from it.

[jeffwtux]

Eisner, and DIsney really are the poster children for bad corporate governance. All the decisions they make(GO network, Disney Europe, NBA purchase..) are completely boneheaded and way behind the times. Disney shareholders are total suckers. Of course, even though the NBA purchase was boneheaded, they do have leverage to abuse a powerlesss group: cable/DBS subscribers.

[Mark Holtz]

It's a chemical reaction that changes the color. Someone will find a way to reverse or stop the process, and most likely, be sued for violating DMCA.

Remember how those "copy protected CDs" were defeated by a felt tip marker.

[raj2001]

Originally posted by Z'Loth
It's a chemical reaction that changes the color. Someone will find a way to reverse or stop the process, and most likely, be sued for violating DMCA.

Remember how those "copy protected CDs" were defeated by a felt tip marker.

No need for all of that. All that you need to do is copy the DVD.

[Jacob S]

One may even be able to copy it from a dvd to a pvr like a standalone Tivo

[PeterB]

If its playable in a DVD player for 48 hours, all you need to do is Rip it on a PC within the 48 hours and your all set.

Let the original decompose, you have the 1 and 0s you needed, and burn away.

[Rick_EE]

I don't think that is meant to combat piracy, simply a means of renting w/o having to return. You can copy rented normal DVD's too.

[Jacob S]

That would be very interesting, saves the people from having to run back to the video store, taking the original copy, and saves the customer from having late charges, although the cost of the blank dvd would be a little more but not having to go back to the video store and those other things would probably make up for it.

[Augie #70]

Originally posted by Rick Densing


Where did you get the $7 figure?

I would be real interested if the price was the same as renting.

From an article in Video Business:

Initial plans call for the discs to wholesale for $5, minus trade discounts, with a targeted retail price of $6.99, according to retailers who have been briefed on the studio's plan.

Just another studio trying to screw the local video store and cut out the middleman.  No way would I pay that.

[Rick_EE]

At that price, it is doomed.

[music_beans]

:D "Walt Dizzy presents the worlds first worst animated feature on self-destructing DVD technology, LADY AND THE CRAMP!" :D

Disney movie classics (pre 1990s) is probably the ONLY thing I like about Disney. Disney Channel sucks since they keep repeating the same movies over and over.

[Ryan]

The throw-away issue is a delicate one. Is DVD media recyclable, and is there a demand for the recycled material? I don't think these things should be sold with the intention of them becoming part of the waste stream 48 hours after opening.

Maybe they need to have a deposit on them ala bottle sales in some states. They could be sold with prepaid mailers so people could mail them to a recycling center. Or they need to be added to the list of materials that most municipalities pickup in their recycling programs. Or perhaps the chemical process that makes the disc unviewable after 48 hours (similar to rusting the article I read says) continues to degrade the media to a point where its an acceptable part of the waste stream.

I could see this technology paying off for a service like netflix for popular new releases. Why should they buy 10 million (or whatever number) permanant copies of Matrix II to cover their demand for the first few months of rental. They could buy a much smaller number of permanent copies at their wholesale price, plus a buch of one-timers for the peak, just released to video period. Plus if they are 'throw away' or recycle at home items, they save on the pre-paid return mail.

There is a catch with netflix, in that you can keep a disc bascially as long as you wish, but these special ones would just be 48 hours.

[Ryan]

The throw-away issue is a delicate one. Is DVD media recyclable, and is there a demand for the recycled material? I don't think these things should be sold with the intention of them becoming part of the waste stream 48 hours after opening.

Maybe they need to have a deposit on them ala bottle sales in some states. They could be sold with prepaid mailers so people could mail them to a recycling center. Or they need to be added to the list of materials that most municipalities pickup in their recycling programs. Or perhaps the chemical process that makes the disc unviewable after 48 hours (similar to rusting the article I read says) continues to degrade the media to a point where its an acceptable part of the waste stream.

I could see this technology paying off for a service like netflix for popular new releases. Why should they buy 10 million (or whatever number) permanant copies of Matrix II to cover their demand for the first few months of rental. They could buy a much smaller number of permanent copies at their wholesale price, plus a buch of one-timers for the peak, just released to video period. Plus if they are 'throw away' or recycle at home items, they save on the pre-paid return mail.

There is a catch with netflix, in that you can keep a disc bascially as long as you wish, but these special ones would just be 48 hours.

[Jacob S]

Yes, this would be great for netflix. Perhaps they could have multiple movies on one dvd or have another movie on the other side or something and having it expire within a certain amount of time. They would have to allow so much extra time for mail delivery though. Maybe the shipping charges would make up for the price of the price of the dvd cost.

Would it be possible to record over the dvd after it self destructed? Perhaps they could make them reusable where you could record over them over and over.

[Rick_EE]

Originally posted by Jacob S
Would it be possible to record over the dvd after it self destructed?

No. Manufactured cd/dvd's are entirely different than recordable

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/cd-burner.htm

[Ryan]

Let's clarify the self-destruct aspect for people who haven't read the details: A chemical reaction similar to rusting causes the disc to turn black and become unreadable (no light transfer for the laser) once the disc is exposed to oxygen.

So the discs are shelf stable until opened, then the clock starts ticking.

[Scott Greczkowski]

I think Disney is self destructing.

Money grubbing scum....

[mnassour]

Originally posted by Nick
This concept is not new. Good thing Disney doesn't sell used cars.

Walt is rolling over and over. :rolleyes:


Don't you think that for a minute, Nick. He would have loved it. Disney was notorious for penny-pinching and the dollar was always the bottom line.

[mnassour]

Originally posted by Ryan
Let's clarify the self-destruct aspect for people who haven't read the details: A chemical reaction similar to rusting causes the disc to turn black and become unreadable (no light transfer for the laser) once the disc is exposed to oxygen.

So the discs are shelf stable until opened, then the clock starts ticking.

Fifty dollar bet right now that a BUNCH of them are black right out of the box. This toad is a non-starter.

[ToddMeister]

Yep, and I'll pay for that DVD with a self-destructing check, too.

[raj2001]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
I think Disney is self destructing.

Money grubbing scum....

Indeed, Ol' Walt must be turning in his grave.

[music_beans]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
I think Disney is self destructing.

Money grubbing scum....


Disney is self destructing into BANKRUPTCY!
Anyone want to see Disney get itself into a corporate scandal like Martha Stewart?:D

[lastmanstanding]

I guess I don't know enough to hate Disney. Depending on the price point, these DVDs might be OK if the quality of playback is there, and it should be, or at least could be.

This is a move to shift the profit from rentals away from the video stores and back to the content producers. This is a more immediate threat than video on demand.

Did anyone know that Blockbuster makes $2 billion a year from LATE FEES?

Absolutely amazing. Two billion is a fairly large industry, let alone profit from something silly like late fees.

[Jacob S]

Isn't the late fees kind of like charging for the extra days that you have it?

[BobMurdoch]

Hmmm, let's watch Disney's bottom self destruct just like Circuit City's did the last time they tried to limit a customer's use of a product they feel they own.

[Mike123abc]

One would assume that they would be marked in some huge lettering/logo that they are rental not buy. If it is priced right and in a distinct package it couild work. Perhaps a shorter almost CD size case that was cheap recycled cardboard would be distinctive enough so that you know you are getting.

[Jacob S]

I wonder what is next that they will use something like this with. This reminds me of disposable cameras.

[Mark Holtz]

I wouldn't knock disposable camera that hard. They are actually quite good for their design, and you don't look too terribly silly if you lose it or it gets stolen.

[Jacob S]

Maybe it will be the same with these auto destructive dvd's.

[waydwolf]

Originally posted by ToddMeister
Yep, and I'll pay for that DVD with a self-destructing check, too.

    Y'know, there was once a bank scam along those lines where forged checks treated with a certain chemical compound would in the teller's drawer after being cashed slowly turn to black carbon as if slow cooked without flame and thus the evidence of the crime would destroy itself...

    Not that I'm suggesting ToddMeister's idea be tested...

:angel: