HD DVDs Fall Like Dominoes

[Atomic Playboy]

Originally posted by: TheTony

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony
DRM I can understand and tolerate, assuming I'm not beaten over the head with it when I use my own software.

Region coding, on the otherhand, is nothing more than a moneymaker for the studios, and I have a hard time supporting that, when it means much less choice for those who are in the market.

Region coding isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I use the comparison of The Rock, which was released several months ago on Blu-ray in the UK. It was a region free title, so I could well have imported it. But given that it cost 20 pounds, not including shipping, it would have ended up setting me back about 60 dollars. I'm not paying that for a movie. People's arguments against region coding are usually not based in reality, as most people aren't importing discs from foreign countries due to the extreme cost involved, not to mention the language issues if importing from a country that doesn't speak the same language as you.

I don't see any upside in your defense of region coding. Pricing is a red herring, to some extent. The fact is that many films are released, region coded, with different extras, ranging from extra material on disc, to things like better soundtracks; DTS is a common complaint, when it shows up on non-region 1 discs but not on the north american release. Not to mention the fact that, if I speak another language and want to purchase different region discs (ie ones not released in my region), I'm going to have to import the player anyway.

It seems that there really is little reason for it, or at least to enforce it, other than to segment the market and subsequently drive additional profit.

Studios don't release movies simultaneously around the world in theaters, for a variety of reasons, but generally because marketing a movie costs money, and studios generally can't blow their marketing load all over the world simultaneously. With region coding, a country or region that gets a film first, like the US, would get the release of the home video first as well. Without region coding, when that home video comes out, anyone around the world could buy it. We'd have to end up waiting a lot longer to see home versions of movies, because we'd have to wait through the theatrical release in every other country/region of the world. Call me selfish, but I don't want to wait that long. I'd much rather have a movie available promptly than have to wait on the offchance that I might want to import something, at an inflated cost, from a foreign country.

 

[TheTony]

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony
DRM I can understand and tolerate, assuming I'm not beaten over the head with it when I use my own software.

Region coding, on the otherhand, is nothing more than a moneymaker for the studios, and I have a hard time supporting that, when it means much less choice for those who are in the market.

Region coding isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I use the comparison of The Rock, which was released several months ago on Blu-ray in the UK. It was a region free title, so I could well have imported it. But given that it cost 20 pounds, not including shipping, it would have ended up setting me back about 60 dollars. I'm not paying that for a movie. People's arguments against region coding are usually not based in reality, as most people aren't importing discs from foreign countries due to the extreme cost involved, not to mention the language issues if importing from a country that doesn't speak the same language as you.

I don't see any upside in your defense of region coding. Pricing is a red herring, to some extent. The fact is that many films are released, region coded, with different extras, ranging from extra material on disc, to things like better soundtracks; DTS is a common complaint, when it shows up on non-region 1 discs but not on the north american release. Not to mention the fact that, if I speak another language and want to purchase different region discs (ie ones not released in my region), I'm going to have to import the player anyway.

It seems that there really is little reason for it, or at least to enforce it, other than to segment the market and subsequently drive additional profit.

Studios don't release movies simultaneously around the world in theaters, for a variety of reasons, but generally because marketing a movie costs money, and studios generally can't blow their marketing load all over the world simultaneously. With region coding, a country or region that gets a film first, like the US, would get the release of the home video first as well. Without region coding, when that home video comes out, anyone around the world could buy it. We'd have to end up waiting a lot longer to see home versions of movies, because we'd have to wait through the theatrical release in every other country/region of the world. Call me selfish, but I don't want to wait that long. I'd much rather have a movie available promptly than have to wait on the offchance that I might want to import something, at an inflated cost, from a foreign country.

Which is what I said - extra profit. See above:

Originally posted by: TheTony
other than to segment the market and subsequently drive additional profit.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: TheTony

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony
DRM I can understand and tolerate, assuming I'm not beaten over the head with it when I use my own software.

Region coding, on the otherhand, is nothing more than a moneymaker for the studios, and I have a hard time supporting that, when it means much less choice for those who are in the market.

Region coding isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I use the comparison of The Rock, which was released several months ago on Blu-ray in the UK. It was a region free title, so I could well have imported it. But given that it cost 20 pounds, not including shipping, it would have ended up setting me back about 60 dollars. I'm not paying that for a movie. People's arguments against region coding are usually not based in reality, as most people aren't importing discs from foreign countries due to the extreme cost involved, not to mention the language issues if importing from a country that doesn't speak the same language as you.

I don't see any upside in your defense of region coding. Pricing is a red herring, to some extent. The fact is that many films are released, region coded, with different extras, ranging from extra material on disc, to things like better soundtracks; DTS is a common complaint, when it shows up on non-region 1 discs but not on the north american release. Not to mention the fact that, if I speak another language and want to purchase different region discs (ie ones not released in my region), I'm going to have to import the player anyway.

It seems that there really is little reason for it, or at least to enforce it, other than to segment the market and subsequently drive additional profit.

meh, just do a little research and buy a player that doesn't have region coding or buy one that you can hack (usually by pushing a few buttons on the remote) to remove it.

I've done that with 2 dvd players so I could buy UK only released movies.

 

[TheTony]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: TheTony

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony
DRM I can understand and tolerate, assuming I'm not beaten over the head with it when I use my own software.

Region coding, on the otherhand, is nothing more than a moneymaker for the studios, and I have a hard time supporting that, when it means much less choice for those who are in the market.

Region coding isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I use the comparison of The Rock, which was released several months ago on Blu-ray in the UK. It was a region free title, so I could well have imported it. But given that it cost 20 pounds, not including shipping, it would have ended up setting me back about 60 dollars. I'm not paying that for a movie. People's arguments against region coding are usually not based in reality, as most people aren't importing discs from foreign countries due to the extreme cost involved, not to mention the language issues if importing from a country that doesn't speak the same language as you.

I don't see any upside in your defense of region coding. Pricing is a red herring, to some extent. The fact is that many films are released, region coded, with different extras, ranging from extra material on disc, to things like better soundtracks; DTS is a common complaint, when it shows up on non-region 1 discs but not on the north american release. Not to mention the fact that, if I speak another language and want to purchase different region discs (ie ones not released in my region), I'm going to have to import the player anyway.

It seems that there really is little reason for it, or at least to enforce it, other than to segment the market and subsequently drive additional profit.

meh, just do a little research and buy a player that doesn't have region coding or buy one that you can hack (usually by pushing a few buttons on the remote) to remove it.

I've done that with 2 dvd players so I could buy UK only released movies.

Definitely. I'm not complaining about it being there. As long as I can get a region-free player, I'll make my choice with my money when I purchase the player/software. Fortunately, there are region-frees, so it isn't a critical issue, but I'm sure publishers would love to see all manufacturers enforce their coding.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony
DRM I can understand and tolerate, assuming I'm not beaten over the head with it when I use my own software.

Region coding, on the otherhand, is nothing more than a moneymaker for the studios, and I have a hard time supporting that, when it means much less choice for those who are in the market.

Region coding isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I use the comparison of The Rock, which was released several months ago on Blu-ray in the UK. It was a region free title, so I could well have imported it. But given that it cost 20 pounds, not including shipping, it would have ended up setting me back about 60 dollars. I'm not paying that for a movie. People's arguments against region coding are usually not based in reality, as most people aren't importing discs from foreign countries due to the extreme cost involved, not to mention the language issues if importing from a country that doesn't speak the same language as you.

I don't see any upside in your defense of region coding. Pricing is a red herring, to some extent. The fact is that many films are released, region coded, with different extras, ranging from extra material on disc, to things like better soundtracks; DTS is a common complaint, when it shows up on non-region 1 discs but not on the north american release. Not to mention the fact that, if I speak another language and want to purchase different region discs (ie ones not released in my region), I'm going to have to import the player anyway.

It seems that there really is little reason for it, or at least to enforce it, other than to segment the market and subsequently drive additional profit.

Studios don't release movies simultaneously around the world in theaters, for a variety of reasons, but generally because marketing a movie costs money, and studios generally can't blow their marketing load all over the world simultaneously. With region coding, a country or region that gets a film first, like the US, would get the release of the home video first as well. Without region coding, when that home video comes out, anyone around the world could buy it. We'd have to end up waiting a lot longer to see home versions of movies, because we'd have to wait through the theatrical release in every other country/region of the world. Call me selfish, but I don't want to wait that long. I'd much rather have a movie available promptly than have to wait on the offchance that I might want to import something, at an inflated cost, from a foreign country.

tons of DVD players can be hacked, very easily, to remove the region coding. some even come without it, so reason provided it kind of a moot point, isn't it?

 

[pmoa]

betamax is next!

 

[TheTony]

Originally posted by: pmoa
betamax is next!

Psssh, laserdisc is where it's at.

 

[conehead433]

I can't wait until all the retailers are practically giving away HD DVDs. I'll be buying them like candy. An incredible collection on the cheap. Consumers win regardless.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

-EDIT- Points 1 and 2 are rendered moot if we're talking about set-top DVRs, but then it becomes an issue of DRM. What if you cancel your contract with the cable company? They take back their DVR and you have nothing to show for the money you spent on downloaded media. It's just a way to lock you into a contract, and it stinks. Not to mention, it would take hours to download a true hidef presentation at current cable speeds (it certainly wouldn't download fast enough to stream, unless you settled for an overly compressed file).

So yes, we will have downloadable movies in the future, but they will not eliminate the need for physical media any time soon. The iPod and iTunes was supposed to kill the CD, but there's still crazy people out there buying physical copies of music. This will be no different.

I see your point and you are correct for the most part, but here is the thing I do not understand. We have services which sell MP3s through the internet which people have easily learned how to play those MP3s in devices other than their computers and it is perfectly legal. Why is it so complicated to do the same thing with movies? Why is it so hard to create an extremely easy to use interface which is installed on a computer that connects to a media center which you rent from a service provider and it uploads a copy of those files to that media center to then be played on your TV? If multiple services decide to do this then all that needs to be done is for the digital movies that are purchased (not necessarily purchased from the same "media center" provider) to be standard and compatible with all of these media centers. They let people do this with MP3s and it is easy as pie now. Why not movies?

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony
DRM I can understand and tolerate, assuming I'm not beaten over the head with it when I use my own software.

Region coding, on the otherhand, is nothing more than a moneymaker for the studios, and I have a hard time supporting that, when it means much less choice for those who are in the market.

Region coding isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I use the comparison of The Rock, which was released several months ago on Blu-ray in the UK. It was a region free title, so I could well have imported it. But given that it cost 20 pounds, not including shipping, it would have ended up setting me back about 60 dollars. I'm not paying that for a movie. People's arguments against region coding are usually not based in reality, as most people aren't importing discs from foreign countries due to the extreme cost involved, not to mention the language issues if importing from a country that doesn't speak the same language as you.

I don't see any upside in your defense of region coding. Pricing is a red herring, to some extent. The fact is that many films are released, region coded, with different extras, ranging from extra material on disc, to things like better soundtracks; DTS is a common complaint, when it shows up on non-region 1 discs but not on the north american release. Not to mention the fact that, if I speak another language and want to purchase different region discs (ie ones not released in my region), I'm going to have to import the player anyway.

It seems that there really is little reason for it, or at least to enforce it, other than to segment the market and subsequently drive additional profit.

Studios don't release movies simultaneously around the world in theaters, for a variety of reasons, but generally because marketing a movie costs money, and studios generally can't blow their marketing load all over the world simultaneously. With region coding, a country or region that gets a film first, like the US, would get the release of the home video first as well. Without region coding, when that home video comes out, anyone around the world could buy it. We'd have to end up waiting a lot longer to see home versions of movies, because we'd have to wait through the theatrical release in every other country/region of the world. Call me selfish, but I don't want to wait that long. I'd much rather have a movie available promptly than have to wait on the offchance that I might want to import something, at an inflated cost, from a foreign country.

tons of DVD players can be hacked, very easily, to remove the region coding. some even come without it, so reason provided it kind of a moot point, isn't it?

Find me a region free Blu-Ray player. Thanks

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Slick5150

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

Originally posted by: TheTony
DRM I can understand and tolerate, assuming I'm not beaten over the head with it when I use my own software.

Region coding, on the otherhand, is nothing more than a moneymaker for the studios, and I have a hard time supporting that, when it means much less choice for those who are in the market.

Region coding isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I use the comparison of The Rock, which was released several months ago on Blu-ray in the UK. It was a region free title, so I could well have imported it. But given that it cost 20 pounds, not including shipping, it would have ended up setting me back about 60 dollars. I'm not paying that for a movie. People's arguments against region coding are usually not based in reality, as most people aren't importing discs from foreign countries due to the extreme cost involved, not to mention the language issues if importing from a country that doesn't speak the same language as you.

I don't see any upside in your defense of region coding. Pricing is a red herring, to some extent. The fact is that many films are released, region coded, with different extras, ranging from extra material on disc, to things like better soundtracks; DTS is a common complaint, when it shows up on non-region 1 discs but not on the north american release. Not to mention the fact that, if I speak another language and want to purchase different region discs (ie ones not released in my region), I'm going to have to import the player anyway.

It seems that there really is little reason for it, or at least to enforce it, other than to segment the market and subsequently drive additional profit.

Studios don't release movies simultaneously around the world in theaters, for a variety of reasons, but generally because marketing a movie costs money, and studios generally can't blow their marketing load all over the world simultaneously. With region coding, a country or region that gets a film first, like the US, would get the release of the home video first as well. Without region coding, when that home video comes out, anyone around the world could buy it. We'd have to end up waiting a lot longer to see home versions of movies, because we'd have to wait through the theatrical release in every other country/region of the world. Call me selfish, but I don't want to wait that long. I'd much rather have a movie available promptly than have to wait on the offchance that I might want to import something, at an inflated cost, from a foreign country.

tons of DVD players can be hacked, very easily, to remove the region coding. some even come without it, so reason provided it kind of a moot point, isn't it?

Find me a region free Blu-Ray player. Thanks

that wasn't the point, dumbass. we're talking about region coding, not blu-ray players.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Originally posted by: bonkers325
get a DVI->HDMI cable, a cheapo $20-30 HDCP capable video card from one of the various web-retailers, buy CoreAVC (software x264 decoder) for $10

a computer that is 3 years old can play any 720p/1080p video that is encoded in H264 using CoreAVC. the only problem is finding videos to play, which if you are web-savvy, wont be a problem.

I've already got Nero7 which came with Nero's own AVC decoder, and I, ahem, obtained RE: Extinction in 1080p x264 and it brings my Athlon X2 4400+ to its knees. I tried playing it in VLC too which should use VLC's own decoder, and that was still choppy. What gives? Isn't my damn GeForce7 supposed to do it's PureVideo shit and help with decoding?

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Slick5150

Find me a region free Blu-Ray player. Thanks

Isn't the PS3 region free?

 

[conehead433]

Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124

Originally posted by: bonkers325
get a DVI->HDMI cable, a cheapo $20-30 HDCP capable video card from one of the various web-retailers, buy CoreAVC (software x264 decoder) for $10

a computer that is 3 years old can play any 720p/1080p video that is encoded in H264 using CoreAVC. the only problem is finding videos to play, which if you are web-savvy, wont be a problem.

I've already got Nero7 which came with Nero's own AVC decoder, and I, ahem, obtained RE: Extinction in 1080p x264 and it brings my Athlon X2 4400+ to its knees. I tried playing it in VLC too which should use VLC's own decoder, and that was still choppy. What gives? Isn't my damn GeForce7 supposed to do it's PureVideo shit and help with decoding?

Check here to see what the computer requirements are for Hi-Def video.

Digital Digest

 

[Scarpozzi]

I don't like any format that is proprietarily owned by a single one company... I haven't invested in HD formats because I was waiting for the smoke to clear. I don't particularly like Sony because of marketing scams in previous products and the way they handled some of their quality issues in the past. (I've been burned twice by a TV and a cd burner)

BlueRay is more secure than HD and I would say that and some bribe in the form of money or reduced cost in manufacturing pulled WB to them in that decision. I personally hope HDDVD stick around and these companies reconsider. Either that, or Sony release rights and kill their monopoly, but we know that's not going to happen.

 

[TheAdvocate]

Originally posted by: conehead433
I can't wait until all the retailers are practically giving away HD DVDs. I'll be buying them like candy. An incredible collection on the cheap. Consumers win regardless.

ditto

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: conehead433
I can't wait until all the retailers are practically giving away HD DVDs. I'll be buying them like candy. An incredible collection on the cheap. Consumers win regardless.

List of disks I'm waiting to get get super-cheap (bold are ones I REALLY want):

Fearless
Full Metal Jacket
Pan's Labyrinth
Flags of our Fathers
Letters from Iwo Jima
Matrix Trilogy
Mummy/Mummy Returns
V for Vendetta
Batman Begins
Beowulf
Twister

 

[edro]

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: edro

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: edro
Sony wins?

Everybody but MS and Toshiba backs bluray.

Yeah, but I am happy to see Sony created formats fail.

Mini-Disc (1991)--custom disc format, and used ATRAC audio compression, which is proprietary.
Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (1993)--a competitor to the Dolby Digital 5.1 standard.
Multi-Media Compact Disc (1994)--Sony's proprietary format for high-density optical storage, developed in conjunction with Phillips. Negotiations merged this format and Toshiba's Super Density disc format into what would become DVD.
Music Clip (1999)--Sony's first digital player, used ATRAC audio compression.
HiFD (1998)--a competitor to Iomega's Zip drive.
Memory Stick (1998)--proprietary memory device as a competitor to SD and Flash memory.
Super Audio CD (1999)--an optical disc format with higher fidelity than the CD.
PSP (2004)--Uses Universal Media Disc (UMD) media, a proprietary media format.

So, in your view (I'm extrapolating), any new media format is bad? Do you save things on 5.25" floppies? A few comments.

SDDS -- DTS was the only serious competitor to Dolby for personal use, since SDDS went into movie theaters though I'm not sure it's still out there (I think it is). DTS is superior to Dolby in my experience but died out because it used more space on the DVD. Was DTS bad, too?
MM CD -- Toshiba developed their own standard. Do you heap derision on them as well? Plus, we wouldn't have CDs without Sony and Philips working together. Damn that proprietary CD format!
HiFD -- As opposed to Iomega's equally propietary Zip drive and IBM's 2.88MB capacity floppy, you mean.
MS -- SD, CF, xD, SM, MMC...sure seems like a heap of standardization there.
SACD -- There's no competitor that I am aware of, or is there?

I certainly don't love everything that Sony does, but they are an innovator and have done a great deal in technology. I'm not an apologist for them, but someone acting as if Sony is completely worthless is frivolous. The Walkman was ingenious!

New formats are not bad.
New proprietary formats are.

 

[JulesMaximus]

:music:This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
Ill never look into your eyes...again

Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need...of some...strangers hand
In a...desperate land

Lost in a roman...wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane
All the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah

Theres danger on the edge of town
Ride the kings highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby

Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles
Ride the snake...hes old, and his skin is cold

The west is the best
The west is the best
Get here, and well do the rest

The blue bus is callin us
The blue bus is callin us
Driver, where you taken us

The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on
He took a face from the ancient gallery
And he walked on down the hall
He went into the room where his sister lived, and...then he
Paid a visit to his brother, and then he
He walked on down the hall, and
And he came to a door...and he looked inside
Father, yes son, I want to kill you
Mother...i want to...fuck you

Cmon baby, take a chance with us
Cmon baby, take a chance with us
Cmon baby, take a chance with us
And meet me at the back of the blue bus
Doin a blue rock
On a blue bus
Doin a blue rock
Cmon, yeah

Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

It hurts to set you free
But youll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die

This is the end:music:

 

[AmpedSilence]

Originally posted by: dainthomas

Originally posted by: conehead433
I can't wait until all the retailers are practically giving away HD DVDs. I'll be buying them like candy. An incredible collection on the cheap. Consumers win regardless.

List of disks I'm waiting to get get super-cheap (bold are ones I REALLY want):

Fearless
Full Metal Jacket
Pan's Labyrinth
Flags of our Fathers
Letters from Iwo Jima
Matrix Trilogy
Mummy/Mummy Returns
V for Vendetta
Batman Begins
Beowulf
Twister

I think i would have to agree with you dain, just add Harry Potter 5 to the mix, i already have the first four on HD DVD. My collection will decent and overall i have no regrets about buying into HD, though, i would have prefered that they win rather than Blu Ray. But so chips fall.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Slick5150
Thank god you started yet another thread on this! The ones that already exist clearly aren't enough

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Phokus
Is the picture quality on upconverting 1080i/p DVD players as good as blue-ray/HD-DVD players?

not even close

EDIT: whoops..misread. I thought you were asking if upconverted DVDs were as good as BD/ HD DVD. But, it seems that the HD plaers are at least as good as SD upconverting players.

so....the better upconverters are perhaps at least as good, but for th price, I'd just get a cheap HD DVD player, b/c it is at least as good.

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Slick5150


Find me a region free Blu-Ray player. Thanks

that wasn't the point, dumbass. we're talking about region coding, not blu-ray players.

Umm.. We're talking about region coded blu-ray discs. My point was why would you want a region coded format to prevail over a non-region coded format. Others barked into a debate about whether it matters or not and the point was that there are hacked DVD players which is moot to the point of region coded Blu-Ray discs, in which there are NOT region free players. I'm not saying there never will be, but my point still stands that it doesn't make sense to hope a format with region coding wins out over the alternative that doesn't have it.

But, you did call me a dumbass, so clearly you win.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
I don't like any format that is proprietarily owned by a single one company... I haven't invested in HD formats because I was waiting for the smoke to clear. I don't particularly like Sony because of marketing scams in previous products and the way they handled some of their quality issues in the past. (I've been burned twice by a TV and a cd burner)

BlueRay is more secure than HD and I would say that and some bribe in the form of money or reduced cost in manufacturing pulled WB to them in that decision. I personally hope HDDVD stick around and these companies reconsider. Either that, or Sony release rights and kill their monopoly, but we know that's not going to happen.

How in the hell is Blu-ray any more proprietary than HD DVD?

The last I checked, if I wanted to make a "HD DVD" player, I had to purchase a license and pay royalties for the HD DVD logos and various decoding formats, like VC-1, Dolby, DTS, etc.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Originally posted by: Xavier434

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy

-EDIT- Points 1 and 2 are rendered moot if we're talking about set-top DVRs, but then it becomes an issue of DRM. What if you cancel your contract with the cable company? They take back their DVR and you have nothing to show for the money you spent on downloaded media. It's just a way to lock you into a contract, and it stinks. Not to mention, it would take hours to download a true hidef presentation at current cable speeds (it certainly wouldn't download fast enough to stream, unless you settled for an overly compressed file).

So yes, we will have downloadable movies in the future, but they will not eliminate the need for physical media any time soon. The iPod and iTunes was supposed to kill the CD, but there's still crazy people out there buying physical copies of music. This will be no different.

I see your point and you are correct for the most part, but here is the thing I do not understand. We have services which sell MP3s through the internet which people have easily learned how to play those MP3s in devices other than their computers and it is perfectly legal. Why is it so complicated to do the same thing with movies? Why is it so hard to create an extremely easy to use interface which is installed on a computer that connects to a media center which you rent from a service provider and it uploads a copy of those files to that media center to then be played on your TV? If multiple services decide to do this then all that needs to be done is for the digital movies that are purchased (not necessarily purchased from the same "media center" provider) to be standard and compatible with all of these media centers. They let people do this with MP3s and it is easy as pie now. Why not movies?

Well, video and audio are two very different things. An mp3 runs at an average bitrate of 192 kbps. A hidef AVC encode will run at 30 mbps. That's a vast difference. Your average mp3 is about 4 minutes long, maybe 6 MB. Your average movie is 2 hours, roughly 20 GB. To do hidef movies you need larger hard drives to store all the data, more RAM, faster processors and much, much higher bandwidth if you're considering streaming. It's a daunting task, seeing as how movies are thousands of times larger than songs in the digital realm. And while all the stuff required to play hidef movies is becoming more affordable, it hasn't reached the level of affordability that mp3 has. Hell, you could play mp3s on computers from 1995. Try playing a hidef video encode on that same PC... would never work.