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Digital copies that come with Blu-Ray actually expire

post #1 of 30
10/8/09 at 5:14pm
Thread Starter 
Hi all,
  I bought Risky Business on Blu-Ray and popped in the digital copy DVD that came with it, only to be told that the offer expired. EXPIRED.
  Apparently, the offer expired on Sept. 16 but they still sell the discs, so if you have any digital copies lying around, it would be best to get them taken care of ASAP.
  But this is what I don't understand - why bother expiring a DIGITAL COPY? What does WB lose if the offer expires Sept. 16, 2009 or Sept. 16, 3009? They're not losing money off this. 
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post #2 of 30
10/8/09 at 6:56pm
I imagine they don't want to devote online resources to hosting them indefinitely.  However, yeah, one would think they should host the DCs for longer than merely a year or so, especially if they're gonna tout them as special features and possibly charge a little extra for them.

_Man_
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post #3 of 30
10/8/09 at 7:49pm
Thread Starter 
 The movie comes on a disc, all they need to do is host the validation, which doesn't take up a lot of resources.
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post #4 of 30
10/8/09 at 7:53pm
So is this expiration prominently displayed on the packaging??  If not, this would appear to be a pretty blatant case of false labeling.  
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post #5 of 30
10/8/09 at 8:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryH View Post

So is this expiration prominently displayed on the packaging??  If not, this would appear to be a pretty blatant case of false labeling.  

I know that at least on some titles, like Dark City, it is. I was wondering if any company was going to actually pull that. Apparently the answer is "yes".
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post #6 of 30
10/8/09 at 8:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATimson View Post

I know that at least on some titles, like Dark City, it is. I was wondering if any company was going to actually pull that. Apparently the answer is "yes".
 

I don't remember any of them labeling an expiration date on the outside, but then again, I didn't look carefully for that.  I'm pretty sure if it was labeled, it'd be on some sticker on the plastic shrinkwrap, which would be thrown out as soon as you open the BD.  Well, I suppose it could also be stuck to a slipcover in some cases, but I really don't remember seeing expiration dates for those either.

I've personally only ever noticed/seen the expiration notice in the DC paper insert (w/ the code) inside the case.

Sounds like this could easily become cause for some class action suit against the studios.

_Man_
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post #7 of 30
10/8/09 at 8:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike_G View Post

 The movie comes on a disc, all they need to do is host the validation, which doesn't take up a lot of resources.

 

True that at least for most cases near as I can tell.  Some people have reported that some DCs require actual download of the DC content, not just authentication, though I don't know if that's really true.

_Man_
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post #8 of 30
10/8/09 at 9:52pm
Thread Starter 
 My Dark City is still wrapped. It says "BONUS DIGITAL COPY" (open here for full restrictions). Of course you then have to open it in the store to read it, which lessens the adhesive. Anyway, inside it says it expires on July 29, 2009.

Lame.

I mean, they go through the trouble of MAKING it, why not just allow people to download it?

I took pics of the label, but I'm too tired to go through the trouble of posting it to flickr.
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post #9 of 30
10/8/09 at 10:40pm
I wish we didn't have to pay for these when buying some Blu-ray titles. I don't use them yet have no option to spend less and get a Blu-ray without a digi-copy.
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post #10 of 30
10/9/09 at 2:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike_G View Post

I took pics of the label, but I'm too tired to go through the trouble of posting it to flickr.
 


Mike,

On this new platform, you can upload a picture directly when posting.

(And, lame indeed, to have the DC expiring.)


Cees
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post #11 of 30
10/9/09 at 3:32am
Virtually all digital copies that I have received with my Blu-rays (I'd say about 30-40 or so) expire approx. 1 year after release. It's always hidden in the fine print. Basically that means that after 1 year you have another worthless coaster lying around. Yup, real environment-friendly. But hey... at least we have eco-friendly packaging now. ;)
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post #12 of 30
10/9/09 at 4:30am
Yet another reason why "digital copies" are just a gimmick, not to mention a waste of everyone's time. I have never known anyone to use them. If they want to go this route, a better way is Disney's added DVD copy of the film, which lets people use that in a car for kids, or on a TV without a BD, etc.
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post #13 of 30
10/9/09 at 6:21am
I competely agree with Sam.  Personally, I would get much more use out of a DVD copy than a "digital" copy, in which I have precisely zero interest.
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post #14 of 30
10/9/09 at 6:32am
I know one guy who uses them. I usually give mine to him. I have no interest in watching movies on a teeny screen.
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post #15 of 30
10/9/09 at 7:36am
Thread Starter 
I've never tried a digital copy so I don't know how "gimmicky" it is. I can tell you that my Macbook Pro doesn't have a Blu-Ray drive, so I think the word "gimmicky" is off here.

At least until I can watch movies directly on my laptop.

And even then, I like to watch movies while at the gym to pass time. When you've seen a movie 1000x, you're not lessening the experience by watching it on an iPhone.
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post #16 of 30
10/9/09 at 11:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike_G View Post

And even then, I like to watch movies while at the gym to pass time. When you've seen a movie 1000x, you're not lessening the experience by watching it on an iPhone.

 

Hmmm...  After 1000x, I'd think I don't even need to watch it on anything anymore.   Personally, if I don't care to watch it on a big screen, then I don't see why I'd want to watch it on a tiny iPhone screen -- seems like just a waste of time (and battery power).

I haven't actually used any of the DCs I received either even though I do have an iPod Touch.  I did mean to put a couple of them on our laptop since we didn't already have DVDs of those, but never got around to it.  I'd put some of them on my kids' PSP for him to enjoy, but of course, nearly all DCs don't work on the PSP, which is kinda ironic, especially since I use a PS3 as our BD player.

Yeah, I too wish more studios would just include the DVD version like Disney does, instead of a DC, if they really want to do something like that.  But oh well...

_Man_
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post #17 of 30
10/9/09 at 11:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike_G View Post

I've never tried a digital copy so I don't know how "gimmicky" it is. I can tell you that my Macbook Pro doesn't have a Blu-Ray drive, so I think the word "gimmicky" is off here.
 

Digital Copy is distributed on a standard-def DVD. It doesn't require a Blu-ray drive or player.
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post #18 of 30
10/9/09 at 11:52am
All the more reason we need to be able to rip and resample these things to play on whatever hardware we like, like we can with DVDs. You bought it, you own it, and I don't care what the RIAA says. So now we just need some enterprising Blu-Ray-Jon to come along and let us have it.
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post #19 of 30
10/9/09 at 1:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Pierce View Post

All the more reason we need to be able to rip and resample these things to play on whatever hardware we like, like we can with DVDs. You bought it, you own it, and I don't care what the RIAA says. So now we just need some enterprising Blu-Ray-Jon to come along and let us have it.

Unfortunately, Blu-ray was designed so that manufacturers can continually update the security. Many older discs can be ripped already, though.
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post #20 of 30
10/9/09 at 8:19pm
Remember that discussion of violating corporate policies is forbidden here.
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post #21 of 30
10/10/09 at 3:47pm
On an unrelated point, does BD-Live content expire?
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post #22 of 30
10/10/09 at 4:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin View Post

On an unrelated point, does BD-Live content expire?

Umm. Depends on what you mean by "expire". Since BD-Live is, well, live, companies are free to update or kill the sites as they see fit--including deleting existing content. There's already been some lost from [i]Star Trek[/i] Season 1.
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post #23 of 30
10/10/09 at 7:44pm
i love digital copies with my blurays, i throw out the disk (cause i dont use them anyways) then reuse the bigger cases for some bluray collections.
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post #24 of 30
10/12/09 at 4:35pm
 Same thing happened to me with Risky Business, and Warner replied with:

"Hello,

Thank you for your interest in the Digital Copy feature for Risky Business. Unfortunately this feature has officially been discontinued. We appreciate your interest in this feature and hope to provide many more like it in the months to come.

Thanks again!

DIGITAL COPY SUPPORT"
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post #25 of 30
10/12/09 at 5:37pm
"Digital copy": studio retards my ability to do with the DVD as I like, offers a crippled substitute, and pretends to be doing me a favor.

Needless to say, I agree with Andrew.
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post #26 of 30
10/12/09 at 10:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yumbo View Post

 Same thing happened to me with Risky Business, and Warner replied with:

"Hello,

Thank you for your interest in the Digital Copy feature for Risky Business. Unfortunately this feature has officially been discontinued. We appreciate your interest in this feature and hope to provide many more like it in the months to come.

Thanks again!

DIGITAL COPY SUPPORT"

Huh?  The feature has been discontinued (just for RB or in general??), so what exactly "like it" in "many more" numbers are they talking about hoping to provide in the future??

Is RB BD-Live enabled?  And are they planning to offer some sort of digital download version/scheme for future DC's instead of the existing DC format/approach on disc?

Curious...

_Man_
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post #27 of 30
10/13/09 at 4:20am
The more I think about it, the digital copy discs are kind of like the DivX discs that competed with DVD in the early days, expiring after a time unless you acted.

Both are failures.
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post #28 of 30
10/16/09 at 8:08am
This is only going to get worse. Look at the gaming industry. The next generation of consoles may have more downloadable games than physical media because the companies hate people reselling the discs. They want to be able to kill games completely when they're done with them. Microsoft is almost there anyway, since their consoles are almost certain to fail after a while. When they quit making 360s, they'll probably end up pretty rare fast. Just like this iTunes garbage offering shit quality lossy audio files that are riddled with DRM...and they wonder why people prefer piracy.
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post #29 of 30
10/16/09 at 8:33am
Exhibit A: the PSP Go.  Games for it are download only!
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post #30 of 30
10/16/09 at 10:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Viper View Post

This is only going to get worse. Look at the gaming industry. The next generation of consoles may have more downloadable games than physical media because the companies hate people reselling the discs. They want to be able to kill games completely when they're done with them. Microsoft is almost there anyway, since their consoles are almost certain to fail after a while. When they quit making 360s, they'll probably end up pretty rare fast. Just like this iTunes garbage offering shit quality lossy audio files that are riddled with DRM...and they wonder why people prefer piracy.

 

And this is why I hate it when people tell me that downloads are the future. To give credit to Apple, most if not all music downloads are DRM free, and they allow you to back up your iTunes purchases so that if your computer does die, you can install iTunes on the replacement and restore the backups once your account has been logged on; I can't say the same WRT their video downloads, because I have yet to bother trying one. Truth be told, this is all about asserting control of media above and beyond what copyright law covers. If the producers can control not only the sale of the media, but how we use it, they have ultimate control. Copyright was originally created to serve 2 purposes: (1) compensation of artists for their work; and (2) the prevention of those rights continuing in perpetuity. Digital Copy and DRM clearly subvert the 2nd purpose.
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