Disney To Test Self-Destructing Discs (1 Viewer)

[Robert Dunnill]

I believe that true "Disney" titles were DIVX-only

I did a quick check and found that The Parent Trap (the only Disney title I could think of) was released to DVD in March of 1999, three months before Divx was pulled.

I'm pretty sure there are others, too.

RD

 

[Nick Graham]

Anybody who thinks Disney is gonna try and make their animated titles (or any titles for that matter) Destructo-disc only is slipping into paranoia. This is not a case of "those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it", fact and logic goes completely against that kind of conspiracy theories.

During the early DIVX days there was a chance DIVX could have become the dominant format if enough consumers had latched onto it. Therefore Disney hedged their bets on it due to their belief that DIVX would be a more profitable venture than open DVD. It seems laughable now, but the studios had dream scenarios in their minds of DIVX eventually driving the rental-store middleman into obsolecence, with any revenue they would have normally had to share with rental stores going straight to them instead.

Open DVD is now a proven cash cow. Amongst all the DVD player owners I know (most of which fall into the Joe 6 Pack category), a lot more DVDs are purchased than are rented. DVDs are now an impulse buy item. This new destructo-disc is just a way to milk the people who are still too cheap to pay $10-15 for a movie they wanna see.

I'm all for it. I'm glad DIVX is back, because now the Joe 6 Packs can have their cheapo pan and scan destructo-discs and normal DVD can shift its focus back towards the enthusiast again.

BTW, thanks for reminding me of "divxlovers" website...even after all these year's it's still a classic, just like that one guy's "lettershlocking" site. I still can't believe people used to think both of those sites were legitimate ...but I guess that's just a sign of the comedic briiliance of the creators.

 

[Larry P]

How big of a problem are scratched rental discs?

 

[Qui-Gon John]

Are they going to also put out regular DVD's of these titles?

This is a terrible idea and dangerous to us collectors if it catches on. I hope it dies on the vine.

 

[David Lambert]

John: YES. Most of them are already out:

 

[Robert Dunnill]

How big of a problem are scratched rental discs?

Once in a while we borrow discs from the library that have problems (ie pixellation and skipping that won't clean up with a disc washing).

I've gotten cracked discs from Netflix-type services before, including one that put my then-new RP-91 in the shop for a month.

RD

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

Perhaps I'm wrong, but don't most brick-and-mortar DVD rental businesses (Blockbuster, et al) depend largely on late fees to keep financially afloat?

Aside from the other factors already mentioned in this thread, I would think that this latest "Mr. Phelps"-style format of DVD would be viewed as counter-productive by these outlets, thus further dooming this version of disposable DVD before it leaves the starting gate. Unless Disney is aiming more at grocery stores, drug stores, etc., where rental isn't the primary focus of the business.

In any event, as has been said, normal DVD is so popular and widespread now that this press release inspires no fear in me. Another laughable misstep on the fast-track to oblivion, says I.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

Since most of the titles Disney will be using to test market this abomination are already available on DVD, it seems like their idea may be to sell these discs as a "last resort". The movie starts out in the theaters. Then it goes to DVD sales and rental. Then, when it seems everyone who wanted to see the movie has already done so, it's time for one last try to make money from the movie: a $2 disc at the checkout aisle.

If that is the case then DVD has nothing to worry about.

 

[Clinton McClure]

don't most brick-and-mortar DVD rental businesses (Blockbuster, et al) depend largely on late fees to keep financially afloat?

Only if they run their business like Blockbuster.

This is a very bad idea. When I could rent a new release DVD from Hastings for $4 and keep it for a week, why would I want to dirty my hands with Disney's newest stinking scheme? Really... How many times are you gonna watch a movie in 48 hours? Boo!!!!

 

[Eric F]

What's the failure rate on these things? It must be a significantly high number, being that packaging is a far from perfect science.

I can see it now- you get home, plan to watch a movie the next day- open it up and it doesn't work. Back to the store- the clerk says, "Why didn't you bring it back yesterday?" (as if your life revolves around them). Stores are going to have to institute a no-refund policy on these things, and people aren't going to like that. No, they won't like it at all.

 

[Blu]

I can just imagine a deliquent going around with a pin poking holes in the shrink wrap to kill the discs before purchase.

Disney is going for a taxable loss I think, that has to be their goal here.

 

[Greg_D_R]

This WILL die, and when it does, I'll breathe a small sigh of relief. The only thing that continues to amaze me is how an idea so abysmally and obviously stupid can get so much money behind it. In order for it to even get to this point, there had to be meeting after meeting of people sitting around going, "Yeah, this is a great idea! I think it'll revolutionize the industry, blah blah yadda-yadda..." and not just someone, but several someones with their hands on a whole lot of purse-strings, believed it. Scary.

 

[Blu]

The only thing that continues to amaze me is how an idea so abysmally and obviously stupid can get so much money behind it

Someone had to finance Pluto Nash.....

 

[Robert Dunnill]

The only thing that continues to amaze me is how an idea so abysmally and obviously stupid can get so much money behind it.

It's a well-known marketing fact that goods strategically placed in store aisles can encourage "impulse" sales, in which consumers buy when they otherwise would not. It's why there are racks of candy bars right next to the checkout counters at supermarkets, even though the stores might have a specific area for those items.

If Disney can increase the consumer exposure of their products, they might well be able to increase their sales. Personally, I find this idea too wasteful, but less environmentally-aware people might find it appealing.

RD

 

[Paul_Nyman]

I guess Disney doesn't mind throwing $ away! Sure wish they would stop the Pan & Scan practice on the older catalog DVD reissues lately.

 

[Matthew_Millheiser]

Sure wish they would stop the Pan & Scan practice on the older catalog DVD reissues lately.

Wait till you get your hands on The Love Bug and 20,000 Leagues. I'm going through Love Bug's supplements right now, and they're both extensive and wonderful. When Disney screws up, they do it spectacularly, but when they do good they're never better.

 

[Todd Calhoun]

After ruminating on the recycling problem for a while, I recommend the following excercises for anyone wary about these discs and their impact on the environment:

1. The next time you go to the grocery store (or Wal Mart), look in your cart at checkout. Observe the volume of packaging that will eventually end up in a landfill.

2. Compare this with the volume of a single DVD.

3. Calculate how many DVD's it would take to equal the volume of one cart full of groceries and their packaging.

The point being, my family throws out 2-3 bags of garbage a week. Even if we watched 2 of these things a week, it isn't going to add anything to the volume of our local landfill, since the volume of the bag of garbage won't increase appreciably.

While there may be families that are very efficient and recycle most of their metal, paper and platic garbage, I don't think this is the norm, and it's not like we're throwing out cars, or nuclear waste.

I also thought of how many CD-R's and DVD-R's I've thrown out as bad burns or just one-use items in the last year, and I wasn't freaking out about each of those because of recycling.

So in principle, these shouldn't add to mankind's destruction of Mother Earth. In practice, sadly, I'm so wasteful of so much that this isn't going to make a big contribution to my overall impact.

 

[Clinton McClure]

If Disney can increase the consumer exposure of their products, they might well be able to increase their sales.

If they'd ditch their moratorium system they wouldn't have to.

 

[Robert Dunnill]

Not all Disney titles go on moratorium.

RD

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Moratorium is a necessary part of home video, it's just that most people didn't notice it until DVD. Disney's is excessive though