Disney To Test Self-Destructing Discs (1 Viewer)

[TommyT]

Let's not forget the larger issue here about this format: If we support it (or even semi-support it) then we're promoting the idea of letting the execs choose the format in which we'll be able to watch a film. I'm one of the guys who likes to watch films MORE than once, even if the time between viewings is several months or even years. I like knowing that I have a great collection of films that I can watch anytime I like. If they they were to convert to the 48 hour format then I'd be upset that I was only able to have two of my favorites, Sleeping Beauty & Aladdin, for a limited time. In that case, I'd flat out refuse to buy either one. As it stands right now Disney is already choosing when we can buy their products with their ridiculous "Back in the Disney Vault" campaign. I'd also be wary of other studios catching on to this.

In response to those on this discussion who say they only watch a DVD they buy once; why are you purchasing it to watch it a single time? Wouldn't a rental be preferable?

 

[Jesse Skeen]

DIVX players didn't cut you off in the middle of the movie if you started it at hour 47.
I'll buy one of these to put next to my DIVX discs and DCC cassette tapes.

 

[Robert Dunnill]

DIVX players didn't cut you off in the middle of the movie if you started it at hour 47.

Yup, and you could skip by any screen, as well, including the FBI warnings at the start.

RD

 

[Jesse Skeen]

How did DIVX movies actually start and end anyways (I've never seen one played)? Did they all show the same FBI warning or different ones from each studio, and did they have the studio's "Home Entertainment" intros too, or a special DIVX intro, or did they go straight into the movie? Did it show anything else after the very end of the movie, like disc authoring credits?

 

[Robert Dunnill]

They showed the same FBI warnings as the DVD versions carried, ie BV titles had the green and white one you see with the Romy and Michele's High School Reunion DVD. I don't remember them showing any advertising blurbs like Fox has for its present-day DVDs, and there were definitely no special Divx intros. Since Divx did all its own disc authoring, there was no point in offering such credits, and none were.

Apart from Amistad, which had a free-to-view featurette, Divx discs were like VHS rental titles in that they were movie-only, but unlike VHS, they carried no advertising (like those annoying "coming soon" blurbs at the start of VHS tapes that you have to fast-forward past).

RD

 

[Kevin M]

You know, I'm far from a green peacer but I too think this is a horrible idea as far as the environment is concerned. I love the karma involved, "we have a product that for the most part lasts a very long time and the customer loves that aspect to it...well that is bad for repeat business, make it self destruct so we can sell more.....the earth be damned...MUAAAHAAAHAA! MUUAAAAHAAAHAAA!"

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Given the amount of waste generated from AOL discs, happy meal toys, and other 'mostly disposable' items I see every day, I can't see making a big deal of the environmental issue - especially if the material is recyclable.

Frankly, I'd 'buy' many of these discs if the price was $3, but I don't see that happening. I predict a flop.

 

[Kevin M]

It's not recyclable, that's the point.

After 48 hours of play, the DVD will no longer be readable by the DVD player and can then be recycled

I have yet to hear how it is recycled, standard CD & DVD's are not.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Let's put the environmental issue on the back burner for the moment, now, that aside, it's just a bad, bad BAD idea!

They're was a story on the news tonight about this thing if you can believe it, so now the general public knows about it.

A disc that you purchase only to have it destroy itself on you in two days, think about that REALLY hard and tell me this isn't the most absurd thing you've ever heard.

On the other hand, I suppose if they ever release the Pearl Harbor Vista Series dvd and The Fellowship of the Ring EE dvd on this format, in two days you'll have plenty of useless discs to make a really cool wind chime or mobile for your baby's crib and maybe even a couple of coasters for your beverage.

:rolleyes

 

[Kevin M]

Let's put the environmental issue on the back burner for the moment

Sorry John, but I wish to discuss it as I think it is an important aspect of the issue.

 

[Kevin M]

Let's put the environmental issue on the back burner for the moment......has anybody made the sugestion of using a Diskwasher to sheer off the chemical layer yet? Would it work?

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Does forum policy prohibit discussion of that?

 

[Robert Dunnill]

have yet to hear how it is recycled, standard CD & DVD's are not.

The new Thermal Depolymerization process, where the plastic waste is ground up, mixed into an emulsion, and then treated with heat and pressure to transform it into crude oil, will work with these. The first commercial plant just went on line in Carthage, MO (a pilot plant to recycle tires has been working in Philadelphia for some years).

RD

 

[John_Berger]

Does forum policy prohibit discussion of that?

Do you actually think that forum rules prohibit the discussion of totally hypothetical, unproven methods that might or might not be effective against a not-yet-released product?

 

[David Materazzi]

I just read about this dvd a few days ago. First, I have Direct TV and the new releases show up on the PPV channels a few weeks after they hit the shelves. PPV Movie is $4.23 same as video store here. Once in awhile I buy a ppv movie if I don't see anything else on the tv. Don't have to take it back to the store. I rent most dvds from the video store and buy certain titles. These self-destructing dvds from Disney and probably others afterwards has it's ups and downs. Ok,48 hours is a average rental time period here for a dvd. Right now, copying dvds is pretty hard but could be done. Which I don't know why someone would do that? I rather buy them. The self destruct dvds could be copied within the 48 hours time period. Great! Illegal copies! Everything they worked for over the years will soon be gone. Widescreen and Full Screen? Video stores will have to carry both versions. How many of each do they stock at one time? Also means they have to store dvds in warehouse/room. Lack of storage space for many places out there. Let's talk about price. Rental price will probably be higher due to new technology. Older rental dvds will dropped in price.

Also companies will have to produce 4 different versions of the dvd. 2 for rental (full and widescreen) and 2 for purchase (for stores) (full and widescreen).

PRICES AGAIN!!! Consumer will pay more. Hurt dvds sales.

But lets not jump to far ahead just yet. Let's see what happens. Watch Disney when this takes off.

Other questions: Will these self destruct dvds harm our dvd players over time? Limited the ife span of them? I know they don't blow up but the turning color of the dvd itself do any damage once inside the player?

Just a few things to think about.

Thanks

 

[James Davis]

From an Engineering standpoint, I want to hear more about the disc itself. I'm assuming a spinning disc will have much more exposure to oxygen than a disc sitting inside its case. I'm really interested in how they can guarantee a 48 hr disc.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

James,

don't you know? There's a tiny little red LED readout on them that counts down from 48hrs like a bomb, yep, just like in the movies. Every evil device needs a red LED readout, everyone knows that.

As for my environmental comment, I meant strictly for the purpose of my post, obviously the environment is the main concern.

 

[John_Berger]

There's a tiny little red LED readout on them that counts down from 48hrs like a bomb, yep, just like in the movies.

Then to keep the Hollywood motif, someone comes along with only 5 seconds to go before total opacity and stops the discoloration process, looks at the camera, and thumbs his nose at Disney.

 

[John_Berger]

I'm assuming a spinning disc will have much more exposure to oxygen than a disc sitting inside its case.

Theoretically, would that not mean that people who live in higher elevations (Denver, for example) have longer play times than those at sea level? Well, where's the fairness in that?

 

[Jan Strnad]

Aside:
What about storing your opened disc in a freezer? Might that not slow down the chemical process?

New discussion: the psychological aspect.

People understand that renting a DVD costs less than buying one because the DVD is cycled through many users. It's manufactured and shipped once, at a certain cost, and that cost is paid back in installments by many people. Makes sense.

Self-destructing DVDs will not make sense to people. Disney has to manufacture and ship the DVD, and they have to add the self-destroying stuff, and there's only one user paying for it all. Psychologically, this will seem punitive.

People will think: Why not forget the self-destroying aspect, make more profit on the disc by not paying for the self-destroying coating, and give the customer something more valuable for his $7?

People will wonder: If a fancy-schmancy self-destroying disc can be manufactured and shipped for $7, why is Disney charging $30 for a non-self-destroying DVD?

No matter how Disney tries to position this as a "rental alternative," people are going to feel manipulated. Disney will come across as greedy and mean: "We're going to sell this to you cheap, but we'll engineer it to break quickly even though it costs us money to do this, because we're mean and greedy and don't want to give you any more than we have to."

Of course people are going to try to hack this scheme! Disney is putting themselves instantly into an adversarial relationship with its audience! Is this "family friendly?"

Don't think so.

It boggles my mind that a big company like Disney doesn't have the common sense to realize this.

Jan