iPod to kill TV-on-DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Julio Diaz]

I agree - iTunes is a supplement based on convenience and not a replacement.

It's a godsend on a continuity-driven show like Lost, when your DVR fails to record an episode, as mine did last night. I downloaded last night's episode this morning and got all caught up.

But by no means was it as fun as watching it on a huge screen in HD (which I could have done if my local cable company carried ABC in HD, but I digress) and surround sound.

 

[PaulP]

I have a 60 Gb video iPod that I mainly bought to transfer my large music collection to listen to while I'm in the car (was tired of my in-dash CD changer, always having CDs around). I have a very large DVD collection also, and wouldn't dream of using my iPod to watch anything. But then, I'm a collector. I could see myself ripping a TV show I'm currently watching on DVD for a plane ride or something, but that's about it. Fully replacing DVD? No.

 

[TravisR]

I don't think iPod will have any signifcant effect on TV on DVD for the all the reasons Gord listed. It may have a slight effect on people watching the show on TV though.

To me, the best thing about it is that if I miss an episode of Lost, I am able to download it. While that's unlikely, at least I have some insurance.

 

[Kenneth Bova]

I don't see it becoming the next big thing at all. I'd like to see the ratio of people buying TV shows on DVD to people buying TV shows on iTunes. Even better would be to see just how many people buy the complete series of a show on iTunes at those prices.

I'd also be surprised how many people actually archive the shows they download. I'd imagine many of the people who download these watch them and then drag them into the recycle bin. Kind of like using the same VHS tape to record what you miss.

Some shows I do see people archiving such as The Office because it's rewatchable and great to just throw on any time. But other shows? I suspect they're downloaded as a convenience. Just to keep up with stories and/or pass the time.

I think the novelty of downloading shows will undoubtedly wear off for some. But I also think some people will buy a video iPod just to download shows. Just not that many. I don't think thos threatens anything. It's just found money for the studios. Nothing more.

 

[Britton]

I for one am glad that iTunes offers legally dowloadable shows. Now I can cancel my cable service after May when all the shows go on their season breaks, yet still be able to watch new episodes of Battlestar Galactica. And the picture quality is better than the crappy feed I get from Sci-Fi Channel.

iPod video is no threat to TV on DVD.

 

[Sean.S]

I would rather have a portable DVD player than an IPod video anyday. That would allow me to watch not only all of my DVDs I've purchased, but recorded ones as well. IPod/Itunes video is of very little threat to TV-on-DVD. However...should DVD-quality episode-by-episode downloads develop (perhaps burnable at $$ to next-gen media?), then something may happen...

 

[seanOhara]

I mentioned in another thread the model Yahoo uses for their music store, where you pay $5.99 a month for unlimited downloads [1]. If iTunes had something like that for video, even at a higher price, I could see using their service. Heck, if they did that and offered video at decent resolutions, I'd dump cable. But at two bucks per file, I'll stick to watching video on DVD and using my iPod for music.

[1] Unfortunately, they only offer DRMed Windows Media files, so it's pretty much worthless if you have an iPod.

 

[Yee-Ming]

Do these people actually go and try doing what they think everyone else will do? In other words, have they actually watched a TV show on an iPod and compared it to a DVD on a proper TV?

Last night in the gym, I was watching BSG "Pegasus" on my iPod whilst on the exercise bike. A pleasant novelty, certainly, but even if I had the entire series on my iPod (say it softly, since we're a bit slow on TV shows here I have to do what Jay_B! talked about...), that is never going to stop me from buying the DVDs when they come out. My 43" plasma, Pioneer 969 (your Elite 59), Marantz SR8200 and SVS would never forgive me if I didn't...

If anything, as Sean says, a portable DVD player is a better alternative: I got one last year with a 7" screen and brought it along on holiday, with a selection of DVDs stuffed into one of those pouches with sleeves for about 20+ discs, which the missus and I really appreciated some evenings.

 

[Lynda-Marie]

I HOPE iPod doesn't kill TV on DVD!

Who the hell wants to watch a microscopic version of a TV show? If someone else wants premature wrinkles squinting at one of those tiny little boob tubes, they can be my guest.

As it stands, though I don't have the money for a great home theater set up like many HTF members, I am contented with a TV I can see, and discs to put into the player to watch. When I am going to and from school, I am quite content to bring a book along, since I have really BAD luck with battery longevity -that includes walkman, my portable CD player, and probably an iPod.

 

[Sam Favate]

The iTunes sales of TV episodes might be convenient enough if you've missed a show, but it's not what a collector such as myself would be interested in amassing a collection of.

I'd be more worried about on-demand services that provide any episode to any show when the viewer wants it. That's the biggest threat to DVD, and I believe the likes of Bill Gates and Steven Speilberg have made comments along those lines in recent months.

 

[ZackR]

I received an iPod 60GB Video for Christmas. There is absolutely no way it will stop me from buying TV on DVD. I have ripped a few episodes from my TV on DVD collection to my ipod just to have some stuff to watch when waiting at drs offices or other such places, but never in a million years would the ipod ever serve as a replacement for my tv dvd collection!

 

[RaymondSteiner]

As a lot of people has previously stated, i think they are different markets.

I have just purchased a projector (Infocus 4805, yes!!) and i want the best quality possible.

At this time it's DVD, maybe the next generation of Ipod will be able to connect to a TV and the episodes will be coming with all the bells and whistles (16:9, better quality, DD 5.1), at a reasonable size (700 megs), BUT then we will have the new HD formats, and they provide a hole more resolution with the same codecs so it will be a long way before we can get the same quality of a package medium in a downloadable way.

 

[John Carr]

In think the Ipods are great for young people on the go -- I remember those college days! -- and people who travel a lot. For the rest of us, who've settled into middle age and have home theaters and such, it's a non-issue.

Personally, I don't even have a TV hook-up -- network or cable. If I want news, I read the newspaper. So all the TV I watch is TV on DVD -- and I love this media for the convenience, portability, lack of commercials and collectabilty, too.

For the youngsters, like my son and daughter, who've grown up with computers, video games and cell phones, it's a brave new world out there. I expect in another 30 years (people are fundamentally conservative, but what's conservative to my generation, baby boomers, is old-fashion to my children) audio/video downloading will be the major delivery system for most media.

So, I expect the current hard media (CDs, DVDs, HD-DVDs, etc.) will last for some time. Record companies still release vinyl for collectors, after all. But, in the long run, it's a new day...

 

[Jon Martin]

I have to ask though, with all the downloading of videos from the IPOD store, just how popular are the IPOD Video devices outside of major cities? Where people regularly use the bus or subway? Or among college students and such.

The media cover them a lot, but they are also among those big city dwellers who use them on a commute.

Living in a smaller city, I really don't see the point for it. I can't use it while driving to work. And at home, why watch a little IPOD screen when I can watch my regular TV? And I have yet to see anyone use one. No one I know owns one.

While I can see its popularity among commuters and such, for the average person, living in say Iowa or something, is it really replacing watching DVD?

 

[PaulP]

True, you wouldn't watch a video on your iPod while driving, but using the iPod instead of your CD player in the car is great. No more swapping CDs - ever!

 

[Nelson Au]

I read the article. I think there’s a bigger implication here then just the current iTunes and Yahoo download model for TV shows.

If you just examine the current iTunes video iPod for example, I recently got one. I think it’s great for what I want it for. I don’t download anything, ever. But I have tried converting some TV DVD’s I own for the iPod. The image quality is quite excellent for the screen size, but at no time will it replace my big screen and HT set up. My usage will be for showing iMovies I’ve made of my portfolio to prospective clients, to watch and listen to videos while riding my trainer, and for listening to in the car. And if I do download from the iTunes store, it would be for the current reasoning, to see something I missed. I have seen a video displayed on a TV from an iPod using the A/V cable out into the video in of a TV. Looks decent, like a videotape quality. It’s tolerable to catch up on a missed show.

The bigger implication though is that this is the beginning of what I brought up some months ago. There has been an article I read in Wired Magazine about the future of media delivery. There is a thought that at some point in the very near future, you can buy a movie and have it downloaded rather then buy it on DVD. The movies will be high resolution, in OAR and multi-channel audio. The pros of this kind delivery model look attractive for some people, but likely not for many on this forum. They say it will provide convenience for you. No waiting for Amazon or going to the brick and mortar. The state of the art in Internet access will reach a point where these movie files will be compressed enough and the connection speeds will be such that it will take a short time to download an HD quality video. Short was implied as minutes, not hours. The other positive was that now movies are delivered as a theatrical version for example. For the aficionado of a particular movie, video or TV show, they could instantly deliver the directors special private cut, and there is no extra cost to the studio because they didn’t have to master and package another DVD.

I’d imagine that the downside is not having the pleasure of buying and opening that brand new box set. The packaging is a cool factor. (POTA gorilla head?) And I don’t think this will ever replace that. It’s simply an alternative. I bet they will still make these available in the B&M’s. If you look at the software industry, they offer you the option to download upgrades and whole new software. Saves them the cost of packaging.

So while I feel that iTunes video downloads will not replace buying the actual DVD now, eventually, a future iTunes with hi-resolution media could become a mainstream form of media delivery.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I'll Post my comments I don't think it'll slow down DVD sales, but TV Shows for the Ipod and any Future Downloadable source, will have some affect in the future. Ipod's and Media Players still account for a very small percentage compared to installed DVD Base. Also your points on the Itunes vids are well taken. I consider them to be an impulse Item, or I'll give you a for example. I've Downloaded a few shows. I think if you happen to miss an episode then these DL's are a good way to catch what you missed. My DVR blew a gasket Monday night and recorded the First 10 min only of 24. You better believe I wanted Itunes to have Fox shows. With 24 if you missed a ep, which they do not repeat, you're screwed. You might as well wait for the DVD. Itunes does'nt have Fox so I had to use less than Honorable pratices to attain the episode. If it was On Itunes I would've paid my $1.99 to get it rather than wait on a Slow boat to china method.

I've bought Both Battlestar Galactica Sets, but now that HD-DVD is upon us I won't buy the 3rd until it's offered on a HD Format. So I'm Dling this seasons shows from Itunes so I can still watch it if I want to. It's a convienience.

For my Ipod Video I rip my Own disks to Mpeg 4 so I can use them on my Ipod or My Axim. And As you said No AC3 audio, no anamorphic encoding and Low resolution, even the files I create I create at a Higher res so they look Decent on a TV.

I have a 60GB Ipod and as I said a Axim v51 with 10GB of storage, these devices are a Godsend for us Heavy TV ON DVD owners. There is no way I could watch the shear amount of Disks I own, but converting these to Mpeg 4 I can catch episodes at work on my Lunch Break or in Bed before going to Sleep. I'm pretty much watching all My Rifleman and Have Gun Will Travel show this way. It really helps to "Catch Up"

 

[Jason Seaver]

Don't forget that, in theory, downloading from the studio cuts out a lot of middlemen - the studio could sell you a $10 download and make the same money that they'd make when you spend $20 on a DVD at a retailer. I wonder how cool a box would have to be to justify paying twice as much for the product.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Digital Delivery whether over Itunes or Over your Digital Cable Box is going to be the format of the future. That's tough to hear for all us Media Jockey's But that will be eventually what happens

 

[PaulP]

I can't see actual physical pre-recorded media dying any time soon. Not in my lifetime anyway.