Walgreens to introduce DVD-burning kiosks

Recent changes in copy-protection rules free retailers to allow consumers to burn movies onto blank discs at stores.

The story "Walgreens to introduce DVD-burning kiosks" published October 29, 2007 at 5:49 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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[zunet]

Already doomed to failure

"Rosenbaum added that the studios are not likely to discount the DVDs."

They're claiming this is only going to be for old movies. But when a person can get a never-opened overstock boxed DVD for $5-$10, why would someone pay $20 full price for a burned copy they have to wait 15 minutes for?

[wardlawc]

This is precisely why it'll fail

"Studios initially will probably use the kiosks more to give older films a "longer tail" of availability, rather than offering new movies, for fear of upsetting existing retail partners and cannibalizing sales"

Translation: We're going to try to wring out every last dollar possible from old films nobody wants to see rather than innovate to give people the access they want to first run, fresh content. I can't tell whether their cluelessness is taking a back seat to their greed or their greed is taking a backseat to their cluelessness.

If they'd make new releases available online, for instance, this technology wouldn't be necessary. have you seen the dribble available at CinemaNow and MovieLink lately? The on Vongo is so outdated and hit or miss, I had to cancel my subscription.

Not even Apple and Steve Jobs has been able to break this vicious circle of cluelessness and greed. The movie selections on iTunes is not much better.

Oh, and one more thing, I'm not popping down to Walgreens for a movie anymore than I'm willing to go to McDonalds or Blockbuster for that matter. The days of getting off the couch to go get a movie are over. Someone from Comcast or Bittorrent should send a memo to Hollywood letting them know their moment has passed.

[wardlawc]

This is precisely why it'll fail

"Studios initially will probably use the kiosks more to give older films a "longer tail" of availability, rather than offering new movies, for fear of upsetting existing retail partners and cannibalizing sales"

Translation: We're going to try to wring out every last dollar possible from old films nobody wants to see rather than innovate to give people the access they want to first run, fresh content. I can't tell whether their cluelessness is taking a back seat to their greed or their greed is taking a backseat to their cluelessness.

If they'd make new releases available online, for instance, this technology wouldn't be necessary. Have you seen the dribble available at CinemaNow and MovieLink lately? The content on Vongo was so outdated and hit or miss, I had to cancel my subscription.

Not even Apple and Steve Jobs have been able to break this vicious circle of cluelessness and greed. The movie selection on iTunes is not much better.

Oh, and one more thing, I'm not popping down to Walgreens for a movie anymore than I'm willing to go to McDonalds or Blockbuster for that matter. The days of getting off the couch to go get a movie are over. Someone from Comcast or Bittorrent should send a memo to Hollywood letting them know their moment has passed.

[ElectricPotato]

Shortened Shelf life?

So the movie industry expects people to pay full price for a burned DVD that unlike a pressed DVD, will end up being blank in a few years?

Sounds like a poor business model to me.