Disney to Begin Renting 'Self-Destructing' DVDs

[Bob W]

If they sell them for fifty cents each I would buy them.

BTW I bet the chemical process they are using to turn the DVD's black and useless is just "Black Oxide" and it short order someone will figure out how to remove the oxide film (with another chemical of course) and render the disc useful again.

[NightWing]

Can just see it..

Hunny... Need the following from the store...

1 doz eggs
1 1/2 gallon of milk
12 Treasure Planets. You know how fast Billy goes through them..



Could do a grass roots buyup of all GE stock and force them to not market the formula for the plastic.

[gll99]

If such a thing ever came to be, Blockbuster etc... would be out of business (or would switch to retail only). Retail stores would sell these limited use discs but the technology would be quickly bypassed. Chemical reactions can be stopped with the right agents. The spray idea was certainly in the right direction. You don't need to wet the disc with a liquid. The thinnest amount of quick drying counter agent or barrier material (to keep the oxygen away) would do the trick. The developpers of the product would probably be (secretly) the very one's who helped the studio to develop the technology.

I don't believe Disney would invest much in this knowing how quickly it would be overcome.

8)
Now something that only reacts and degrades with the lasers wavelength might be much more difficult to circumvent and would be more believable to me.

To Disney (and other major distributors):

I'm available for consultation, development and testing but it will cost you.

[Bob W]

If such a thing ever came to be, Blockbuster etc... would be out of business (or would switch to retail only). Retail stores would sell these limited use discs but the technology would be quickly bypassed. Chemical reactions can be stopped with the right agents. The spray idea was certainly in the right direction. You don't need to wet the disc with a liquid. The thinnest amount of quick drying counter agent or barrier material (to keep the oxygen away) would do the trick. The developpers of the product would probably be (secretly) the very one's who helped the studio to develop the technology.

I don't believe Disney would invest much in this knowing how quickly it would be overcome.

8)
Now something that only reacts and degrades with the lasers wavelength might be much more difficult to circumvent and would be more believable to me.

To Disney (and other major distributors):

I'm available for consultation, development and testing but it will cost you.

There you go just open the package in a nitrogen inert atmosphere (done all the time in the semiconductor industry) and spray the active area of the disc with a clear acrylic coating.

[NightWing]

If it a polimer then its in the plastic itself and not a coating. Wonder if a coating of krylon would do? It a chep fix for inkjet pictures. Hum...

Kind of a reverse laser rot. The reflective media is ok but the plastic goes bad.

[BJ_M]

the same news is on yahoo news and on cnet

[spiderman2k1]

From what i have heard the DVD will cost two more dollars then a video store rental. I my self was a fan of the old Divx. The DIVX disc cost a dollar more then rental and you could buy them online. Well we will have to see if this new idea is any good. I just want to say one thing any one that buy these disc and you like the movie not people on this board lol but people that will buy them will be kicking them self when the disc does not work any more and you have to buy a new one. I really think disney is doing this to make money on DVD that the took off the shelf like bug's life Disney like to bring these movie's back every seven year's. This way they can still make money on it and you do not have it after 48 hour's. I know this is hard to say buy if I buy a disc at the store I own it and I have the right to back it up. I really think this is a dirty game disney is playing. They should bring all there movies on DVD and stop there marketing trick's. When a little kid say's Mom Dad I want to see that movie again parent's will have to but it again and again. Just a wast. Divx was a much better idea. Divx did not like it put it in the trash or recycle you could bring it back to the store for recycle and get a break on the next DIVX disc.

[gll99]

Bob W

There you go just open the package in a nitrogen inert atmosphere (done all the time in the semiconductor industry) and spray the active area of the disc with a clear acrylic coating.

There you go another solution and many more are sure to appear once the technology actually comes out.


Quoting myself here:

Now something that only reacts and degrades with the lasers wavelength might be much more difficult to circumvent and would be more believable to me.

I think that this would work because you have to let the laser reach the surface of the disk to read the data and that is when the damage would occur. I don't know how someone would stop that since it would be imbedded on the reading surface and the laser light would activate it. My material would be sensitive to the laser light.

Hide this till I sign my contract.

[KTH]

What about the non bio-degradeable plastics used in DVD's? Talk about an environmental nightmare. It will be like the scene in "Back To The Future 2" with piles of discarded Laser Disc's (with DVD's replacing LD's).

[MOVIEGEEK]

What about the non bio-degradeable plastics used in DVD's? Talk about an environmental nightmare. It will be like the scene in "Back To The Future 2" with piles of discarded Laser Disc's (with DVD's replacing LD's).

Why do you think GE is interested,all they care about is selling their product and their stock prices.
Not to worry there will be a class action suit due to the vapors emitted by the self destructing coating or the black goo self destructing consumers DVD players.

[steptoe]

so, you're kids watch the latest super-crapo-vison sing-a-long animation 'classic' that they release every 6 months, and a week later the kids want to watch it again, 'cos its their current favourite films ........

Sorry kids, you can't watch it, 'cos it won't play, and I can't buy another copy as all the stores are sold out, and Disney won't release anymore 'till the next animation classic is released

Now, you want to try an explain to a kid throwing a tantrum becuase the film they watched 3 days ago now won't play ???


Ohhhhh, just think how much money Disney will make re-releasing all their animations again,and again, and again ............

[Nitemare]

What amazes me is how pointless it all is. If it can be copied it will be done whithin the 48 hours. (Warning: Opinion about to be expressed) All of the Disney movies made WORTH seeing were made years ago. These titles already exist on Video or DVD somewhere... easily captured and transferred to DVD by almost anyone here.

All Disney will do with this ploy is knock themselves out of the market. Their own "official" product will have less value than the one any backroom bootlegger could provide. How stupid is that?

Personally, I liken the millions wasted on "copy protection" (and schemes like this one) to a child throwing a tantrum. It's pointless and self-destructive. This is how I view the media giants... as children throwing a hissy fit. All they need to do is get a clue and stop ALIENATING their customers with this lunacy and offer a good product at a reasonable price.

Bootlegging wouldn't exist if people could afford originals. Look at MP3s. The customers have obviously voted with their wallets. People are refusing to pay the price these companies are asking. Instead of getting a clue, the companies rage on with lawsuits, lobbying for new legislation, and wasted millions on copy protection. They are angering their potential customers by trying to FORCE them to pay a price that they've clearly refused to pay. All they need to do to stop the whole thing is drop the price to something reasonable.

Now we have divx (again) ... the MP3s of the video market. (and capable players coming soon!) Anyone wanna bet that the movie companies react just as badly as the record companies did? I wouldn't shed one tear if they all dried up and blew away. Sure, I'd miss seeing a new movie once in a while, but home enthusiasts like ourselves would fill that void in a second with our own, freely traded, works of art, right?

Sorry about the long post and the rant. These idiots tick me off. It's such a colossal waste of time and money ... money they try to make back from the consumers in the most heavy-handed way possible. I may start bootlegging rentals just out of spite! (just kidding!)

Regards,
Nitemare

[jwsons]

So, they encourage people buy the copied-DVD sell to the black market instead of buying original. Yeh ?
For me, I want to keep a collection for my little daughter, it's not good for me to buy an original Disney DVD only last for 2 days. I prefer to buy the copying-DVD selling at the black market eventhough this copied-DVD may cost me more than the original one. HeHeHe !!!!!
jwsons

PS: I just show the circumstance. For me, actually IC7 and DVDxCopy and other will help.

[tjtoed]

Who cares????

Name the last "good" Disney movie?

[next]

It's just a rental. Nobody is "buying" anything.

How come we don't see endless rants on here from people who do not want to return their rentals after they "bought/rented" from Blockbuster. How unjust!!!! Having to return something you spent $3.95 on. Totally unfair!! Who does Blockbuster think they are anyways!!! Making us return a rental!! What a rip off!!! Letting us only watch it for 2 days and then having to rent it AGAIN if you want to view it again!!!! Total ripoff if you ask me. I already spent my $3.95 once!!!!!! Jerks!!!!!

[next]

And what about Pay Per View. What a ripoff!!!! I spend 4 bucks and don't get to watch it for the rest of my life!!!! What a ripoff!!!!

[scottymac]

Personally, I am REALLY looking forward to this innovation and hope more studios adopt the technology.

"Sorry son, I don't know what's wrong. Barney just doesn't seem to work anymore"

[NightWing]

Who cares????

Name the last "good" Disney movie?

The only good Disney movies are produced outside not inside the company. Monsters Inc and the new Nemo are done by Pixar { who will be leaving the fold after two more movies! }, Spirited Away which was from Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli they barely released here, Lilio & Stitch done by a splinter group and live action by Miramax that want to leave Disney like Pixar.

Disney just does not have it any more. Treasure Planet is a good example. 10 years ago maybe but the matching of CGI and hand drawing was horrible and at 100million cost way too much for what you see on the screen.

The main thing is if they start doing all title that will self destruct is the real worry. Would hate to be a parent trying to explain to a little kid sorry you cant see it for seven years!

[mazinz]

this whole idea is absurd!! I remember hearing about this a long time ago, but it never went through. Really think about it, you know how much money rental stores would lose if indeed they had 48hr only viewing dvds? in the end that would cost them a fortune regradless of how cheap they can get them for.
In my opinion they wont buy it or just no longer rent Disney films. And actually they would then have to keep the dvds sealed on the shelf until it's rented, otherwise that would start the rot process and lets say no one rents the disc for a good 2 days. Too much trouble and too much hassle if this really is going to happen, and too costly to all in the end.

[LanEvo7]

And what about Pay Per View. What a ripoff!!!! I spend 4 bucks and don't get to watch it for the rest of my life!!!! What a ripoff!!!!

See the thing about pay per view is you don't have to move. You flip to the appropiate channel and you're good to go.

[Nitemare]

I don't mind returning the movies to Blockbuster. I usually wait until they're a 5 day rental anyway so I have plenty of time. I just don't like the idea of Disney, or anyone else, deliberately limiting their product like that. My point is that it's BECAUSE of ideas like this one that bootlegging exists in the first place.

As far as GOOD Disney movies, I agree. I only buy the classics anyway (Peter Pan, Snow White, etc.) so they can do what they want with their new stuff. Who cares?

My only real concern is the backlash that will occur when they get outsold by black marketeers because of their own stupidity. Again, I'm using the RIAA/MP3 issue as the template for this prediction. Imagine Disney suing this site and knocking it off the net because someone here might/will come up with a way to restore their self destructing DVDs? Who needs that aggravation? How will we ever learn how to synch our sound on the blu-ray machines then?

[vitualis]

The point is this isn't truly a rental. You are only "renting" something if you pay some money for using the item for a limited period of time and then have to GIVE IT BACK to the owner (e.g., video rental shop).

You are in effect BUYING an item with an extremely short lifespan.

Disney are in the rights to do this, but I think that it is silly concept and not one that will sit easily with the general public.

Furthermore, this seems to be an extremely environmental UNfriendly step to take.

Regards.

[tgpo]

Advantages here are that the 48 hour period will not begin until you play the disk. Meaning you can purchase and have an inventory of films on your shelf at home. The 48 hours begins when you play the dvd. For example it could begin 6 months after the purchase - when you choose to play it. It works on snowy nights in the right climate when you do not feel like going to your rental place.

But you will have to keep it closed for that 6 months. The DVD starts to die when it hits oxygen, not when you start playing it.

I think the whole idea is crap. I don't want to have to throw away my rentals, I am a big boy. I can return what I rent. My local movie gallery has a 5 day rental on all movies! Including New Releases. This is another crappy idea and it will die as soon as it starts.

[tgpo]

Who cares????

Name the last "good" Disney movie?

But Disney owns Miramax and numerous other film companies that create good movies. If they use it on the Disney brand name, then they will probably use it on the others.

[BodyMaker]

I thought Disney titles were already self destructing, I have 3 of my daughters films, Lady and the tramp 2, Little mermaid 2 and the lion king 2, Have all started comming up "NO DISK" all of a sudden on my philips standalone player

Yet all my other films are ok so i cant blame the player.

[NightWing]

I agree. Its not a rental. You dont rent eggs, milk, battries etc. You buy them not rent them.

This strange concept would die if they say this:

We have a cheep copy of X you can buy, but it spoils after 48 hours and has a shelf life of 1 year.

The only thing I can think of why is the following:

(1) The figure that backup's will not be stop and want to make a buck of off it.
(2) They know all backup program will be dead by August.
(3) They know there product is over priced. 8)
(4) They want money.

I wonder how they will package this? Will it be a peg item? Shelf sitter? If they make the wrapper and backing the package, the "pin in package by people" or just normal handeling will be a problem for retailers. Can just see retailer going mad on replacement { if offer } on some one that goes home and comes back before 48 hours that its defective. Or about the store that says no exchange or refunds will tick off customers. They will think Disney make junk or worse my player is junk. This sounds like a pipeline clogger of the first order to me.

Disney wanted the Divx { Player/Disk/CC one } to suceeded baddly and were hit hard when it cratered and have been looking for a way to raise the limited play/time back. Rember the junk they pushed on DVD but the good stuff on Divx? Sorry this is not it.

Retailers will kill this within one year. To make it sellable and not cost them, the retailer will need to put it out on the floor where the customer can pick it up or pull it off of a hanger and drop it in their cart. It wont work if it sits behind a counter and requires some one to hand it to them. That limits impulse buying which I asume they want. Look at Wally's World. Except for a small percentage every item the customer get for themselves.

Hard to sell the concept of long life and play quality when you media dies in 48 hours! Wonder what the DVD Group will say on this?

Another brilliant idea sketch on a dinner's napkin that should be in the landfill.

PS: Wonder if this will go through those scanners at the Postoffice? If they use the one that kill bio items, wonder what this will do?

[tgpo]

I vote for #4. Kinda like how they only release their DVDs for a certain time, then cut them off forever. What crap.

[RWANDREWS]

ALL the media (DVD,CD, what have you)producers like Disney, MGM, et al have the following in common:


1) Extend copyright indefinitely, as although the artist may die, a corporation lives forever

2) Make the consumer pay EACH AND EVERY time he/she uses the product. If they could charge per every user that watched/listened to it at a time, they would. Family of eight, too bad.

3) Subvert any attempts to allow consumer to circumvent the above goals


You will not OWN anything in the future you will RENT it, if they get their way.

[Gazorgan]

I have seen an alpha test of this thing at a trade show. The blackness is through the whole plastic layer, not just the surface....no buffing.

If it's $3.95 to 'rent', then it's the same as current pricing. If it's more, people won't pay it. Just look at the library.

Now the Downside . I bet ALL the DVD screeners released in the future will use this technology, think about it! No more disks laying around for a cleaning person to find :P

[tgpo]

If it's more, people won't pay it. Just look at the library.

What about the library? Our local Library rents out movies for free, including DVDs.