The MPAA....

[bugster]

There may well be a 600% increase in the cost of a DVD from the point of manufacture to the consumer, but there are severl different businesses in the cahin, each taking its own cut.

lets say the manufacturer charges $3 to press and pack the DVD. They then ship them off to a distributor 10,000 at a time. The distributor then sells them to a wholesaler at $6 each, perhaps 2,000 at a time. The wholesaler than sells them to the retailers, $10 each, 100 at a time, and the retailer sells them for $15 each, one at a time.

These are purely figures picked out of the air, and the supply chain described may not be accurate but the general idea is that from manufacture to retail, lots of people take thier profit, pushing the price up so an overall markup of 600% is not impossible.

A markup of 600% by one step in this chain is, I think, very unlikley though not impossible.

[lordsmurf]

You guys could easily just go ask a regional manager or district manager at a large video chain (Blockbuster, Best Buy, Suncoast, etc) for information on wholesale prices and markup. Just pretend to be a college student in a marketing/sales class. They have easy-to-find 1-800 numbers on websites. They'd probably give you a no-BS answer.

And the MPAA S-U-C-K-S.

I have a HARD TIME finding tv shows and movies from 1900-1950, as they shut down the only bootleggers that keep those videos in circulation.

If a movie is more than 15-20 years old, it should be free to copy.

The only reason they don't keep releasing old movies is because they know the shows have no large monetary value, and only a small minority of collectors want them.

[pablo180]

Shochan,

Last night I re-read my first post and I can now see where you’re coming from. I was having a bit of a rant and claiming that it is absurd and ridiculous but that was aimed at the MPA not you. But having your quote at the top certainly made it look that way. I had your quote at the top to continue your point on piracy in the Far East and around the world. What I was trying to say was that if the MPA are using that as an excuse it is ridiculous, not that your comment was. On re-reading it though it wasn’t entirely clear what I was trying to say, because as usual when I get a bee in my bonnet about something I usually go off on one. And the shit that the MPA come out with to justify the prices of DVD’s really gets my goat, so I think I just started ranting and didn’t make it clear what I was getting at.

As for my second post yesterday, I had just got up, was tired and read what you said; I should have taken it as a joke or just politely pointed out what I meant. Instead I quickly typed out a nasty response that there is no excuse for, I apologise.

As for the $10-$15 price that is more what I have heard rather than fact but it seemed fair. If they really do get them at $3 each and then sell them at $19.95 then that really does take the piss. There is no excuse for that. Most DVD’s in the UK (new releases anyway) cost from £15-£18, which is $25-$30! That is a huge mark-up and surely can’t all be down to tax! Someone somewhere is making a lot of money from these DVD’s.

[flaninacupboard]

pablo,
you're obviously buying from the wrong places
Region2 DVD's are inherently more expensive than Region1. Where a semi popular film may ship 5million units in america, that would be more like 400,000 in the UK. (figures are vague, but you get the point)
Add to which the fact that titles need to seperately encoded for R2, because it's PAL, and the sound needs extra processing because of the pitch alteration, subtitles usually exist in 4-9 languages and 3-4 different audio languages, and i would expect to pay more for a R2 disc. nonetheless, new releases can be had for around £12.50 (only because you don't pay import duties on items less than £17) from www1.cd-wow.com.hk who also do cd's. another good supplier is www.play.com, based in Jersey so operate in the same way.

[shochan]

Someone somewhere is making a lot of money from these DVD’s.

And I wish I knew them!!!!

Im just glad it only cost me 89 cents to make them and not $3.00!

As for the MPAA I really could care less about their rules. I have been busted before on something stupid( posting crap to news groups from a "anonymous" server....punks!) and put on a stupid list I even recieved a letter stating what I did and the idiots left out movies and even added crap in that I didn't do, then it went on to say that they are giving me a chance and that I would have had to pay like up to 1 million $ if they decided to push it. I learned my lesson and no longer think it is ok to "share your hobbie's rewards", but I sure the hell will still get veryone that I can for free. So I am really not to fond of these guys but do respect the giving it away to other people that cant get off their ass and learn how to do it for themselves. Now my crap stays with me.

Shochan

SO let them have their rules

[mysticgohan17]

Word to the wise, dont theatrically release movies in the states after they're released on DVD outside the country. A recent example, Bend it Like Beckham and 28 Days Later

[tandynor]

As far as I know, recording artists get ripped off too by the companies. I think they get like 2 or 3 bucks for every cd they sell, maybe less? I heard that somewhere. But any ways, I recently bought the new Metallica cd. it came with a DVD with all of the tracks on the cd preformed from start to finish live. not in a concert, but in their rehearsal studio. Best buy had it for $9.99 US. I would not have paid 15-20 bucks for it. You cant beat that price for a DVD+CD. Usually the first week New movie releases come out on DVD, they are 14.99 - 16.99. If you dont buy it the week it comes out then you have to shell out 19.00 dollars for it unless they have some kind of deal on it. the MpAA is greedy. I agree that pirating or bootlegging mass amounts of movies, music, games, etc. for ones own profit is wrong. Because someone is getting rich off of other peoples property. I beleive once you Pay for a movie you should have the rights to do what you want with it. People that provide bootlegged movies for download did not pay for the movie nor are they charging for it. I buy the MUST HAVE DVD's. like Lord of the rings, spiderman, starwars, etc. some movies like the HOT CHICK, Zoolander, Scary Movie. movies that you dont really want to pay 17-20 dollars for, but you want in your collection have to be rented. then you can do whatever it is that you do to get it. Another thing is Disney DVD's if you want THE LITTLE MERMAID, you better save up at leat $50.00 and get it on Ebay. because its out of print. Now thats like 600% markup! . If DVD's were ten dolars a piece, Id be all over that. Also another point is even though alot of people have DVD players, alot of people have more VHS tapes than DVD's, And alot more dont have DVD players yet. Most people up here at my job that have a DVD player, have no more that 20 movies on DVD. right now there is 5 prople up here at my job. 2 people dont have DVD players. I have about 100 Original DVD's. 137 total though heh! This guy up here Has 300 original DVD's. he buys them every week. He refuses to Pay 20.00 dollars for the movie if he does not get it the first week they are on sale. Another note, When I hear people talking about getting DVD burners, 99% of people beleive they can copy DVD's like Music CD's. they say things like "MAN I CANT WAIT TO GET A DVD BURNER SO I CAN START COPYING MOVIES." Its not that easy. Im pretty sure most people that find this site find it because they found out that they cant copy their movie they just rented. Im sure they got pissed when they found out they spent 200-300 dollars on a DVD burner and cant do squat with it like they did with their CD-R burner. anyways BLAH BLAH BLAH I have to get back to work.

[Donny661]

The record industry can definately sell their cds for less. For the 30th anniversary of Pink Floyd's Darkside of the Moon album they released a 5.1 SACD hybrid cd (means it also has a normal cd audio layer so it can play on regular cd players also) and they sold it at the price cds usually cost. SACDs normally cost alt the very least $20. They have to still be making money on this or they wouldn't be selling it. It's not like microsoft and they xbox where they can make money in game liscensing or get respect for the name in that industry.

[scottvf]

I'll tell you what. I never bought a movie, never will. Regartless of being able to copy it. Not worth it to me. Since dvd burners been out I now have copies of movies to view at my leasure (since they only cost me 1 dollar) Why would I buy a movie for $15.00-$60.00 when I can just rent it for a lot less and if I want to see it again (in a 2-5 years) I would just rent it again. Being able to copy a dvd just gives me the ability of not running out to the video rental store to watch it again. Just like some expensive software. I have Maya 5 which is a pirate version, but I would never of bought it even if that was the only way to get it because I don't have $6,000.00 dollars to spend on just software. I just would do without.
So in the end, they really aren't loosing money since I would of never bought it in the first place. And I'm sure many others are the same way. And I do buy some software if it's good and I think the price is right and also donate to some software makers that just ask for donations (like dvdtoolbox.de) to support them.

[LanEvo7]

Look more proof that artists and MPAA are greedy F**Ks.

http://www.dvd-recordable.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=521&mo...rder=0&thold=0

[Donny661]

I don't see that as being greedy (it also has nothing to do with the mpaa, maybe the riaa). I prefer to listen to a full album rather than a couple of songs for the same reasons the artists have decided not to offer individual songs. Most of the people here complain about FS movies that don't give you the director's vision of the movie. Well downloading individual songs don't give you the overall vision of the album that most artists want to convey (not all artists set up their albums that way and that is why people only like some of the songs and not all). As long as they still allow you to preview the album it doesn't seem greedy to me.

[EddyH]

flaninacupboard... someone would have just made an external 16cm player, or a module that was purpose fitted into a laptop, and it would quickly have made no difference. Plus then there'd be the trouble of having three different dimples in the load tray instead of two Guess the people setting the standard decided it wasn't worth the effort. Plus CDs are big enough as it is - DVD might not have taken off so quick if it was significantly larger than VHS (as it is, it's only a touch wider and a bit shorter, similar total area despite being thinner) and the current portable players similar in dimension to early CD walkmen wouldn't have been possible.

Minidisc *is* piratable, with an optical / coax copy-protection code stripper, but the thing is, it's just not worth it. Perhaps that's your point on the proprietry format... but let's compare. Minidisc to Minidisc digital copy not possible (good quality analogue IS, though) without a stripper, very few original albums were released on it as people preferred to get the CD and home record. And the format itself still isn't widely popular (pirated DATs? who'd buy them?), you're far more likely to sell a pirate CD or tape as there's simply more players in homes. If minidisc was popular and i was so inclined, I could make a happy and near-effortless 4 pounds an hour (minimum wage, here..) simply setting up my CD/MD optical linked setup to enlessly record a 14.99 CD onto a string of 99p MDs, then take the stack to a dodgy market and quickly sell them for 4.99 each... Heck, with a 4x recording hifi, it'd be 16pph, which is better than I could earn in pretty much any job i'll have in the next three years.

But minidisc isn't popular, so that can't happen. And CD copying is so widespread and easy now a career in selling them without being a fairly professional outfit that can produce identical knockoffs is unlikely.

Pleasant thought or not, but since the introduction of tape, it's been the availability of cheap copies that has first opened up the mass market for a format. :/
(well... maybe not so with CD... but that had far more of an industry push, and it was a slow burn for the first 10 years)

[flaninacupboard]

Eddy,
you're quite right. someone -would- have made an external module of some kind. but only people interested in pirating would buy one, the fact it was an odd item would make it low in production and expensive. DVD-roms being included in PC's at PC-world time tiny etc. makes them popular cheap and widely available. think about what we were doing with those DVD-s when they came out. VCD was our only option. no-one would have spent the £200 or so for a dedicated unit to read DVD's just to make VCD's, that no one could play because there's no VCD players in the country.
if it weren't for the fact a friend of mine bought a DVD-Rom because it was cheaper than a standalone, i wouldn't be here today.
As for having multiple dimples? my LD player has a 12" slot, 10" slot, 5" slot and 3" slot!
I understand MD is piratable, my point was you don't see them for sale, for exactly the reason you state. You'd need a shedload of recorders and plenty of free time pressing record to be worth your while. you can't buy a PC operated replicator stack to just burn the same image from a PC over and over again like you can with floppies, CD's and DVD's.

Okay, maybe the point about DAT's was silly. just trying to make the same point about being propietary.

Silly thing is, the people who pirate things at home clearly want to watch the stuff they copy. i spend hundreds of pounds on music movies and games, but that won't stop me evaluating things before i buy them. I've also spent hundreds of pounds on the hardware and software needed to follow this hobby. it's the very people giving this industry it's money that are being attacked. it's ridiculous.

[ChrisX]

Ah yes, ...materials that are no longer for sale. In some cases, it's been banned in my country. If you live in the USA, you can't buy Disney's "Song of the South", nor will you see it broadcast here. It's been banned.

Why is this Banned? I don't think this is the case, just not available commercially in the USA.

I am trying get a DVD copy of "Song of the South" and I recently put my name for this request on amazon.com if re-released they will contact me via e-mail.

You never know might re-release soon as there is a great demand for it.

[Conquest10]

I don't think Song of the South will EVER be re-released in the United States. As we just recently witnessed with a topic on this board, racism is a very, very touchy subject. That's why I feel it will never, ever be re-released here.

[ChrisX]

I don't think Song of the South will EVER be re-released in the United States. As we just recently witnessed with a topic on this board, racism is a very, very touchy subject. That's why I feel it will never, ever be re-released here.

Ok, I'll order a copy from another country if ever available. Where? I'll find out soon.

[thxkid]

well I have "Songs of the South" on a digially remstered Laser Disc I Bought some years back, so glad cause Disney was forced to even stop printing that version in Japan also, so its not being printed in any format at this time, what a shame one of Disney's all time classics and to be safe I backed it up on DVD, laser Disc players are just too hard to come by now and very exspensive also(Pioneer Digital ones anyway). Well at least my kids and grand kids can still enjoy it.

[poopyhead]

It's the principle of the invisible hand in free markets. If they can get away with selling a DVD for $20 they will. If no one purchased the DVD at $20 then they would have to reduce the price.

in theory yes...in actuality...no.

since the MPAA is relying on the government to intervene in the market (i.e. DMCA, lawsuits, etc...), the market is no longer free

if the market was completely free, then the MPAA would have to find other ways for consumers to shell out precious cash (especially during an economic downturn) to go watch movies at the theaters and buy the DVD (i.e. make good movies, etc...) that Spy Kids 3D movie sounds interesting...haven't seen a major motion picture in 3D in awhile...not sure when the last one was..but kinda sounds cool.

i personally love the Matrix series, so far. i cannot ever imagine watching any of the Matrix movies on some downloaded piece of camcorder crap. i also specifically bought most Matrix DVD stuff (including Revisited) NOT because i couldn't "rip it", but because i wanted to support them to make more.

in essence, here's 20 bucks...go make more.

----------

the moral of the story IS..................... rather than make "Gigli" and blame pirating as the reason why ppl aren't watching it at the theaters and buying the DVD, studios should realize how crappy the movie is and blame themselves for spending loads of money for such a lousy movie.

[bazooka]

Bumpety,Bumpety, Bump

They are greedy monopolies that have abused the notion of copyrights.

Copyrights were originally intended to be a limited time monopoly over distribution.

They prop up outdated business models with laws that are bought and treat joe blow as a criminal.