Disney Disposable DVDs debut today

[mkelley]

According to imdb.com, Disney is test marketing their disposables in four cities today. With a suggested retail price of $6.99, it appears as if management at the Mouse House has been ingesting some rather forminable fungi (known to have halluncenigenic qualities) if they believe this will be anything that will appeal to anybody.

Those of you in Austin, Peoria, Charleston and Kansas City can help the matter along by boycotting those establishments foolish enough to carry these.

[BobK]

Considering that you can rent a movie from Hollywood or Blockbuster for about $4 (even less from Netflix) I think a $6.99 desposable will provide it's own boycott.

[tgpo]

2x the price for 1/2 the life.

I can rent a new movie right now for $2.50 and I get it for 5 days at a local movie store. When I'm done, I return it and I don't create waste that I have to throw away. This idea should never have gotten out of the idea phase.

[FOO]

I has been said that old Walt himself was into Opium. Maybe
it's contagious

[FOO]

I just noticed you said Austin. I spoze that means Texas.
I happen to be sitting in Austin as we speak. I want to
go get one and check it out (how well it reads in a dvdrom)
and how long it lasts.
I wonder what stores ?

[mkelley]

It says "convenience stations, gas stations, drug stores and toy stores."

You can probably find it somewhere if you really want (but don't encourage them!)

[verchad]

Hope this works out as well as Circuit City's Dudx, oops I mean Divx.

[FOO]

Just to avoid encouraging them, I'll just shoplift one.

[LanEvo7]

Hmmm, $7 for two days... Or local best buy $10 for a real one that lasts me forever.... tough choice

[Tommyknocker]

So if you copy one, do you get to keep the copy as long as you own the original, no matter if the original no longer plays?

[lordsmurf]

Strange that they chose locations that are not typically test markets, and are in fact not media markets of any real size, in terms of testing.

I'd think Austin was in Texas, I'm not even aware of an Austin in another state, at least not in a size that is worth noticing.

[FOO]

I'll just open one, back it up, close it again, in a nitrogen atmosphere,
and i'll be legal.

And of cousre I'll report the gory details.

[thayne]

This will turn out to be a big fat painful belly flop!

[Skynet107]

Here we go AGAIN. Didn't they learn anything from Circuit City and Divx? Remember Divx? At least with Divx you could actually purchase a permament copy if you wanted to. Idiotic idea from the most evil company on Earth, Disney.

[FulciLives]

I just noticed you said Austin. I spoze that means Texas.
I happen to be sitting in Austin as we speak. I want to
go get one and check it out (how well it reads in a dvdrom)
and how long it lasts.
I wonder what stores ?

Please get one and let us know about backing it up etc.
I'm interested in knowing as I am sure many other people are too.
I'd just buy one myself for a test but I don't live in one of the LUCKY (hehehe) cities.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Cornucopia]

Strange that they chose locations that are not typically test markets, and are in fact not media markets of any real size, in terms of testing.

I'd think Austin was in Texas, I'm not even aware of an Austin in another state, at least not in a size that is worth noticing.

lordsmurf, maybe you've been away from Austin for too long (as have I). When I lived there, it had pop. ~350-400k. Now it's about 1.2 million. That, plus it's got IBM, Apple, Intel, Motorola, AMD and other regional or national headquarters--I think it's a big enough test market.

Back on topic, I can't remember what it is vulnerable to oxygen or light. Anyone? Maybe FOO could try to put the computer/DVDburner in a light-tight closet during backing-up to see how long it might otherwise last...

Keep us posted!
Scott

[FOO]

What Motorola ?
You mean all the unemployed EX motorola maybe.
All they have to do is watch DVDs if they haven't hocked their
players yet.

I'l run down to the convenience store and see how many they have.

I have heard the trick is some kind of iron which oxidizes. My neighbor
is a chemistry nut with Samsung and AMD I'l go harass him.

[FOO]

There is a Worst Buy across the highway. I'l go over there.

[The village idiot]

FOO, do you have one of the scratch repair devices? I'm just curious how far down the discolored part will go.

Too bad the are $7. If they were cheaper, it would be easier to test them!

[MOVIEGEEK]

This is a stupid idea because I can rent certain new titles for $.99 a day at Blockbuster.Another reason this won't work is certain idiots in society will buy a disk,watch it for two days and return it saying it is defective...and of course the store will gladly exchange the disk until all the stock is gone.

[You_Are_Alive]

I think some may want to know which establishments will be participating, so here's a snip from the article with the link. It seems the "idea" is to provide other stores as competitors to rental video stores. Means an extra source of income for them and competition for Blockbuster.

The advantage to the disposable DVD format known as EZ-D is that such discs can be sold anywhere and never need to be returned, potentially making any retailer a competitor with Blockbuster Inc.

It should be aisle two, bread, aisle 4, EZ-D,said Flexplays Blaustein, who predicted families would continue to rent videos and start buying the disposable DVDs as well.

Stores in Austin, Texas; Peoria/Bloomington, Illinois; Charleston, South Carolina; and Kansas City, Missouri will begin stocking the disposable DVDs including titles such as Signs and The Recruit.

Toys R Us, Phillips 66, Circle K, CVS and Walgreens are some of the chains participating. A full list is at http://www.ez-d.com.


For the entire article, http://www.msnbc.com/news/963640.asp#BODY

[RabidDog]

so these things are good for years until you open the packet? 8)

[ebenton]

www.ez-d.com, while an actual website, does not yet have anything on it about these disks. Apparently the folks at msnbc.com did not check this before putting it in their article.

[ebenton]

Another interesting quote from the article:

"Although the disposable DVD format does not make it harder for digital pirates to make illegal copies, Blaustein said by making DVDs cheaper the effort would also undercut the incentive to make such bootleg copies."

Oh yeah, if I were a pirate, I would *much* rather own a disposable DVD for 2 days than own a copy forever.

My local Wal-Mart already has a couple of big wire bins where they throw their older, slower-selling DVDs and sell them for something like $5.88 to $11.88 or so, and THEY DON'T BECOME UNREADABLE AFTER 48 HOURS! Considering the cost of most recordable DVD media and rental cost, it would be almost not worth it to rent and record one of these movies, especially the cheaper ones.

[FOO]

OK I feel like a complete fool, but I now have in my posession
one of the aforementioned items.

What next ? How about spraying it with thin transparent
acrylic spraypaint ? Probably screw up the DVD drive.

OK how about putting it in the freezer ? Under water ?
Under oil ?

I guess I'll just read it every few hours and see how long it lasts

[tenders]

OK I feel like a complete fool, but I now have in my posession
one of the aforementioned items.

What next ? How about spraying it with thin transparent
acrylic spraypaint ? Probably screw up the DVD drive.

OK how about putting it in the freezer ? Under water ?
Under oil ?

I guess I'll just read it every few hours and see how long it lasts

haha..put it in the microwave and nuke it at full power

[FOO]

Damned thing is bright red !
Has expiration date of 1 year from now.
Reads good.
"To recycle put in stamped envelope and send to blah blah"


This brings up a question. This disc mine. Is it illegal to copy it ?

[DeleriumMDK]

I think you can only have a backup as long as the original is functioning and in your possession. You'll still have the original but it'll be nonfunctioning. If what I've read and heard is true legally you can't have a backup of this once the original is unplayable...so I dunno. This might be a weird situation. You know, sort of like how you're legally entitled to own a backup, but circumventing copyright protections isn't legal. I'd say back it up though, it is legally your disc. I'm sure soon enough details on copyrights and backups of these EZ-D discs will be made clear, its just too new to be certain IMO.

[thayne]

I think you can only have a backup as long as the original is functioning.

So then whats the point of a backup? A backup, by definition, is made incase the original becomes un-usable...

[BobK]

I think you can only have a backup as long as the original is functioning and in your possession. You'll still have the original but it'll be nonfunctioning. If what I've read and heard is true legally you can't have a backup of this once the original is unplayable.

That would sort of defeat the whole point of making a backup- the reasonf or "backup" is so that you don't lose it if the original is damaged?