Self destructing discs are back at Amazon.

[Madz]

Yannow, IMO, if these things can be ripped, then did they make things much easier for the pirates? I can just picture it: Some kid spends five bucks for one of these, rips it before it self-destructs, converts it to divx (or whatever) and makes it available on the P2P's. No need to try and acquire a critic screener disc or sneak a video camera into the cinema. Obviously not foolproof are these?

[Captain315]

I know if I were the CEO of Netflix or one of the other online rental companies, I would be seriously looking into this as an alternative to the way they do things now. Of course, doing so brings up numberable other problems. Personally, I kind of like the idea. I hate the impact it could have on the eco system but then..... maybe someone will come up with a way of making houses and highways out of them.

[freestyler]

They come with envelopes to send them off to be recycled, to take care of environmental concerns. If people will mail them off remains to be seen.

Disposable discs are competing with Netflix. Why would Netflix adopt them when they are at your local grocer, gas station, liquor store, etc?
(Assuming distribution goes as planned)

Flexplay discs (AFAIK) are limited to single layer titles and their selection is scant.

The discs cost substantially more to manufacture than regular DVDs, too.

[adam]

Hmm disposable DVDs themselves seem like a bad idea, and the market proved it in the last year or so. But disposable DVDs of movies while they are still in theatres? I like it, I think its a great idea.

So many people complain about the price of theatre tickets, so many people complain about idiots who are always ruing the movie (talking, cell phones), so many people don't live near a decent theatre.

This is just another way for them to offer you a chance to watch a new release and yet still provide incentive for you to buy the final release when it hits DVDs (menus, extras, etc...)

I still think this will fail though. People just don't want self destructing movies.

[Cornucopia]

If they can make the DVDs last a week I think that they could be on to something that will compete with the rest of the industry. (Netflex, BlockBuster, etc.) It doesn't look very eco-freindly, to make something that is intended to be garbage.

Yeah, but what if they made them EDIBLE? Like a tasty, crunchy potato chip?

Scott

[NightWing]

Need to check on land fill stock! If this ever takes off!

[skebenin]

I wonder...

These things self distruct when exposed to oxygen, right. So if I open the package, watch the movie, and immediately put the disk in a bell jar (or maybe even something as simple as a food saver bag) to keep it from self destructing, can I watch it again 2 months later?

That's certainly not copying it. I bought it, it's mine and I can do what I want with it. Or have I only 'licensed' it? Would I be breaking the law? Would I even be breaking the spirit of the thing.

Just some idle rhetoric. No need to respond.

[NightWing]

I think the best idea is a isolation box. Filled with nitrogen, argon, Krypton or some inert gass. Use a 600 disk DVD player.

The main thing that killed this last year was the Z grade/ hyper limited selection to pick from.

[Capmaster]

I wonder...

These things self distruct when exposed to oxygen, right. So if I open the package, watch the movie, and immediately put the disk in a bell jar (or maybe even something as simple as a food saver bag) to keep it from self destructing, can I watch it again 2 months later?

Probably wouldn't help you. Once it's exposed and the reaction started, it probably doesn't need continued exposure to oxygen to continue degrading. You'd have to open it, store it and play it in an inert atmosphere. And now it's getting ridiculous to even consider, isn't it?

[DereX888]

hmmm... it comes sealed in airtight bag to prevent air coming in, right?
1. Put the bag in a water-filled bathtub or such,
2. remove the disc from the bag (in the water),
3. use something (hehe) to stick/glue on the top disc's surface and something clear/see-through to the bottom of the surface,

There are quite nice and thick see-through protective plastic labels for the discs on the market, perhaps applying them on both sides of the disc would stop the oxygen from igniting the selfdestruction process?

Its just theory, perhaps only applying top protective layer will do (if the bottom of flexlay disc is just standard thick clear polymer disc)?I dont know are these protective labels working in a water environment, and I even dont know if the oxygen in a water may start selfdestruction process too Or maybe all we need to do is to apply i.e. superglue all around the *edges* of the discs to prevent oxygen igniting the chemical reaction - and where else would be the best for it to start if not the edges or the middle ring (since the 'destructive' material is supposedly sandwiched between the clear polymer disc at the bottom and thin data layer on top)? I dont know, So pls - no complaints if it doesnt work LOL
But Im sure someone will find some cheap and easy way to stop flexplays from selfdestructing, probably we'll read about it before this coming christmas :P

[NightWing]

Trying to remember. I think theopaq is in the plastic itself. The slow down- stop reaction coating idea came up last year.

What will make this go is if they have A list movies and a megaselection. If 4 to 5 and mostly B titles then it will die again.

[DereX888]

*If* the studios are smart, they could have overtaken very easily and in a short time entire rental market with them flexplays. Just flood the market with all hottest titles using portable two-sided walls filled with thousands of flexplay discs in a bag (ever seen porta-wall with post cards? then you get the idea, few sq.feet wall can accomodate thousands of them) and bingo! All blockbusters etc are dead within a year, providing they market them flexplays at the same price or less than it is currently at afverage rental store. Everyone would be happy (studios getting more of their money directly from customers without sharing any profit with middlemen-rental co., and customers are happy coz they dont have to return the discs etc etc).
However this would mean revolution - tootal change of rental model, and thousands of kids out of their temp jobs... stocks plunging... yikes, a doomsday Anyone check them flexplay for a signs of terrorists behind it?

[dphirschler]

No, the terrorists are behind bootlegs. Remember?


Darryl

[NightWing]

Didient Blockbuster report low earning yesterday?

[bransholme]

This is the dumbest idea ever, So a movie in the theaters is released in a self-destructing dvd at the same time to appeal to the non theater going market. What happens? someone copies it, puts it on the net and millions of people download a dvd quality version and never bother with the retail dvd. At least if someone downloads a telesync copy of a film they might actually want it on dvd if the enjoyed it.

[chas0039]

It is a dumb idea on the surface, but ignoring the copy aspect, I would often pay to see certain movies that are in the theater for less money and no traveling. This Christmas movie, "Noel" is a good example. Who wants to see it in the Summer time when the DVDs come out? I might actually add it to my next Amazon order. Not all of us have the time or inclination to download bootlegs. And being a capitalist, I tend to want to reward the right price.

Remember Quicken? It has been priced at almost a give-a-way since it first was introduced. That was his marketing strategy. Sell it cheap and people won't copy. It worked rather well as he is virtually the only game left in town.

Anybody remember "Manage Your Money"?

[ViRaL1]

Remember Quicken? It has been priced at almost a give-a-way since it first was introduced. That was his marketing strategy. Sell it cheap and people won't copy. It worked rather well as he is virtually the only game left in town.

Anybody remember "Manage Your Money"?

You say remember like they're gone. :P They almost weren't around though. I believe the DOJ blocked M$ attempt to buy them sometime in the 90s.

[Tranceaddict]

Hello,

But since its considered a "rental" you must not use the backup after your "official" period for viewing. Just like if you no longer own the original movie your supposed to DESTROY your backups.

Kevin

]


riiight.. but we all know peeps will be backing up before the 48 hour view period is over....

[Cwluc]

I might actually add it to my next Amazon order. Not all of us have the time or inclination to download bootlegs. And being a capitalist, I tend to want to reward the right price.

Diddent we talk aboue this failed concept last year?

Thw way the shipping companies bang up packages. This is going to be intersting!

I did place my order with Amazon, just got my copy in. Going to watch it soon. The disc was in decent shape, though Amazon did go a little above and beyond by shrink wrapping the entire package (three DVD's) and glueing it down to the bottom of the box so it couldn't shift too much. All is well the layer was completly red.

Flexplay discs (AFAIK) are limited to single layer titles and their selection is scant.

Funny, Noel appears to be a half decent flick, size was ahh 6.62 GB i.e. dual layered...

[Nilfennasion]

You have to wonder where Greenpeace is in all this (rhetorical question guys, I know what a bunch of scientific illiterates they are). I mean, really, can you even begin to imagine the garbage disposal problems that would stem from a product that is basically useless after forty-eight hours, but has a shelf-life stretching into hundreds of years if you go by the breakdown rate of the plastics used?

The studios, be they film or music, should be thanking their lucky stars for bootlegs. People get to see their product that way, instead of them having to rely entirely on their own bullshit marketing campaigns that have lost all effect anyway due to the wretched quality of mainstream output. The distributors of You Got Served in this country are whining that they aren't making any money on it "due to piracy". Errrmmm, guys, maybe you should have got the film here before the vibe that it was a POS had spread all over the world. It has, after all, been residing in the Bottom 100 on the IMDB for a while.

Sometimes I wish I had been diagnosed as retarded instead as with brain injury. Then I could work in the film industry.

[chas0039]

You have to wonder where Greenpeace is in all this (rhetorical question guys, I know what a bunch of scientific illiterates they are). I mean, really, can you even begin to imagine the garbage disposal problems that would stem from a product that is basically useless after forty-eight hours, but has a shelf-life stretching into hundreds of years if you go by the breakdown rate of the plastics used?

The studios, be they film or music, should be thanking their lucky stars for bootlegs. People get to see their product that way, instead of them having to rely entirely on their own bullshit marketing campaigns that have lost all effect anyway due to the wretched quality of mainstream output. The distributors of You Got Served in this country are whining that they aren't making any money on it "due to piracy". Errrmmm, guys, maybe you should have got the film here before the vibe that it was a POS had spread all over the world. It has, after all, been residing in the Bottom 100 on the IMDB for a while.

Sometimes I wish I had been diagnosed as retarded instead as with brain injury. Then I could work in the film industry.

The discs are recyclable and come with instructions as to how and where.

[Nilfennasion]

Oh... Forgive me for leaping to conclusions. However, I submit that recycling is nowhere near as efficient or universal as it needs to be in order to be beneficial. In fact, many councils where I am simply do not bother with it at all.

[Craig Tucker]

I bought some Zero Defex DVD-R discs a while back that used to do the exact same thing

[NiteLite]

Didn't CircuitCity and a lawyer group invest in a similar enterprise called DIVX back in the late 90's - early 2000 and end up losing about a $300million investment. When will they learn...
If the customer says "no thank you" it's a dead deal again. And another write-off.

[ZAPPER]

*If* the studios are smart, they could have overtaken very easily and in a short time entire rental market with them flexplays. Just flood the market with all hottest titles using portable two-sided walls filled with thousands of flexplay discs in a bag (ever seen porta-wall with post cards? then you get the idea, few sq.feet wall can accomodate thousands of them) and bingo! All blockbusters etc are dead within a year, providing they market them flexplays at the same price or less than it is currently at afverage rental store. Everyone would be happy (studios getting more of their money directly from customers without sharing any profit with middlemen-rental co., and customers are happy coz they dont have to return the discs etc etc).
However this would mean revolution - tootal change of rental model, and thousands of kids out of their temp jobs... stocks plunging... yikes, a doomsday Anyone check them flexplay for a signs of terrorists behind it?

You know, at first I kind of thought that this was a bad idea. But after reading your reply I am kind of warming up to the idea. Land is too valuable to waste on a rental shop. I would say that a grocerie store just give about the same amount of space to DVDs as they do magazines or paper back books and you could have thousands of DVDs there. If the cost of the disk got down to about two bucks, I am thinking that shoppers would stock up on movies and maybe even fork out for movies that they would not normally pay to see. As for the recycle effort just include a 25 cent deposit that could be claimed at a machine at the front door. Just slip the specially marked, used disk into a slot and receive your quarter or coupon below

[NightWing]

It does makes some sense.

Problem is shelf space is expensive in a store these days. End's are the most valuable.

A local warehouse store had a put in a quarter to get a cart and get it back when you replace the cart. It did not work. Heck many people dont colect their cans and bottles for recyceling.

The key to this is selection. If poor. Then it dies.

[DereX888]

*If* the studios are smart, they could have overtaken very easily and in a short time entire rental market with them flexplays. Just flood the market with all hottest titles using portable two-sided walls filled with thousands of flexplay discs in a bag (ever seen porta-wall with post cards? then you get the idea, few sq.feet wall can accomodate thousands of them) and bingo! All blockbusters etc are dead within a year, providing they market them flexplays at the same price or less than it is currently at afverage rental store. Everyone would be happy (studios getting more of their money directly from customers without sharing any profit with middlemen-rental co., and customers are happy coz they dont have to return the discs etc etc).
However this would mean revolution - tootal change of rental model, and thousands of kids out of their temp jobs... stocks plunging... yikes, a doomsday Anyone check them flexplay for a signs of terrorists behind it?

You know, at first I kind of thought that this was a bad idea. But after reading your reply I am kind of warming up to the idea. Land is too valuable to waste on a rental shop. I would say that a grocerie store just give about the same amount of space to DVDs as they do magazines or paper back books and you could have thousands of DVDs there. If the cost of the disk got down to about two bucks, I am thinking that shoppers would stock up on movies and maybe even fork out for movies that they would not normally pay to see. As for the recycle effort just include a 25 cent deposit that could be claimed at a machine at the front door. Just slip the specially marked, used disk into a slot and receive your quarter or coupon below

Personally I *hate* doing trips to rental stores. And i hate even more going back there just to return damn discs. I guess Im not alone in it since so many by-mail rental services have become so popular in such a short time.

Selling all big new shiny titles on flexplays at any major grocery store will catch on very very quick, Im sure.
And if it would kill all the Ballbusters etc giant rental underpaid teenage grinders - then its a bonus
Face the facts: no one is ever going to ballbusters if they are looking for some old/obscure title. For this purpose usually every bigger city have one or few independent rental shops full of dvd/vhs curiosities from all over the world, right? Heck, in my multinational/multiracial city we have so many small ethnic rental stores, that it would be impossible to count them all. Thanks to them I remember I could get i.e. "Hero" on legally released asian DVD year or two before it was in american theaters. Same thing with "Bend it like Beckham" - I had India-released DVD from small Toronto store some 2 years before it even reached american theaters.
My point is (if you haven't guess it yet): no one needs Ballbuster & Co. They could - and should - be replaced by some sort of Flexplay DVD stands at any major retail stores. It probably means higher profit for studios. It could work well with small studios as well, because as we know - all major rental chains are tied to the major studios and their content, and even had they wanted it - they still cant just accept and add to their selection some Joe Schmo Studio products without Big Studio & Co. approval.
It all could change easily - since technology is already here...


Recycling is not a problem. Most north american cities have already ongoing recycle programs in effect, thus adding i.e. 20 more used flexplay discs to your "plastics only" recycle bin every week wouldnt have added much to the weight nor volume of your usual weekly load.
As DVD consists probably in 99% of some kind of polymers, Im sure it would have been sorted, grinded and disposed of in proper manner by our city's recycle services in no different way than our empty pop bottles and tons of other 'regular' plastic garbage we produce daily (and I dont give a shit what greenpeace terrorists have to say on this subject ).

[ZAPPER]

If they can make the DVDs last a week I think that they could be on to something that will compete with the rest of the industry. (Netflex, BlockBuster, etc.) It doesn't look very eco-freindly, to make something that is intended to be garbage.

Yeah, but what if they made them EDIBLE? Like a tasty, crunchy potato chip?

Scott

Edible? Dinner and a movie, for ten bucks? sounds good to me. The DVD laser could heat it up like a mini pizza

[NiteLite]

As stated before...It's already been tried. (DIVX) Customers didnt fall for it. It failed and quitely went away. So will this.

[EvilWizardGlick]

Recycling is not a problem. Most north american cities have already ongoing recycle programs in effect, thus adding i.e. 20 more used flexplay discs to your "plastics only" recycle bin every week wouldnt have added much to the weight nor volume of your usual weekly load.
As DVD consists probably in 99% of some kind of polymers, Im sure it would have been sorted, grinded and disposed of in proper manner by our city's recycle services in no different way than our empty pop bottles and tons of other 'regular' plastic garbage we produce daily (and I dont give a shit what greenpeace terrorists have to say on this subject ).

Except as Penn and Teller have shown the only thing cost effective in recycling is Aluminum cans.
http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/topics.do?topic=r
"It's the ultimate "feel-good" activity. But here's the truth: recycling is garbage. The recycling industry creates pollution, has to be subsidized by the government because it's cost ineffective, and is completely unnecessary. Contrary to popular belief, our landfills are not running out of space - we have enough room to last for thousands of years! So how did the bullshit of recycling get started? We've tracked down the faceless bureaucrat who's responsible!"