Internet Feedback from DVD Duplicator? Is this possible?

[steevg]

Hi there,

We have a customer who is over 600 km's from us.
He uses a DVD duplicator supplied by our company to duplicate tourist DVD's of footage captured during an activity he provides.

Although we supply the DVD's we're still unsure if our customer is purchasing his own DVD's, if this is so, he's in breach of our leasing terms and conditions, and we're losing revenue!

Is there a way for modern Duplicators to provide feedback via the internet (etc) on a periodical basis (daily / weekly etc) so that we can keep a closer track on our duplicators throughput?

Any constructive comments or suggestions how to Police this situation would be very welcome.

Many thanks in advance.
SG

[filmboss80]

I don't think the manufacturers ever considered a need such as yours. My duplicator has an Acard controller, and the manual doesn't seem to offer anything about usage reporting.

You may have to rethink the way you set up your systems with clients.

[Bjs]

Activity logging capabilities is not high on the list for these devices but one that dose support logging

http://www.solstice-inc.com/mfdscribeecpc.htm

So now you know whats up.

[steevg]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the responses:

Filmguy80: I think you may be correct, looking around the web, I only see reporting available in the Primera's and highly priced units. These aren't really suitable for our use as they offer far too many functions for our simple use. Also, I have heard varying reports of reliability from these units, so basically I think we may need to get in touch with the controller manufacturer if we are to pursue this idea!

Bjs: Thanks also, checked out the site and again I think this is far too complicated for our use. But I appreciate your response.

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has experience of Controller cards, and if we're able to have one programmed/custom built to provide reporting?

Regards.

[lordsmurf]

Although we supply the DVD's we're still unsure if our customer is purchasing his own DVD's, if this is so, he's in breach of our leasing terms and conditions, and we're losing revenue!

I don't mean to be rude, but this seems like a really stupid business model to me.

I'd buy my own DVDs too, if yours were too expensive. License agreement be damned, especially if you're not able to track what I'm doing. These "agreements" these days are getting to be ridiculous, not to mention many of them couldn't ever be held up in court. And if you tried to track me, which is honestly none of your business, I'd use somebody else's product or service. Duplicators are not that hard to find or use, and I'm not aware of any that try to force you to use their own media.

Unless you're using Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden media, I feel sorry for yours customers, and the customers of your customers.

[steevg]

Lord Murf,

I don't see your response as rude at all . . . but we have reasons for setting this up in the way we have, and at this time it's very early stages of the business, and non-disclosable while we're waiting for the lawyers to finish off the agreement.

Whether you agree with our way of working or not, is not relevant in this post!
My question relates only to "IF" reporting is possible from a DVD Duplicating Tower, and not to our business workflow.
Your response is very much appreciated however!

Any further comments relating to this issue are most welcome.

Thanks.

[lordsmurf]

It is most definitely relevant. You're asking for something that is a bit odd, and for such a feature to exist is highly unlikely, due to that simple fact.

[Supreme2k]

What an odd question. I have to say that you are trying to commit one hell of a scam.

It would be one thing if you were renting out a vehicle that used a special proprietary fuel mixture and the customer could possibly use a cheap, standard fuel, but in this scenario (and to the recorder), all discs are created equal.

If your clients can get cheaper discs, let them. If you can compete on price with say Rima or any of the other low-cost disc suppliers, then point that out. But to blatantly try to stop someone from saving money by trying to force a monopoly which you don't have is damn near criminal.

Just be grateful that people actually rent your machines and leave it at that. Trying to micro-manage the situation and look over your client's shoulder is a horrible business model that will drive customers away.

This is similar to people who worry about copy protection on their wedding DVDs. Be competitive and provide a quality product, and you won't have to worry about such nonsense.

[redwudz]

Why not just order or buy one of their finished DVDs? It would be obvious if they are using a different brand. If they are buying the same brand cheaper, then you need a better supplier.

[steevg]

Guys,

I do appreciate your replies, but I'd prefer to keep on track with my original question if possible:

Whether you agree with our way of working or not, is not relevant in this post!
My question relates only to "IF" reporting is possible from a DVD Duplicating Tower, and not to our business workflow.
Your response is very much appreciated however!

Any further comments relating to this issue are most welcome.

Once we have all the legalities in place, I'll be very happy to discuss the reasons why this is so important, but for now I'd simply like to know if reporting is possible from a DVD duplicator controller? I would like to add briefly however that our marketing shows great interest in what we're trying to achieve, there are no "scams" or "ripping off" of customers involved, and we have a huge amount of interest from potential customers in what we're trying to achieve.

If anyone is able to help with my original question, I'd be most grateful to hear from you . . . . or maybe I'm on the wrong forum, in which case I'd appreciate a pointer to the correct forum!

Redwudz . . .. good idea, but I'd prefer to be upfront with our customers, and though you're quite correct, by purchasing a DVD from our customer, it would provide us with this information, I believe this may be a rather less "honest" way to police duplication numbers than we'd be happy with. Thanks for the useful comments though, very much appreciated!

Thanks.

[guns1inger]

I suspect that the issue is purely on of your business model requiring a technology that has so far only been implemented in higher cost hardware. Perhaps the answer lies in finding someone who can create the interface you need at a cost you can manage, as the current solution is really only viable to higher volume/cost organisations.

[steevg]

Hmmm,

Judging from the responses, I'd agree with you. I'm intending to email the manufacturers of the controller cards (generally China based companies) to ask the same question. If I get a favourable response, I'll post back here for the benefit of the forum members.

I suspect we're not the only one's wishing to implement this kind of monitoring in our business model, from DVD Duplicators, and if the facility is available on higher priced (spec'd) models, then I see no reason why it can't be applied in the lower priced range, as an option.

Thanks for your understanding!

[Supreme2k]

If anyone is able to help with my original question, I'd be most grateful to hear from you . . . . or maybe I'm on the wrong forum, in which case I'd appreciate a pointer to the correct forum!

14 posts after 2 years shows that you're not really an active participant in these forums. It also explains your lack of understanding about how most people on these forums feel about the kind of draconian measures that you want to implement. This site is about more freedom of use, not less. You would probably be better helped at another site completely, possibly the site of one of those other box manufacturers (if they have a forum).

Redwudz . . .. good idea, but I'd prefer to be upfront with our customers, and though you're quite correct, by purchasing a DVD from our customer, it would provide us with this information, I believe this may be a rather less "honest" way to police duplication numbers than we'd be happy with.

You think that secretly transmitting info back "home" is more "honest"? I'd like to see someone sign that contract, if indeed it is fully explained and transparent.

Hi there,
Is there a way for modern Duplicators to provide feedback via the internet (etc) on a periodical basis (daily / weekly etc) so that we can keep a closer track on our duplicators throughput?

The easiest defeat to this is that the customer simply does not connect the recorder to the Internet. Either that, or they block it with a firewall. In my experience, most of these types of operations are simple "blue collar" standalones, meaning that they simply set it in a workspace and use it, like a coffee maker or DVD player.

You may not think so, but posts like ours are specifically about the topic at hand, especially this part:

Any constructive comments or suggestions how to Police this situation would be very welcome.

Suggesting that you don't do it is very constructive.

[steevg]

Hi again,

Many thanks for the responses, I'll take the comments from the more intelligent members, and use them constructively as we move forward with the project. Thankyou!

Supreme2K:
My apologies for not frequenting YOUR forum as often as you'd like . . . I wasn't aware of the minimum participation requirements!

I'd just like to finally add, that with this project - once successful (and it will be successful), we'll be helping over 100 small to medium sized companies in our vicinity, get through this terrible financial time. Without their jobs, these people will stand little or no prospect of further employment due to their location! With our system "helping" them, not only will they increase the chance of surviving the economic situation they find themselves in, but we estimate that their revenue will increase annually by over 20%. So I have no problem with trying to create a viable business for ourselves in order that we may help others get through the next few years! Current marketing suggests that these companies are indeed VERY interested in our product, and over half our initial database have already signed for their placement as soon as we can supply.

Just as a matter of interest Supreme2k . . . . . what will you be doing to help people during this terrible time ?????
(Probably frequenting these forums - endlessly looking for other new members to slag off ?)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Further replies are not necessary as I no longer receive notifications . . . . but I'm sure that won't stop you taking one last shot!
Please feel free, but understand that I'll never read it!

I'll find another forum to ask my questions, so you can have this one all to yourself!

(PS: Thanks to everyone else who tried to offer help & suggestions!)

[Supreme2k]

Many thanks for the responses, I'll take the comments from the more intelligent members, and use them constructively as we move forward with the project. Thankyou!

You're welcome!

Supreme2K:
My apologies for not frequenting YOUR forum as often as you'd like . . . I wasn't aware of the minimum participation requirements!

There is, if you want to get a feel for what the members are all about. As you can see from this thread, they are not into the intrusive tactics that you (want to) employ.

I'd just like to finally add, that BLAH BLAH BLAH

You rent DVD duplicators. Even to buy them, they're not that expensive. It's like saying that Blockbuster is providing some great humanitarian service to the people. It's nice that you used "helping" in quotes, though (implying that you're not really helping them).

Just as a matter of interest Supreme2k . . . . . what will you be doing to help people during this terrible time ?????

The amount of pro-bono work that I do for schools, shelters (both animal and people), and small businesses in areas of web pages, construction and administration (ie. paperwork) is enough to have you shitting your pants in admiration and awe for me. It's not just in "this terrible time" either.

(Probably frequenting these forums - endlessly looking for other new members to slag off ?)

I know that you are trying to bait me into posting a joke about your mother here, but I will not fall for your trickery. Shame on you! (other new members? 2 years, and you still consider yourself new???)

Further replies are not necessary as I no longer receive notifications . . . . but I'm sure that won't stop you taking one last shot!
Please feel free, but understand that I'll never read it!

Aaaaaw. Just, aaaaw. <-- me

(PS: Thanks to everyone else who tried to offer help & suggestions!)

As you can see, and I have noted, most people here are against your methods.

[G)-(OST]

[jimmalenko]

I don't particularly agree with the Big Brother approach, and as mentioned the internet "phone home" method is easily worked around by not putting it on the net in the first place !

How about incorporating a service or condition inspection every 6 or 12 months where you take meter readings ? Then compare these readings with your sales data. Easy !