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Posted by Alpha on 01/13/06 07:52
"Rich" <none@none.com> wrote in message
news:lq0es1ppdbslt488s9kuaah6sul84j2k27@4ax.com...
> So iPod casts of movies will replace DVDs, etc?
> Nice to see the y-gens don't care much about overall quality.
>
>
> Digital killed the video store
>
> The livelihood of video stores and online rentals might be numbered,
> now that the video-download movement is underway. The dawn of
> convenient video downloads of movie and television shows follows in
> the steps of audio music and music videos, and more companies are
> jumping on the bandwagon, trying to tap into a chunk of this growing
> industry.
>
> A number of companies have already introduced video services or new
> technologies that support video download.
>
> Already, both MovieLink and CinemaNow rent videos online for Windows
> applications only, allowing consumers to download movies for 24-hour
> periods starting anywhere from $1.99 to $3.99. Both services also
> allow some movies to be bought.
>
> Via iTunes and Apple, consumers can download select TV shows from ABC,
> NBC Universal, USA Network, Disney and the Sci-Fi Channel onto the new
> video iPod for $1.99 per episode.
>
> And Google just launched an online Google Video Store that would be an
> open "marketplace" for all videos. Content sold would include classic
> cartoons and CBS shows.
>
> Not to be left out, both TiVo and DIRECT TV announced new to-go
> services that would allow subscribers to transfer recorded shows to a
> number of portable media players including iPods and P2P players with
> TiVo To Go and DirecTV 2Go.
>
> "With the advent of downloading videos ... there's no worry about
> taking back DVDs to stores, no mail, it's instant," cable network
> Starz' spokesman Tom Southwick told UPI. "It's a much more convenient
> way to access movies than having to deal with the physical deeds."
>
> Earlier this month Starz Entertainment Group LLC also launched its
> version of a video download service called Vongo, where subscribers
> can download or purchase videos and play them back on Windows-based
> PCs, laptops, portable media devices and TVs.
>
> Unlike the pay-per-view model, subscription is the basis for Starz,
> which offers more than 1,000 movies as well as live streaming of the
> Starz TV Channel for $9.99 a month as well as pay-per-view movies for
> $3.99.
>
> In a December 2005 study of 488 Starz subscribers, Starz reported that
> 70 percent of users admitted they no longer go to the video store
> while 72 percent said they rent fewer DVDs and 60 percent said they
> bought fewer DVDs.
>
> With consumer attitudes like these, businesses like Blockbuster that
> have suffered a number of setbacks within the last year alone are
> likely to shift their business model from the conventional "video
> store" concept.
>
> On Tuesday Blockbuster Chief Executive John Antioco told investors the
> company will try to refocus its clientele less toward retail stores
> and more toward the online service in 2006.
>
> The push toward online rental comes after the success of online-based
> service Netflix, which dominated the online rental service gaining 4
> million subscribers last year, compared to Blockbuster's only 1
> million.
>
> Netflix spokesman Steve Swasey told UPI video-rental stores are in
> trouble but said both the video-downloading market and technology is
> still too young.
>
> "Downloading is more a future vision than a practical reality," said
> Swasey, acknowledging that the service will be popular in the next
> five to 10 years. "And as a future vision, Netflix shares that vision.
> We'll be coming out with downloadable content when the right time
> comes."
>
> Swasey says the problem with video-download services are their small
> selection of video content and that most consumers still desire DVDs
> -- and that the next big thing is high-definition DVDs.
>
> "Downloading is really cool, but most Americans are happy with their
> DVD player," he said. "People want to watch DVDs in family rooms, not
> put them onto laptops or handheld devices."
People want to do both. They want HD at home and much lesser
portable....for ONE PRICE.
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