Amazing how we all saw this coming but Eisner never listened.
Disney has stopped selling its movies on 48-hour DVDs, but that doesn't mean the technology is disappearing.
Flexplay developed the technology that renders a DVD unreadable after a set period of time. The company has been sold to Atlanta-based Convex Group, which plans to release content in this format.
The EZ-D was marketed to consumers as a way to avoid late fees from movie rental shops. Once opened, the EZ-D can be played unlimited times in 48 hours. Then a chemical compound on the disc combines with oxygen, rendering the DVD opaque and unreadable after two days. Movie fans can throw away the expired disk or pack it off to a special recycling facility to be recycled.
Great news for DVD enthusiasts and the environment. Convex? There *is* a sucker born every minute!
garolo
02-10-05, 01:10 PM
With the price just a couple of dollars below outright owning and same as or more expensive than Netflix & Blockbuster it was doomed to be a stillborn concept. Even moreso now with the advent of downloadable movies.
Sanitarium
02-10-05, 01:48 PM
That had to be the worst idea since Divx.
darqleo
02-10-05, 01:49 PM
Or that HD-VHS nonsense
matome
02-10-05, 01:50 PM
RIP :lol:
heavy liquid
02-10-05, 02:05 PM
Good riddance. I couldn't believe that they were trying this after the Divx debacle.
emhello
02-10-05, 02:07 PM
Good riddance. I couldn't believe that they were trying this after the Divx debacle.
Yeah I hope that someone lost their job because of this.
sracer
02-10-05, 02:10 PM
Good riddance. I couldn't believe that they were trying this after the Divx debacle.
This was actually the 2nd or 3rd attempt at disposable DVDs. It won't be the last. PT Barnum said there was a sucker born every minute... there is sure to be more unsuspecting rubes duped into investing in this technology (who will be unaware of the previous unsuccessful attempts).
klandersen
02-10-05, 02:35 PM
That had to be the worst idea since Divx.
It was the same idea as DIVX. Without the phoneline junk.
acostigan
02-10-05, 02:54 PM
Good riddance.
Rex Fenestrarum
02-10-05, 03:29 PM
Why does everyone hate this idea so much? I mean, don't get me wrong - if they were talking about replacing *all* DVDs with crap like this, I'd be royally p****d off too. But as I understand it, these discs were supposed to be aimed at people in airports, hotels, truckers - basically people that wanted to watch a movie, but might not necessarily want to keep it.
Of course, the stupid pricing is what *really* killed this. I might have tried one if they were offered in my area and were about the same price as a rental. But I'm not paying $7.99 for it.
Professor Frink
02-10-05, 03:38 PM
Good point, Rex. For the target audience that you mentioned, this might have worked at a $3-4 price range.
But $7.99? F that!
darqleo
02-10-05, 04:05 PM
Also we don't need more stuff to add to landfills. At least with a normal DVD you can just go sell it/give it away if you don't want it.
calhoun07
02-10-05, 04:08 PM
Why does everyone hate this idea so much? I mean, don't get me wrong - if they were talking about replacing *all* DVDs with crap like this, I'd be royally p****d off too. But as I understand it, these discs were supposed to be aimed at people in airports, hotels, truckers - basically people that wanted to watch a movie, but might not necessarily want to keep it.
Of course, the stupid pricing is what *really* killed this. I might have tried one if they were offered in my area and were about the same price as a rental. But I'm not paying $7.99 for it.
I think for people on the go, who could not get back to a rental store to return the movie, these types of things would be ideal, but the average consumer isn't going to pay 7.99 for a DVD that will be 10.00 or less at Target or Wal Mart in a couple months, or pretty darn cheap brand new.
So why does everybody here hate the idea so much? Because everybody on this board is generally a collector, and not people on the go like you described above.
joels1017
02-10-05, 04:29 PM
i cant believe this concept has not died yet...i wonder how many more times some new company is going to try and push this type of technology when its aparent the consumers dont care about it.
cultshock
02-10-05, 04:33 PM
I knew immediately that this idea wouldn't work at all, especially at the price point they used.
ATTN Buena Vista Home Video: once you fire the guy who came up with this great idea, wasting a bunch of company money, can I have his job? :lol:
moonlimb
02-10-05, 04:48 PM
Terribly idea in my opinion. Inconsistent quality, too costly, adds to much to the landfill (environmentally bad), time demands to watch, etc
calhoun07
02-10-05, 04:53 PM
Terribly idea in my opinion. Inconsistent quality, too costly, adds to much to the landfill (environmentally bad), time demands to watch, etc
You don't watch Penn and Teller's Bullshit, do you?
marty888
02-10-05, 04:56 PM
You know, if these corporate idiots would simply stop by here at DVD Talk and check with us first .....
moonlimb
02-10-05, 05:04 PM
calhoun07,
I've heard of Penn and Teller but don't understand what you are talking about. Please explain. My comments were my opinion only based on personal experience with these disks. I used one as a test sample and then it became useless. The waste in materials and added garbage make these extremely unappealing. If these disks can be recycled I could change my mind. Can they be recycled or not?
Rammsteinfan
02-10-05, 05:33 PM
Those were actually out? Never even knew about them...
hifisapien
02-10-05, 05:44 PM
I thought it was a great concept and the best reason for buying one is you could
give a really good movie "rental" you liked to a friend or family member as a GIFT
without the burden of having to return it. What doomed it was price. It should have
been same as a rental or less since it only had two days of activity. Instead it cost MORE than a rental. that was backwards...
sracer
02-10-05, 05:58 PM
I thought it was a great concept and the best reason for buying one is you could
give a really good movie "rental" you liked to a friend or family member as a GIFT
without the burden of having to return it. What doomed it was price. It should have
been same as a rental or less since it only had two days of activity. Instead it cost MORE than a rental. that was backwards...
Yeah, $0.99 would be a great price... then we can all rip them and reburn them to lasting media. :lol:
A regular barebones DVD could be produced, packaged in a tyvek sleeve and sold for the same price as these disposable discs. They wouldn't have to be returned either. But the whole disposable angle is simply a cynical method for generating more revenue...and protect the higher-priced "purchase" market.
It's a solution looking for a problem. And that's why it failed... and will continue to fail.
hifisapien
02-10-05, 08:02 PM
Yeah, $0.99 would be a great price... then we can all rip them and reburn them to lasting media. :lol:
A regular barebones DVD could be produced, packaged in a tyvek sleeve and sold for the same price as these disposable discs. They wouldn't have to be returned either. But the whole disposable angle is simply a cynical method for generating more revenue...and protect the higher-priced "purchase" market.
It's a solution looking for a problem. And that's why it failed... and will continue to fail.
I dont agree at all. There was value in these disks compared to rental. first of all you could pick one up and then watch at your convience. That might be a week or even a month after you bought it. Better than rental. Secondly like I mentioned, you could give as gifts. better than rental. The highly marketed feature is they didnt need returning at all. Better than rental. The only disadvantage to these compared to rental was a rental could be watched for 5 straight days, whereas these were 48 hrs. and the other MAJOR disadvantage was very limited selection of titles. So overall I think these could still work but only if the cost was much lower, how much lower I wouldnt guess.....
mzupeman2
02-10-05, 08:55 PM
Well thank god that died. They were pretty dumb to begin with. Especially at the price they went for. Double the cost and you could own the movie.
nightmaster
02-10-05, 09:03 PM
Why does everyone hate this idea so much? I mean, don't get me wrong - if they were talking about replacing *all* DVDs with crap like this, I'd be royally p****d off too. But as I understand it, these discs were supposed to be aimed at people in airports, hotels, truckers - basically people that wanted to watch a movie, but might not necessarily want to keep it.
Of course, the stupid pricing is what *really* killed this. I might have tried one if they were offered in my area and were about the same price as a rental. But I'm not paying $7.99 for it.
People in airports, hotels, truckers that use hotels have the option of PPV for the same price or less than this, as well as cable channels.
As for giving these things for gifts.......here, pal, I got you this disposable movie that will only last 2 days after you open it. Yes, for 3 or 4 bucks more, I could have gotten you one that will last for many years but I'm a cheap bastard. :)
These things just give a daily newspaper mentality to watching and enjoying a movie. For that kind of fleeting gratification I can just turn on the TV for free.
critterdvd
02-10-05, 09:06 PM
Why even bother?
sracer
02-10-05, 09:25 PM
I dont agree at all. There was value in these disks compared to rental. first of all you could pick one up and then watch at your convience. That might be a week or even a month after you bought it. Better than rental. Secondly like I mentioned, you could give as gifts. better than rental. The highly marketed feature is they didnt need returning at all. Better than rental. The only disadvantage to these compared to rental was a rental could be watched for 5 straight days, whereas these were 48 hrs. and the other MAJOR disadvantage was very limited selection of titles. So overall I think these could still work but only if the cost was much lower, how much lower I wouldnt guess.....
Well if you disagree with PURCHASING a durable disc for the same price as a disposable disc, then there really isn't much point in discussing it further.
If they can manufacture a disposable disc and sell it for $5 and make money, then they can make a regular disc and sell it for the same price or cheaper.
At $5 for the disposable disc, they weren't losing money... it's just that people weren't buying them.
The bottom line... if they were to sell a barebones, regular DVD with no packaging, for $5, THAT would be a big seller...and not have the disposal issues.
rexinnih
02-11-05, 10:12 AM
:wave:
Bye-bye. Wonder what they'll come up with next.
Centurion
02-11-05, 10:50 AM
Do not dispose of these discs!
Simply put them in your refrigerator and they last a little longer.
"Refrigerate after opening."
Al_Tahoe
02-11-05, 05:30 PM
As for giving these things for gifts.......here, pal, I got you this disposable movie that will only last 2 days after you open it. Yes, for 3 or 4 bucks more, I could have gotten you one that will last for many years but I'm a cheap bastard. :)
rotfl
philo
02-11-05, 05:57 PM
Probably see a collector with a website devoted to them in five years.
Playitagainsam
02-11-05, 07:48 PM
Unopened ones will fetch hundreds on e-bay in 10 years :)
Jah-Wren Ryel
02-12-05, 06:54 AM
Why does everyone hate this idea so much? I mean, don't get me wrong - if they were talking about replacing *all* DVDs with crap like this, I'd be royally p****d off too. But as I understand it, these discs were supposed to be aimed at people in airports, hotels, truckers - basically people that wanted to watch a movie, but might not necessarily want to keep it.
I did not like it because, if successful, it would put a lower bound on pricing for durable DVDs versus self-destrucers. There is a good chance that if they had proven succesful, we' see the market for real DVDs end at the price point of the most expensive self-destruct DVD.
Buy: