Alan Smithee

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/vod...d-prices-32266

Yet another reason to love streaming and throw away all your physical media. Studios have better control of the pricing this way! Vudu HDX rentals on new movies went up to $5.99 a few months ago, guess they'll be $6.99 now. But Blu-Rays are so old-fashioned...

Supermallet

I've never individually rented a film digitally. I pay monthly for Netflix and Hulu, and use Vudu for the Ultraviolet copies I receive with my Blu-rays.

PhantomStranger

The studios plan to wean consumers off of physical media altogether and then jack the E.S.T. pricing on parity with current DVD and BD pricing. It worked for the music labels, often forcing consumers to pay more for an album in inferior MP3 than on an actual CD.

Anyone with a business degree knows this to be the truth, but the American consumer has proven again and again that convenience trumps almost everything for them.

Alan Smithee

And I apologize for posting this in the HD forum when it should probably be in Streaming.

And I've bought a billion CDs since 1985 (well, maybe not a billion, but a heck of a lot) and I've never bought ONE MP3. I don't even see how they're more convenient than CDs- I have my laptop hooked up to the big screen and sound system, which works great for internet radio and stuff like Spotify, but I almost had to take it into the shop last week- if I'm without the computer, that means I'm probably without my MP3s as well (I don't have an Ipod and don't ever plan on getting one.) I have SIX devices (seven if you include the computer) hooked up that can play any CD I have, plus my bedroom sound system which would be too cumbersome to hook the computer up to.

I use Vudu for its 99 cent rentals, but most of the regular prices are too high. New releases are $5.99 right now, that's more than I've paid to OWN many of my Blu-Ray discs. I certainly wouldn't pay more than $5 tops to 'own' anything that way either. I'll pay up to $30 for a Blu-Ray if it's something I really want.

PhantomStranger

One-click download purchases and immediate availability on your cellphone make MP3s more convenient than physical CDs. Most consumers are very lazy and eliminating a trip to the store to buy CDs is a convenience.

This is coming from someone that likely owns more CDs than anyone else on this website. I bought several hundred CDs last year and a total of six MP3 tracks.

Alan Smithee

Why the FUCK would I want to listen to music on my CELL PHONE???

Gizmo

A lot of people want to.

You are the minority.

The Cow

Some people leave the house and want music. Bluetooth phone to car audio is one example.

Supermallet

MP3 isn't the devil. Video streaming isn't the devil. That being said, it's nice to have physical copies.

hanshotfirst1138

I just use an auxiliary cable.

Rypro 525

headphones. also it beats carrying a big cd player in your poket

DJariya

That's because this is his cell phone:

Xiroteus

At first I could only see "Digital Rental Prices Going...." And for a second I thought, oh they finally got a clue and are dropping them. Then I saw up. Screw that! I hardly paid that much for a blu-ray of an item I can own in full quality along with extras, let alone a lower quality edition let alone just renting it.

I would find it odd that anyone would go to the store just for that, I would think they have food to buy, errands, to or from work. Imagine some just don't care or want the disc.

bruceames

I believe that only cable/sat VOD prices are going up a buck (to $5.99) to match those charged by VUDU and other digital providers.

It is a little high, but for a brand new release it's not bad considering you don't have to get off your couch. Sure the alternative is waiting 30 days and then making two trips to a Redbox kiosk, but that's not exactly what I call convenient. They should drop the price though based on how long it's been released, probably sooner rather than later. I would say drop it a buck after, 60 days, then 6 months, then a year, then 2 years...until it's only a buck.

Gizmo

$6 isn't a bad price to rent a new release digitally and not have to:
Drive to Redbox
Hope Redbox has it.
Wait in line.
Drive Home

Next day:
Drive to Redbox
Wait in line to return (which is so damn stupid!!!)
Drive home

I'll pay the money NOT to do that.

Eddie W

Yeah, that's why I hate Redbox. Especially the return process. I can't understand why they don't separate the returns from the rentals. I'm always stuck behind someone who has to read the synopsis of every movie there.

But I suspect they can do whatever they want with digital rentals. It's quickly becoming the only way to rent new releases. Blockbuster is gone & Redbox/Netflix have a 28 day window & then you have to wait for them to be in stock. So $6 sounds pretty convenient if I just want to rent the latest hit on a Saturday night. I don't know where all you guys are finding all these $6 new release Blu's but where I shop, they are $20-25 the day the come out.

You don't listen to music ON your cell phone. You just store it there. You listen to it on every other device you would normally listen to a CD on. 10 years ago I carried around a heavy ass binder with about 120 of my favorite CD's. And it was a pain to flip through that every time I wanted to change ONE CD.

Now my entire music collection is in my pocket on a device I would carry anyway. What's not convenient about that?

orangerunner

I guess when you break it down $6 is not outrageous for a new release compared to the hassles of RedBox (stated above).

When compared to buying a Blu-ray for $20+ or a family of four going out to a movie at $10 a head it's not bad.

Sure, my whole Blu-ray collection probably averages $5 a disc but it involved a lot patience, trips to the pawn shops, craigslist and never involved any new releases.

The current mindset for most people is "I want what I want, when I want it".
They will pay for this convenience.

Easy

Sorry, but no that isn't my reason. I collected vinyl albums and CDs and while I love some albums in their entirety there are a lot that have only one or two good songs. Paying for only the songs I like was a big factor for me and I suspect, a lot of other people. Yet that never seems to be mentioned. I'll buy a CD if I like the majority of songs but that is rare these days.

That said, this thread is about movie rental. I think $5.99 is a retarded price for a digital rental, let alone a buck more. I'm not completely anti-streaming (I have prime) but when rental is that close to purchase price I'll take the physical disc every time.

Deftones

do you only have 1 redbox kiosk in your area? I have about 20 within a 2 mile drive. Also, I can check the status of a movie online or via their app on my phone. I can even check out using either. Seriously, why is everything such a production with you?

Gizmo

That's great.

How is any of the others steps I mentioned not important?

Great, you can reserve a movie at a Redbox. You still have to do EVERY OTHER STEP to get your film. I have 2-3 red boxes in my city. The chance they will have a Blu-ray of a new release is pretty slim. The chance of waiting behind someone who will read every synopsis is high. The chance of that person even knowing how to pay for the product is high. I've done Redbox a few times and it's always 'such a production'.

Unlike you, I guess, I have a life and don't wan't to waste 20 minute of my time waiting behind someone to rent a film and another 20 to return it. I'll pay the extra few dollars to click 'Rent' and watch a film IN MY UNDERWEAR, and not have to worry if the disc is available, if it will even play, have unskippable trailers, lower audio (since some discs are created without HD audio ON PURPOSE!!!). Guess you forget to mention those Redbox exclusive features, eh?

BUT THAT'S OK FOLKS BECAUSE DIGITAL IS BAD!

Xiroteus

Normally when I see people talk like every single they do requires another trip I think that they must go to and from work, run errands etc... however this is close with the return trip part. Any of us can pick up a movie on are way back from doing any given thing however the return trip is a pain because I'm not always going out the next day. Plus it's five minutes away, I'm not doing that unless I'm going out two free days in a row.

I always had the average from used being blu-rays like you that I can't justify anything above two dollars for a digital rental.

Anti-price price gouging. Digital can be great just not at prices I hardly pay for tangible goods.

Deftones

Well, having limited options in terms of where you can get one certainly plays into why you have to wait 20 minutes. I don't, because there are so many options.

I do have a life. I also have the intelligence to realize that going out to a Redbox kiosk can be combined with other errands or before/after I go to work, so I can not have to make a separate trip. Amazing concept, huh? Unless you are some sort of shut in, which your post makes you appear to be (in which case, I'd certainly have more of a life than you), going out to do this doesn't have to be the production you are making it out to be.

I never said digital is bad. I have no problem with digital. I do have a problem with people such as yourself who act like everything in life is a chore and complain about it.

Gizmo

Except Redbox is a production.

Every thing I said is a typical Redbox experience. You are telling me you never have a line to rent or return? That's just not going to happen on a regular basis.

Not to mention Redbox releases are typically 28 past release, some have unskippable trailers, DD5.1 audio, etc.

But again, that seems to be OK to you.

To many others, it's not. Why do you think Blockbuster and Hollywood Video don't exist? Is it because movie rentals were $3.50 vs $1-$1.50? Instead of 3-7 cashiers you essentially have one. And you have to wait behind him while he decides what movie he wants, oh and you need to pay with a credit card? Wait, where does the disc come from?

You can't just send little billy in to return the film either...he has to wait - in line - to do so.

It's very, very flawed. If Redbox is still around in 3 years I'll be amazed. Studios will continue to shift the release dates and find any other reason to cut them out and all that will be left is...digital! Why is it I can rent films 1-3 weeks early before the physical disc comes out? There's a reason why.

Deftones

I can honestly say, I only ever waited once at a Redbox. And that was because I returned a disc to a place where I don't typically go. The place I usually go has 2 right next to each other, so there's never a line.

As for the rental window, yeah, there's that. I used to be pissed at that, but my time is limited with kids, so I don't get to see stuff right away anyway. Not every movie is some dumbed down version, either. Some are, but others aren't.

JTH182

I've never even seen ONE person using the Redbox nearest me, let alone a line lol... I also wouldn't pay $6+ to rent a movie digitally. If it's a film I really want, I buy it. Otherwise it's Netflix or HBO for me.