bunkaroo

The iTunes version isn't actually on the disc now though. The code just gets you a free redemption for a download from the iTunes store. I believe the WMV is the only one actually on the disc.

EDIT: Was wrong on this - see later post.

Gizmo

Really? When I did FSM my disc drive was spinning the entire time and it did the entire 'download' really fast.

pro-bassoonist

Agreed. It is a terrible idea.

Pro-B

Goldblum

Don't be sad. Someone said there's a small chance of this going mainstream.

bunkaroo

Hmmm. Maybe it's different by studio.

When I was doing the import in iTunes TDK showed up in the same window as anything else I download would. Maybe they just use that window even though it's on the disc. I'll have to double-check.

EDIT: You were right Giz. It is on the disc. It's under a folder called DVDROM for some reason.

obidawsn

I actually like the idea of a combo disc, in some aspects. I know many people don't get why you would want an SD version when you already own the HD version, but not everyone has multiple HDTVs or Blu-Ray players in their home. Plus I may want to take my movie over to someone else's house or let them borrow it (because I'm just that kind of person that would rather let someone borrow my copy than make them go out and rent it, especially at Blockbuster prices). This especially works with family/children films. The kid wants to watch a movie in their room or in the car, but guess what? They don't have a blu-ray player in either, so they can't watch it. That's one of the reasons I like what Disney is doing with some of their films (at least the Platinum releases) and packaging in a copy of the SD DVD. And until they make Blu-ray players for the car or portable Blu-Ray players, that's going to be an issue with most families. Though I can see them eventually making players for the car that you can hook an iPod (or other portable video device to) to and play those digital copies . I really think that will be the better route in the future. That way you can take all your kid's movies with you one one device instead of a bunch of DVDs (because you know how undecisive a child can be). But until then, a lot of families have invested in those car DVD players and want to be able to use them without having to buy multiple copies of one movie.

PhantomStranger

The major Hollywood studios (Warner would be the only exception) will not use this technology even if they are viable in mass quantities. Companies like Sony want to end the dvd gravy-train for Toshiba as soon as possible.

beebs

Imagine trying to figure out problems with these discs? <shivers>

-beebs

speedyray

Good grief, the hybrid disc was the biggest flaw of HD DVD so BD decided to go that route. Brilliant.

Gizmo

Universal produced far more Combo titles on HD DVD then Warner did (if that's what you were implying with the Warner comment). Most studios seem happy with the Digital Copy route...something I find useless.

DVD Polizei

Having one disc for everything sucks ass. I'll stop buying Blu-ray discs which have it. And I hope many others join me by emailing the powers that be and inform them as much.

Digital Copies suck as well.

Just include an SD DVD copy along with the Blu-ray disc.

Coral

The problem with doing this is that the studios will lose sales on people who would've double-dipped... those who buy the DVD now and down the road purchase the BD when they buy a Blu-Ray player.

Another factor is those people who have no need for the DVD that came with their BD movie - so they wind up giving it to friends/family, or ebay it for cheap. The people who get the DVD for free or cheap off of ebay are a lost customer to the studios. I know I'd give the DVD away to friends/family. Studios won't like this.

At least with a hybrid people can't seperate the HD and SD versions of the movie to give away or sell. Personally I don't like the idea of hybrids either, but I can see the studios reluctance to including a seperate DVD with the BD movie.

macnorton

On the one hand this isn't too bad of an idea...there are certainly benefits, like people who will eventually upgrade can by the Blu disc with the SD built in and when they do upgrade, they have the full HD version.

On the other hand, to perfect the technology will take forever, trying to explain it to already confused consumers will be impossible and you can bet your life there will be authoring problems from the start.

TheBigDave

Exactly. I love the idea of HD/SD combo discs. The HD-DVD discs were notoriously glitchy. But if Blu-Ray can pull this off without the glitches, then I'm all over these discs.

The other day I ordered the SD version of Mamma Mia, because I knew we'd use it much more than the Blu-Ray version. I would have been willing to pay an extra $5 for a combo disc.