Would you buy a film on disposable DVD?

[Paul Adams]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/06...structing_dvd/

This is the second attempt at creating a cheap method of mass producing films on DVD for "one time viewing" without the need to return them (bet Blockbuster would just love that).

Thing is, would you want to buy a disc which gives a brief viewing window once opened?

Also, is this not very likely to just have people ripping them using PCs?

Is there a window between films being available for rent and purchase still these days? It doesn't seem that way from what I've seen...

[Rythmic]

Provided it doesn't cost more than a normal rental, I don't see the problem - but don't know how they could afford that - since they're paying for an extra disk each time.

On the piracy front - since films are often available illegally before they're even in the stores - it's not gonna make much difference...

[Stubzz]

Assuming they don't cost more than an ordinary rental DVD, and the timeframe you get to watch the DVD isn't stupidly short I would. By a decent timeframe I mean at least 24 hours minimun. After all if you rent a disc form blockbusters you may watch it the first night, then someone else (parents/bro/sis/partner) the next night. I don't see this happening, so chances are I'd never use one of them

[Bindibadgi]

Way to go with ruining the environment and fueling our disposible culture.

Still doesnt stop people copying the disk as soon as they have them though.

[blockers]

Originally Posted by Bindibadgi

Way to go with ruining the environment and fueling our disposible culture.

I was going to make the same point...thousands of these are going to be produced..are they recycled?

[eldren]

This should have been a poll. Either way, the answer is no. In addition to the reasons above, it just annoys me how far people will go with copy protection. The limits to which they will push user unfriendliness, just so they can sell a few more copies. In short, their greed.

[Bindibadgi]

Originally Posted by eldren

This should have been a poll. Either way, the answer is no. In addition to the reasons above, it just annoys me how far people will go with copy protection. The limits to which they will push user unfriendliness, just so they can sell a few more copies. In short, their greed.

But it doesnt stop copy protection - as soon as those who want to copy it get the DVD, they pop it in their dvd drive and back it up.

Also, what would piss me off most is if i was watching this DVD 8-12 hours after opening, or say, the morning afterwards then suddenly half way through your movie it decides it doesnt want to play anymore how miffed are you gonna be?

[unrealrocks]

Originally Posted by Bindibadgi

But it doesnt stop copy protection - as soon as those who want to copy it get the DVD, they pop it in their dvd drive and back it up.

Also, what would piss me off most is if i was watching this DVD 8-12 hours after opening, or say, the morning afterwards then suddenly half way through your movie it decides it doesnt want to play anymore how miffed are you gonna be?

If the disk is playing it won't stop working - although once the movie is finished the disk stops working

Yeah - You could still rip it as it doesn't seem to offer anymore copy protection.

I agree with others - it seems a waste of materials and there going a bit far.

[TeePee]

And the first attempt at one-time DVD's was called 'divx'. No, really. Long before the Divx codec was developed, Divx was the name of a system designed by Circuit City. It used a DVD player which hooked up to a telephone line. You bought your Divx disk (basically a DVD) and you got one viewing with it. Then you could buy more viewings over the phone, and your divx box was programed to let you watch them. Needless to say, this system wasn't exactly popular, and never reached mass-market in the US.

This is dredged up from my memory, so I may well be wrong.

[eldren]

Originally Posted by unrealrocks

If the disk is playing it won't stop working - although once the movie is finished the disk stops working

If I recall correctly, the current implementation of disposable DVDs is through the use of a dye that, once exposed to air, starts decaying. This continues to the point of the DVD being unreadable. How long this process takes, I'm not sure. However, because of this, these DVDs will have to be vaccuum sealed, and, as such, invalidates the argument that they stop working 8 or so hours after you initially buy it, since you'd logically only open it when you want to watch it.

[Bindibadgi]

Originally Posted by eldren

If I recall correctly, the current implementation of disposable DVDs is through the use of a dye that, once exposed to air, starts decaying. This continues to the point of the DVD being unreadable. How long this process takes, I'm not sure. However, because of this, these DVDs will have to be vaccuum sealed, and, as such, invalidates the argument that they stop working 8 or so hours after you initially buy it, since you'd logically only open it when you want to watch it.

Not only that but firing a laser at the dye will heat it and further accelerate the chemical oxidation id imagine. I dont think the disk is clever enough to know when youve finish using it.

EDIT: Cheers for that Eldren, now i can never post again

[eldren]

Originally Posted by Bindibadgi

Not only that but firing a laser at the dye will heat it and further accelerate the chemical oxidation id imagine. I dont think the disk is clever enough to know when youve finish using it.

That's entirely possible, though I'm sure that, if/when they perfect this form of copy protection, they'd ensure that the disc lasts long to be played in full. I'd imagine they would also including warning stickers saying something along the lines of "Please watch within 15 minutes of opening."

Nice post count, by the way: "Posts: 1,234"

[Slick]

yeah this sounds really good to me. I can never be arsed taking DVD's back and allways forget to.

[doctor_prox]

It would be a lot better if it reacted with the laser or somet so you can keep it for like a week and just watch it once, you could keep a stash for a rainy day

[Nox]

Originally Posted by blockers

I was going to make the same point...thousands of these are going to be produced..are they recycled?

they need to be made edible, then you can eat yesterdays film whilst watching tonights instead of popcorn.

Nox

[Gr44]

lol Nox,
I personally think it's a terrible idea, it's just lazy, we as a culture are lazy enough already without needed to waste more resources on something completly useless, I mean, think of the mess AOL Cd's made, it would be far far worse than that if these became mainstream. Normal DVD's are bad enough in the way of recycling, but atleast they can be sold afterwords, and often are, also they are re-used.

Don't get be wrong either, I'm terrible at recyling, I waste as much as anyone else in this country, but this is just stupid.

/Rant