Apple and Video on Demand

S

spartan

Registered
Apple Gurus,

I wanted to know if anyone has heard more about the rumor that Jobs is working on a iTunes equivalent for Video - specifically video on demand. I'm very interested to see what has come of this and if hollywood will release movie titles (new releases) for distribution over the web and ultimately over broadband connections.

Apple sure has all the makings of such a service (Quicktime, iMovie, Wireless Firewire, Hardware Expertise (ala iPodish))

To me the critical issues to solve are: hollywood release window (new releases for VOD in sync with rental), piracy (encryption DRM), compression technology (MPEG-4), DVR type of device for consumers.

Thanks,

Spartan
 
What Movielink and all suffer from is the fact that they get only movies that are on the "catalogue" status from hollywood (their owners). They don't get new releases. The real VOD market is about new releases as 90% of video rentals (ala Blockbuster) is off the new release items. So something like the top 12 movies make up for 80% of movie rental revenues. So... if movielink can't get access or others for that matter to new releases then they market will never take off.

The key is if Jobs can leverage his Pixar negotiations after the split with Disney to make Hollywood share content of new releases. This was the same problem with the record industry.

So... I'm curious to see what he's up to as there's a lot of buzz but nothing we can put our fingers on.

Spartan
 
I'm not quite on this bandwagon yet, but I will someday.

I admit, I haven't totally followed all of this, but I'm going to take an educated guess and presume that the current crop of video on demand is just highly compressed video, basically like the higher quality QT trailers we now see in iTunes or the Windows equivalent. Correct me if I'm wrong. Not that it makes a bit of difference for my point below...

For a whole host of reasons, I'm just not one of those people willing to watch a movie on my computer. Not even my Cinema Display. I'll watch a trailer, sure, but not a whole movie. That's what my TV is for. For one, it's a totally different (and preferable to me) visual experience. Not to mention, movie watching is very passive and supposed to be relaxing. You know, like couch and popcorn type stuff. I'm not sitting in my ergo chair watching The Matrix on my iBook. It just ain't gonna happen. Maybe if I'm on the plane, but that's about it. Apparently I may be in the growing minority, which is shocking to me. What's next, reading books on your laptop or special device (oh yeah, that's right, that idea totally flopped!)? This movielink.com thing…I mean, what is the deal? Are people so desperate to see Rainman or Something About Mary that they just HAVE to DL it and watch it on their computer? I just don't get it.

I'm also not going to start downloading MPEG-2 streams and burning DVDs (even if it becomes legal via a rental/DRM model of some sort). That's no more convenient than going to the video store. And less fun.

Now, don't get me wrong, one day not too long from now I'll be all over this VOD stuff. As soon as I can pipe it right to my TV at full resolution I'm there. Even if it means downloading a few movies overnight, that's fine. So, I guess I'm glad some pioneers are willing to get this technology rolling, cuz someday it'll kick arse. Someday.
 
Mindbend,

Some very good points - I absolutely agree that VOD will only take off if it's delivered to your TV. So... what the rumors were about Apple building a psuedo iPodish device that can be a setop box or a DVR like device that can download from the net but either using wireless firewire or airport extreme pipe it to your TV. This is all dependent on home networking being part of the package.

So.. the question is if apple has all the tools including the leverage with Pixar (Jobs) to arm wrestle Hollywood, can they finally break VOD out of the hole it is in.

Cheers,

Spartan
 
mindbend said:
I'm not quite on this bandwagon yet, but I will someday.

I admit, I haven't totally followed all of this, but I'm going to take an educated guess and presume that the current crop of video on demand is just highly compressed video, basically like the higher quality QT trailers we now see in iTunes or the Windows equivalent. Correct me if I'm wrong. Not that it makes a bit of difference for my point below...

For a whole host of reasons, I'm just not one of those people willing to watch a movie on my computer. Not even my Cinema Display. I'll watch a trailer, sure, but not a whole movie. That's what my TV is for...
Click to expand...

Precisely. That's why they will either roll out an Apple Computer branded DMA (Digital Media Adaptor) or support companies like Griffon and Belkin to make their own DMA's. A DMA allows you to enjoy media that is on your computer by transporting it to other consumer electronics devices either via wires or wirelessly.

So in theory you could have a QT Movie Store bundle being sold by Apple, which includes the boxed SW that enables DRM-controlled downloads of movies in 16:9 or 4:3 HD or SD format and an Airport extreme enabled DMA that will transport media from your computer to your TV, PVR, or stereo system.
 
I tried Movielink once, they do suggest you hook your computer up to your TV, but the quality would probably be horrible. It was pixelated on my 19 inch Computer screen, can't be too good on a bigger TV screen.
 
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