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I don't get it. You buy a physical DVD, and on it is a smaller version of the movie easily bounced to iTunes? Not a bad idea. Or is it just an extra-high quality download from iTunes for higher cost?

Why should I have to pay even more money for something that should be covered under fair use?

first?

Dec 06, 07 - 04:42 pm Comment from: JohnValjohn24601

that's actually a good idea if they did that. i subscribe to Blockbuster online, get 6 movies per week for about 25 bucks, rip them in the computer in apple tv and ipod format, and also make DVD copies, and voila, i have a huge movie library. it they did this, i won't have to bother to rip them and re-encode them myself. i'll just copy the movies directly from the dvd into iTunes.

Dec 06, 07 - 04:46 pm Comment from: Spark

Don't think of it as a Fair Use issue. Think of the few bucks as a convenience charge to provide a 'ready to use' file on your iPod/iPhone/TV.

Dec 06, 07 - 04:48 pm Comment from: Macromancer

I think what they SHOULD do is make it legal to rip a movie to iTunes just like they do with audio from CD's.

Even if they added DRM that attached it to your iTunes, i think that would be OK, just let us do it legally.

OTOH, this would allow anyone to steal a movie if they rented it, which is probably the big reason they don't do this.

starting to kick the sH@t out of these ass-hats who have bet on windozes thinking

OS X IS SO FAR AHEAD GO STEVE TAKE NO PRISONERS

Dec 06, 07 - 04:55 pm Comment from: DRM sucks

That is so funny. MDN, you forgot to mention that iTunes runs on more than just Apple hardware. So, unless you are only counting iPod and like devices, such files would be usable on Window boxes as well. Only a retard would exclude desktops and laptops.

Dec 06, 07 - 05:08 pm Comment from: El Guapo

@JohnValjohn24601

Hello? Isn't that called stealing?

You know I LIKE that idea. It would be nice to already have the iTunes version on a DVD to just plop it down into itunes and sent it to my ATV. Hmmmm....Now, how much is "just a few dollars more"?

Dec 06, 07 - 05:21 pm Comment from: Zune Tang®

Thank you, thank you, thank you Adrian Kingsley-Hughes for having the courage and insight to call Apple's assault on the helpless consumer what it is when you say enhanded DVDs are "…just another way of strengthening the ever-growing iPod/iTunes monopoly."

Us fortunate few who aren't afflicted with MAC lemming-ism clearly see how Apple has destroyed consumer choice with I-Tunes and I-Pods. Kingsley-Hughes gets it. I don't see why smug, holier-than-thou MAC lemmings don't get it. I call on governments across the globe to outlaw Apple's tyrannical monopoly. What can you do to fight this evil? Buy a Zune. Before it's too late.

Your potential. Our passion.™

Dec 06, 07 - 05:24 pm Comment from: shiftOpt k

I guess you're damned if you do, damned if you don't, huh?

They (either the studios or Steve Jobs/Apple) are trying to make it to where you have to pay for a version for your iPod, iPhone, etc instead of simply stealing it by ripping it to iTunes, and they're still getting bad-mouthed. Isn't that what the studios have been wanting all along? For ppl to pay for the content they produce. WTF?! Now it's like, OMG I can't believe they want me to pay for this! ("It seems that fair use is OK in the eyes of Steve Jobs, as long as it comes at a price.")

Umm no, if I rip a copy of a movie to iTunes from a DVD that I've purchased, I'm most assuredly not stealing it. I BOUGHT the DVD in the first place. Get it?

Dec 06, 07 - 05:33 pm Comment from: Realist

Answer to MDN question:

No and no. Why would I want to pay extra to watch a movie on a tiny screen or broadcast it to my home theater via Apple TV and get a fuzzy picture?

Why would anyone?

Realist,

The Apple TV version could be HD (H.264 scales all the way up) and another smaller version could be for your iPod.

Get it, yet?

I'd be okay with having the studios charge $1 or 2 for the convenience of having the movie already prepped for the iPod. It's a convenience charge - it'll save me the still lengthy time to rip and convert, or the still lengthy time to download, and the space to store an extra copy.

But $3 or 4 is too much for convenience.

I would buy the premium DVD. My time is too valuable to rip stuff. I would also just download it from itunes.

2 bucks would be better - unless Netflix ships them - then 4 bucks is fine - or 5 or 6.
... but I'd readily pay 2

Dec 06, 07 - 05:53 pm Comment from: Aldarion

Handbrake

Dec 06, 07 - 05:59 pm Comment from: smackman

Handbrake is great but for the general public, I'm not sure. I like this idea and for what it's worth it seems to be a good compromise.

However, I think that the studios need to understand that they could be make "MORE" money by getting away from physical media. Give me an all you can eat movie rental service via my Apple TV or other device and I would gladly pay $40/month for it.

What do you all think?

Dec 06, 07 - 06:11 pm Comment from: Steve516

Well, as far as I'm concerned, I won't buy another physical DVD until the HD/BlueRay thing is sorted out. If I am spending the money, it might as well be for some form of High Definition.

That being said, I would pay an extra few bucks for the ease of putting it on my ipod/iphone... But that would be $1-3 at the most. Once I own the DVD, as far as I see it, as long as I am using it for myself, I should be able to do anything I want to it. Once I start distributing copies, then trouble starts... So the original price of the DVD should include that conversion to iPhone size... If the studios want to save us some trouble... all the better.

Dec 06, 07 - 06:17 pm Comment from: freefromdesign

Oh my God, a business is actually trying to make money? And at the convenience of the consumer. What has this world come to? And we all know that Steve Jobs is the only person to profit from Apple making money. Fscking communists.

Dec 06, 07 - 06:43 pm Comment from: TowerTone

yeah, what Aldarion said.

<rant>

Nope, not paying for a special version of anything for iTunes, no matter what format it's in.

They already stuff heaps of crappy, no good extras on DVDs now, so encoding a movie for computers/iTunes/iPods can't be much more effort than what they already go through.

Besides, copying a DVD and then watching a film on another device should come under fair-use, and not some scam where you pay for everything all over again for a different media format (cf vinyl & CDs... they scammed us good didn't they?)

Freaking improve the material first and make it worth watching, you dickhead movie companies.

p.s. I haven't noticed the writers strike having an effect on anything, has anyone else? For some reason, I was under the impression a good TV show/movie starts with a good story. I think most writers have been on strike since about 1950.

</rant>

"some scam where you pay for everything all over again for a different media format "

When you know the music or video media will become obsolete every decade or so, you're better to rent than buy.

Dec 06, 07 - 09:51 pm Comment from: Buster

So I can play a bought movie on my computer, on my DVD and on my friend's computer or DVD player BUT I cannot play it on my iPod even though I BOUGHT the damn movie. No effin way. Let 'er rip my lad.
Perhaps a studio should make a DVD that will have an iPod compatible version on it (for free). That way people may buy that studio's movie over a comparable competitors for that reason. That would be reasonable.

"I haven't noticed the writers strike having an effect on anything, has anyone else?"

Unless you watch "current events" programming, such as The Tonight Show or The Late Show or The Daily Show, you won't. The networks knew that there would be a strike, so they banked as much as they could.

The holidays are usually slower, so there's not much filming of new episodes going on anyway.

You'll start to notice it come January and, especially, February--where you'll see tons of game shows and "reality programming" coming out from the networks. You won't see any real moves to end the strike until March, depending on how February sweeps go.

That said, there's been a lot of layoffs out here in LA...

Dec 06, 07 - 10:17 pm Comment from: Denny

Mac The Ripper and Handbrake - thank you.

So get this. The Harry Potter movie from this summer comes out on DVD next Tuesday. We got the pre-street copies in yesterday at the 'video giant'. They all have stickers that say "enjoy a free digital copy of this movie when you buy this DVD". Here's the kicker - the sticker goes on to say "not compatible with Apple computers or iPod". Windows Media is the format! Can you stand it...?!
Warner Bros. is clearly confused.
Would I pay extra for this "feature"? Absolutely not.
Handbrake and MacTheRipper indeed.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, I will pay you to wash my car. Its a new way for you to earn money.

Your better off making your own digital copies from good source files (the DVD) Then it will play on your equipment.
If microsoft includes windows media only files then I can actualy, you know, watch the actual movie itself. And you'll still be able to Handbrake, MacTheRip or YADE it off the disc.
Havn't used handbrake myself - i use OpenShiiva, a vob to mp4 encoder. But the end result is unpredictable. Tou have to guese the settings if you want to aim for a file size 700megs or less.

I've noticed on torrent sites that all movies are virtualy the same (within 1 or 2 megs of eachother) There must be something in Windows world that you can tell the movie ripper/converter what final file size you want and the computer works out the rest. Anybody know the windows software that does that, or if there is something that does it on mac. Basically what is the most common proceedure in Windows to make a 700/703meg avi file.

Indeed

DVDs with special iPod ready copies on them is a welcoming convenience.

A couple of extra dollars is ok... but don't get greedy. 5 to 6 bucks - NO way... I will re-encode then. Besides, this new idea doesn't solve older purchases I have made - where re-encoding is the only alternative.

How would the DRM from the disc work? One time transfer?
If I loaned this special DVD out to a friend is he capable of taking a copy of my iPod ready version? Is this going to stop movie piracy?

Mr. Codec - I like were you're going with that.

H264... hurray.

Divx is on a lot of DVDplayer for purchase these days.
I think it would be sweet to have DVDplayers that allow H264 play back.

BlockBuster starts stocking these extended DVDs.

Now everyone is renting their movies and KEEPING a copy for themselves on their iPods.

Exactly - how is the DRM going to work?

My beat is this will be either abused or refused.

scott p.

So when will the jokes start about paying "a few dollars more" to get "A Few Dollars More" in iTunes format on DVD?

Dec 07, 07 - 10:26 am Comment from: shiftOpt k

@re: shiftOpt k

"Umm no, if I rip a copy of a movie to iTunes from a DVD that I've purchased, I'm most assuredly not stealing it. I BOUGHT the DVD in the first place. Get it?"

I do 'get it' and totally agree that if you purchase a CD/DVD that you should be able to rip it and play it on your computer, iPod, etc without it being considered stealing. I was merely pointing out that, in this instance, Apple/the studios are damned if they do, damned if they don't. Since, to my understanding, the studios have been considering all this time that making a copy of a CD/DVD to play on a device YOU own is stealing. Now they're wanting to make it to where you have to pay for what they considered you stealing before, and people are complaining about that. Ah well, don't know what they think will come of it, ppl are gonna still find ways to steal their content (some ppl just don't want to pay for stuff). This isn't probably gonna do anything but make 'em want to do it even more.

With apologies to friends and loved ones of the truly mentally challenged...

zd net is the Special Olympics of online media. Home of Mary Jo, of course, and now this.

And, sadly, I did click, and I must say the comments are even more pathetic.

btw, I don't think this is a bad idea. Although I'm not sure why charge extra--is it worth the expense of having two SKUs running around limited shelf space. What % of CD purchasers do so to rip and put into iTunes? As video becomes mainstream, this will become more and more of a reason to buy DVDs.

@Harry

You've seen the name over and over here... you even mentioned it... it's free... why don't you try it?

Dec 07, 07 - 12:31 pm Comment from: Ferf Muckmeyer

I'd pay the premium, even though I use Handbrake. The thing is with Handbrake I generally rip twice - once for a decent quality movie to be used in Apple TV, the other for a smaller quality (and size) for the iPhone. True, you can convert to a smaller format within iTunes, but it's just as slow as ripping it twice if not smaller. This way I may only have to do one rip, if any, in Handbrake.

As for Kingsley-Hughes, just another dickhead with no clue. I've read elsewhere that the studios were the ones proposing this, not Jobs. Even if it was the Stevemeister's idea, so what? It's a good idea, period.

Dec 07, 07 - 12:34 pm Comment from: Ferf Muckmeyer

One more thing:

Realistically I doubt the rental outlets will be allowed to stock versions of these types of DVDs. Besides thieves will use Handbrake to rip from rentals anyway, which is indeed illegal.

fm

Dec 07, 07 - 12:54 pm Comment from: Me In LA

Here's what I have to do now if I buy a DVD and want it on my iPod.

Buy the DVD
Illegally rip it - because it IS illegal
Then, either burn those ripped DVDs to another DVD for storage, oir fill my drive with them.
OTOH, if I buy a DVD with an already iPod-ready version, it's legal, takes no time, and is already on a disk needing no backup.

I'm in.
Wake up folks - move on and look at the benefits.

Why do you need 4 or 5 copies in 4 or 5 formats. Is 'Leagaly Blonde' realy that good?

Men in LA

The illegal way you describe and the legal way are both essentialy the same thing.

Sure if the studios do it for us, they want a few extra bucks.
If we do it our selves, studios dont get the bucks but then they dont have to do the extra work either.

Whats the problem. For studios to charge extra but then have to pay that extra to the guy who does the extra conversion for them, we may as well do it our selves.
Guarenteed - what the studios supply (thier ipod version) either won't play on a Mac or you'll need some super special player/software/codec.

Better to make your own, lets get real, not all movies are worth iPoding.

Tess of the Durbervilles on iPod anyone...?
Well your Gran maybe, if she can see that far.