Apple wondering what is happening: So much for downloads...

[Elandyll]

Apple and Amazon actually ...

http://imdb.com/news/sb/2008-03-04/

Apple Unable To Find Movies For Its New Rental Service

Apple has been unable to make good on its January 15 promise to have 1,000 movies available for rent at its iTunes Store by the end of February. According to MacWorld magazine, Apple is currently offering only 351 titles for rent on the site. In fact, the magazine said, if all of the films listed for either purchase or rent are added together, Apple has only 770 available for downloading. By contrast Netflix has 6,000 titles available. Meanwhile, Amazon has indicated that it is getting few takers for movies being offered on its Unbox service. It is asking customers to complete a survey asking what improvements would induce them to increase their use of Unbox.

[AlexCruz]

downloads are the fut... lol

[Big_Rizzle]

Downloads will be for HD porn. movie buyers will always want a hard copy they just need to add the Digi for transforing movies to PSP's and Ipod's

[Mobe1969]

Geez, I feel like a broken record but 720p is NOT high definition. It is medium definition. There is a bigger difference between 720 and 1080 than 480 and 720.

And if digital downloads of movies are the future, why the hell isn't DVD worried...

[york weir]

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

Geez, I feel like a broken record but 720p is NOT high definition. It is medium definition. There is a bigger difference between 720 and 1080 than 480 and 720.

And if digital downloads of movies are the future, why the hell isn't DVD worried...

Perhaps you should write the organizations that dictate 720p as high definition.

[Simplayer]

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

There is a bigger difference between 720 and 1080 than 480 and 720.

The jump from 480 to 720 is exactly the same as the jump from 720 to 1080 (not including the extra pixels for 720 and 1080 being widescreen, as that's not fair to 480).

[SpikesBluBlooded]

Wow. I mean, can it not get any better for Blu fans? 2008 is going to go down in "history" as the best year for Blu-ray ever...

[BStecke]

If Apple TV ever ends up being what Steve Jobs wants it to be, I'd probably get one. Their selection would have to be at least equal to Netflix though . . . cool idea for rentals. I'll never be thrilled with digital purchases, though.

[TheTenth]

I hate downloads more and more everyday : that's a trash way (= you don't like it; you just throw it away) way of seeing movies : no research needed, no advice needed from friend or shop, no financial risk, no taste for an actor or director ... The perfect broadcast for non movie lovers. It'll occupy them for the length of the movie (or less) and they won't even have to think of it later. That's how viewer quality goes down fast.

[Luis_A51]

What I think is funny, is that out of Netflix's "6000 titles" they include filler like an old Lacross match and a How-to video for playing a video game.

Future my ass.

[lnh_boy]

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

Geez, I feel like a broken record but 720p is NOT high definition. It is medium definition. There is a bigger difference between 720 and 1080 than 480 and 720.

And if digital downloads of movies are the future, why the hell isn't DVD worried...

I like my definition medium rare.

Seriously, though. There's a lot of sh*t that needs to get sorted out before downloads truly threaten hard discs. IF HD DVD taught us anything, it's that content is king. Apple only has the rights to sell Disney and some Paramount, and to rent Fox. BFD. With so many companies trying to be king of the downloads (cable, satellite, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon), this crap will never take off until there is only one.

You're right about DVD. No one ever says DVD is going to die due to downloads. It's always Blu. Blu-Ray is for people who want 1080p crystal clear picture with lossless audio and, hopefully, a nice set of extras. DVD is now VHS. Mainstream and good for those who don't know better, or don't care for better. THAT'S the target for downloads to try to hit.

[Krayge2469]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

What I think is funny, is that out of Netflix's "6000 titles" they include filler like an old Lacross match and a How-to video for playing a video game.

Future my ass.

In Netflix's defense, they have stated on many occasions that they are targeting a different audience then Apple and Amazon are trying to target. Apple and Amazon are placing their entire future in the idea that content providers will just swamp them with offers begging them to deliver their content online. Netflix just went a different way. Different, alternative and possibly not "mainstream" which means they can continue to deliver to that huge portion of their customer base that isn't just looking to rent/dl the next piece of Hollywood crap. It's kinda like trying to complain about an antique store not selling new, high-end electronics...it's just not who they are pandering to. They have the disc rentals to cover that.

[RustyK94]

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

Geez, I feel like a broken record but 720p is NOT high definition. It is medium definition. There is a bigger difference between 720 and 1080 than 480 and 720.

And if digital downloads of movies are the future, why the hell isn't DVD worried...

Hey im 720p guy it's still HD to me. Not all of us can have 60 inch mega TV's in our house or bedrooms

[AlexCruz]

Originally Posted by RustyK94

Hey im 720p guy it's still HD to me. Not all of us can have 60 inch mega TV's in our house or bedrooms

Hey I've seen your videos on youtube lol you have like billions of DVDs

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

Geez, I feel like a broken record but 720p is NOT high definition. It is medium definition. There is a bigger difference between 720 and 1080 than 480 and 720.

720x480 = 345,600 pixels
1280x720 = 921,600 pixels
1920x1080 = 2,073,600 pixels

I guess it depends what you mean by bigger difference. In raw numbers, yes. In percentages, not even close.

Originally Posted by Simplayer

The jump from 480 to 720 is exactly the same as the jump from 720 to 1080 (not including the extra pixels for 720 and 1080 being widescreen, as that's not fair to 480).

Exactly the same, eh? I've looked at those numbers and I can't fathom how you interpret them that way. Perhaps you could explain.

[Memnoch71]

Originally Posted by TheRealBob

720x480 = 345,600 pixels
1280x720 = 921,600 pixels
1920x1080 = 2,073,600 pixels

I guess it depends what you mean by bigger difference. In raw numbers, yes. In percentages, not even close.



Exactly the same, eh? I've looked at those numbers and I can't fathom how you interpret them that way. Perhaps you could explain.

I think he means that if you divide the Number of Pixels for 720p by the number for 480p it's 2.667:1
Then divide the Number of Pixels for 1080p by the number for 720p it's 2.25:1.

However you want to look at it I guess. It still doesn't change the fact that if you're watching a DVD of Cars on a 57" 1080p TV (Even Upconverted) it still does not compare PQ wise to watching the Blu-Ray of Cars on the same TV. I know, I've done it. I tried to do it with Blade Runner and I couldn't stand to watch more than 5 minutes of the DVD upconverted, it sucked compared to what I had just seen from the Blu-Ray Version.

[PeteS]

This article is about not getting the movies up for download. I can understand that because it's a lot of work for studios with not much reward at this stage.

"Meanwhile, Amazon has indicated that it is getting few takers for movies being offered on its Unbox service. It is asking customers to complete a survey asking what improvements would induce them to increase their use of Unbox."

Unbox is not a great software package; in fact it's pretty awful - and it has problems with Vista. But the main thing is these downloads take a lot of bandwidth and a lot of hard drive space. I use downloads for episodic TV, mainly iTunes but sometimes Unbox and have had to unload and clean off my media PC harddrive a few times now. So, not a neat experience.

My BDs on the other hand - - no problems - smooth as silk.

[Kuraudo]

Oh God not another 1080p vs 720p debate.

Anyways, I'm glad that Apple tv isnt doing well, although I'm pretty pro Apple.

I would like more sales in Blu Ray and to keep supporting physical formats of High quality.

I support CD vs mp3 as well.

[Malosch78]

Originally Posted by SpikesBluBlooded

Wow. I mean, can it not get any better for Blu fans? 2008 is going to go down in "history" as the best year for Blu-ray ever...

2008 is just the start ... 2009, 2010, 2011 and so on will all be bigger

[Malosch78]

Originally Posted by Kuraudo

Oh God not another 1080p vs 720p debate.

... I only got 720p, but I guess 1080p i better I'm still happy with my 720p, but I'm saving for at 40´Sony FullHD