Physical & Digital EST: The Future of Home Video Discussion Thread

[stonesfan129]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Good viewpoint,


https://finance.yahoo.com/news/plung...162440262.html

The theatrical window makes for the buzz a movie needs. eliminate it and it doesn't work anymore.
(basically ... no matter how I tried I could not copy and paste the exact quote.)

I know Covid changed this a lot. But for me, I enjoy going out to the movie theater and seeing a movie, especially a big action movie like James Bond stuff. I also like going to the theater for dates. For me it's an activity. I feel like without theatrical releases too, no one knows something came out and then it won't make money. Ehh just my $0.02.

[cheez avenger]

My copies of Jurassic Park 4K disc (just the first film) and Alfred Hitchcock collection Vol 2 4K set arrived today. Don't have time for them today but may tackle at least one of them tomorrow or Wednesday.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

My copies of Jurassic Park 4K disc (just the first film) and Alfred Hitchcock collection Vol 2 4K set arrived today. Don't have time for them today but may tackle at least one of them tomorrow or Wednesday.

Hitchcock and dinosaurs should make for one of the more interesting movie marathons that I've heard about.

[bhampton]

Hey,

It's been a long time since I've played this game



Do I need to play through it before watching the UHD of this one tonight?



Is Pitfall available free to play online .... maybe with ads ?
Actually yes, ... if ads is your thing I found it....

https://playclassic.games/games/arca.../pitfall/play/

So, I guess NVM the question - I'm going to play through this anyway. It even autodetected my gamepad. Ad supported content is the future (or, um, 1982).




-Brian

[crutzulee]

Activision - Pitfall! With Jack Black (Commercial, 1983) - YouTube

[cheez avenger]

Redbox To Be Acquired By Crackle Parent Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment In All-Stock Deal Focused On Value End Of Streaming Market

In an all-stock deal struck designed for the current high-inflation economic environment facing streaming consumers, Crackle parent Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is acquiring Redbox.

The value of the deal is about $375 million, most of which is the assumption of Redbox debt.

Founded in the heyday of DVDs two decades ago, Redbox is best known for its network of 38,000 bright red, disk-dispensing kiosks at convenience and grocery stores. It has more recently expanded into streaming and production. It went public last fall in a $693 million SPAC merger with Seaport Global Acquisition Corp. The stock initially rose past $15 a share but has hit the rocks in recent months, dipping as low as $1.61. The company was forced to lay off 10% of its staff and said it was looking at strategic alternatives.

The acquisition will fortify Chicken Soup for the Soul in the booming sector of ad-supported video on demand, or AVOD. The IAB, an industry trade group, last week reported that connected-TV advertising jumped 57% in 2021 compared with 2020 to reach $15.2 billion. Top-end players like Disney and Netflix have recently announced plans for ad-supported tiers of their services. Well-funded rivals like HBO Max, Peacock and Paramount+ also have advertising as part of their subscription offerings, and free outlets like Pluto, Tubi and Amazon Freevee have seen significant growth, as has Chicken Soup’s streaming portfolio.

In addition to Crackle, which it acquired from Sony in 2020, Chicken Soup for the Soul operates an eponymous service that launched last fall as well as Popcornflix. The company has also bought content outfits like Screen Media, 1091 Pictures and Sonar Entertainment over the past few years.

The transaction, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies, calls for Redbox stockholders to get a fixed exchange ratio of 0.087 of a share of Class A common stock of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment per Redbox share. After the close of the deal, which is expected in the second half of 2022, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment stockholders will own about 76.5% of the combined company. Redbox stockholders will own roughly 23.5% of it. The company will continue to trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol CSSE.

In the deal announcement, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment said the combination is expected to help its bottom line in 2023. It touted the opportunities to cross-sell each company’s customer base across digital properties, distribute Screen Media titles via Redbox kiosks and leverage technology and expertise to scale Redbox’s AVOD operation. Redbox has also ramped up in free, ad-supported television (FAST), an emerging area with echoes of traditional pay-TV. The company expects cost synergies of more than $40 million in 2023. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment said the combined company will end 2022 with $500 million of revenue and $100 million to $150 million of adjusted EBITDA.



“Today marks a transformative moment for Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and an inflection point for the ad-supported streaming industry,” CEO William J. Rouhana Jr. said. “Our acquisition of Redbox will accelerate the scaling of our business as it combines complementary teams and services to create the streaming industry’s premier independent AVOD. Redbox has 40 million customers in its loyalty program and high-potential digital television assets including carriage of over 130 FAST digital channels on its Free Live TV platform, as well as a robust TVOD and PVOD platform. Together, we will build a fully developed AVOD and FAST streaming business: proven branded streaming services, formidable content and production capabilities, and a strong AVOD and FAST ad sales operation.”

Redbox CEO Galen Smith said the deal will “accelerate Redbox’s transition from a physical to high growth digital media company and be the only entertainment provider truly focused on value for consumers.” Redbox stockholders, he continued, will be able to participate in the “significant near- and long-term upside potential of a diversified and growing company with greater scale and resources.”

Market conditions favor the merger, Rouhana said, with cord-cutting continuing and a flock of higher-priced subscription services having hit the market over the past few years. “Near term, these conditions are even more acute against a macro backdrop of rising inflation and economic uncertainty,” he said. “We believe that we will be able to deliver more exciting premium entertainment for millions of value conscious viewers and drive further growth and value creation for our stockholders.”

https://deadline.com/2022/05/redbox-...ng-1235021010/

[bhampton]

Redbox To Be Acquired By Crackle Parent Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment In All-Stock Deal Focused On Value End Of Streaming Market

good golly man, .... what does that say.... I need coffee

The article helped me decode it. Seems an effort to grow the ad based streaming channel.

Ad based entertainment is the pits but it's kind of totally free so in a world gone pricey free is a big deal.

[thejoeman2]

I can't believe a name like "Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment" exists.

I still rent at Redbox as you get deals for almost nothing with their promo codes. Just wished they had a 4k discs where I live.

[Lee A Stewart]

Analyst: Chicken Soup Saved Redbox

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/analys...-saved-redbox/

[bhampton]

It's good for the Soul.

That silly musk guy should have bought it.

[Vilya]

I've never tried Redbox despite walking by their machines every week. Maybe they will start dispensing chicken soup with each rental?

[Vilya]

I got a surprise in the mailbox today! I received a $61 check from the California Toll Road Authority class action lawsuit settlement.

I was invited to join this lawsuit about a year ago as I used to live in SoCal and I sometimes used the toll roads there (mainly CA-73 and 241). Based upon the HUGE number of people eligible to join this lawsuit, I figured I would be lucky to get $5. Instead, I got $61! Not enough to buy a JVC 8K laser projector, but it will get me a couple of free movies.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I've never tried Redbox despite walking by their machines every week. Maybe they will start dispensing chicken soup with each rental?

I use to like Redbox, I used them all the time they had two at my Walmart now only one. It's been over 5 years since I used them, only $1 for DVD's. When I used them most of the time you had to wait for one to free up, now I don't see anyone there. Looks like the Disc Rental is on it's last leg for Redbox!

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

I use to like Redbox, I used them all the time they had two at my Walmart now only one. It's been over 5 years since I used them, only $1 for DVD's. When I used them most of the time you had to wait for one to free up, now I don't see anyone there. Looks like the Disc Rental is on it's last leg for Redbox!

So, you loiter around the Redbox machine at your local Walmart, too?

It is no wonder then that no one shops *your* Walmart for movies.

[kfbkfb]

A new Barnes & Noble bookstore opened today (the other one for this area closed in 2021-02)

The new one has no CDs, DVDs, (UHD)Blu-rays, Vinyl LPs, the old one had all of these + HD-DVDs.

Also, no magazines.

The new one is a little larger than the typical shopping mall book store (was).


Kirk Bayne

[stonesfan129]

My local Redbox sucks. They rarely have the latest releases and I end up having to drive a city or two over to rent those movies. I don't know if it's just the person who owns the box isn't stocking it or what. Isn't that how those work? Sort of like vending machines?

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by stonesfan129

My local Redbox sucks. They rarely have the latest releases and I end up having to drive a city or two over to rent those movies. I don't know if it's just the person who owns the box isn't stocking it or what. Isn't that how those work? Sort of like vending machines?

I noticed each kiosk can be setup with different "rules."

I mean, my Walmart Redbox doesn't sell any discs at all while other kiosks do.

I'm kind of happy my local Redbox kiosks do not sell UHD but I also wish they did.

I should keep a better eye on the for sale DVDs because it's usually stuff I would otherwise never buy at rock bottom prices.

[Wendell R. Breland]

IMO, Redbox has two big problems, no continuous flow of hit movies on disc and missteps in the in trying to transition into streaming. Anyone remember Verizon Instant by Redbox? Streaming has been a drag on Redbox, wonder if they will call the new one Crackle by Redbox.

OTOH, Redbox problems are in the millions, Netflix problems are in the billions, as in $701 to $170.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

IMO, Redbox has two big problems, no continuous flow of hit movies on disc and missteps in the in trying to transition into streaming. Anyone remember Verizon Instant by Redbox? Streaming has been a drag on Redbox, wonder if they will call the new one Crackle by Redbox.

OTOH, Redbox problems are in the millions, Netflix problems are in the billions, as in $701 to $170.

I remember arguing several points with some guy on here years ago and he was saying Netflix was an “Unstoppable Juggernaut”. Well, in terms of the brakes being off, he may be right!

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I remember arguing several points with some guy on here years ago and he was saying Netflix was an “Unstoppable Juggernaut”. Well, in terms of the brakes being off, he may be right!

I wish they went OOB. but that's not near term likely.

I guess it's good for something. I don't use it but the rest of the people in my house do.

Maybe I'll try to watch Stranger Things ..... I'm trying with Ozark but it's plenty boring.