MPAA Pushes Early HD VOD Releases

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wolfjc

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From Swanni.
It looks as though the MPAA is looking to start to stop all DVR recordings.
This looks as though it is the camels nose in the tent.

News
MPAA Pushes Early HD VOD Releases
But the plan would prevent recording films on a DVR.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (June 20, 2008) -- Hollywood studios this week started campaigning for a plan to air first-run movies on cable and satellite HD VOD shortly after their theatrical release -- and well before their release on DVD and Blu-ray.

The plan, however, calls for a FCC rule change that would permit the studios to block the Video on Demand films from being recorded on DVRs. It would also prevent HDTVs with analog outputs from displaying the movies.

The Motion Picture Association of America, the studios' trade group, has filed a petition with the FCC to enact the changes which it says are needed to prevent illegal copying.

Dean C. Garfield, the MPAA's executive vice president, this week highlighted the plan in his keynote speech before the tranFORMATions entertainment conference, according to Home Media Magazine.

Garfield told the conference that the studios are anxious to offer home viewers more entertainment options, including the ability to watch a new movie shortly after it plays in the theater. The MPAA executive added that the anti-copying restrictions would not affect the consumer.

“There is no downside for consumers,” Garfield said, according to Home Media. “They will lose nothing they don’t already have.”

However, the Consumer Electronics Association, the trade group for electronics companies, opposes the MPAA's plan, saying it gives too much control to the studios.

The National Association of Theater Owners has yet to comment on the plan, but it also could be concerned about losing customers who would wait until a new movie is offered on HD VOD. Likewise, video rental stores could lose business under the plan.

The FCC has begun accepting public comments on the MPAA's rule change request.

If the waiver is granted, the studios say they plan to offer "high-value, High-Definition digital movies to consumers for enjoyment in their homes sometime prior to release on prerecorded media such as DVD."

Cable and satellite operators -- and studio executives -- have openly speculated in recent months about offering some movies on HD VOD in advance of their DVD release, with some officials even saying some films could be offered on the same day as the theatrical release.

Presumably, the early HD VOD release would carry a larger price tag than other VOD films, which usually cost around $3.99.

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I think for once the MPAA is trying to do a good thing here and I agree with them (write this date down)

Instead of going to the movies to see a first run film you can now stay at home and pay $12 - $20 to see it in the privacy of your own home.

No sticky floors, no annoying kids talking (unless they are your own), no $12 popcorn and soda, no more sold out first run movies and so on.

And just like in the theaters where you can't video tape the movie you cant DVR the recording at home. If you like the movie and want to watch it again you will need to pay to see it again, just like you would at the regular movie theater.

Then once the movies are out of the theater you can DVR them or buy them on Bluray.

I think thats fair. And it sounds like a big step forward in home entertainment.
 
Yes I can did they not hear of the fair use decision of the supreme court?
Is it fair use to go to a movie theater and rip out a video camera and record the movie?

I think if you look at it that way the MPAA is not being unfair in this one.
 
The plan, however, calls for a FCC rule change that would permit the studios to block the Video on Demand films from being recorded on DVRs. It would also prevent HDTVs with analog outputs from displaying the movies.

Forcing everyone who wants to watch them to buy a new TV?

Instead of going to the movies to see a first run film you can now stay at home and pay $12 - $20 to see it in the privacy of your own home.

Only after paying $$ to get a TV w/o analog outputs.

(that's just the way it sounds to me, opinions may vary :) )
 
I don't like the trend/precedent that this sets. It will be the first step towards never owning media again, which I don't like.

Cheers,

They would never give up that revenue stream. This is simply a new home distribution model for (near) first run movies. These movies would likely play a week or two after hitting the theaters, and months before home sales and PPV.

To me this seems like a nice alternative to the theater for some movies since it usually costs our family over $50 now days to go to a show (I guess we should really skip the snacks, but that is part of the fun).
 
my tv has analog video and audio outputs. couldnt i just hook up my dvd recorder to those outputs?
Read the first post again. Won't work with TV with analogs outputs. How they can recognize/enforce that is unclear to me.
 
Why should the MPAA be the one to step in and say this? Studios can make up their own mind and release the movies as they want. There's a reason some movies go straight to DVD and there's a reason some movies may be released simultaneously on both DVR and in the movies.

This decision may actually hurt movies. I know I'm more likely to watch the smaller fare of movies (Quid Pro Quo) because I can get it on DVR. That may make me become interested in a director or actor or writer that I may not otherwise have been exposed to. This is the sort of way some online music is working, it's great for the small artist!
 
Read the first post again. Won't work with TV with analogs outputs. How they can recognize/enforce that is unclear to me.
This probably should have read "Won't work with TV with analog inputs." If so, they just get Dish to disable all the receiver outputs except for HDMI when displaying VOD with these restrictions.

Talon Dancer
 
Instead of going to the movies to see a first run film you can now stay at home and pay $12 - $20 to see it in the privacy of your own home.

No sticky floors, no annoying kids talking (unless they are your own), no $12 popcorn and soda, no more sold out first run movies and so on...

I like the big screen, surround sound experience. If I had to watch it on someone's little tv, I would be disappointed. That's why I have a home theater setup.

However, if you cannot record to dvr, what about pausing it? The other great benefit of home theater - you decide on the intermission.
 
If the HD quality is good it'd be worth it to me.... when I go to the movies I take my daughter which usually ends up being 20 - 30 dollars a trip. If it cost me $12 I have my own theater popcorn popping machine which costs about $1 for a full bucket of popcorn and another $1 for a 2 liter bottle of soda... $14 vs $30 is worth it for me until it is available on BD if it's any good.
 
Well my TV does not have HDMI. I have an older RPTV that has DVI. I guess I could drag out the old DVI to HDMI cable I bought a year or so ago, but the whole reason I'm not using it now is because the picture did not look as good as it does with component.
 
From Swanni.

The plan, however, calls for a FCC rule change that would permit the studios to block the Video on Demand films from being recorded on DVRs. It would also prevent HDTVs with analog outputs from displaying the movies.

How about TVs with only Analog Inputs ?
One of my HDTVs has only component (YPbPr) inputs, so does this mean I can't watch the movies on my largest set. ?
The Dish receivers have HDMI and component outputs. Will only the HDMI work if I buy this movie ?

Walt
 
Well my TV does not have HDMI. I have an older RPTV that has DVI. I guess I could drag out the old DVI to HDMI cable I bought a year or so ago, but the whole reason I'm not using it now is because the picture did not look as good as it does with component.

How about TVs with only Analog Inputs ?
One of my HDTVs has only component (YPbPr) inputs, so does this mean I can't watch the movies on my largest set. ?
The Dish receivers have HDMI and component outputs. Will only the HDMI work if I buy this movie ?

Walt

http://www.satelliteguys.us/1412886-post15.html
 
I like the big screen, surround sound experience. If I had to watch it on someone's little tv, I would be disappointed. That's why I have a home theater setup.

However, if you cannot record to dvr, what about pausing it? The other great benefit of home theater - you decide on the intermission.


It's been a while since I ever bought a VOD, but doesn't VOD give you pause & rewind features "built into" the movie? I don't remember...
 
The analog vs video thing was a bit of a red herring. What they meant to say was only sets that had HDCP compliant inputs. They don't want anyone making a copy under any circumstances. If you don't have such a set, then welcome to the world of electronic obsolescense. If you want the feature, you upgrade. Otherwise you continue to enjoy at your current level of features.

For example, I just upgraded my receiver from an ancient but good quality Dolby pro-logic machine. I now have dolby digital/dts in several flavors and get additional features from my hd-dvd player.

What bothers me is that same camel-nose problem of setting a precedence. In spite of others comments about killing the golden goose, the studios have a long history of trying to force a ppv model, going back to the Betamax case in the '70s.
I want to own my library. I worry about revisionist releases. For example, Lucas red0oing Episode 4 and trying to make it the 'real' one.

Read a novel by Connie Willis called "Remake" that addresses the problem for a cautionary view on the subject that is better written than I can accomplish.
 
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