kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL
 ·XO COMMUNICATIONS
 ·Comcast
·Covad Communications
|  Why Not
I think the markets for DVD purchases, Rentals and PPV/OnDemand are mutually exclusive.
Offering PPV movies sooner isn't going to hurt DVD sales because people who like to buy DVDs do it because they want to build a library...or they want to have the latest cartoon on hand to hush that crying child in the back seat.
PPV customers are the ones who are too lazy to go rent a movie or too impatient to wait for Netflix and want instant gratification without having to worry about a return trip to blockbuster.
The people that actually rent a movie are the same people that still go to B&M stores for shopping...they like the people contact, being able to browse and touch the goods. |
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paisp
join:2004-02-16
Newtown, PA
| said by kapil  :I think the markets for DVD purchases, Rentals and PPV/OnDemand are mutually exclusive. Offering PPV movies sooner isn't going to hurt DVD sales because people who like to buy DVDs do it because they want to build a library...or they want to have the latest cartoon on hand to hush that crying child in the back seat. PPV customers are the ones who are too lazy to go rent a movie or too impatient to wait for Netflix and want instant gratification without having to worry about a return trip to blockbuster. The people that actually rent a movie are the same people that still go to B&M stores for shopping...they like the people contact, being able to browse and touch the goods. Well, then why would Comcast be pusing to make this happen? I think they've probably done a little homework and have concluded that they will sell more PPV's by getting it to the customer as-fast (or faster) than DVD.
Personally I think this is yet another sleek move by Comcast to rook even more money out of their dumb base of customers who'll just buy anything they put in front of them. Like the dopes who think they need 8mbps and will pay $50.00 for it, just to load webpages and check email. |
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c0de
join:2004-10-14
Richmond, VA
| I am a comcast user. I suppose Im dumb to pay for the only service available to me? Or maybe if I had chosen to live in a complex that allowed tacky satellite dishes to hang off my balcony. Perhaps I should just move right next to the CO so that way I can save 40$ a year on the cost of HSI? And then maybe I could get voip and iptv with cavtel and save even more money on a service that hardly works, and at the same time get rid of VOD all together.
No wait what am I thinking, I just stay in my luxury condo in my gated community and pay for comcasts 10/10mbit dumb pipe and HDTV/DVR/VOD/interactive cable STB and buy every upgrade and VOD movie comcast has and wallow in my own stupidity. |
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LeftOfSanity
join:2005-11-06
Felton, DE
| reply to paisp
said by paisp :said by kapil :I think the markets for DVD purchases, Rentals and PPV/OnDemand are mutually exclusive. Offering PPV movies sooner isn't going to hurt DVD sales because people who like to buy DVDs do it because they want to build a library...or they want to have the latest cartoon on hand to hush that crying child in the back seat. PPV customers are the ones who are too lazy to go rent a movie or too impatient to wait for Netflix and want instant gratification without having to worry about a return trip to blockbuster. The people that actually rent a movie are the same people that still go to B&M stores for shopping...they like the people contact, being able to browse and touch the goods. Well, then why would Comcast be pusing to make this happen? I think they've probably done a little homework and have concluded that they will sell more PPV's by getting it to the customer as-fast (or faster) than DVD. Personally I think this is yet another sleek move by Comcast to rook even more money out of their dumb base of customers who'll just buy anything they put in front of them. Like the dopes who think they need 8mbps and will pay $50.00 for it, just to load webpages and check email. So renting a PPV the day it comes out, rather than going to the store, is dumb? Your comment makes no sense. |
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Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26
·Embarq
| reply to kapil
Unless Comcast is willing to directly compete with Netflix (price per disk = price per PPV), I don't see people flocking to another overpriced Comcast service and dumping Netflix. There are advantages in favor of delivered disks, and we haven't even touched the fact that Comcast needs households with an already overpriced service whereas Netflix/BB need only the post office.
I mostly agree with your theory of mutual exclusivity, but there are, I would think, some who would hedge and do Netflix's 'two out at a time plan' and fill the voids with a PPV now and again. I don't because I think PPV is overpriced and I'm never going to rent a box for $7+ a month to do it.
--
"I am not young enough to know everything."
Oscar Wilde |
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ke4pym
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·Verizon BroadbandA..
 ·Packet8
·Vonage
| reply to kapil
I don't know about Comcast, but PPV's here on TW are a bit cheaper than going to Blockbuster (not to mention my time and gas and frustrations on getting in and out of the Blockbuster - twice).
Why would I goto Blockbuster when I can just push a button or two and not have to go out in the cold/heat and waste the gas? |
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Rick
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT
clubs: 
| reply to paisp
It's quite the reverse actually. I think that many cable customers have done the math and know that their cable connections are the better overall value.
My comcast connection will cost me 42.95. Not the 50.00 you quote. For that, I'll get 6MB..with powerboost to 12MB.
What does AT&T offer?
A 3MB service that really is 2.5 in disguise factoring out the overhead..for 25.00 per month.
but wait..you'd better have that phone line with them to get the service..
add on another 15.00 or more a month.
Guess what? right there you're at just about what I pay.
for less than half the speeds.
Lets compare apples to apples instead..and take AT&T's 6MB..that really is 5.1 MB in disguise.
35.00 a month.
+ 15.00 phone
guess what..NOW you arrive at the 50.00 per month..except it's from the telco..not the cable co.
In addition, depending on TV packaging..I also have the option of getting my 43.00 bill down to the low 30's.
Your presumption about people overpaying for cable versus DSL is simply wrong.
Cable customers are the ones who have thought this out. I don't need no longer have a landline at all. Cell and voip does the job for me..with voip representing even more huge savings.
A cable customer today is an educated consumer.
--
The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic! |
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bbenso1
join:2004-11-28
Baltimore, MD
| I agree with most of your points above except you say that AT&T's 3MB service is actually 2.5 because of overhead and their 6MB service is actually 5.1MB because of overhead. More or less true. But then you claim that your Comcast connection is actually 6MB (12MB with powerboost). So you're saying that Comcast has somehow magically eliminated the network overhead and you actually get 6MB on your connection? How does that work? |
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Rick
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT
clubs:
| Every cable connection i've ever had, whether it was with RoadRunner or my current provider, I've always received the advertised speeds.
Apparently they configure their caps to allow for the overhead. Actually, I believe that my download caps now are about 500MB higher than what they advertise to allow for the net to be where it should be.
This appears to be different than the way most, if not all DSL providers sell their service.
I have yet to see a 6MB DSL customer actually receive that.
Because DSL is also distance limited, that eats away at it as well.
The bottom line is I think that if you visit any cable forum, you'll see that their customers generally receive what is advertised on their speed tests, while dsl customers generally receive that amount less the overhead.
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The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic! |
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yac898
join:2002-12-06
Stony Plain, AB
| reply to Titus Pullo
you may not rent a box, but you are a SMALL MINORITY. (yes, i know that dct penetration in at or lower than 50%), but those who own/rent the "box" , want it now, not 10 seconds,minutes,hours or days from now. throw in the telcos/ satco's and the fact that they ONLY work with a box, and that number grows. this is the beginning of the end of blockbuster/netflix. they will be reduced to a "ALSO RAN" or better still, a "discount" vendor for cheap(more practical) people like yourself(and me). DTH(cable/sat/telco/wireless(?)) PPV will destroy all non "ON DEMAND" (read go to the store/wait for the download/delivery) business models. unless blockbuster adapts QUICKLY, sell your stock !!!. the fact is more people are lazy ABOVE cheap.... |
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Joebob38
Premium
join:2004-09-18
clubs:
| reply to kapil
said by kapil :PPV customers are the ones who are too lazy to go rent a movie or too impatient to wait for Netflix and want instant gratification without having to worry about a return trip to blockbuster. How dare you profile me perfectly! As always, if I want to purchase a DVD I'll go drag myself to a store and do it. It won't affect DVD sales at all, but rentals from lackluster video will probably drop a bit. |
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Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26
·Embarq
| reply to Rick
That may be true for some, but Embarq set me up twice at well above the tier speed so as to obtain the rated speed. The first time downstream was set well above 1700 for a 1500 line.
the settings are currently:
WAN Port Statistics:
Link Status: Up
Upstream Speed: 576 kbps
Downstream Speed: 3520 kbps
after being upgraded to a 3000/512 line.
I think that easily covers the overhead.
--
"I am not young enough to know everything."
Oscar Wilde |
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Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26
·Embarq
| reply to yac898
You make some good points, but I still don't think netflix is going anywhere too soon. With the 3 out at a time plan you're going to get 3 x 4 movies a month minimum if you turn them over within a couple of days. If we round up to $20 for that level of service (I think it's $18 and change now) that's still much cheaper than PPV, and you get the extras on the disk and you can watch it more than once and you can loan it to your roommate and you can make ...
Anyway, another factor is the system behind the rentals if you're really into movies - the ratings and reviews and movies based on your ratings, ect.
One thing in PPV's favor, though I'm not sure how much it may equate to sales, is people that have had netflix or BB for awhile and have developed movie fatigue. They see that monthly netflix charge as a way to offset the $100+ they pay the cable co and drop netflix because they're tiring of that many movies anyway and use PPV as a justification to do it.
--
"I am not young enough to know everything."
Oscar Wilde |
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