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DirecTV Narrows Release Window With $30 Films
Movies Ten Weeks After Theatrical Release
We mentioned this was coming last year, and now DirecTV is the first of several cable TV companies that plan to try and narrow the theater to VOD release window by offering films just 10 weeks after a film's theatrical release. However, that expedited release date is going to come at a steep premium many consumers won't be willing to pay. According to Bloomberg, DirecTV will offer a 48-hour rental of Sony's "Just Go With It" for $30 -- ten weeks after the film premieres in theaters. The Studios are hoping to lessen the impact such services have had on DVD sales -- but that whopping $30 price tag suggests they remain somewhat out of sync with consumers. The films are only available to DirecTV customers with high-definition tuners equipped with digital video recorders, and the films will be available in two week windows.
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jc1350
join:2004-09-23

1 recommendation

jc1350

Member

$30 rental?

No thanks. I'd rather wait and buy a permanent DVD copy for $20. No movie is worth $30 for a very limited viewing time.

Camelot One
MVM
join:2001-11-21
Bloomington, IN

Camelot One

MVM

Re: $30 rental?

said by jc1350:

No thanks. I'd rather wait and buy a permanent DVD copy for $20. No movie is worth $30 for a very limited viewing time.

$30 to watch a new-in-theaters release at home sounds reasonable. I would pay it, just to avoid the idiots at the theater. But only if I could get it the day it hit theaters. I'll even stretch it to the first week. But by the time it's 10 weeks old, it has lost all "new" value, and I have waited long enough already that it is nothing more than a soon-to-be free rental.

wings10
I Am Legend
Premium Member
join:2004-06-09
South Elgin, IL

wings10 to jc1350

Premium Member

to jc1350
4 people go to the theater and spend $50 or more on movie tickets and popcorn.

$30 seems like a good deal if you split that between 4 people.

Theaters will not be happy.

Camelot One
MVM
join:2001-11-21
Bloomington, IN

Camelot One

MVM

Re: $30 rental?

said by wings10:

4 people go to the theater and spend $50 or more on movie tickets and popcorn.

$30 seems like a good deal if you split that between 4 people.

Theaters will not be happy.

10 weeks after opening, it will only be second run theaters who are unhappy. And lets face it, people go to those places as a cheaper alternative while still on the big screen, so I doubt this will effect them much.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5 to jc1350

Premium Member

to jc1350
said by jc1350:

No thanks. I'd rather wait and buy a permanent DVD copy for $20. No movie is worth $30 for a very limited viewing time.

Second that. $30 is still cheaper than a family outing to the movie theater, but waiting a few more months and either getting it thru Netflix or a DVD rental store makes more sense.

Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI

Nightfall to jc1350

MVM

to jc1350
They really should have made it a bit cheaper. $20 would have been a good price point. My wife and I could spend that much easily going to the theater. For $30, my wife and I better just go to the theater because it will be cheaper that way. Splitting it 4 ways is a better value.
firedrakes
join:2009-01-29
Arcadia, FL

firedrakes to jc1350

Member

to jc1350
bad idea and i rarely go see a movie at a theater now. i only pay 10 bucks for ticket. thats it nothing else i get
ctggzg
Premium Member
join:2005-02-11
USA

1 recommendation

ctggzg to jc1350

Premium Member

to jc1350
Or =$1 to rent and watch it once. There's no reason to watch movies the moment they're released. It's going to be exactly the same movie six months later.
gorehound
join:2009-06-19
Portland, ME

gorehound to jc1350

Member

to jc1350
no thanks for me as well.
i only buy physical media and do not support the DRM digital file BS.
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

19579823 (banned) to jc1350

Member

to jc1350
ESPECIALLY NO MOVIE MADE NOW!! (99% of them are trash)

spewak
R.I.P Dadkins
Premium Member
join:2001-08-07
Elk Grove, CA

spewak

Premium Member

Let's not blame Directv for this retarded move,

so much as the stinkin' movie studios. What a bunch of mooks!

gigahurtz
Premium Member
join:2001-10-20
USA

gigahurtz

Premium Member

I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

For instance, you have a family of 4 and the cost of going to the theaters would be about $10 per person + snacks or a group of friends who'd rather stay in and watch it all pitch in rather than going to the theater.

I don't really know what to make of this...

canesfan2001
join:2003-02-04
Hialeah, FL

canesfan2001

Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

Or just watch a move that's been out for 6 months for $6. Or redbox a blu-ray for $1.50 + driving time.

wings10
I Am Legend
Premium Member
join:2004-06-09
South Elgin, IL

wings10

Premium Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

Or Netflix for $8.99 a month unlimited. Disc or Stream.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

said by wings10:

Or Netflix for $8.99 a month unlimited. Disc or Stream.

Netflix streaming in mostly OLD movies.

wings10
I Am Legend
Premium Member
join:2004-06-09
South Elgin, IL

wings10

Premium Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

said by 88615298:

said by wings10:

Or Netflix for $8.99 a month unlimited. Disc or Stream.

Netflix streaming in mostly OLD movies.

??????

I guess you don't watch Starz on netflix? Anyway I am so behind in titles watch/streaming movies from 2010 is plenty new to me.

If not I get the disc by mail.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

said by wings10:

said by 88615298:

said by wings10:

Or Netflix for $8.99 a month unlimited. Disc or Stream.

Netflix streaming in mostly OLD movies.

??????

I guess you don't watch Starz on netflix?

A) Starz movies are NOT in HD.

B) Ocne the Starz deal runs out you can kiss those new movies from them good-bye.

wings10
I Am Legend
Premium Member
join:2004-06-09
South Elgin, IL

wings10

Premium Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

said by 88615298:

A) Starz movies are NOT in HD.

B) Ocne the Starz deal runs out you can kiss those new movies from them good-bye.

There will be others. Starz is not the only stream on Netflix. But I am not hear to try to sell Netflix to YOU.

Anyway back on topic.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

said by wings10:

said by 88615298:

A) Starz movies are NOT in HD.

B) Ocne the Starz deal runs out you can kiss those new movies from them good-bye.

There will be others. Starz is not the only stream on Netflix. But I am not hear to try to sell Netflix to YOU.

Anyway back on topic.

I actually have Netflix streaming. I'm just telling how it is. I'm for TRUTH. I don't shill for a company.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72

Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

I agree. Movies are not that recent. Thats why i still get discs

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven to gigahurtz

Member

to gigahurtz
Depends. If you have a nice home theater, I could see this as an alternative. If you don't, it's a rather high-priced movie ticket.

..not to mention I wonder if this is in HD (not over-compressed) with full 7.1 surround and 3D on certain movies. I kinda doubt it, though.
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT

tired_runner

Premium Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

DirecTV super-compresses their HD feed. Their $5 VOD HD rentals aren't even worth it from how crappy it looks with any minimal moving scene.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

the push / download VOD is 1080P much better then comcast VOD.
Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO

Skippy25

Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

It can be 2160p, but if they compress the crap out of it and then uncompress it, it will still be 2160p of crap.

Michail
Premium Member
join:2000-08-02
Boynton Beach, FL

Michail to tired_runner

Premium Member

to tired_runner
said by tired_runner:

DirecTV super-compresses their HD feed. Their $5 VOD HD rentals aren't even worth it from how crappy it looks with any minimal moving scene.

You should see U-verse -- that is super-compression. AT&T makes DirecTV look like Bluray.
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT

tired_runner

Premium Member

Re: I can see this being valuable in select circumstances..

Yet people pay for it

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

$30!?!?

The Adjustment Bureau is one of the movies that will be available for $30. We saw it last month at an AMC theater in a digital presentation. Tickets were $6 each since we went before noon. Plus it will be out on disc in early June.
Why would anyone want to pay $30 to watch it when it costs less in the theater and you can rent it in less than two months for under $6?

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

Re: $30!?!?

said by aaronwt:

Why would anyone want to pay $30 to watch it when it costs less in the theater and you can rent it in less than two months for under $6?

Maybe for those families that have a dozen kids. Then again, those types of families probably aren't spending $30 on premium movies. You're right...no one is going to pay for it.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Re: $30!?!?

said by cdru:

said by aaronwt:

Why would anyone want to pay $30 to watch it when it costs less in the theater and you can rent it in less than two months for under $6?

Maybe for those families that have a dozen kids. Then again, those types of families probably aren't spending $30 on premium movies. You're right...no one is going to pay for it.

Wrong.

We'll pay.

$30 is less than the cost of two tickets at our local Thug-O-Plex, even before you pay for parking, only to be forced to share the air with Lakers Celebrants, Dodger fans, and various nimrods that will stab you with a meat thermometer should you expect them NOT to use their cellphone during the movie.

(There are two theater complexes here that seem to "get it" when it comes to security, but they're a bit of a drive, and their approach is still somewhat reactive, rather than dis-inviting the brutes. So we're not inclined to attend as much.)

HappyAnarchy
@iauq.com

HappyAnarchy to aaronwt

Anon

to aaronwt
Well, I work so I won't generally being viewing movies with my 3 kids and wife before noon. That puts it up to $10 per person, total of $50 not including snacks.

In that perspective I could see it. So basically, family & friend viewing for those with big screens that want to avoid the theatres.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

Re: $30!?!?

said by HappyAnarchy :

Well, I work so I won't generally being viewing movies with my 3 kids and wife before noon. That puts it up to $10 per person, total of $50 not including snacks.

In that perspective I could see it. So basically, family & friend viewing for those with big screens that want to avoid the theatres.

I work too, but not typically on Saturday and Sunday which is when we will see a movie at the theater. Besides they don't have $6 shows on weekdays.
amungus
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
America

amungus

Premium Member

the only sales

Will be from accidents, mischievous kids, really drunk people, those with tons of money (and don't care), and the occasional "honey, why not" arguments.

They'll make some money, but certainly a majority of people will skip this and wait to buy/rent at a more reasonable price.

I'd rather wait the extra 30 days Netflix is now forcing me to than ever consider this.

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

1 recommendation

Transmaster

Member

Thank You

The Bit-Torrent bootleg move crowd will thank you. Now they can set up an HD camera in front of their HDTV's at home and see who can be the first to cap', for bit Torrent, an inferior but free copy of the latest crap from Hollywood, and they don't have to worry about getting kicked out of a theater someplace. Hello Piratebay.

cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA

cypherstream

MVM

Waste of bandwidth

I'd rather see the bandwidth better used to add the long laundry list of missing HD Channels.

•••

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

10 weeks? Is this a joke?

I thought this price tag was for movies that were recently released.
westdc
join:2009-01-25
Amissville, VA

westdc

Member

NO thanks

If it won't last in the theater (bomb) it's not worth $20 for any type of DVD to gather dust after viewing (BOMB).

I either won't see it or see it on spike channel or comedy channel for the broadcast fee I'm already paying for the rest of the junk passed off as entertainment.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: NO thanks

said by westdc:

If it won't last in the theater (bomb) it's not worth $20 for any type of DVD to gather dust after viewing (BOMB).

I either won't see it or see it on spike channel or comedy channel for the broadcast fee I'm already paying for the rest of the junk passed off as entertainment.

Who says anything about being a bomb? Most movies make 95% of their theatrical release money in the first 6 weeks. So after 10 weeks it's closer to 99%. So what do the movie studios have to lose?
Eldorados
join:2005-11-25

Eldorados

Member

Just Go With It?

The least they could have done was chosen a better movie

Absolutely horrible.. Adam Sandler must be stopped for the sake of humanity!
ackman
join:2000-10-04
Atlanta, GA

ackman

Member

Corporate America

What a joke, a pandemic of insanity is running amok in the former USA. $30? Are you serious, DirecTV?

kdwycha
join:2003-01-30
Ruskin, FL

kdwycha

Member

30 dollars...really?

When you can just download a torrent that works just fine except for the little thing that says "Copyright (insert studio name) 2011 - Unauthorized distribution prohibited." every 30 mins or so at the bottom?

Not that I would know that. I was at a friends and seen it say that

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

Re: 30 dollars...really?

said by kdwycha:

When you can just download a torrent that works just fine except for the little thing that says "Copyright (insert studio name) 2011 - Unauthorized distribution prohibited." every 30 mins or so at the bottom?

Not that I would know that. I was at a friends and seen it say that

you only get that with screeners.
ihatedslr
join:2000-12-11
US

ihatedslr

Member

Good.

If someone is willing to pay $30, let companies charge $30.

BTW, People waste too much of their lives sitting in movie theaters; it's like a tradition now - new movie comes out, everyone must see it immediately. For what purpose? To be able to discuss it Monday morning with co-workers? An industry is based on this. yikes!
Ssid Silver
join:2010-11-04

Ssid Silver

Member

Re: Good.

When is the movie industry going to realize that they are competing with every movie ever made, now available in better quality than ever before? People are less willing to pay large premiums to watch movies when they're new because generally there are much better movies already available for cheaper. The same crap movies will be no better or worse when they are released on disc for lower prices.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72

Member

Joke

After 2 weeks most movies are fried. 10 weeks they are dead. If it's an "awesome" movie you are going to go to the movies anyways. I'm not sure about you people, but where I live it cost $7/ticket (prepaid). So for my fam of 4 $28 and that is for the big screen experience. Yes it comes w/ punks--you guys were once punks too. Dont get all cranky.

This is done high to be outside the stupid "windows" that all these media companies create to make your life miserable. This is most likely done to "test" the procedure so that they can iron it out for a more reasonable offering in the future.

And guess what my wife has a handbag. Drinks/snacks for the kids come in the bag--They eat health food, so the poison behind the counter doesnt touch their lips anyways.

No joke: We went to movies last week for first time in a year (kid movie) and they had a DEAL large pop and popcorn for $12.50. So separately is was $5.50 for the soda and $7 for the popcorn. I asked the girl what the deal was, and she said you get the two for a good price. I asked her to add up the prices separately and she couldn't--which is obviously no deal.

Being in a playful mood, I ordered up each separately and then is came to $12.50, and then I asked here about the deal. She called over the manager to void out the two separate ones and key in the deal. I asked the manager what the "deal" was and he said the same thing. I launched into a story about truth in advertising and it was lost on their 80 IQ's....

If this ignorance is what America is coming to, we are truly doomed.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: Joke

OK so $12.50X4 =$50 plus $28 for tickets as yo say. That's $78 to go to the movies. Not counting gas. You can pay $30 to watch at home and you can get pop-corn and drinks MUCH cheaper than $50.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt to elefante72

Premium Member

to elefante72
Where have you been the last twenty years?
This is nothing new. McDonalds used to do the same thing. Their combo meals would cost more than each item separately. Now granted it was only five or ten cents more, but it cost more to order the items bundled together than separately.

Anyway at the AMC theaters here, you can get a large drink and large Popcorn and get a refill on them. So I see many people bring the family and extra cups and bags. Dump the drink into the cups and the popcorn into the bags and they get a refill before the movie starts. It certainly makes it a better deal when bringing the family to the theater.

El Quintron
Cancel Culture Ambassador
Premium Member
join:2008-04-28
Tronna

El Quintron

Premium Member

Work in Progress...

I'd say they need to drop the price down to $15-20 if they're in the 6 to 8 week mark.

If they want to keep the price point at $30 then they need to bump it up to 2-4 weeks after the initial release.

Of course by virtue of the fact they they've already managed to get some type of offering out there, leads me to believe they can tweak the offer to a more acceptable value/cost for prospective consumers.

As it stands, I'd still go to the theater and I have a huge TV and a kick-ass sound system... no sale.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: Work in Progress...

Of course it is. That why I don't get all the complaining. If one doesn't want to pay $30 then don't. People act like the $30 and 10 weeks things are permanent and can't be tweeked.

It's obvious that after 6 weeks movies have made most of thier money. The money that is made after that the theater owners get most of that anyways. No doubt when the math comes in that shortening the window to say 6 weeks makes more money than leaving the movie in the theater for 4 extra weeks they will shorten the window. When the math comes in that dropping the price to $20 from $30 will bring in more money they will do that.

This is good in the long run as the idea of shorter and shorter windows get accepted.

El Quintron
Cancel Culture Ambassador
Premium Member
join:2008-04-28
Tronna

El Quintron

Premium Member

Re: Work in Progress...

said by 88615298:

This is good in the long run as the idea of shorter and shorter windows get accepted.

That's what I'm thinking too... when I first read this I was thinking to myself they can't be serious... but they're probably just testing the waters for now.

EQ
beavercable
Premium Member
join:2008-05-11
Beaverton, OR

beavercable

Premium Member

Now that Comcast has Universal......

There time will probably be 2 to 4 weeks after release of select movies.

Adderal
@nframe.net

Adderal

Anon

Arrrr Mate

Even the 'scene' pirates, where stuff filters down to top sites > ftp dumps > usenet/private torrent trackers will pass at this price and time frame.

I realize it's in HD and 'encrypted', but there's known ways around that.

at 10 wks..it's nearly a sure bet that an R5 dvd rls (Russia) or Asian based video source will have been ripped and an Eng source of audio muxed in.

5-6 wks out... @ 25$ ...that would get some folks I know on board, in terms of the family value and having nice HT setups themselves--

At least they are attempting *something* ... I see it as a stab at NetFlix, second run theaters and slightly at piracy abound.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

polished PPV biz?

SOME movies 10 weeks into a mediocre run end up ported to DVD release anyway-- charging $30 for a DIGITAL PPV license really is excrement *Hi-Def or not*.

The ppv/rental business isn't going in the direction of more expensive content (at least where consumer demand is heading). I won't say however this stupid move will kill DirecTv.. they ain't going anywhere anytime soon (barring a missle/asteroid takes out their satellites & the backups).
genzoulv
join:2004-10-05
Las Vegas, NV

genzoulv

Member

Smells like failure to me...

Doubting this is going to be a success when it's cheaper just to go see it in the theater.. Especially at matinee prices + the new $2 deals for food.. And on top of that it's 10 weeks old and they want that much? It's very laughable. Give it awhile and you'll see the price start to drop on this. I'm sure of it.