Everyone must watch more movies than me. That, or people's patience is considerably thinner, and they want everything instantly regardless of the cost. Four dollars is way too expensive for me, but I accept that I am a borderline obsessive cheapskate.
I have seen *eleven* good movies from the time span of 2002 to today. Eleven. Maybe I am picky, but I have to wonder how many movies does the AVERAGE person watch per year in the US, Canada, Europe, etc. Then, how many of those do they feel compelled to outright purchase, presumably for watching over and over again. I rent movies from the local library (for free) only very rarely. When I purchase, I wait a couple of years and get them sporadically as I see them marked way down (recently picked up Gladiator from an estate sale for a buck, condition was essentially mint). Something about my monetary value system does not have space to spend twenty plus dollars on something I might realistically only watch a dozen times or less.
I guess I am out of this loop. I have no desire to participate in this marketplace when I can Handbrake the few media titles I do purchase. While the appeal of HD is real (for a few things like Planet Earth, etc.), I can't see the point for about 90% of media content being in HD. It is an attempt to plug merchandise when in reality not much of substance is being offered.
For instance: look at a film like the Simpsons Movie. Is this experience REALLY better in HD compared to regular DVD 720x480 experience? Is it the giant screens that seduce people, or the technological specifications of the boxes they buy to play the discs? I haven't noticed much difference, although as I previously mentioned, with rare exceptions such as Planet Earth I would want it no other way.
For what it's worth, I must be old-fashioned and insane. I PREFER above all else to physically possess that which I pay for. I don't like the idea of iTunes selling me phantom data bits; I want a physical disc I can place in a player. Now, I do eventually upload these onto my computer for convenience and consolidation, but somewhere in my home I know I have the solid item somewhere. I'll probably never escape this mentality, but the world marches on.
As for movies and media content available streaming over the internet, I do not deny that this is the future. However, based on the current state of things, I will probably sit this one out until the prices match my conceptualization of the value of the service being offered to me.
tv to be successful
I would have called but every time we call about VOD the response is not very helpful.
