Disposable DVDs?
As an alternative to renting movies out, Disney has introduced the disposable DVD, which turns black over 48 hours' exposure to oxygen. The proposed price is $6.99.
I doubt these things are at all recyclable, though the Reuters story mentions "some recycling". I think ideally the discs are returned to the distributor (return 6 played discs for a new selection), and the distributor destroys (or more likely discards) the discs. But how many people are just going to dump them in the trash?
What do you all think of this proposal?
I doubt these things are at all recyclable, though the Reuters story mentions "some recycling". I think ideally the discs are returned to the distributor (return 6 played discs for a new selection), and the distributor destroys (or more likely discards) the discs. But how many people are just going to dump them in the trash?
What do you all think of this proposal?
Comments
So much waste if they will have that. If I saw a movie by them, I'd bring the dvd back to the store after it's seen. It would be their problem to get rid of it and pay for more waste.
What if the dvd plastic protecting cover has a small hole? You will get a dvd that is already bad? What if it has been storted in a warmer than 70 F place? What if your dvd player or ps/2 produces that much heat that the dvd dies in 40 minutes?
Another idiotic proposal to impose access control on digital media. And concerning recycling: forget it.
EDIT: added the word 'pay' that was supposed to be in there.
What a stupid idea.
The long and the short of the story......if you want to rent a DVD, rent a DVD. If you want to record a DVD, record a DVD. If you want to own a DVD, own a DVD. This is what people want. They don't want any new schemes that invade their privacy ( DIVX transmitted data back to the company about what you watch ). They don't want to own something yet not own it. And they want to be able to record their TV shows.
They don't want to clog up our landfills with old blacken DVDs.
What they do want is for it to work like the VHS method which has become established over many years.
If you're looking at a replacement for the mainstream video medium ( VHS ) this is what they must have.
That's it in a nutshell.
Originally posted by jimmac
They don't want to own something yet not own it.
Here's the kicker. It's to be marketed as a 'two-day rental' that you never have to return. That's an 'improvement' on the current system.
Like I tried to say before, make companies pay for their waste and we'll see less of it.
If EZ-CD can beat the $1.77 per movie price I pay for Netflix then I "might" consider it ....nahhh why would I want to. I sometimes take a week to watch a netflix movie and there is nary a "late charge" involved. The two day limit is madness.
Originally posted by bunge
Here's the kicker. It's to be marketed as a 'two-day rental' that you never have to return. That's an 'improvement' on the current system.
Like I tried to say before, make companies pay for their waste and we'll see less of it.
You don't have to return it but you have to either take the garbage out knowing you are making the world more wasted place to live at, or you still can go back to the video store and make THEM get rid of the unusable dvd. In which case you haven't saved anything, $, miles or time.
Originally posted by Giaguara
...you have to either take the garbage out knowing you are making the world more wasted place to live at, or you still can go back to the video store and make THEM get rid of the unusable dvd.
Yes, but unfortunately most people don't give a crap about that.
Originally posted by bunge
Yes, but unfortunately most people don't give a crap about that.
yes, but you are superior to that 'most people'.
Originally posted by Giaguara
You don't have to return it but you have to either take the garbage out knowing you are making the world more wasted place to live at, or you still can go back to the video store and make THEM get rid of the unusable dvd. In which case you haven't saved anything, $, miles or time.
/me thinks "yeah, that's brutal"
/me thinks of 3 garbage bags in garage at home
err... nevermind
Originally posted by burningwheel
great. more crap for the land fills, as if aol wasn't bad enough
Let the company pay for their residual waste.
Originally posted by jimmac
Rest assured I don't think this will fly. People really don't want this. What they want is what we've already got. The VHS model ( with the added flexability and better picture quality that DVDs give you ) is what people are comfortable with and will easily understand.
But that's what this is, the VHS model. Rent it, bring it back if you like, or throw it out. No late fees ever. It's the VHS model minus one step, especially if Blockbuster is willing to carry them.
Originally posted by bunge
But that's what this is, the VHS model. Rent it, bring it back if you like, or throw it out. No late fees ever. It's the VHS model minus one step, especially if Blockbuster is willing to carry them.
Uh, no it isn't. People don't throw their old cassettes away and they don't self destruct. Two important differences. I think we'd see landfills full of VHS if that were the case. If you like this sort of thing I think video on demand through cable or the internet is much more viable.
Blockbuster does a nice business on marked down pre viewed DVDs.
Originally posted by jimmac
Uh, no it isn't. People don't throw their old cassettes away and they don't self destruct. Two important differences.
My point is that these differences are a 'bonus' to the VHS model, at least in the eyes of the average consumer. And no, I don't like it, I'm against it. I just think it has a chance of catching on because people are lazy and underinformed. That means they'll use them if they're easier and/or less expensive than what they're used to using.
If someone goes to their local Blockbuster and asks to rent a flick, they wouldn't even have to know they're getting this new product and it would still work roughly the same as a two day rental. Tell them they never have to return it and they'll be gleeful.