And You Thought The Next Generation Video Standards Battle Was Over?
from the we've-got-a-new-one-coming-on dept
If you thought the questions about what technology standard we'd be using to watch movies was settled when Blu-ray won the next generation DVD standards battle, then you're in for a bit of a surprise. In taking nearly half a decade to decide which standard would make it, the DVD camps left open plenty of opportunity for online competitors to start making their moves. The technology for delivering movies online has been rapidly improving. But, of course, what we didn't count on was that it would just create a huge new mess.Earlier this week, there was all sorts of talk about Netflix streaming movies to the Xbox as part of Netflix's effort to get consumer electronics companies to build in support for Netflix streaming. As we warned when that announcement was made, it's a bad idea for Netflix to focus on a proprietary streaming solution, as it's only going to set up another standards battle. And, indeed, Blockbuster is working on its own such solution. Then, of course, everyone knows that Apple's in the market with the AppleTV. And don't forget Sony, which is selling a special (extra expensive) TV for downloading movies. And, of course, there are countless startups in the market as well.
Oh, and how could we forget Amazon? The company is now announcing its own proprietary online store for streaming movies and TV. This one piggybacks a bit on Sony's awful plan (meaning if you buy that super expensive internet-connected TV, you'll also be able to stream movies from Amazon).
But the end result is a total mess for the entire market, and that doesn't help anyone. All of the players should take a look at how badly the multi-year DVD standards battle hurt the industry. It makes people unwilling to buy certain hardware, as they don't want to be stuck with the "loser" a year from now. What's wrong with coming up with a single standard for streaming movies from any particular service to various TV-connected devices and computers? Then let the different providers compete on actual services provided? That would increase adoption, and let these companies do what they do best, rather than fighting a can't-win battle against too many other competitors.
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Filed Under: movies, next generation, online video, standards, streaming, television, video
Companies: amazon, apple, blockbuster, microsoft, netflix, sony
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It appears that there are...
In the end, I forsee customers getting mad and lost because of incompatible standards based on exclusive content arrangements between parties. It's a solution in search of a problem.
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The Motto of Modern Business
However, under a legal system which gives the various players in the Corptocracy almost godlike power over the consumer, the new "first rule" has become "Carpe Emptor": Seize the buyer.
In other words, try to lock your customers into YOUR stuff and to hell with the viability of the market as a whole. It hasn't worked yet, but that doesn't stop idiot market-droids from trying.
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Re: The Motto of Modern Business
Its easy enough to vote this crap down w/your $$... no money... no half-baked solution. Personally I do my best not to send any $$ to any of these companies (do you hear me Apple and your iPod?) that insist on these closed-end solutions... unless I just really need or want what they offer.
The market will prevail ... if consumers are willing to just wait them out.
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Re: Re: The Motto of Modern Business
How long were the lines for the new iPhone which helps to perpetuate iTunes and the proprietary formats it pushes? You may be willing to wait, but the ignorant masses are believing the marketing hype. As a technologically aware (you're on this site, I'm not psychic), it should be your duty to help guide your friends/family away from these products.
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Re: The Motto of Modern Business
Sehlat - have you never heard of Apple? iTunes? iPhone? iPod?
P.T. Barnum said it best - "there's a customer born every minute." and Steve Jobs knows that better than most.
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Re: Re: The Motto of Modern Business
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Re: The Motto of Modern Business
What if the car companies said you may ONLY use the fuel THEY sell??
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All valid points but
I have not bought ANY new DVD hardware, and I don't plan on doing it. I'm waiting for the solid-state drives to go mainstream and make the current "new" hardware obsolete.
It pisses me off to have to choose a movie based on what hardware I have at home. I just want to watch a MOVIE, not a blu-ray or hd-dvd. The consumer whores who worship at the Altar of Apple have dibs on locking themselves into proprietary purgatory. Me? I'll pass.
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Standards or DRM?
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What about the PS3?
The latest BluRay players can access the internet. Gee, I wonder what technology that will be used for. Come on, don't tell me you didn't see this coming when the BluRay 2.0 players were introduced...
Sony used PS3 to push Bluray. Now it's using BluRay to push DLC.
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Same problems, just 50 years later
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Ah HA!
Once these services start full swing, as if YouTube and its ilk are not enough as is, it would be completely impossible for them to switch over as the public outcry would be 10 fold what it will be now.
Then again, when there is practically no competition ...
I know I am halfway off topic, but I feel the topics are closely related.
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the digital video format war is over, vlc won
someone will come up with a service/player that is open source and plays most of the popular formats (like vlc media player) and the world will settle on a semi-open format like divx/xvid.
see, big companies get a say on physical formats because you need money to buy a vote in the race. the internet plays by different rules.
streaming video will probably be the same thing... all this hustle and flow about formats, just to have most folks settle on their own semi-open standard.
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Netflix streaming on the xbox
The whole reason they launched the streaming was because of 3 major factors:
1) cost of shipping a DVD
2) Consumer expediacy...blockbuster offered in store exchange
3)Point of competitive differentiation
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Re: Netflix streaming on the xbox
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Re:
At the moment, nobody wins. Many early adopters simply aren't buying the necessary hardware because they don't want to be stuck with another Betamax. Service providers cannot compete directly with each other based on their service because of the hardware required - e.g. an XBox owner can't opt for Sony's service without significant expense.
So the market moves much more slowly, costing all these companies not only millions in R&D but many millions more in advertising and trying to create awareness. Since the books are balanced much more towards these costs than they should be, the shareholders don't make so much and the customer never gets a good deal.
The problem is that this isn't a free market. These people are trying to lock customers down so that they can't choose a competitor even if they want to. Many people are responding by not buying any of them.
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Over and over and over again
The company who is fastest and can attract the most consumers first will be the winner. From thereon it will be pretty hard to get a foot into the door.
I see it as another cycle of 'evolution'. You can fight it but eventually people have to start learning what is better from experiences they make...
However: I think open standards are the better way to go. Let the provided quality of service decide who is better!
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Open Standards...
Could it be better and a true universal IEEE type standard, sure. But all in all considered, this is far better then another dedicated special purpose 'Netflix Box' or something insane like that.
For me, I'll take it any day over Sony or Apple as both these companies are all about 100% control. With that said, a nice open solution with even an open DRM solution would be the best - something like VLC on a chip would cool!
Freedom
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CABLE
NO, they know all these other players are wanting to try to start providing much of the same content that they do.
So by limiting the amount that you can download, they can make their "Pay-per-view" and "on-demand" systems look even better.
All they need to do is start allowing their cable boxes to be connected to home networks...
I know everyone wants a piece of the consumer entertainment dollar, but the Cable Companies are really in the best position to get these dollars, and to keep others from them.
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Something overlooked
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Standards for rentals? Who cares?
Movie PURCHASES is a whole other animal though :) You SHOULD be able to play it on any device you choose and as many of them you like.
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