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World first: download-to-own movie service

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James Bannan25 November 2006, 6:06 AM

The world's-first download-to-own movie service has just been unveiled in Australia, allowing legal burning of movies to DVD, transferring to portable media players and redownloading movies if you have a crash.

Online movie service Reeltime has announced what it claims to be the world's first "download to own" movie service, in partnership with Universal Pictures.

The concept is unique – purchasing a title from ReelTime gives the user access to three digital files. The first two are WMV – one for playback on a PC or laptop, and the other is suitable for playback on a Windows Plays4Sure-compatible portable device. The third file is used to burn the movie securely and legally to DVD (up to three times), which you then own.

The idea is terrific, especially given the amount of complaints media providers face regarding fair use policies and the locking of downloaded media so as to make it non-transferable.

There is an opinion floating round that digital piracy is so rife in Australia because media providers are so completely out of step with what people actually want to do with their media.

So ReelTime DTO – which comes online next Wednesday, 29th November, might just be the answer.

To get a better insight into how DTO will work for users, I had a chat to the Managing Director of ReelTime Media, John Karantzis.

APC: “Users who purchase content via ReelTime will have three files available to download. What are the average file sizes?”

John: “The WMV file for computer playback is encoded at 1.6Mb/sec, and works out to around 800MB to 1GB for a 90-minute movie. The Plays4Sure WMV file is encoded at around a third of that rate, giving a 250-300MB file. The DVD image file is compressed down to around 2.5GB.”

APC: “What file format does the downloadable DVD take?”

John: “It’s a proprietary file format developed by ReelTime and Universal. We take the original VOB files and compress them, and they are decompressed during the burn. Given that the file is proprietary, you can only use the ReelTime software to burn the file to DVD.”

APC: “What security is in place to prevent the files from being pirated?”

John: “The WMV file for computer playback is locked to the MAC address of the machine which downloaded it, and can’t be transferred to another machine. The same is true of the Plays4Sure WMV, except in that case the file is locked to the portable device it’s transferred to. We can’t prevent someone from transferring the file to a friend’s portable device, but once it’s copied across it’s not going anywhere.

The compressed DVD has to be burned within 30 days of download, and it also can’t be copied off the host machine.”

APC: “What happens if you need to download a file again?”

John: “Customers can download the WMV files any time, as long as they have proof of purchase. We are limiting downloads of the compressed DVD files to one download per year.

“We will be monitoring how often files are being downloaded, to prevent people abusing the system by downloading the same movie to lots of different machines.”

APC: “When the compressed DVD is burned, does it decompress to a single-layer or double-layer format?”

John: “Single-layer. ReelTime and Universal have a highly professional post-production team in place to compress the original double-layer DVDs down to single-layer without any noticeable loss in quality. In time though, we will be offering customers the choice to download either the single-layer or double-layer formats.”

So the system looks pretty robust so far. The file sizes are not so large as to put people off or to be unworkable given Australia’s generally limited broadband speeds (and given the recent upgrade of Telstra's ADSL1 network to 8Mbit/s, it's even less of a concern).

ReelTime has addressed the basic problem of giving customers the option to view downloaded content on a variety of formats without having to bypass DRM protection, and this alone makes the service highly attractive to tech enthusiasts in particular.

ReelTime users won’t have to wait for new releases either. Through the partnership with Universal, ReelTime DTO will release titles at the same day and time as those titles are generally released to DVD. Prices start at AUD$14.98, with new release titles averaging around AUD$33.99.

On the face of things, ReelTime DTO looks to be a flexible and innovative approach to digital media – a service which recognises that customers have a wide variety of playback options and don’t like being prevented from choosing which one to use, and yet has measures in place to protect their own commercial interests as well as those of the content producers. It will be extremely interesting to see what impact it has on the current digital media market.

Currently, the ReelTime service is Windows-only. Mac and Linux users will have to wait, or use virtualisation software to run up a virtual Windows system to access this service.

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SiliconAngel:

Trying to address a significant problem in the world of content provision? Commendable. However I don't know that its possible to really address this problem adequately in today's world with the mindset of today's litigious media conglomerates. They're far too closed-minded to really explore the possibilities of digital media, and far too self-interested to recognise that their existing business model is no longer viable and needs a complete overhaul.

And then you have the problem of 'download limits' that are specific to Australia, which can be laid squarely at the feet of Telstra and the federal government's inability to force their monopolistic behemoth to stick to what is in the interests of the Australian people, instead of exploiting them at every turn.

In Australia, a 2.5GB download is a quarter of my monthly download limit. When you consider that my ADSL connection costs me around $85 a month to have, that's about $20. And we're not even talking about the extra 800MB download for the copy that I can keep on my PC... assuming of course I never change the mainboard or have problems with the network port!

Look, I'm really sorry, but unless someone can come up with a solution that allows people the flexibility they really want, you can't compete with ripping and converting DVDs. Its not about the 'free' factor. I DO think it has something to do with price - DVD's are a complete rip-off, and one of the things that needs to go back to the drawing board is the industry's pricing system.

Make them accessible for a REASONABLE price, and they'll WALK off the shelves. $20 for a second-hand DVD from a video store is a joke. Make your 'new release' DVDs $15, and older titles $10. People won't even THINK about the purchase then, they'll just buy them. Sure, you make less per DVD, but you will sell exponentially more. But I digress.

Other than insultingly high prices, the problem is fundamentally about choice. People have a problem with being told by a private company how they can and can't use something they OWN in the privacy of their own home. Stop thinking about how you can CONTROL people and their choice. Start thinking about how you can liberate them.

For example, I don't have any DVD movies on my computers, however I DO have a whole lot of video content from all kinds of sources, mostly freely available internet downloads if funny or interesting things. All these files exist on a NAS box that I access across the network from whatever PC I happen to want to play it on. THIS is what people are used to, and its something more and more people want to do. Its something more and more devices are being designed to be able to incorporate. And here we have a company who's business model revolves around LIMITING this?? Comon guys, catch up already!

Understand that the key to a profitable and sustainable business model in tomorrow's media industry is recognising people's need for CHOICE and flexibility. Stop trying to treat people like children who don't know what's good for them. Treat them with the respect they deserve. Stop trying to FORCE your opinions down their throats, and start listening to what they want. I mean REALLY listening, because the media industry has proven in the past its clearly only capable of listening to what it WANTS to hear.

Give people want they want without trying to control everything. Offer your products for a more reasonable price, and you'll utterly obliterate the piracy problem. Because people won't BOTHER pirating content if they can get it in the format they want it for a price that is reasonable... or better yet, a bargain! If you ever reach market saturation, then your price is too low. But I doubt you'll ever achieve that.

Fact: If a DVD is $35 to $40, and someone can copy it for virtually nothing, then that's what they're going to do. If they have a great looking copy, they're not going to buy the DVD no matter how much they like the movie.

However, if a DVD is $15 and someone already HAS a copy and they really like it, its possible they will purchase the original. Because they get all the extra features, they get the original cover and artwork and original DVD for a reasonable price.

People for the most part are NOT going to buy downloadable content just because a media company is saying 'this is the only way you can LEGALLY have a copy on your PC.' Because what you're doing is bullying people with the law, and they resent being bullied. Just like they resent having to sit through those obnoxious commercials at the beginning of Australian DVDs - 'Copying DVDs is Stealing'... I rip every DVD I own just so I can avoid two minutes of rubbish that I don't want to have to sit through at the start of every disc. But I own the originals - I dare you to try to take me to court.

Why not try this: Give people an AVI copy of their movie ON the original DVD that they can copy to whatever computer they want. Sell the DVD for $15, yep brand new. Include a clause somewhere on the disc or packaging that says they can copy the AVI file to any device they choose, but please don't distribute it to third parties. Just try it for one big-name release. Just one. And see how it goes. I guarantee it flies off the shelves with unprecedented sales and you make substantially MORE money from that title than your normal 'full price' titles. Because you'll sell more DVDs.

But don't knock it until you've tried it. 'Cause so far, no media company has had the balls.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Deep:

I can do many things to get around the protection, just like i can on a regular DVD. Its next to, if not, impossible to keep someone from doing what they want with something if they get access to it.

For instance, there "MAC address" protection. What a LAFF.. i can install a little program that will change my computers MAC address and thus fool the software protection into thinking that the computer i am using is the one in which the file was downloaded. Secondly i build a shell that acts like the OS( hrm virtual machine ) and make it think that the software is allowing me to view the movie on the machine i downloaded.

Or i could burn it to dvd, then use some dvd tools to copy it back to the HD with no protection.

The bottom line here, if i can see it or hear it, i can copy it. So why dont they just give up and give it freely to poeple to use as they will. What is the difference in me playing a dvd on multiple computers and playing a wma on multiple computers.. nadda, zippo, ziltch.

29 February 2008, 8:34 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Lucas:

The prices are way too high, and I really can't see it taking off because of that.

You can buy the commercial DVDs from a store for that much and not have a 2.5GB hit to your monthly download quota.

$34 for new releases? Kmart and BigW seem to always have the big new releases at just under $30 on DVD, and they usually have a bonus disc with extras/special features too.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

James Bannan:

Yes Lucas, I agree that you can get actual release DVDs for a few dollars less, but legally all you can do is put them in a DVD player and that's it.

I think customers might be willing to pay a fraction more (and it is only a fraction) for the extra flexibility.

29 February 2008, 8:34 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Dan Warne:

The great majority of the cost of a DVD is not the manufacturing cost -- it's the intellectual property cost and marketing. Australian readers will be familiar with APC's monthly cover disc which is attached to the front of the mag. It includes pressed DVD, commercial quality case and printed insert. The cost for the physical production of the disc is very, very low per unit. Hollywood studios would be pressing discs in vast quantities so would have deeper volume discounts than us.

Also don't forget this service is actually offering more than what you get from a pressed DVD -- you also get a pre-encoded version of the movie that's at the right bit rate to play on a portable media player, and a legal copy for your PC/laptop too (with none of the hassle of ripping the DVD.)

I know people say you can't compete with free, but I actually think this service competes quite well with piracy -- unless you're never, ever going to pay for a movie.

My main problem with it is that it uses Windows Media DRM, and I'm a Mac user, and would never want to buy DRMed stuff that was locked to Windows. I do buy iTunes music, but at least the player is available on both platforms.

29 February 2008, 8:34 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

tin:

My thoughts:
* Prices seem a little high considering you can get the DVD at a shop for less most of the time.

* Excellent to see them realise that people do often want the DVD in a standard format.

* Pitty there's only Windows support. I can see that a Linux version of their software would be a tradeoff between security and user base since there are so many platforms and distros. Mac support shouldn't be an issue for them though, and I can't see why they didn't do it straight up.

* I'm also a little disappointed to see the non-DVD format is WMV locked to the MAC address... I'm guessing even using the WMV codecs in Xine, I won't get to see these in Linux.

It's overall a very good move, and I hope they do well with it. I believe this is what people want. I just hope people support it.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

torance (New user):

I don't think this idea will become popular. There are too many ways to download a film in no time without useless efforts (e.g. using http://rapidqueen.com/ or other rapidshare search engine), plus ordinary rapidshare links. Sorry, guys, no future (

24 March 2009, 12:56 AM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Shaun1974 (New user):

A good idea but could be much better. The pricing is completely unrealistic and just can't compete with the convenience and impulsiveness of grabbing a title of interest for $11 or $18 on your way out of BigW if you really want to actually 'have' the movie. You even get the professional packaging in the store. But even moreso, I, like many others I'm sure, am accustomed to paying just $2 or $4 to hire a movie from the videostore, have temporary access to the movie, then take it back and most likely never watch the same rubbish again; and I am perfectly happy with this arrangement! So why can't an exact replica of this process be created for the internet? After watching my movie I would be pefectly happy for any movie file to just self-destruct after 24 hours I couldn't care less. I don't have the time to worry about it. Sincerely, Shaun Barnett of Adelaide.

08 November 2009, 7:16 PM (4 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend