Renting/Buying Movies

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Do you like going out to rent/buy movies or would you rather just do a "pay download", if they were available, instead?

 

Personally, I prefer going out and about to rent or get a movie. Beats staying at home. :) Besides, I like being able to "own" the movie as well, I can watch it on any DVD player I choose. Not against pay-downloads, I just prefer having a physical product.

 

Anywho, what's your preferrence?

[Indy 8]

I prefer going out to rent the movie. Then if I like it well enough, I'll buy it. If I've already seen it in theatres and want it for my collection, I'll just go out and buy it.

 

Pay downloads would have to be a lot easier and a lot better quality before I would consider it. So far, I've either been totally unsuccessful at downloading, or the quality was so bad it wasn't worth watching.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I canceled all of my rental memberships a few years ago. I was constantly getting late fees, I know it was my own fault for that but I never had time to go back to the rental store to return the Video/DVD. I don't know when the last time was that I set foot in a video store. I do however rent DVDs from Netflix. No late fees because there is no set time for the DVDs to be returned. When the time comes (and it will) that rental stores are obsolete and it's done via the push of the button on a remote then I will be happy. The technology is now available to do it but when it gets to the point that the download is instantaneous, you push a button and the movie starts, then it will really take off.

 

So to answer your queston:

 

Do you like going out to rent/buy movies or would you rather just do a "pay download", if they were available, instead?

 

I hate video stores, I love downloads.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Eh, I guess I'm more of a hands on person. I like holding the product, not looking at a computer screen.

[LadyNarana 0]

Netflix is da bomb! For me, they're the only way to rent. Besides, I LOVE movies circa pre-1960, and no video store carries them!

 

I have to watch something before I buy it. The only exception is DS9 - Season Five is coming to my house next week!

 

"I'm so excited, I just can't hide it - I'm about to lose control, and I think I like it!"

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Eh, I guess I'm more of a hands on person.  I like holding the product, not looking at a computer screen.

When you put the DVD in your player are you holding the product or staring at the TV screen? Besides, the new download method that TheUnicornHunter posted about isn't for a computer it's for your TV, and when I download anything on my computer I route it to my TV for viewing.

 

It's not a matter of "hands on", it's a matter of having better things to do with your time then to waste it traveling to a rental store. While it's true that I haven't been working for the past several months when I do work I work very odd hours, which means I sleep very odd hours. Rental stores aren't open after midnight, at least not in Hampton Roads Virginia anyway so that excludes me from being able to go to the rental store on days that I work. If I go on my days off then I have to return the DVDs on days I work. So given an option to do it from home or deal with the hassel of a rental store I'll pick doing it from home every time.

 

It's really more a matter of "forward" thinking, embracing technology and the future rather then being "hands-on" or "Hands-off".

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Netflix is da bomb!  For me, they're the only way to rent.  Besides, I LOVE movies circa pre-1960, and no video store carries them!

 

I have to watch something before I buy it.  The only exception is DS9 - Season Five is coming to my house next week!

So far I've only rented TNG, DS9 and From the Earth to the Moon from Netflix but I love their service, it is SO much better then driving to a video store (for me). Sure I wish it worked a little faster like a download would but I can live with this until the downloads take hold.

 

I can't wait for season 6 in a couple weeks!

 

"I'm so excited, I just can't hide it - I'm about to lose control, and I think I like it!"

 

Now lets not start THAT again! :) :)

[mr_tinkles 0]

I canceled all of my rental memberships a few years ago. I was constantly getting late fees, I know it was my own fault for that but I never had time to go back to the rental store to return the Video/DVD.

Same here.I gave up my membership to Blockbuster and Hollywood Video about 3-years ago.

I looked into downloading films,but decided against it.I'll just go to the movies and buy DVD's,same as always.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

When you put the DVD in your player are you holding the product or staring at the TV screen? Besides, the new download method that TheUnicornHunter posted about isn't for a computer it's for your TV, and when I download anything on my computer I route it to my TV for viewing.

 

It's not a matter of "hands on", it's a matter of having better things to do with your time then to waste it traveling to a rental store. While it's true that I haven't been working for the past several months when I do work I work very odd hours, which means I sleep very odd hours. Rental stores aren't open after midnight, at least not in Hampton Roads Virginia anyway so that excludes me from being able to go to the rental store on days that I work. If I go on my days off then I have to return the DVDs on days I work. So given an option to do it from home or deal with the hassel of a rental store I'll pick doing it from home every time.

 

It's really more a matter of "forward" thinking, embracing technology and the future rather then being "hands-on" or "Hands-off".

That's true, either way, I'm watching it on TV. However, I watch my ENT & SG-1 downloads on my PC, not the TV. They're in different rooms. As for DVD's, the reason why I prefer them is becuase you don't have to access the "TV net" or download, you can just pop them in and go, you can also take it to a friend's house, watch it on your PC, your laptop, while on a play between departure and destination, and so forth. This is why I don't like downloads. You can't "take it with you".

 

Most people I know have no problem getting their rentals back on time. Besides, you may see it as "being a hassle, driving to the video store", I see it as getting out of the house and actually doing something vs. staying at home and sitting in the PC chair. However, becuase there are people like you, I think the media should go for "both" DVD's and Pay-Downloads and not pick one over the other.

 

It's not a matter of forward thinking, it's a matter of me not liking pay-downloads. If I'm going to go to the trouble of downloading something, I expect to keep it. The reason why I'm "hands on" is so I can take it with me if I want to watch it somewhere else instead of on my living room TV.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

In-demand

 

We still buy movies on DVD but when cash is short we use the video store. That is cheapest except when we forget to take them back, late charges can quickly add up to more than we would have paid to buy the thing in the first place.

 

Our more expensive options are 1st. To wait a while longer (after DVD release) until it begins playing on In-demand pay-per-view, (which is one button convenient, movies can be restarted, paused, FFed or rewound for 24 hours after purchase and of course can be recorded onto VHS or DVD recorders if you have one.

 

Or 2nd. Continue to wait (another month or two) until the film begins playing on one of the premium movies channels.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Off Topic post: Do you think it's worth getting cable TV if one only watches 4 TV shows?

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Are the shows you want to watch available to you any other way? (broadcast) If so then I say no, you don't need cable.

 

We made the choice to get cable (a long time ago) because that was the only way we could receive the one cable channel we really wanted, (the Discovery channel.) Seems we made the right choice, over time the only Discovery channel show that has trickled down to a local broadcast station is "Discovery Kids".

 

Cable TV has come a long way for us since then, yes it's true there are lots of slimy shows and programs but the cable companies are very accommodating towards helping us block what we don't want to see on our screens and as a result, we have tons of "Discovery channel" type programming available to us 24 hours without fear of switching 'accidentally' to an offending station.

 

But if you have absolutely no desire to explore the wealth of (clean and morale) programming, which can be obtained from cable and are determined to stick with your 4 shows which are available to you [eventually] through syndication then you have no need for cable.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Actually, 3 of them are first run syndication, only one of them is a cable show, and that's SG-1.

 

Anywho, I don't want my money going to those "slimy shows", so I think I'll stick with broadcast for now. :)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

This is why I don't like downloads.  You can't "take it with you".

Who says you can't take downloads with you? Who knows how the future will utilize this technology? You are thinking too much "in the box".

 

Most people I know have no problem getting their rentals back on time.  Besides, you may see it as "being a hassle, driving to the video store", I see it as getting out of the house and actually doing something vs. staying at home and sitting in the PC chair.  However, becuase there are people like you, I think the media should go for "both" DVD's and Pay-Downloads and not pick one over the other.

 

How many people do you know that work till 12am and don't get home toll 1am? When I am working I have very little time during "normal business hours" to do anything. So it's not a matter of "people like me not wanting to get out of the house to actually do something rather then sit in a PC chair." It's a matter of "I work therefore I can't go to these stores when they are open." Not everyone that despises going to rental stores or have trouble getting the movies back on time are "lazy bums" that would rather "sit at their computers all day".

 

As for picking one over the other, that will be done by the public. If 100,000,000 people download and 10,000 people go to rental stores nationwide which do you think will win out?

 

It's not a matter of forward thinking, it's a matter of me not liking pay-downloads.  If I'm going to go to the trouble of downloading something, I expect to keep it.  The reason why I'm "hands on" is so I can take it with me if I want to watch it somewhere else instead of on my living room TV.

 

This last quote shows that there is indeed a lack of forward thinking at play here. You are latching onto the idea that a download is a "temporary" thing that you can't keep, you aren't considering the possibilities of what the future can bring. With DVD burners and DVD recorders stepping forward the way they are it's only logical to see the potential for you to be able to BUY a movie, download it (Special features and all) and record it to a DVD.

 

Limited thinking only limits our possibilities, think outside of the box. Don't be afraid to color outside of the lines.

[LadyNarana 0]

Netflix is da bomb!  For me, they're the only way to rent.  Besides, I LOVE movies circa pre-1960, and no video store carries them!

 

I have to watch something before I buy it.  The only exception is DS9 - Season Five is coming to my house next week!

So far I've only rented TNG, DS9 and From the Earth to the Moon from Netflix but I love their service, it is SO much better then driving to a video store (for me). Sure I wish it worked a little faster like a download would but I can live with this until the downloads take hold.

 

I can't wait for season 6 in a couple weeks!

 

"I'm so excited, I just can't hide it - I'm about to lose control, and I think I like it!"

 

Now lets not start THAT again! :) :)

Season 6?? A couple of WEEKS?? Grumble, grumble, gripe, gripe...I just sold a bunch of stuff on EBay so I could afford a cheaper Season 5! Whew...looking around...more stuff's gotta go..... :)

 

Signed - a lifelong, hereditary pack-rat

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Season 6??  A couple of WEEKS??  Grumble, grumble, gripe, gripe...I just sold a bunch of stuff on EBay so I could afford a cheaper Season 5!  Whew...looking around...more stuff's gotta go..... :)

 

Signed - a lifelong, hereditary pack-rat

Yep, season 6 is due out on November 4th then season 7 on December 2nd.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

There are a lot of movies I am only interested in seeing once so rental is by far the best route (as opposed to buying).

 

As for downloads versus going to the store - I'm thinking more along the line of pay per view on cable - no download - just order the movie and it's there. Only the moviebeam service doesn't make you wait until a specific time.

 

CJLP, I've got to wonder if you work a full forty hour week - because most people that do - love to go home. I have spent an entire weekend before going no further than the mailbox - I just don't get enough of those. And VBG is right - video stores aren't always open when it is convenient. For me the fact that they don't open until 10:00 is annoying. Some times my only chance to watch a movie is at 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday.

 

I believe VBG's ideas are forward thinking because people are coming to expect more flexibility and think out of the box ideas with their technology.

 

I'm also in the same situation as Lady Narana - the video stores don't carry the movies I want to see. Fortunately some of them show up on one of the cable movie channels. I checked Netflix and it didn't have some of the movies I want to see either.

 

As for cable - it's obviously well worth it to those that have it.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

As for downloads versus going to the store - I'm thinking more along the line of pay per view on cable - no download - just order the movie and it's there.  Only the moviebeam service doesn't make you wait until a specific time.

That's how I envision it in the future. Right now at our present state of technology "download" means logging on to the internet, going to a site or service and clicking on something to make it transfer to your computer and that can take hours or longer. In the future I think it will be as simple as Pay Per View or On Demand. You use your TV and your TV remote. You select what you want to see and in a matter of seconds it's in your home ready to view. You would also have the option (if you bought the movie/show) of burning it to a DVD or other form of media that may be developed.

 

Now I'm sure the argument will be made that it (the disc) won't look as pretty as a store bought DVD and you don't get all the neat packaging but those things are minor considerations. The labels and inserts could easily be made available to anyone that wants them to go along with the movie.

 

Then there's the argument of going out to a store as an event of the day. Sure some will want that, and if (as I suspect there will be) there are enough people to continue supporting that then physical stores will not vanish.

 

Today's society though is a 24 hour a day 7 day a week society. Those of us that don't live our lives by the "normal" business hours are pretty well left out in the cold a lot of times. I stand by my prediction that this kind of technology will one day dominate in some form or another.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Most people I know have no problem getting their rentals back on time.  Besides, you may see it as "being a hassle, driving to the video store", I see it as getting out of the house and actually doing something vs. staying at home and sitting in the PC chair.  However, becuase there are people like you, I think the media should go for "both" DVD's and Pay-Downloads and not pick one over the other.

 

How many people do you know that work till 12am and don't get home toll 1am? When I am working I have very little time during "normal business hours" to do anything. So it's not a matter of "people like me not wanting to get out of the house to actually do something rather then sit in a PC chair." It's a matter of "I work therefore I can't go to these stores when they are open." Not everyone that despises going to rental stores or have trouble getting the movies back on time are "lazy bums" that would rather "sit at their computers all day".

However, becuase there are people like you...

Sorry, I ment to infer that there's people like you with unusual work hours, I didn't mean to imply that you're lazy or never go outside. I'll word my posts more carefully next time. :)

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Let me add one more thought. As I've stated before I live in a small town. Right now I actually live two blocks from the main thoroughfare of town..the one short stretch of highway that has nearly every business in town including Blockbuster. For the rest of the county coming in to town is an excursion. The beauty of technology is that now you can live in a rural environment and have access to the same services as the rest of the nation.

 

In fact - this could be a whole new thread but I wonder if the internet and other technology might fuel a return to rural living.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Let me add one more thought.  As I've stated before I live in a small town.  Right now I actually live two blocks from the main thoroughfare of town..the one short stretch of highway that has nearly every business in town including Blockbuster.  For the rest of the county coming in to town is an excursion.  The beauty of technology is that now you can live in a rural environment and have access to the same services as the rest of the nation. 

 

In fact - this could be a whole new thread but I wonder if the internet and other technology might fuel a return to rural living.

Good point, I've just gotten so used to it that I hadn't even factored that in but for me to "run up to Blockbusters" would mean going out for at least an hour and that's only of I go there and right back. I live 25 minutes from the nearest Blockbuster so just in driving time that's 50 minutes alone. Then factor in gas and the headache of traffic it's just a huge hassle, then you have to go do the same thing all over again a few days later to return the discs/tapes. No thank you.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

What happens to people who "like" going to Blockbuster and Multimedia stores?

[VaBeachGuy 12]

What happens to people who "like" going to Blockbuster and Multimedia stores?

What do you mean what happens "to" them? I would assume that they would "go to Blockbusters."