Another Hit on Blu-ray: Toshiba Backs Movies on Memory Cards

[admin]

Next week should see the launch of a new media delivery system, this one using kiosks that download music and flicks to memory cards. The kiosks will start with single music tracks and then DVD-quality movies, but will eventually dump HD-quality films onto SD cards that can be plugged into set-top players or even TVs.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/daves-download/2008/12/31/another-hit-on-blu-ray-toshiba-backs-movies-on-memory-cards.html

[drfsupercenter]

How is that different from me sticking a video file on an SD card myself?

But it sounds cool - I'm glad someone's sticking it to the man and actually showing that encoded video is still A-OK

[admin]

The main story is about the kiosks, which will be able to store thousands of movies as opposed to how many discs that your local store has space for. Of course, everything will be DRM protected, and right now, it's all probably only playable on the computers (like the "digital copy" that some DVDs and Blu-rays now come with) at the moment.

[drfsupercenter]

So it's like those DVD rental machines at the grocery stores?

I guess for people familiar with encoding, such a service wouldn't be useful at all. I could just make my own digital copy and not worry about DRM (Same goes with "Digital Copy")

[dr_ml422]

I'm lost on this digital copy only computer thing. Every disc I have is playable on a stand alone. As is any other disc. The kiosks is pretty cool concept though. Wonder how much $$$ to use them, and what limit to download?

[admin]

Right now, the digital copies are for viewing on computers and portable media players. The reason why people want them on computers is that they can store hundreds of movies on their computer or home theater PC and have instant access to them without having to find and insert a disc. With the media management features of Windows Media Center and similar software (such as covers, organized by category, user generated ratings), it makes it very easy to search for movies to watch.

Eventually, standalones will be available to watch them without needing a computer (it should already be possible on game consoles), either streaming off your computer/network drive, or being stored directly into the standalone.

The whole point is to have a digital movie library, where all your movies are stored on a hard-drive (with redundancy features, to prevent data loss) and can be accessed through a few clicks of your remote. No need to have cabinets full of discs and to sort them alphabetically, and then using a movie organizer software/websites to organize them - it's all done through software. The movies themselves can be delivered to the user on discs like currently, or through downloads/streaming, or kiosks/flash memory.

This is a natural development because the media to hold the digital data should never be more important than the digital data itself. For example, would you care if you got a ZIP file on a CD, DVD or flash memory, or through downloads? No you wouldn't. But with movies, presently you have to care because the media format determines where and how you can play the movie, plus DRM and licensing and all that. There will be a point in the future where the media won't be important anymore, because there are many ways to deliver digital content and you end up with the same data regardless of how you go them.

[dr_ml422]

I got it now. I just was thrown off by the term digital copies. Same thing but on different medium. I'm dying for the time to come when you'll be able to store a huge amount of digital files in some stand alone or other player. Right now I'm backing up my collection onto 2 drives. 1000 and 500 gigs respectively. Running out of space w/all the discs just like you suggested. Also very much easier to just click on file and point to a player. I can't wait until the solid state drives come to fruition as a established standard and proven product, along w/a decent price and storage space.

Matter of fact I'm multi-tasking as we post storing and burning my collection. I'm going to have to really decide though which flics I really want to keep because it's getting ridiculously large. On the other hand I barter w/friends so that's where the different genres come into effect even though I might not cater to them much. That ps3 stores them already and is internet ready, but about 4500 large, not right now. I'm looking at a HDTV set here soon. Time Warner just cut about 6 channels that were on the arm and are now charging for them. The Yes Network included.

Fios is coming. The heat is on together w/the economic crisis.

[rago88]

I guess that's not for me...

I have over 700 movies on dvd that I have watched 1x over the years and If I ever go into that library to re-watch a second time, it's very very rare....
why?
Cable with a gazillion channels, on demand "watch when you want", DVR player to record all week and then try to find the time to watch the lastest dvd's I get just 1x is a scheduling feat along with visiting all my forums like this one for latest/greatest info.

the ability to store hundreds of movie I'll prob never watch more than the original 1st time doesn't mean anything to me But for those that do I can see the advantages of smaller media storage and also the hobbies of movie collectors.
technology marches on with or without us..
PS:
GO EAGLES!!!!!

[UncasMS]

storing gazillions of movie files clashes with my idea of watching DECENT quality movies in terms of video AND audio quality

[dr_ml422]

Hi rago So you're limited by the on demand on cable and what's available, or is there a library there also to choose what to record and when? I never used it so don't know anything about that. If you're limited to what's available then even 1 time is pretty much ok to have it stored somewhere. better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

I'm cutting down myself on the amount I pick up, and am in the process of backing them up now on a few hd's. Even though I might not watch them more than once or twice, there's tons more out there that I will, and since I barter my collection comes in handy. ie: My friend has about 200 of the best kung fu flics old and new. He drops 50 at a time to me, and I reciprocate. I do understand the time constraints of even watching one though. I recently decided to catch up by setting apart some quality time daily to do so. The different forums do keep me busy also, and as a matter of fact I haven't even really read a full newsletter from some I subscribe too. I get you on that point clearly.

[rago88]

well, with Comcast cable,
on-demand has a library of hundreds of movies which are free to watch whenever you choose to.
If you subscribe to any preminum services such as HBO/SHO, Cinamax etc, well then you have access to a few hundred more movies including tv shows, series, History channel, discovery, Nat Geo, and many many more..
It actually takes a good 20 minutes to check out all things available that can be watched, stopped, started again next day where u left off....
talk about convenient...

This is NOT counting having a DVR cable box which lets you record any tv show or movie [actually 2 shows at a time] that is scheduled from now to a year from now..
basically you choose to set a series recording and it will record that series or show forever untill you choose not to.
Getting a bit off subject here but just giving you an example of "24hrs in a day just isn't enough" anymore to do it all let alone set aside at least 90-120 minutes to catch a movie you have not seen yet or read up on all the forums you are a member of... this being contingent on your having access to all of the above "Get it now " contraptions... and were not even talking Computer Internet movie viewing..

[dr_ml422]

I hear you on this one. I'm guessing you're paying a flat rate though for the DVR options and all the premium channels, and digital telephone if you threw that in as well. Oh, and the internet through Comcast as well. Now that's worth a yard at least maybe more. I'm waiting for Fios to hurry up and get to the inner city here in NYC. Time Warner s@#ks. Fios is taking a bit long because they actually are tearing up the streets and installing pure new fiber optics. No compressed nonsense through old cables like Time Warner.

You know I couldn't agree more w/you. Even w/all the toys sometimes there just isn't enough time. Thnx very much for the info on this. I've been using a complementary box if you know what I mean, and just 2 days ago woke up to the number of where to call for several channels. Oh well it had to end some day. Lol...

[rago88]

I'm guessing you're paying a flat rate though for the DVR options and all the premium channels, and digital telephone if you threw that in as well. Oh, and the

Convenience don't come cheap these days..
Actually, our Cable bill is 129.00 month.. Bucks County, Pa..
this includes all the premium channels, hbo sho max starz, In-demand, rental for 2 HD cable boxs,[1 being a HD DVR box] and tax on top of tax..
and all the cable channels available except sports packages and pay adult channels..
Verizon DSL high speed 3k internet is 29.00 month and our phone service is strictly cell phone..

Getting back to cable, it comes out to a bit over $4.00 a day for 24 hr entertainment..
my friends pay more than that for a Starbucks Latte [which is gone in 10 minutes ] whereas my 4.00 a day habit keeps on giving 24/7...
We rarely go out to a movie anymore so this is well worth it for us..
Just skipping 1 dinner out a week for 2 more than pays for it..
[and of course that dinner is gone by nites end too..lol

With the economy the way it is, and everyone cutting back on spending, I figure having a big HD tv, 6.1 surround audio, and more than enough programing than We can watch, staying home instead of out spending money is not a hardship around our home..
Thank god it's 2009 and not the 1930's depression with only a radio for entertainment..
This ain't too bad while we weather the financial storm the country is in..

[dr_ml422]

Yeah I figured you prolly had at least most of the package these cable companies offer. I too have Verizon DSL. My contract was up so I negotiated a new one for about the same deal as the last promotion. They upgraded me to 1mb and I think 12 or $14.99 first 6 mos, and $17.99 the next 6. I too mostly eat in nowadays not only to save, but I'd rather get a better cooked home meal than gobs of msg or w/e is out there. I would jump on the cell ,but transportation here is great and no need for a vehicle. If I had a pretty busy business than yes it would have to be a necessity. I'll hold out as long as I could w/this box I have, and if everything completely shuts down on the Digital inception date then I'll pull the trigger on what's available. Hopefully soon Fios will be here. I could care less about the NY1 channel from Time Warner. Verizon's been very good to me. I also mostly like to stick w/the main leaders in a given field in my area. I tried getting a lower rate on my electric by going to some other outfit besides Con Edison, and it was a mess. They're a bunch of crooks too, but I'd rather have them as anyone else has to go through them anyway.

I experimented w/Net Zero as my isp and it was slow. Then of course they're buying blocks from verizon, so I just cancelled and went straight to the source. Verizon DSL is pretty good. I could just imagine Fios. Everyone I've talked to that has it is definitely satisfied.

OTN we'll know by about 4 or 4:30 where the NFC championship game will be. Enjoy the game.

[drfsupercenter]

Isn't it technically illegal to record stuff like HBO?

That being said, do the DVRs even care? I find it funny that the cable companies give people these DVRs, which can blatantly be used to record copyrighted stuff. Of course, they think it's impossible to transfer the contents of your DVR to your computer, but what they don't know can't hurt them