Blockbuster Trials SD Card Rental Kiosks

[admin]

Blockbuster has started renting movies on SD cards. The $1.99 rentals expire after 30 days if unwatched, and expires 48 hours after the first viewing, all courtesy of DRM.

Blockbuster says this is better than the more convenient and better supported Netflix as the picture quality is supposedly better, and possibly better than DVDs.

It is unknown what format the videos will be in, and how big they are, but given the claims about picture quality, higher capacity SD cards may be required. Why Blockbuster did not go with USB thumb drives is another question, although it may be linked to the DRM measure being deployed.

More:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=9325

[drfsupercenter]

Interesting.

Any word which stores are doing this? If they have it around here I might head over there and check it out - mainly for the movie but also to provide more detailed information

[Budreaux]

I'm betting it is MP4 or MKV format, basically the same format just different compatibility.

I don't want to sound like a broken record and keep repeating myself, but 2gb is enough to obtain those results. I've been doing this format for a while now and watch mine on a 50" plasma and the quality is wonderful.

[drfsupercenter]

Can you DRM-encrypt MP4 or MKV though?

I'd be all for MKV, or AVI (99% the same thing), but there's no way they'll do it since you can't DRM it, so it's probably Windows Media or similar.

[dr_ml422]

I saw the Blockbuster machine yesterday in Duane Reades which was recently taken over by Walgreens. I didn't go see it up close to know what format it's using. I would presume it's not discs though as they would run out too quickly.

Anyone want to update this further please do. It was interesting to finally see this.


Ok so I went to Duane Reade and checked out the Blockbuster machine. It's not SD digital as supposedly proposed. It's $1.00 a day DVD Disc Rentals. So as far as physical discs leaving us any time soon forget about it.

I didn't get into what the deal was to get them. I would suppose CC/Debit card at the least. Now I could just see many keeping the discs and then complaining to their CC that they weren't any good etc... All these experiments will eventually make way for Digital Service online or w/e. Rent just to mention 1 thing goes up and many of these stores just can't cut it. At least here in NYC they can't. Many BB'S have closed already as have other businesses.