Blockbuster OnDemand en route to Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and home theater systems
By Ross Miller 
posted Jul 14th 2009 1:10AM
posted Jul 14th 2009 1:10AM
posted Jul 14th 2009 1:10AM
The percentage of returned gadgets that have nothing wrong with them.
Of the $13.8 billion worth of returned products in 2007, only 5 percent were because gadgets were actually broken, according to a 2008 study.
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The mention of BlockBuster made me long for the ability to mod down an article.
BlockBuster can't fail fast enough for me.
The mention of BlockBuster made me long for the ability to mod down an article.
BlockBuster can't fail fast enough for me.
Who cares... Few use BlockBuster (still not sure why over Netflix). Is this in addition to built in Netflix or instead of? No Netflix=FAIL!
Does this mean it will be on PS3? If so, I'd be happy since I do use them instead of Netflix. And if they do go under (likely), then I'd be surprised if Netflix didn't snap up their online business during the fire sale.
I wouldn't count on the PS3, one of the reasons why NetFlix hasn't made its way onto the PS3 is because of the costs for developers to put anything on the PS3, Blockbuster can't afford to pay Sony to get their added services which haven't increased their business any added to the PS3. Sooner or later Sony is going to have to face the facts that expanded services which they are providing are going to have to be charged to the consumers because companies don't want to pay for free services which they may or may not make any money at... go check out demo fees and the PS3.
What about older Samsung TVs from say 2008? LOL
I don't get all the negativity towards BlockBuster. I have been a netflix subscriber for several years. I would watch 3-4 movies/mo. This summer I had a lot going on so i canceled my sub to Netflix. Just this past weekend I wanted to watch a movie. Went to BB and rented a bluray $2.50 for 1 night.
sure Netflix is cheaper but if you only watch a few movies/yr or mo it is much cheaper than a monthly sub.
It was convenient, quick, and they had a good selection of BD. What is so bad?
First one that gets on PS3 gets my biz.
I am on Netflix for now, but if Blockbuster beats them to the punch, I'll switch.
Not sure if Blockbuster will change their online download selection / prices to be more competitive with Netflix...
Currently, there's only a handful of free "Movies" to download (10 in the Buy section and 15 in the Rent section) - and these aren't even real movies, they're just featurettes or dvd extra type stuff. The rest of the real Movies are going for around $3.99 to rent and $17 - $20 to buy.
If you're already a Blockbuster By Mail or Blockbuster Total Access member, like Netfilx, you get your movies by mail. But unlike Netflix, I can't stream any movies or TV shows for free. I have to spend more money to stream the same movie I could get free in the mail. This just seems silly! It seems obvious by now that the online rental model that mails the movie or lets you stream it, is the way the market is, or already has, headed. If blockbuster wants to just get in on the pay per view VOD business - good luck - I can already get this service from my cable/satellite provider or iTunes or my PS3 or my XBox 360 or Amazon or Vudu, etc..
Unfortunately, this looks like another late-to-the-game attempt by Blockbuster to try and play ball in an already very crowed arena.
Plus, I can't watch any of their online content on a Mac. They drone on and on about how the movie studios require them to use MS DRM. Um, I guess they've never heard of iTunes or Netflix or Amazon - all of which work perfectly fine on a Mac!
End Rant.
In the current CRTC inquiries about network management methods, such as throttling P2P, Zip.ca told the panel that it costs several times more to stream a movie online than it does to send a DVD by mail. Zip.ca which is like Netflix in the US for Canada uses a P2P multicast protocol for streaming. If Netflix has made the same conclusion that may explain the additional charges for streamed content over the free mailed.
I've said it before, but until manufacturers begin offering an online rental feature that works in every region I'm not interested. I don't care if it's Netflix, Block Buster, Zip.ca, or whatever else comes down the road I just want it to work where I live. If it doesn't then you had better not charge me as a customer for a feature I cannot use.