Amazon Unbox Video Store Launches 308
andrewl6097 writes "Amazon.com has launched it's Amazon Unbox video store. Looks like about 1300 movies and 350 tv series, at $9.99 and up for movies and $1.99 per TV episode. Downloads come with a DVD quality version and a version more appropriate for portable players (using Windows DRM). Also, videos can be re-downloaded from your Amazon media library. Cool!"
"Cool!" (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:"Cool!" (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:"Cool!" (Score:4, Funny)
Now pardon me while I go back to buying stuff from iTunes...
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I have three questions:
1. Does anyone know what patent number Jeff got for this?
2. Where did he hang the appropriate gold plaque?
3. Where can we buy the preapproved pads he uses to save time & effort?
(I know there's prior art just in Sony's DRM foobar, but I think Jeff would just say this is different because it's for DVDs).
I agree, this sucks - can't transfer b/t comps (Score:5, Informative)
"You can only view the files using Amazon Unbox installed on the computer that originally received the downloads."
So that means if I buy one of these files and burn it on a DVD to transfer it to another computer that I own, I won't even be able to play it on that other computer. I will have to actually download it again from Amazon.com. You can store it on up to 2 computers (and 2 corresponding video players) at any given time, but files can only be played on the computer to which you downloaded it.
So that means if I want to use up to the 2 computer limit, I have to actually download it twice. There is no way to save download time by using alternative transmission methods, like a flash drive or a DVD-R. This sucks.
Remember all the early iTunes-like stores that failed? Although iTunes has DRM, it succeeded in part because its restrictions were less strong than, say, AOL's. I think Amazon.com's is too restrictive.
ITMS could beat it by being nicer about it, at least allowing you to transfer it between computers however you like. Honestly, that restriction doesn't even make sense from a DRM point of view, because you could always just require people to "authorize" a computer like ITMS. Maybe they aren't as skilled at this as Apple is?
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I'll stick with DVD purchases or torrent downloads, thankyouverymuchAmazon.
Re:I agree, this sucks - can't transfer b/t comps (Score:5, Interesting)
i download everything off the net onto my laptop, and then burn &/or otherwise transfer to my other machine (desktop) with a nice big flat panel screen for watching.
this 'locking to one machine' system is completely bass-ackwards and a non-starter...
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this 'locking to one machine' system is completely bass-ackwards and a non-starter...
Yeah, my DVDs aren't tied to a single DVD player (not that They don't wish it were so). Why should downloaded movies be different, especially when they cost nearly the same?
I think people have gotten too used to the portability of radios, LPs, MD players, cassettes, CDs, mp3 players, DVDs, magazines, books, soft drinks, and other smallish physical objects for there to be much traction on such a restrictive system.
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here's how (Score:4, Informative)
1) Every itunes account can be shared by up to 5 computers.
2) an itunes account can be migrated from one computer to another (so if your computer dies your music does not)
3) you can burn an itunes song to a CD which will work on any computer (not sure about the video)
4) you can convert any song with AAC DRM to DRM free using iMovie on a macintosh.
5) you can convert any AAC DRM song to DRM free using Jhymm.
Does that answer your question?
Re:I agree, this sucks - can't transfer b/t comps (Score:4, Insightful)
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If your Windows install tanks every 6 months, you shouldn't be allowed to use a computer as you're clearly a danger to them...
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Best get to my Shrine of Jobs, say a few "Hail Steve"'s and make a quick sacrifice - do you think the blood of 1 or 2 MSCEs will suffice?
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Re:I agree, this sucks - can't transfer b/t comps (Score:4, Informative)
I hope companies look to Divx to realize why restrictive playback is unprofitable.
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Hmm, they lost me at about this point. Laptops are non-portable? As for the rest of the junk, well forgive me Amazon but your average Joe will take no notice and try anything they can, and no doubt end up frustrated when they can't watch their disk on another machine (which since it's the norm for DVD
Re:"Cool!" (Score:5, Interesting)
slashdot is now running accolades for DRM crippled movie downloads? uncool!
The submitter might be a shill. Seems way too obvious in the cheerleading aspect, at least to me. Shall we break down the summary?
"Amazon.com has launched it's Amazon Unbox video store."
Good, if obvious, lead sentence here. It makes sure that the company name is repeated twice, and by using the word "it's" we may get a slight feeling that of "it's amazing" before we read the rest of the product, even if the thought is just subconscious. Interesting, if perhaps unintentional usage of the incorrect "it's" instead of the correct "its", we also may get the feeling doubly reinforced again with the uncontracted "it is amazing".
"Looks like about 1300 movies and 350 tv series, at $9.99 and up for movies and $1.99 per TV episode."
Here we see the information about the service and products, including numbers and prices. This is obviously something that will be brought up in the discussion below, but by introducing the readers to it in the summary, the submitter can keep the content tied to the positive aspects conveyed in the summary. This is in contrast to reading about it below where it is coupled with Slashdot users' negative responses to selection and pricing. No control over those comments, but the initial impression is made.
"Downloads come with a DVD quality version and a version more appropriate for portable players"
Again, more information about the service. Sentence structure gives us the words "quality" and "appropriate", which are rather neutral terms, but may make a positive subconscious impression on the readers. The mentioning of the generic "portable players" does not exclude any type of device on name alone, so it will not alienate potential customers.
"(using Windows DRM)."
Then we come to the most interesting part. By qualifying the "portable players" statement with the phrase "(using Windows DRM)", the submitter may actually gain a small measure of trust from us readers. It is likely based on the demographics of the users of Slashdot. As generally informed people, Slashdot users dislike DRM for both it's technical and philisophical nature. By using parentheses, the submitter seems to be imparting information that is somehow cloaked or not for general public knowledge, like a whispered secret. With these two concepts, we may actually trust the submitter more than we would a normal submission.
"Also, videos can be re-downloaded from your Amazon media library."
Here we get a bit more info on the service itself and another placement of the company name and additional product. We are still possibly affected by the subconscious trust level, so we may have an abnormally positive response to this information. Such as a "Great feature!" reaction instead of an "I should hope so!" reaction.
"Cool!"
This final statement, while seemingly out of place, may be accepted simply because the summary has been crafted to elicit a positive reponse and we may find ourselves in agreement, though there is nothing that special about this company's service. It does have the potential to backfire when the target audience is quick enough that they can pick out the strange concepts, as the other posts already show.
Overall, it's designed to give a positive spin and impression to the service, which will hopefully drive more click-throughs to the site. I've seen plenty of links to the iTunes store, but never went there. I clicked on this link, and I don't even plan to buy anything. I didn't buy anything, but I guess it worked on me to at least go there and check it out.
I'm currently for hire.
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So, let's see... (Score:3, Insightful)
C'mon, I think the way Amazon's store is set up sucks (way to restrictive DRM, no non-Windows support) - but this most certainly qualifies as news.
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Of course not! They're runing accolades for overpriced DRM crippled movie downloads. For example, compare the download of Walk the Line for $20.00 with a 2-DVD special edition [amazon.com] for about the same price.
Attention editors! Please ignore breathless announcements of downloadable media services except in those very rare cases where economic reality is acknowledged.
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And Slashdot still supports "editors" posting launched it's Amazon Unbox.
There are two certainties on Slashdot: interesting stories make for melted servers aka the "Slashdot Effect" and postings using contractions instead of pronoun modifiers (showing possession).
I can barely stand "CD's" instead of "CDs", but when you've got a little time before hitting the [submit] button, it's a bit slack.
I passed a pool hall the other day ("Chalkies" - no smoking - where the Black Widow hangs out) and there was a
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I am sure that we would be bitching less if the offered content would be the more appropriate third of the price.
Now go back to your playgroup.
Marktup (Score:4, Interesting)
Revised (Score:2)
Re:Marktup (Score:5, Interesting)
I thought the summary said that TV shows were 1.99/episode and movies 9.99 and up.
Let me guess? I have to pay for an internet connection. Wait for the download to come down, and store the download. Oh, but I don't even own the copy either due to DRM, right?
For about $40-50/month I get tons of TV episodes with DVR service, the transport mechanism and storage media and no DRM.
I'd say about 1/5 to 1/10th or less of the cost, and I might to on a spree.
I know I'm in the slashdot minority here, but I think I'm still in the majority of the population that actually prefers to watch TV from the couch on a TV with a remote.
From the informal polls I've taken by talking with people, I know of two people who routinely watch TV on the computer, and the rest of the hundreds of people I know still use a television.
why pay for single-OS content? (Score:5, Insightful)
Funny thing is, i *would* pay for non-DRMed movies. I've bought plenty of non-DRM music online.
It deserves to fail, IMHO.
Re:why pay for single-OS content? (Score:5, Insightful)
So basically, rather than balancing customer interests against artist/studio interests, they went wholesale with the artist/studio interests. They'll probably pay for it by not getting a lot of buyers.
Purpose of DRM is to trigger Re-Purchase (Score:5, Insightful)
The current use of DRM is _not_ to protect the artists.
When the artists make pennies to the big publishing companies dollars, it should be obvious who DRM benefits.
The current use of DRM is control:
- control where and how the renter/"buyer" views/listens to the media.
- when the viewer/listener wants to listen/view the media in some other way, The media must be re-purchaced.
- this re-purchacing leads to a more constant money flow, without the need for new material.
- this combined with a near infinite copyright period helps to maximize profit from old works.
As with many things in society today, a very effective, but irresponsible way to make money is to make the product disposible. If the buyer is forced to throw away the DVD/Music/Computer/Phone every so often, more money is to be made.
Re:why pay for single-OS content? (Score:5, Interesting)
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So you punish fans who have multiple playing devices by paying more in the interest of avoiding sharing?
The missus has a CD collection (Yanni and a lot of other things I won't mention), but she has one of two options (she's not going the iPod way):
1. Pack everything up from home, lug it to the SUV, load whatever she wanted to listen to, then haul it in from the parking lot to her office. Meaning: getting her a decent-sized luggage bag with wheels on it.
2. Make copies of each CD and keep them where a
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I agree with other posters that this was rushed out, perhaps in advance of Apple's announcement next week.
Tying the sale of something as simple as a movie to particular hardware is as stupid as the VHS/Beta war. Oops! I forgot about HD/Blu-ray!
Apple's style of DRM that allows me to make an un-DRMmed backup on a Music CD is the only type I'll accept. Anything
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because you are among the tens of millions of home users running Windows or OSX who don't give a damn about cross-platform compatibility?
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Support (Score:5, Insightful)
No support for iPod == dead to the market.
iTunes movies will probably be dead to me too since I live in !USA.
DVDs are cheaper anyway. the entire concept of movie downloads priced the same, or more expensive, as DVDs is retarded.
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Thus if you're paying the same, you're paying too much.
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the DRM nature is a big point but not all of it. DVDs are trivial to lend, borrow and move about.
also materials are nice, or can be. so that's a loss. plus downloads have (higher) storage costs for the end user.
also, I use iTunes for 2 reasons:
1. individual song downloads - doesn't apply to movies.
2. exclusive content (exclusive tracks, individual music videos, out-of-print albums) - doesn't apply to movies.
downloading individual TV shows is w
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Cheaper?? (Score:2)
Sure, *some* moves are the same as their DVD prices. But some are less.
Mostly the new releases are cheaper than new release DVDs. The older stuff, well youc an get that in the bargain bins at Walmart, sure.. but you have to *find them* first.
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Uh, Amazon.com [amazon.com]? At least for me, the full screen DVD (that link) is $13.87. (If they're using differential pricing it may not show the same for you.) Free shipping if you add something else to get over $25.
Interesting, they charge $2 more for the widescreen. I've either never seen that before in brick & mortar stores, or never noticed.
Plays, For Sure! (Score:4, Funny)
From the description about supported devices:
If your device is Plays for Sure compliant it may work, but we cannot guarantee performance on untested devices. (Emphasis mine.)
Dude, so if all of those people with "Plays for Sure" players will send me 20 bucks now, I'll send them 25 on Monday. For Sure!
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boot camp: is it worth rebooting just to buy something from a company that doesn't care about your custom?
parallels: unbox has some pretty hefty requirements. will parallels play it pefectly?
for me, windows on a mac is about necessity or about making me money. not so I can spend money.
FAQ and showstoppers (Mac, Linux, iPods excluded) (Score:5, Informative)
Which includes this showstopper for Mac and Linux users:
Minimum System Requirements
OPERATING SYSTEM: The Unbox Video player application is only compatible with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows XP Professional SP2, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP2, or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Update Rollup 2. The Unbox Video player is not compatible with Apple/Macintosh operating systems.
COMPUTER HARDWARE: A PC with a 1.5-gigahertz (GHz) processor or faster, at least 512MB of memory, and a DirectX 9.0 complaint Video (64 MB Memory) and Sound Card.
INTERNET CONNECTION: Broadband internet connection capable of 800 kbps sustained transfer speeds.
No iPods either:
Can I use Amazon Unbox on my Macintosh or iPod?
Unfortunately, our Amazon Unbox video downloads are not compatible with Apple / Macintosh hardware and computer systems.
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Microsoft(TM)(R)'s Zune(TM)(R) will NOT be compatible with Microsoft(TM)(R)'s Plays For Sure(TM)(R) standard.
Microsoft(TM)(R)'s Plays For Sure(TM)(R) standard MAY be playable with Microsoft(TM)(R)'s Zune(TM)(R).
"Plays for Sure" ... MUHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!! (Score:5, Funny)
So the device claims to play for sure
Re:"Plays for Sure" ... MUHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
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WMV files (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:WMV files (Score:5, Informative)
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maybe for future (Score:2, Redundant)
I got all excited.... shouldn't have. Virtually no shows I care about watching are offered (only one major network, CBS has offerings, unless you include FOX). Even if, the offerings are old shows... shows if I'd cared to watch I'd have (and did) watched long ago courtesy of TiVo or some crappy knockoff (Comcast, anybody?).
That aside, I'm guessing many people will consider this a decent offering (I don't). The next hurdle is:
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Unfortunately, our Amazon Unbox video downloads are not compatible with Apple / MacIntosh hardware and computer systems.
MacIntosh. Yeah.
I also found this funny:
One hour of programming is roughly equal to one gigabyte (1 GB) of file space on your computer... 1-hour TV episode=1.2GB
And the finale:
Some videos encoded with 5.1 surround sound do not sound as good as possible if your PC's sound settings are not configured properly.
Ya think!?!?
amazon movies (Score:4, Interesting)
$10 bucks and up, that's fucking ridiculous. (Score:2, Interesting)
I pay that or less in a movie theater. I pay much less than that to rent or greencine it. Never go but I would bet movies cost less than that at Walmart, esp when on sale.
Oh, and you can eventually get a whole season or two of shows for $40-60.
All the above options lack the DRM feature, so I guess you get what you pay for.
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Steep anime prices... (Score:2)
I'm not sure about the pricing their season passes but the prices for individual episodes are $3.99. In comparison, a DVD costs about $15 and probably has 5 or more episodes. So for approximately the same price...download 4 episodes or buy a DVD?
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"Wonderful" Quotes from the Terms of Use (Score:5, Informative)
"If Amazon changes any part of the Service or modifies license terms applicable to Rental Digital Content or Purchased Digital Content, which it may do in its sole discretion, you acknowledge that you may not be able to access, view, or use Digital Content in the same manner as prior to such changes, and you agree that Amazon shall have no liability to you in such case."
The Software automatically checks for upgrades, but the Software will not automatically upgrade without your consent, except as provided herein. If you do not consent to an upgrade that we make subject to your consent, the Digital Content may no longer be viewed on your Authorized Device."
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beware if you install and want to uninstall (Score:3, Informative)
Feature Missing (Score:5, Insightful)
Won't succeed. Here to stay. (Score:5, Funny)
#5 Firefly
#6 Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley: The Case of the Funhouse Mystery
#8 Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley: The Case of the Volcano Mystery
This proves beyond a shadow of doubt that Slashdot users are a significant part of the early adoption crowd.
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I had a look at the firefly section and the descriptions for the individual television episodes give away all the twists! they should have spoilers for that stuff.
Amazon's lies about why no Mac support (Score:5, Interesting)
from the FAQ:
Unfortunately, Apple Computer Inc. has exclusive rights to the
hardware and software that would make it possible for Amazon.com to
provide Amazon Unbox for these devices. Because of these
restrictions, we are unable to make Amazon Unbox compatible with
these products.
Additional information on using Amazon Unbox and purchasing videos
is available on our Help pages at this URL:
www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?node
now wait just a damn minute - there is NOTHING stopping Amazon from writing software for Mac OS X. nothing. Apple allows anyone to write software for Mac OS X. They do not have exclusive rights to the hardware and software to make this work on the Mac.... Microsoft does.
Micorsoft does not write any software to allow non-Windows operating systems to view Windows Media files. (they used to have Windows Media Player for the Mac - but now, they let a small company write a codec for Quicktime to play non-DRM WMP files - Flip4Mac)
Anyhow - screw Amazon - they are lying. They can write any damn software they want for the Mac - and the iPod will play any mp4 file you want.
Nothing is stopping them from making Mac compantible files - its their own problem that they don't.
Re:Amazon's lies about why no Mac support (Score:4, Informative)
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But no. Windows XP only, it says. Well, screw that.
Someday I
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That may be true, but Apple won't licence the DRM that the iPod will support, which is most likely what they mean. And since they have to release it with DRM, they're forced to use Microsofts, which all in all isn't too bad. It's supported by an overwhelming majority of computers, and pretty much every non-ipod mp3 player.
That, or Real. I think t
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And this is exactly the same as Apple and their DRM. So blame Apple/MS for splitting the market on digital downloads due to differing DRM. So because of something no consumer wants (DRM) our choices of where to go to purchase digital music and video and our choices of what to use for playback have been cut in half. Wheee. Thanks MS! Thanks Apple!
"And for the record, I think Apple should come out against DRM and simply say they have to do it becaues of the record/mo
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Sure there is...lack of economic incentive. The investment required compared to the potential revenue (especially considering that they will be in direct competition with Apple) makes it clearly not worth their while. Apple doesn't want competitors particularly on their platform.
"Micorsoft does not write any software to allow non-Windows operating systems to view Windows Media files."
No surprise there. Amazon gets coverage of virtually t
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First off, it would help to link to the FAQ itself (it's here: www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeI d=161988011). I don't seen any reference to this paragraph in the FAQ.
But let's assume they've changed the FAQ. You leave out the actual "Q" for that answer, but since it talks about "devices" (not computers) one can only assume they're referring to iPod.
In that respect, Amazon is completely right. Apple has that thing completely sealed shut. The only ones who get to
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Bad timing (Score:2)
Windows Media Patch (Score:4, Interesting)
Download DVD quality, but can't burn a DVD from it (Score:3, Interesting)
Absolutely the worst idea, and opens the door extra wide for a certain, slightly balding man in a black mock turtleneck...
Outlaw Star (Score:3, Interesting)
Quoting a certain SciFi flick (Hugo Weaving) (Score:4, Funny)
Blame studios (Score:4, Insightful)
The content owners who set the rules have little relationship with the guys who are providing access to the content. You got a complaint? Buy stock in the content holders and bring it to the shareholders meeting.
There's a reason Apple only has content deals with one studio (I leave it to the general paranoia of this thread to speculate on Jobs' relationship with Disney). It's probably like pulling teeth to get the studios to unclench their sphincters from around those digital copies even in DRM encumbered form.
Non-starter (Score:2)
If the answers to any two of those is "no," this is a non-starter. It's dead out of the gate.
Check the hardware requirement! (Score:2)
and a DirectX 9.0 complaint [sic] Video
Yeah, I'd complain about DirectX too, because I'd prefer OpenGL compliant, but it doesn't do any good. I bet they even passed that through a spell checker, because they did it twice.
Prices seem a tad off (Score:2)
One Great Upside to This Offering... (Score:2)
It never was the price (Score:4, Insightful)
The problem is the DRM. I don't object to DRM on moral grounds, it simply kills the value of the media for me. I own a PSP and a Treo 650, both of which cannot play the media I buy from iTunes (and Amazon). While I do use a Mac as a primary computer, my secondary Linux box would not be able to use it either. I also want the assurance that I can jump platforms at any time, and still be able to play my media. DRM cannot offer me that assurance, and I don't want to be stuck on any operating system/portable media player simply because the DRM is compatable with it. Also, what happens if, in 10 years, Apple runs out of business (anything can happen in the long term) and shuts down the FairPlay servers? All the stuff you bought is gone forever, as your computer can't obtain the keys to decrypt it.
If I pirate the media, however, I get the same thing, simply DRM free, so I can use it on essentially any operating system/device. The files last forever, untill I destory them myself. Thus, the pirated content is better then that which I can buy. If you think there is little enough encouragement to buy media these days, just put yourself in my shoes.
I have used the iTunes video and music store before, using gift cards I often receive as presents. FairPlay isn't horribly restrictive; you can move the DRMed files anywhere, back them up, transfer them to another computer, using conventional drag n' drop methods. And you can play them on Windows and Mac (not Linux, however). In fact, the only restriction that really bothered me was, unfortunately, the biggest: DRM restricts the platforms on which you can use your media.
I don't beleive in the whole "changing culture" thing many people use to justify piracy as something moral. But I believe in DRM even less. Piracy is my only option if I want the latest episode of the Colbert Report on my Treo 650, and I take that route because the companies controlling the media offered me no legal alternative.
DRM, in Reality. (Score:3, Interesting)
It's digital audio, you can always just convert it to mp3 to play it on the stereo right?
So not too long after, he bought a CD online. DRMed. It will never legally play on the audiotron, only on the computer. I went to usenet to get a WORKING version. That's the fundamental problem with buying music online. The music industry wants to use it to impose new restrictions, rather than to expand thier market.
It's easy to feel guilty stealing music. It's hard to feel guilty when I _HAVE_ to break the law to listen to it.
US-only ... As tested by GeoIP. (Score:3, Informative)
Interestingly, that soap-request contains the amazon username and password to do further SOAP GeoIP lookups.
If you were really devious, you'd either proxy that stuff or manipulate the SOAP response. Nobody here is devious, right ?
This is Not How To Do It (Score:3, Interesting)
If Amazon wants to make this actually work, they will sell you the crappy as hell drm'ed digital video AND send you the actual DVD in the mail for the price of the regular DVD. That way you can get the instant gratification and not get ripped off.
Re:....but can I WATCH the things? (Score:5, Informative)
Can I make a DVD from my Amazon Unbox downloads?
You can store your downloaded files on a DVD or other removable computer storage device for the purpose of backup in the same format as the original files. However, any DVDs that you burn with Amazon Unbox files will not be readable by a DVD player. You can only view the files using Amazon Unbox installed on the computer that originally received the downloads..
Basically, this service blows.
Re:iTunes (Score:5, Insightful)
Why will there be a price war when the same interests are behind both sites? The face looks different, but the gizzards are the same.
Re:One problem (Score:4, Funny)
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twitter, is that you?
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MacOS X is also lacking some other bits that MS-DRM uses (like any equivalent of the "protected storage" section of the registry). Not that it really matters, since they obvious