I believe that if either XBL,VUDU,Apple TV,Netflix,PSN or any other company can supply a longer viewing window will start to see big benefits.

lol. All it takes is 12 more hours, huh?

I believe Netflix already has an unlimited viewing window, since it's included in your normal membership so you can view it as many times as you want at no additional fee.

Netflix wins!:rolleyes:

If an download service blockbuster or Netflix would offer downloads for new releases and give an 36 to 48 hr window they would lead in the DL industry

id much rather they give us new movies and charge more for it.... time limits of any kind are lame.

If an download service blockbuster or Netflix would offer downloads for new releases and give an 36 to 48 hr window they would lead in the DL industry

I don't understand this thought process. I always hear the 24 hour window is "lame" but how many people don't watch the movie in one sitting?

Now, before you answer that, I admit there have been times when I watch 1/2 movie and fall asleep and finish it the next evening (which would be outside of the 24 hour window, which is why a 36 hour window is appealing to me). However, even I realize that is the exception rather than the norm, and this would only apply to a very small (comparatively) number of people or viewings.

I just hardly think the viewing window will determine success, and it has more to do with the quality, speed, price, and titles available (not necessarily in that order). Netflix has the speed and price right, but they are definitely lacking on titles (no new titles) and quality (no HD). AppleTV and Vudu have newer titles and HD, but they are lacking in the price department (still a PPV scheme rather than a monthly fee structure).

There's just not an all-in-one provider that I can see at the moment, but I think NF will the first there once they start doing HD and newer titles. In the fall, they'll also have the advantage of 360 owners (who have NF accounts) which will give a decent number of households with capable devices...i.e. no new "box" to be bought and hooked up. I just wish they'd hurry up with the HD stuff.

Now, before you answer that, I admit there have been times when I watch 1/2 movie and fall asleep and finish it the next evening (which would be outside of the 24 hour window, which is why a 36 hour window is appealing to me). However, even I realize that is the exception rather than the norm, and this would only apply to a very small (comparatively) number of people or viewings.I disagree. I think that it's probably fairly common for people to fall asleep or get unavoidably called away when viewing films and not have time to finish it in a single evening. I haven't rented a disc in a brick-and-mortar for a long time, but I recall that Blockbuster gave you until midnight on the day that it was due back, so you always had the evening that you rented the film and the next evening in which to complete it.

I don't even think that 36 hours is necessary--28 hours would do. Many people have busy evenings after work and can't sit down to watch until 8:00 PM and need to be in bed by 11. If they fall asleep on a film they probably won't be able to start watching again until 8 PM the next evening, when the 24 hours has elapsed. An additional 4 hours or so is all that's really needed.

I just got burned by this this evening--just to try it out, I downloaded The Bank Job in HD from the Playstation Store (I reviewed the experience in this (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14621837#post14621837) post). I did it at around 7 PM Sunday and watched 10 or 15 minutes of it to judge sound and picture quality immediately after, before getting distracted and not getting back to it that evening. I remembered it and started watching again at 6 PM today, only to have playback stop in the middle, informing me that the content had expired :rolleyes:.

I disagree. I think that it's probably fairly common for people to fall asleep or get unavoidably called away when viewing films and not have time to finish it in a single evening. I haven't rented a disc in a brick-and-mortar for a long time, but I recall that Blockbuster gave you until midnight on the day that it was due back, so you always had the evening that you rented the film and the next evening in which to complete it.

I don't even think that 36 hours is necessary--28 hours would do. Many people have busy evenings after work and can't sit down to watch until 8:00 PM and need to be in bed by 11. If they fall asleep on a film they probably won't be able to start watching again until 8 PM the next evening, when the 24 hours has elapsed. An additional 4 hours or so is all that's really needed.

I just got burned by this this evening--just to try it out, I downloaded The Bank Job in HD from the Playstation Store (I reviewed the experience in this (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14621837#post14621837) post). I did it at around 7 PM Sunday and watched 10 or 15 minutes of it to judge sound and picture quality immediately after, before getting distracted and not getting back to it that evening. I remembered it and started watching again at 6 PM today, only to have playback stop in the middle, informing me that the content had expired :rolleyes:.

With a physical rental the longer you keep a copy the fewer times the store can rent it to someone else, at least without having more inventory. But with a download it is hard to imagine it costs the vendor anything else at all so you would think they would seriously consider 28-48 hours. I wonder if the studio licenses hinder this somehow? If so, it's stupid and probably lowers total revenue for all involved.

- Tom