PSound
07-10-09, 03:39 PM
Digital copy use is increasing, especially on Blu-ray Disc, but as the high-definition format is brought into more households, a potential hiccup is developing with transferable files.
A fine-print detail with many digital copies that are embedded on discs says that in order to be viewed, the files must be transferred from the discs to a computer or portable device within about 12 months of the release date. Once they’re transferred, the digital copies can be played indefinitely, but if they aren’t activated by the deadline, they’re rendered useless. It’s unclear whether digital copies that must be downloaded are affected by the deadline, but nowadays, most studios embed copies on discs.
With DVD, that’s generally not a problem, as more than half a new release title’s units, which usually carry digital copies, are bought by consumers in the first few weeks, giving plenty of time for transfers to be activated. However, Blu-ray new releases sit on shelves longer.
Fearful of angering consumers who unknowingly miss out on activating a copy, particularly on Blu-ray titles, a number of retailers wish studios would do more to stretch transfer deadlines.
One key reason studios limit the activation period is to cut down on labor needed to help make the transfer run smoothly for consumers.
But continued adoption of Blu-ray means new release titles are often picked up by consumers months after their initial release.
At Amazon.com, for instance, Warner Home Video’s Blu-ray digital-copy-enhanced The Dark Knight recently ranked No. 76 among the site’s overall bestsellers, while the title’s standard DVD/digital-copy counterpart ranked No. 427. There was a similarly wide high-def/standard discrepancy for Disney’s WALL-E.
“There appears to be a short list of quintessential Blu-rays (i.e. Planet Earth, Dark Knight, Iron Man, Transformers) that remain on our top seller list as new Blu-ray customers look to these titles as the foundation of their Blu-ray library,” said Laura Orvidas, director and category leader for movies at Amazon.
InMotion Entertainment’s Blu-ray titles sell 20% to 25% of units the first week on shelves, compared to 40% to 45% for DVD versions.
“You do see that with Blu-ray, the big spectacle movies will stay sale-priced for a while and be in prime positioning for four to five months,” added Steve Torr, director of software purchasing at InMotion.
Blu-ray consumers also are more likely to use digital copy than standard-def consumers, leading retailers to especially want files to be available for transfer as long as possible. Warner has determined that Blu-ray digital copies have twice the uptake rate as standard-definition copies.
Amazon is among retailers working to notify people about digital copy activation terms. In an FAQ section, the site warns that The Dark Knight copy must be transferred by Dec. 9, one year after its initial bow, to be workable.
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6670116.html
A fine-print detail with many digital copies that are embedded on discs says that in order to be viewed, the files must be transferred from the discs to a computer or portable device within about 12 months of the release date. Once they’re transferred, the digital copies can be played indefinitely, but if they aren’t activated by the deadline, they’re rendered useless. It’s unclear whether digital copies that must be downloaded are affected by the deadline, but nowadays, most studios embed copies on discs.
With DVD, that’s generally not a problem, as more than half a new release title’s units, which usually carry digital copies, are bought by consumers in the first few weeks, giving plenty of time for transfers to be activated. However, Blu-ray new releases sit on shelves longer.
Fearful of angering consumers who unknowingly miss out on activating a copy, particularly on Blu-ray titles, a number of retailers wish studios would do more to stretch transfer deadlines.
One key reason studios limit the activation period is to cut down on labor needed to help make the transfer run smoothly for consumers.
But continued adoption of Blu-ray means new release titles are often picked up by consumers months after their initial release.
At Amazon.com, for instance, Warner Home Video’s Blu-ray digital-copy-enhanced The Dark Knight recently ranked No. 76 among the site’s overall bestsellers, while the title’s standard DVD/digital-copy counterpart ranked No. 427. There was a similarly wide high-def/standard discrepancy for Disney’s WALL-E.
“There appears to be a short list of quintessential Blu-rays (i.e. Planet Earth, Dark Knight, Iron Man, Transformers) that remain on our top seller list as new Blu-ray customers look to these titles as the foundation of their Blu-ray library,” said Laura Orvidas, director and category leader for movies at Amazon.
InMotion Entertainment’s Blu-ray titles sell 20% to 25% of units the first week on shelves, compared to 40% to 45% for DVD versions.
“You do see that with Blu-ray, the big spectacle movies will stay sale-priced for a while and be in prime positioning for four to five months,” added Steve Torr, director of software purchasing at InMotion.
Blu-ray consumers also are more likely to use digital copy than standard-def consumers, leading retailers to especially want files to be available for transfer as long as possible. Warner has determined that Blu-ray digital copies have twice the uptake rate as standard-definition copies.
Amazon is among retailers working to notify people about digital copy activation terms. In an FAQ section, the site warns that The Dark Knight copy must be transferred by Dec. 9, one year after its initial bow, to be workable.
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6670116.html