PS3 video marketplace [Text View]

joeblow

08-30-09, 03:15 PM

Everything is relative to what the consumer considers to be important when choosing how to watch a movie. There is no setup out there that doesn't have pros and cons, which themselves vary wildly depending on which pros and cons are significant to the individual:

Real IMAX movie theater - up to $18 per person

Pros: Ignoring the fake IMAX mini-screens that cause confusion, the real IMAX theaters can offer the most incredibly immersive audio/visual experience of the latest flicks for many film fans. 70' monster screens with high quality, digital audio from a ton of surrounding speakers. 3D viewing for select movies is icing on the cake.

Cons: Expensive, expensive expensive. Also, only a select few movies get the IMAX treatment. A group of four during non-matinee times can easily approach spending $65 - $70 before any refreshments are purchased :eek:. Also, babies and toddlers) even at R rated films are annoyance too often, as are the rude patrons talking behind you when they take a break from kicking your chair.

Standard movie theater - up to $12 per person

Pros: You get to see the latest movie on a good sized screen with a really good sound system. The standard movie cons about rude patrons potentially ruining the movie experience pertains here as well. Also, if you bargain hunt you can find some good deals that can bring the price down to $8 (or less) per person.

Cons: Per-person price can make it so one non-matinee outing for four can easily hit $30+ before refreshments. Bargain hunting for low prices can mean going early or settling for a lesser theater experience (smaller screen, crappy chairs, etc.). You have to see the movie during its run at the theaters because it is very unlikely you'll get a chance to see it on the big screen ever again.

Blu-ray rental (store) - up to $5 for a new release

Pros: With true 1080P visuals and uncompressed surround audio, if your home entertainment setup is pretty good it's possible to have the most amazing movie experience outside of the theaters with Blu. And unlike theaters (which usually show only new films), you get to see older movies you want in super high quality.

For the price of the disc, the average price per person for a group of four can be $2 or less, and you only pay when you want to see a film. Home viewing bonuses include no strangers around you ruining the experience, plus you can re-watch/pause any part of the movie you want. Lastly, brick and mortar rentals allow you to pick up an available film soon after you decide you want to see it.

Cons:
Not all movies have gone Blu, unlike for DVD. The movie you want might be rented out of the store, forcing you to make extra visits tto check or call in. On occasion the rental disc can be in bad shape for obvious reasons. Two trips are always required - to check it out and check it in, with late penalties being assessed if you don't watch and return it on time.

Blu ray rental (mail subscription) - can average $18 a month for multiple movies

Pros: If you watch a lot of movies, particular older ones, the price per film is pretty low. A group of four can watch maybe ten films in a month, which would average around .45 cents per person! If you mail your movies back instead of dropping them off, you might not ever have to travel anywhere to rent. No late fees is a plus.

Cons: There are no impulse rentals - you wait for shipments at least one day. The same negatives of watching rentals used by multiple strangers applies. If you don't watch a lot of movies (say, only two), the average price per film for four people can average $1.25 under some lesser priced monthly plans.

If you DO watch a lot of movies, reports are that the rental companies "throttle" your releases of new films, forcing you to wait a long time before they are shipped to you at some random date in the future. If your movie watching pattern varies, you pay the same amount every month regardless (even if you watch no films).

Blu ray rental (kiosk) - Up to $2 per new release

Pros: That's .50 per person for a group of four for the top tier A/V quality of Blu ray, and only .25 for older releases as those movies are rented for $1. It's a great impulse rental option, and there are zero subscription fees to commit to for such a low price.

Cons: The same rental cons exists as far as potential damaged discs goes, and the selection may be extremely weak due to movies being rented out already or not available in a single kiosk that can only hold so much. You have to wait in line to return movies since only one person at a time can use it (whether renting or dropping off). Only some of Blockbuster's kiosks rent Blu, and they are very, very, very rare to find right now.

PSN high-def digital download rental - Up to $6 a film

Pros: The visual quality is a bit better than upconverted DVDs, and the sound quality is decent for compressed audio. You can see a film on the same day you decide you want it, and it stays on your drive for 14 days until you start playing it. Being a download, you don't need to worry about it being already checked out, or physical glitches due to strangers handling the movie.

Like Blu rentals, you can rewind/pause, etc., unlike in theaters. Monthly subscription charges aren't required, so for infrequent rentals this option may be more cost effective over the course of a year. Lastly, there is never anything you have to return or pick up - no traveling needed.

Cons: For frequent renters, the cost can be high at $1.50 per person per hi-def movie for a group of four when compared to the better quality of Blu ray for a lower cost in subscription fees. Current high-def movie availability is close to 900 films, which is nowhere near comprehensive (especially for older or high profile catalog movies).

It takes about 3.5 hours to dload a high-def movie on a 5MB internet connection. Quality isn't at Blu levels, and HD audio isn't offered, and lastly you have to watch the entire movie within 24 hours once you first press play.

Digital download subscription - can average $18 a month

Pros: You can often incorporate this option into a disc rental subscription to absorb the cost for frequent renters, bringing the potential charges to about .45 a movie per person for a group of four. Many of the benefits of dload movie watching above applies here as well, but unlike discs you can watch the film on the same day you decide you want to see it.

Cons: Some plans require the purchase of a streaming player. The number of HD dload offerings can be very small compared to standard def dloads. Quality isn't at Blu levels, and HD audio isn't offered. Also some people might only have a PC which might not be hooked up to an HDTV to access dloads, so the experience of watching on a smaller monitor is diminished for them.

Many of the negatives that were mentioned above with disc subscriptions apply, like being forced to pay the same amount whether you watch films in a given month or not. This is not ideal for an infrequent movie watcher.

Video On-demand (HD cable rentals) - up to $6 per movie

Pros: Near instant streaming of a selection once the purchase is made. Video quality can be a bit above upconverted DVD. Like the other dload options, there are no disc rental cons or movie theater cons when dealing with strangers, also no store visits/returns either. Late fees are never an issue and the movie is always available if listed.

Cons: Compared to subscriptions, the $1.50 per person for a group of four is high, so this is not the best choice for frequent renters. Selection varies per provider, but often has even less HD choices than the dload services. Multi-channel audio can be iffy.

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I left off a few other options. I don't list monthly charges for movie channels since you have to watch pre-selected HD movies on a pre-determined schedule. Of course there is free HDTV movies with the same problem except you often deal with content edits and commercials (except HD-Net). Lastly you can stream HD movies online from (legal) free sites like Hulu, but the number of choices is pathetic and the quality is upconverted DVD or below.

I personally think there is no one solution. I watch films I really, really want to see in the theaters, which is the least cost effective option but its for the convenience of seeing it early and on the big screen. Plus, a trip to the theaters is a fun experience with family. One, maybe two IMAX movies is all I might spend top dollar on.

Some great films I want to watch a lot I will buy on Blu, usually on sale. When I wait to pay less than the theater for a one-time viewing, I rent it using either my PSN or cable VoD (kid flicks or dramas), or Blu disc (if the movie is a hi quality A/V experience, like action films).

I don't subscribe because I really don't rent a LOT of films in a year (maybe 10-12), and I really don't like the idea of having to wait for a movie to be sent to me at least a day (or more) after I decide I want to view it. I love the convenience of on-demand viewing from cable, or same day viewing from my PSN / Blu ray rental and so far am willing to pay more for that since I don't rent often.

For other people, they may prioritize much differently. There is no one size fits all option out there.