This poll is to try to get a sense of how the user experience has been with rental discs for the two HD disc formats.

This a multi-choice poll, so choose all that apply to your situation.

I've used up the limit of 10, so please no posts on the options I missed. :)

Gary

EDIT: Please feel free to describe the problems you've seen.

I use a UK equivalent f NetFlix, Love-Film, I have never had any problems with any discs, DVD or BD, maybe I have been lucky.

I have primarily used Hollywood Video for DVD rental. Blockbuster is evil :)

My local HV wants $6 a rental for BD and HD DVD - the Blockbuster is $4 but for a 2 day window.

I have not rented BD or HD DVDs yet and unless HV brings the prices in line with DVD am unlikely to.

I'm seeing ads on US TV for a monthly mail order service from Blockbuster w/storefront return/exchange priviledges. What is the cost of that?

My service is Zip.ca, which is the largest Netflix-like service in Canada. They have various plans starting at CAD$19.95 per month. I'm using the CAD$24.95 Unlimited 3 at a time plan (no extra mailing costs).

A neat feature of Zip, is the ZipRefill. Rather than wait for the disc to arrive, you report that you've shipped it and they use an honour system to ship a replacement immediately. Does Netflix have that?

Gary

The first Netflix BD I got had some weird scratch marks - almost like it had been dropped on pavement and stepped on (I wouldn't rule that out). I just cleaned it off with a t-shirt and it played fine. That was the only bad disc I have gotten.

Perhaps people are doing experiments? :D

Well, not sure if I answered correct or not. I've received a bunch of HD DVD discs. Most were not scratched, or slightly scratched with no playback problems. Occasionally I get a few heavily scratched discs, and all but one (Cinderella Man) played thru fine.

-John

Well, not sure if I answered correct or not. I've received a bunch of HD DVD discs. Most were not scratched, or slightly scratched with no playback problems. Occasionally I get a few heavily scratched discs, and all but one (Cinderella Man) played thru fine.


Seems right to me. :)

Use Netflix for Blu-ray and all have played fine.

Using Netflix for HD DVD/SD DVD. Most disks seem to be in very rough shape, but I've only ever had a problem playing one SD DVD. All the HD discs I've gotten looked really bad (scratched, scuffed), but play without a single glitch....so far.

Perhaps people are doing experiments?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5jEbZt6AIQ

Great vid! I am still on the fence with rentals myself but have been tracking the comments on several services.

Locally we are being told that Blockbuster will have BD content in June and HD should be out sonner but no date.. I havent seen any next gen rentals at anything else local yet. <sigh>

Naw! So few people renting BD - they're all practically new!

The argument is that PS/3 owners are far more likely to be renters leading to lower attach rates. In the last few months, I would expect the BD discs to have been heavily rented.

I've rented a couple of dozen BD now using a Netflix-like service, and I've seen one or two extremely small and fine marks, which may have been there from production. Otherwise the discs have been pristine.

Gary

I use NetFlix and Blockbuster for both HD-DVD and BD movies, but I have rented less than 10 BDs in total, compared to about 30-40 HD-DVDs.

I have seen the occassional scratched HD-DVD, but they all played without any major playback problems. I have had the problems with skipping at layer change or lockups with initial batch of HD-DVDs, but I don't know where to apportionate the blame - the buggy early firmware versions or the discs themselves. I've never had a disc that simply could not be played at all.

I have only rented a few BDs, and seen an occassional scratch on them, but I have had no problems with the playback so far. But the number of BD discs I've rented is not enough to categorically state that they don't have any problems.

About thirty-five HD-DVD rentals and going strong....no problems to report so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5jEbZt6AIQ


Obviously, this guy on YouTube and many here do not understand that the disc beginning is recorded at the inner track (near the center) and that he only plays the intro menu to the disc which does not look like he physically damages with any of the tools he used. Not to say the disk coating is not tough but.....this is just not a real test of the durability here.

The free TD disc: The ultimate who cares, do your worst, throw away, experiment disc. :)

Still, it would be interesting if the person that did that video tried playing the movie all the way through. I wonder what would be seen.

I think we can all agree, that was pretty insane and unrealistic abuse. Except maybe for a Disney disc from a kid. :)

Gary

Obviously, this guy on YouTube and many here do not understand that the disc beginning is recorded at the inner track (near the center) and that he only plays the intro menu to the disc which does not look like he physically damages with any of the tools he used. Not to say the disk coating is not tough but.....this is just not a real test of the durability here.

FWIW, he goes very close to the innermost track with the butcher knife, but the still boots up. I would probably try this on my copy of TDN and report back. That disc is a PoC anyway.

I have primarily used Hollywood Video for DVD rental. Blockbuster is evil :)

My local HV wants $6 a rental for BD and HD DVD - the Blockbuster is $4 but for a 2 day window.

I have not rented BD or HD DVDs yet and unless HV brings the prices in line with DVD am unlikely to.

You do know with BD "no late fees" the 2 day window means nothing.

You buy the movie 7 days after the movie should have been returned. On a 2 day rental that is 2 + 7 days. I routinely keep 2 day rentals a day or 2 extra. Has never cost me 1 cent. Even if you end up "buying" the movie. You can bring it back to the store within a certain time (30 days?) and they will reverse the sale for a $1.25 fee.

However I do agree with you BB is evil. It creeps me out how they always say Hi when you walk into the store. :D

I'm seeing ads on US TV for a monthly mail order service from Blockbuster w/storefront return/exchange priviledges. What is the cost of that?

I think I am going to switch to that. I am using Netflix right now but always seem to goto Blockbuster once or twice a month mainly for movies my wife forgot she likes.

I am going on a cruise so I just stopped my netflix and likely will pick up the BBO (Blockbuster Online) when I get back.

My understanding is this:
Same price as netflix. has multiple plans 1 out, 2 out, 3 out, etc.
You also get 2 in store coupons per month (free game or movie).
You can exchange a online rental for a movie at the store.

I asked the local BB girl how the exchange works but it seems to good to be true. She said you rent from online and when you are done put it in the envelope but dont mail it bring it to the store. You pickup any rental in the store and get it for free. They keep your mail in rental and BBO sends the next movie in your queue the same day.

Way I see it is that I usually watch about 6 movies per month on the 2 out rental plan. That would allow me to pickup 6 more in store + 2 more w/ free coupons. 14 movies for $15.00 per month. A buck a movie? Sounds good to me.

Amir commenting on the hard coat on BD discs:


Of course there is a protective coating. Without it, the BD disc would not survive a day in real life nor would it comply with BD spec. But that coating is not a “hard coat” but simply, something that keeps the top layer from being scratched easily. That process is cheaper than a true hard coat, but it is also much less durable. It is very doubtful that this coating provides any additional protection overall, comapred to HD DVD/DVD which naturally resist scratches and fingerprints due to laser focusing way past the top layer where they would exist (much like how you can see through your eyeglasses even if they are dirty or scratched).


Comments anyone?

I think the poll results clearly demonstrate a benefit. And really, it's semantics whether you call what is used a "hard coat" or not. The coating causes BD discs to be far harder to scratch than DVD or HD DVD. That makes it harder than the DVD/HD DVD cover.

It used to be that calling it Durabis got you told off. Now calling it a "hard coat" is verbotten. :rolleyes:

Gary

The convoluted (but essentially meaningless) word-play used by Amir (re disc coating) makes me think he missed his true calling as a criminal defense lawyer.

P.S. No offense intended to any defense lawyers here on AVS. In fact, I might need one soon, if the aggravation here does not subside pronto :D

FWIW, he goes very close to the innermost track with the butcher knife, but the still boots up. I would probably try this on my copy of TDN and report back. That disc is a PoC anyway.

Make a video and become a star :p

I would love to see a real demo of this including a better image of the scratched coating (if it can be scratched).