So this seems to be in the news today. Some company called Zediva has been in beta for a year, but is now public. DVD rentals at $1.99 or $1 if you buy 10 (BD coming soon).
From what I can gather, they seem to be exploiting a loophole in that they actually buy a physical copy, but stream it to you. Thus you rent it, and get a 4 hour window to watch it, since it's one DVD and player per customer. Interesting premise, I guess. Doesn't seem like the best technical solution, but it gets them around the 28 day window since they are just buying copies at retail, I suppose.
Anyways, site is down due to demand right now. I am sure it won't last long. They won't be able to afford to fight the lawsuits and I'm sure the cease and desist orders are already there.
Site: http://w1.zediva.com/splash/waitlist.php
Engadget article: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/16/z...r-hour-window/
From what I can gather, they seem to be exploiting a loophole in that they actually buy a physical copy, but stream it to you. Thus you rent it, and get a 4 hour window to watch it, since it's one DVD and player per customer. Interesting premise, I guess. Doesn't seem like the best technical solution, but it gets them around the 28 day window since they are just buying copies at retail, I suppose.
Anyways, site is down due to demand right now. I am sure it won't last long. They won't be able to afford to fight the lawsuits and I'm sure the cease and desist orders are already there.
Site: http://w1.zediva.com/splash/waitlist.php
Engadget article: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/16/z...r-hour-window/
Quote:
Netflix and Redbox have been the new hotness in rentals for the last few years but both have significant drawbacks. With Redbox, it's the box and the morons who are constantly standing in front of it paging through every single movie in the thing and for Netflix's Watch Instantly it's a lack of new releases available for instant viewing. Now there's a new startup, Zediva, that takes on both of those issues by sticking with DVDs, but instead of shipping them to customers or placing them in kiosks, just streams them on demand from one player, to one viewer (unlike Netflix, sometimes movies are "rented out" if there are no copies available at the moment -- renting a flick gives you control of the DVD player, with fast forward and reverse, for four hours) for $1.99 a rental or 10 for $10.
Apparently it's been in beta for a year but is now available to all and is currently offering new release DVDs the same day they go on sale by simply purchasing them at retail. There's no HD content yet but it claims Blu-ray titles will be offered soon. The Associated Press talked to a copyright lawyer who points out the case of a hotel that implemented a similar system but was sued into oblivion before calling Zediva "cute, but illegal"
Netflix and Redbox have been the new hotness in rentals for the last few years but both have significant drawbacks. With Redbox, it's the box and the morons who are constantly standing in front of it paging through every single movie in the thing and for Netflix's Watch Instantly it's a lack of new releases available for instant viewing. Now there's a new startup, Zediva, that takes on both of those issues by sticking with DVDs, but instead of shipping them to customers or placing them in kiosks, just streams them on demand from one player, to one viewer (unlike Netflix, sometimes movies are "rented out" if there are no copies available at the moment -- renting a flick gives you control of the DVD player, with fast forward and reverse, for four hours) for $1.99 a rental or 10 for $10.
Apparently it's been in beta for a year but is now available to all and is currently offering new release DVDs the same day they go on sale by simply purchasing them at retail. There's no HD content yet but it claims Blu-ray titles will be offered soon. The Associated Press talked to a copyright lawyer who points out the case of a hotel that implemented a similar system but was sued into oblivion before calling Zediva "cute, but illegal"
Shocked!
