http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/ Engadget HD Comments for Blockbuster CEO talks up 2Wire MediaPoint, says rentals coming to BD decks in Q1 2009 http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/]]>Nov 30th 2008 3:46PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/25/panasonic-intros-dmr-br360v-blu-ray-vhs-combo-player/

As for streaming, it is just a value-add. Same as with TiVo supporting download services and streaming. It gives you more flexibility. Personally I prefer Blu-ray for movies because I love the quality - video and audio. But from time to time I do download a video from Amazon VOD to my TiVo because it is cheap and/or an impulse thing. I could see using Netflix, or Blockbuster, the same way. Actually, I don't have a Netflix membership because I don't rent nearly enough movies to justify it, so Blockbuster's pay-per-view approach appeals to me more than Netflix. I'm not going to pay a monthly sub to Netflix on the off chance I actually use it that month.

As for quality, Netflix is adding HD streams (which won't even come close to Blu-ray, probably not even VUDU quality), and Blockbuster will likely add HD. Since they're downloads and not streaming, they could offer higher quality as they don't need to work in real time.

But it makes me wonder - how will it work with Blu-ray players? BD-Live players are only required to have 1GB of storage for online content, mainly as a buffer. Unless Blockbuster is going to switch to streaming like Netflix, you'd need a lot more storage. Bring your own USB hard drive?
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I would prefer that there was a profile 2.1 enhancement which made provision for installing and running BD-J applications from local storage. It would be a natural and straightforward enhancement. Then Netflix / Blockbuster / whoever could send out a BD that offered you the choice to install the app to your player, irrespective of who made it. You wouldn't need to worry about which player supported which service - just insert a disc, install and run it from the player's menu. If you get fed up of the service, just delete it.

It wouldn't just be for streaming apps of course. Any BD-J app, be it a studio portal, a google maps browser, a browser, a weather / news aggregator, a TV listings advisor, an IMDB lookup service, a game - anything could be installed on the player. It could be a very powerful mechanism.]]>Dec 1st 2008 5:30AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/
JBDragon - yep. It isn't easy to sell Blu-ray players at the moment. BD is a backwards format that's designed, essentially, for a world unchanged since the 1980s. It assumes people will want to visit stores to buy physical objects that represent the movies they want to watch.

But it's not the 1980s, or the 1990s, it's the 21st Century. Physical media is dying, and consumers are excited about systems that allow them to use their internet connections to watch libraries of content. HD is obviously a good thing, but it's not a compelling thing. What has proven to be compelling over the last thirty years has been increased convenience and features and anyone who produces a technology that offers slightly better quality but virtually no added convenience is not producing anything likely to be successful.

Behind it all, I think most Blu-ray manufacturers understand this. But they're screwed because the industry backed the wrong horse, so they're trying to make the best of it by incorporating the numerous proprietary streaming and download systems into their players, selling the players not as BD players but as generic "Better than DVD movie players".

Hence we have the situation thus far.]]>Dec 1st 2008 11:01AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/Nov 30th 2008 4:06PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/
I think the Blockbuster option is a tad cheaper, is it not?

Pixelated?]]>Nov 30th 2008 4:56PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/
And the Vudu box is essentially $99 with the bestbuy deal. I'm thinking I'll stick with something that supports 1080p and 24fps playback, thanks all the same. ]]>Nov 30th 2008 9:30PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/]]>Dec 1st 2008 10:51AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/Dec 1st 2008 2:52PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/
http://www.blockbuster.com/ondemand?mcid=14400012&mlid=17008640&

The player preferences max out at 1080i, with 720p, 480p and 480i also available. It's unclear as to what resolution the HD downloads are, but one would assume 720p based upon all the other services.
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No, it isn't. Paying $299 and then getting a $200 credit which must be used within 4 months is not essentially $99. And I don't think that using part of your $200 credit to "Own" several movies for $19.99 each (the price for the new Star Wars: Clone Wars animated movie) is the best use of the credit (that would provide you the most bang for your buck, which would make it essentially $99).]]>Dec 1st 2008 2:34AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/
This is the problem that the whole digital download industry needs to sort out. Proprietary hardware, tied to proprietary stores, playing non-transferable proprietary formats will not work. Who would really entrust their movie collection to just one provider? There needs to be a common file format, and a common delivery and DRM platform that allows users to pick and mix their suppliers and playback devices. If Amazon canned their service, or if Vudu went under, then you'd still be able to play your movies. You'd have to be stupid to buy anything from a digital service in the current environment.]]>Dec 1st 2008 5:14AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/
And yes using the same reasoning the blockbuster box is free. I guess my point is with mainly SD content, it doesn't seem to offer anything more than the other free internet services like Hulu. If you care about selection and want good picture / audio quality, then I think the extra investment in Vudu is more than justified. ]]>Dec 1st 2008 12:24PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/
purchased movies on vudu will still work work without a network connection, you don't loose content you bought if you disconnect from the Vudu servers. But I agree, until a better warranty system is worked out (for HDD crashes, say) rentals are a better option. ]]>Dec 1st 2008 12:24PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/30/blockbuster-ceo-talks-up-2wire-mediapoint-says-rentals-coming-t/
At this point, it's not entirely clear what Blockbuster's HD service will be like, but you appear to be dismissing all of the advantages of the box without really any justification. Here's the deal:

Hulu is free, but has a very small selection of (not terribly recent) movies, only offers streaming (variable quality, not good for sub-2Mbps connections), and is ad supported. There's no sane way to hook it to the TV except by involving a computer somewhere along the line. HD is always being promised but thus far is only available for trailers and demo films, and the insistence on streaming makes it useless for 90% of broadband users anyway.

Netflix is subscription based. Offers a massive selection of movies. Selection is of older titles only. Only offers streaming (ok on sub-2Mbps connections apparently but hardly optimal. HD requires very fast connections). Can be hooked up to TV with cheap, sub-$100, device. HD is available, but the insistence on streaming makes it useless for 90% of broadband users.

Blockbuster is rental based. Offers a massive selection of movies. Selection includes new releases. Movies can be downloaded prior to watching (so excellent quality, even in HD.) HD currently not available but will be shortly. Prices are low ($2-4). Can be hooked up to TV with cheap, sub-$100, device.

AppleTV is rental based. Offers a decent selection of movies. Selection includes new releases. Movies can be downloaded prior to watching (so excellent quality, even in HD.) Prices are moderate. Requires a relatively expensive $230 device to hook up to TV.

Vudu is rental/purchase based. Offers a decent selection of movies. Selection includes new releases. Movies can be downloaded prior to watching (so excellent quality, even in HD.) HD service appears to be superior to the alternatives, with 1080p available for a limited selection of titles. Prices are moderate. Requires a relatively expensive $250+ device to hook up to TV.

Really, anyone who thinks Vudu or AppleTV is worth the money should be licking their lips at the Blockbuster box. The Blockbuster box is cheaper, and the only disadvantage of it is that it's unlikely Blockbuster's HD quality will rival Vudu's. Oh, and Vudu permits "purchases" which are somewhat expensive and, as DrXym (for once) correctly observes, are somewhat flawed.

If you like the rental model, and you're ok with SD for now, I'd say Blockbuster has delivered your Xen.]]>Dec 1st 2008 3:18PM