Digital Copy becoming more prevalent on Blu-ray Discs
by Darren Murph 
posted Jan 4th 2009 at 1:57AM
Is it any wonder that Blu-ray Disc buyers are taking advantage of Digital Copy more frequently than ever? According to a recent writeup at TWICE, it's becoming even easier to find 'em. Today, a grand total of 52 BDs, practically all from seven major studios, are available with Digital Copy versions of the movie for playback on portable media players and computers. Unfortunately, the total of Digital Copy-enabled DVDs wasn't available to compare, but we are told that Warner Home Video is leading the charge on the Blu side with 19 Digital Copy-equipped Blu-ray Discs. As for the other guys, Lionsgate and Universal offer eight apiece, while Disney offers up three with a fourth coming in February. So, have you taken advantage of Digital Copy on the BD flicks that you've purchased?
Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Other formats
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
HDJunkie @ Jan 4th 2009 2:09AM
Who needs digital copy? I use anydvd, and put the whole bluray on my hard drives.
ChiWax @ Jan 4th 2009 2:36AM
Wow man, it must feel so cool to be the only person on the planet who knows how to do that stuff. You must have a brain like Einstein brutha....Q
h0mi @ Jan 4th 2009 3:02AM
I thought about that but AnyDVD is prohibitively expensive. The $5 premium is much less than the $15 cost at itunes, for DC's that support itunes.
Bozster @ Jan 4th 2009 2:25AM
It would definitely be a positive thing if they didn't charge premium for it. A lot of Blu-Rays that have digital copies are more expensive (about $5) then the ones without it.
Funkright @ Jan 4th 2009 1:33PM
I'm thinking that I would need a blueray drive in my mac before I could take advantage of this, right? Couldn't get it off the ps3?
urfloormatt @ Jan 4th 2009 6:43AM
No need. The Digital Copy comes on a DVD. Just pop it in and iTunes does the rest. I've done it with Dark Knight, Constantine, X-Files: IWTB, and Nightmare Before Christmas.
I haven't noticed a higher price for Digital Copy.
ander @ Jan 4th 2009 5:53AM
yes. i used it on risky business and the dark knight.
Joshua Nelson @ Jan 4th 2009 8:26AM
I just bought Prince Caspian with digital copy. I think I will always choose with digital copy if available. It was only $3 or $4 more than without...
tlarkin79 @ Jan 4th 2009 8:30AM
It's still DRM'd and restrictive as to what portable media player you can use. These can't transfer to your Zune for example.
It's great that the service works on all ipods with video capabilities and many other pmp's, but this is not a fully functional digital copy.
licious @ Jan 4th 2009 9:04AM
The service does NOT always work with iTunes/iPods/iPhones.
There have been a few Warner Bros. titles that have been "Plays For Sure" only (I Am Legend, Harold & Kumar, Dark City...).
I believe Sony has also been anti iTunes, only allowing "Plays For Sure" and playback on it's PSP/PS3. Though I believe that will change with it's first digital copy included with a Blu-ray, "Pineapple Express."
Does anyone know when Paramount will start offering DC with it's Blu-rays?
DeadPixel @ Jan 4th 2009 8:37AM
I really just don;t understand why DCs are everywhere. Its heavily DRMed. For us who made th emistake of actually buying things from iTunes who have rebuilt their computers or have reinstalled their operating system a few times, they're almost or are out of the amount of computers to have on their iTunes account so it quite pointless
Shawn Parr @ Jan 4th 2009 11:53AM
-- they're almost or are out of the amount of computers to have on their iTunes account --
If you click on the Store menu in iTunes there is an item to de-authorize the current machine. If you have forgotten to do this, or had a machine die where you couldn't do this, and your machine count is up to 5, if you go into your iTunes account there will be a button to de-authorize all the machines on your account, and reset the number to zero.
You can then authorize up to five machines again. I've had to do this myself as I wasn't paying attention during upgrades, and when leaving a job and left a machine authorized.
David S @ Jan 4th 2009 9:33AM
What I think would be uber slick, would be a DVD disc that had the movie in DVD format (like for the car DVD player) AND digital copy on the same disc. Pop the DVD in the computer and you get digital copy, pop the DVD in the car and you get DVD video for the rugrats.
solodragon @ Jan 4th 2009 10:12AM
I love the digital copies-I put them on my iPhone for those times I find myself faced with a long wait somewhere.
nathan @ Jan 4th 2009 3:25PM
Digital copies are useful, but no substitute for managed copy -- which was touted as the Blu-ray solution to media server needs.
mitchelljd @ Jan 4th 2009 12:12PM
yeah what a great idea. add digital copy, add $5-10 more to the list price. lame.
I have alot of Blu-Ray movies, and honestly i prefer a lower list price, and i would much rather have my macbook pro be able to play the movie back on it than have to use a digital copy.
honestly, it is silly to conceive of digital copy when people get Blu-Ray for HD quality, its so lo-fi, it is silly to even compare it to blu-ray. but... hell if some want it, ok.
and as for the AnyDVD copy person, if you don't own the movie, its illegal and bad karma.
Dan @ Jan 4th 2009 12:38PM
For the most part they don't cost more.
There are a few that do and if you wait a little bit that price difference vanishes.
I did pay $3 more for WallE and Prince Caspian but still beat any instore price for either at $20 each.
But there was no extra cost for Dark Knight, Matrix, Sleeping Beauty, Jumper, Mummy TODE and others.
They just come that way and I am sure to not pay HIGH for them.
Thomas @ Jan 4th 2009 7:24PM
Why on earth would you use AnyDVD HD if it was a piratecopy that allready had the protection stripped?
AnyDVD HD is only of use to you if you actually own an original product.
funkright @ Jan 4th 2009 1:34PM
Thanks a bunch.. didn't know they would include a DVD as well, just thought it would've been a file on the blueray disc..
JeffH @ Jan 4th 2009 6:52PM
I think it's awesome to get a digital copy with a blu-ray purchase. I like to have it incase I want to throw a movie on quick, I just use AppleTV and not worry It. And I can take it with with me if I want to. Here's to hoping the premium goes away and this becomes a feature as prevalent as special features and featurettes!!
h0mi @ Jan 4th 2009 11:27PM
Digital copy is nice but its administered haphazardly. I haven't seen any Sony titles yet but so far it looks like:
- "Plays For Sure" WMV support
- Itunes support
- PSP support
with any movie supporting any 1 of these. Dark Knight does Itunes AND plays for sure. Wall E does 1 or the other. Harold & Kumar @ Gitmo does Plays For Sure Only.
Thats a bit of a downer and makes this frustrating to deal with. If everything at least worked with itunes, that would please me but for people who dont have/use ipods with video, that isn't very helpful.
Galley @ Jan 5th 2009 1:58PM
Don't forget that Disney classics like Sleeping Beauty and Pinnochio come with a standard DVD, rather than a Digital Copy.
David @ Jan 5th 2009 8:24PM
I will always pick the digital copy unless it's one that doesn't work with iTunes.
I use the iPhone and work retail part time and it's easy to throw a couple movies on and demonstrate some products. It's also an easy way to watch those movies on the PC since I don't have a Blu-ray drive on my computer yet.
Cbooker @ Jan 5th 2009 9:13PM
I like the digital copy that comes with some blu-ray movies but they do need to make it standard across the board. So that all DC work with all players as some DC don't work with iTunes and Apple products. Also the reason why I like the DC is because these are movies that I really like and that I had planned on buying anyway. So it is like getting an extra bonus when I buy the disc.