Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

[BigReg]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

That makes the 2 sound complementary to me. Do the people who use VOD from their cable companies only watch those movies, or do they still rent DVDs and do PPV? If they are only watching their movies using VOD from their cable company, they really don't need Vudu. If they are doing both, then they can continue to get their newest releases from their cable company (until Vudu has the same availability schedule), and use Vudu do do VOD for all of the things they would have rented.

So I'm a TimeWarner Cable customer with 3 HD-DVRs (Scientific Atlantic 8300HD) and I do use TWC's VoD capabilities when they work. There are times when it simply doesn't work. What I very rarely do (like less than 5 times total) is do PPV rentals, mainly because I am not confident that the service will be functioning properly should I want to pause a movie and come back to it. Case in point, my wife and I decided to rent a PPV a few weeks ago - we started watching it, decided we wanted snacks, so we paused the movie, went downstairs, got snacks and came back. Guess what? The stupid movie would *not* start again. It wasn't even worth my time to call customer service to get a credit on my bill.

I still rent DVDs.

[NA9D]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

We have been using Comcast's VOD for most movie viewing until the Vudu. However, I can't tell you how many times we sift through the relatively small collection and find nothing we want to watch. We use it more for things like TV shows we missed in HD or other things like that. Vudu blows it away hands down. And the new movies on Vudu are the same ones on VOD. I think think they get anything sooner.

[MaxH]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

I haven't tried it, even though we have it, but if it is anything like their interface for their DVR, I would completely agree.

Much, much WORSE than the DVR. At least, I had the Motorola DCT-6412, and once I programmed my Harmony with the 30-second skip and 15-second back-skip codes, it was actually somewhat worth it for the HD recording, although I still much prefer my ReplayTVs.

[aperlman]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

It is a totally lousy UI experience. Even finding what's on is difficult. It's what I was primarily using before Vudu. Vudu leaves it in the dust in every way. Except that VOD is there with no equipment cost; you can't diminish the impact of that.

[redwein]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

I found Comcast's VOD was the worst UI experience I'd ever had to endure.

I haven't tried it, even though we have it, but if it is anything like their interface for their DVR, I would completely agree.

[MaxH]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

I found Comcast's VOD was the worst UI experience I'd ever had to endure. Any command while a movie was playing took a few seconds to take effect, and there was no way to skip ahead or bookmark a spot; to stop and resume a movie later, I had to FF for a full 3-4 minutes to get to the spot where I left off. Completely not worth it, even for a FREE movie, much less PPV.

[redwein]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

I would add that there are those who have VOD capabilities through their cable companies who can sometimes rent new movies sooner than through Vudu at similar pricing, with no equipment cost.

That makes the 2 sound complementary to me. Do the people who use VOD from their cable companies only watch those movies, or do they still rent DVDs and do PPV? If they are only watching their movies using VOD from their cable company, they really don't need Vudu. If they are doing both, then they can continue to get their newest releases from their cable company (until Vudu has the same availability schedule), and use Vudu do do VOD for all of the things they would have rented.

[aperlman]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

While there are those that would pay over $50 for a new movie, reading this forum it is obvious that not only would many people not, they would start posting that they are getting ripped off when they could just wait for the DVD from Netflix.

It is pretty obvious that there are 2 different demographics in play here. There are those that like their toys and don't mind paying to buy and use them, and there are those that are Netflix and Blockbuster customers that want to use Vudu instead. That second group wants the box for free, with the same movie availability and pricing as Netflix. To ultimately be successful, Vudu needs both kinds of customers. They probably have to be pretty careful to not make either side feel like they are catering solely to the other.

I would add that there are those who have VOD capabilities through their cable companies who can sometimes rent new movies sooner than through Vudu at similar pricing, with no equipment cost.

[redwein]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

While there are those that would pay over $50 for a new movie, reading this forum it is obvious that not only would many people not, they would start posting that they are getting ripped off when they could just wait for the DVD from Netflix.

It is pretty obvious that there are 2 different demographics in play here. There are those that like their toys and don't mind paying to buy and use them, and there are those that are Netflix and Blockbuster customers that want to use Vudu instead. That second group wants the box for free, with the same movie availability and pricing as Netflix. To ultimately be successful, Vudu needs both kinds of customers. They probably have to be pretty careful to not make either side feel like they are catering solely to the other.

[BigReg]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

I think the Hotel systems get the new movies based on the fact that there are so many screens in hotels and the fact that its fully encrypted on coax. Also, you have a captive audience.

WRT price I'd pay for an in theater premiere movie, I'm in the "over $50" camp as well.

[RonV]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

Is it $ per viewer as the measure, or total $ per viewing medium? I would think, something like PPV, which is really usually only 3.99$, BUT with a market of say 30MM satellite viewers, I would think they or cable would provide a much higher aggregate $ amount as the second medium. Of course, DVD seems to be next.

When I mentioned VOD I assumed VUDU, Cable/Satellite PPV, BitTorrent VOD, Unibox, etc. When I stated cable I meant HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc. When I did some work for a major cable company the bread and butter of their business was PPV. That was about 10 years ago and I am sure the profitability of the VOD channel has grown considerably.

[tivoboy]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

There are many distribution schedules that the studio's manage. And they are all designed to maximize the profit for the content providers.

One would assume that after the movie plays though at the theater circuit making 9 to 12 bucks per viewer their next target is the lonely traveler who has limited entertainment options and is willing to spend 12 bucks on a movie rental. After that channel goes out of rotation then it could go to DVD for purchase, then VOD, and then on to cable.

I am pretty sure that VUDU sits somewhere between DVD purchases and VOD. But again its all based on how much money the content providers want to get from any of these channels.

Is it $ per viewer as the measure, or total $ per viewing medium? I would think, something like PPV, which is really usually only 3.99$, BUT with a market of say 30MM satellite viewers, I would think they or cable would provide a much higher aggregate $ amount as the second medium. Of course, DVD seems to be next.

[Greg]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

At $8.50 x 2 for tickets, $50 for a babysitter and, $15 for snacks. I have come to the conclusion that I could pay $81.99 per rental and still come out ahead. Plus I'd never have to put my shoes on!

And nowadays gas costs aren't negligible anymore either .

-- Greg

[kmulder]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

At $8.50 x 2 for tickets, $50 for a babysitter and, $15 for snacks. I have come to the conclusion that I could pay $81.99 per rental and still come out ahead. Plus I'd never have to put my shoes on!

I would be willing to pay over $50 for a first run new release. It is the same as buying a pay per view fight. If I were the studios I would be using Vudu to test the waters and see what kind of potential is out there. They could try releasing movies on the day and date of DVD rentals for a limited period like one month and see how it goes. The same with new movie releases. If they don't try they will never know the potential revenue that is out there. I for one would be spending at least $50.00 a month on Vudu if it had more current releases for rental.


Visit the 5 Star Cinema

[NA9D]

Re: Any discussions about LodgeNet / OnCommand Pre-DVD Release Schedules

At $8.50 x 2 for tickets, $50 for a babysitter and, $15 for snacks. I have come to the conclusion that I could pay $81.99 per rental and still come out ahead. Plus I'd never have to put my shoes on!

And you can pause them movie when nature calls!