iLounge

1

Aren’t these encoded at 1500Kbps?  That’s fine for playback on an iPod, but they should be 2500Kbps to look decent on an HDTV. So that means you’ll be ripping the DVD anyway.

Posted by Galley in Greenville, SC on August 28, 2008 at 10:24 AM (PDT)

2

Oh thank you Master, for blessing us with a low-resolution version of the movie that we can play on a limited number of additional devices for only $5 extra.

Posted by dave on August 28, 2008 at 12:22 PM (PDT)

3

Good lord, you get the DVD or BluRay, the digital copy is for iPods, etc.
NOT THE HDTV, hence the DVD or BluRay.
With consumers this asinine, no wonder they are slow to try to change.

Posted by SLB on August 28, 2008 at 12:44 PM (PDT)

4

I agree that a slightly lower res copy is fine being that you have the physical/higher res copy as well. My problem is that they are charging $5+ for this. If I am buying the DVD or Blu-Ray, I should be provided a controlled digital copy at no charge. When you buy a DVD, you are paying for the right to own/watch that video. You are not simply paying for the physical media. If the movie industry did not lock down the DVD so much, I could rip my own digital copy easily. As it is now, I have to resort to numerous pieces of software to accomplish this. Either open up the digital rights management on the DVD or supply a digital copy at no charge. That is only fair.

Posted by Mitch Hale on August 28, 2008 at 1:47 PM (PDT)

5

Mitch,

That’s at least reasonable, but rather than free, how about $3?
It seems that is DOES cost them to do this - media and machinery/time.
Reasoned answers make debates good.

Posted by SLB on August 28, 2008 at 2:57 PM (PDT)

6

Why not just make iTunes rip DVD’s? Why are they treated differently from CD’s?

Posted by fanman on August 29, 2008 at 1:14 AM (PDT)

7

I have two digital copies of films that were provided in the packaging. With American Gangster (3-disc SE DVD), the digital copy was in WMV format, and with the Blu-Ray version of the Bank Job, you used a download code through iTunes. I preferred the latter, obviously, because it’s iPod-friendly.

I also prefer having a code to download the digital file through iTunes. It’s just simpler, doesn’t waste physical media, and is a nice incentive for those of us who use Handbrake to rip DVDs and accordingly have to spend just as much time ripping a DVD as we would spend watching it.

Posted by Flippy Hambone on August 29, 2008 at 7:25 AM (PDT)

8

@ fanman,

Because it’s currently illegal.
It would of course be easy to change that, but it ain’t gonna happen anytime soon.

Scott

Posted by SLB on August 29, 2008 at 12:33 PM (PDT)

9

I bought a copy of Grandma’s Boy and for some reason, i decided to throw away the paper with the code on it. So i now have a digital copy that i can’t use. Can you help me out? Prolly not, just thought that i’d give it a shot

Posted by Chelsea on January 2, 2010 at 10:37 PM (PDT)