# Would you pay $25+ for an HD PPV?



## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

News, Corp announced yet another new service, claiming it's in their strategy of targeting the high-end consumer. They plan to release HD PPV movies 60-days after commercial release, closing more of the gap between commercial release, current PPV, and DVD release.

What do you think?


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## Lee L (Oct 1, 2003)

I *might* if it were released simultaneously, especially if it was under $20.


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## lutton (Mar 10, 2004)

I'd do it for opening night. I think the trick would be to do it for opening night or opening weekend only.

Between annoying people, movie ticket prices, hiring the babysitter, consession prices and service from cranky teens, I'd much rather spend the money to enjoy a great film at home.


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## BGLeduc (Aug 26, 2003)

No way in hell....they're nuts.

$5 delayed is just fine with me....I just wish I could schedule it via HDTivo more than 24 hours in advance. 

IMHO, or course!

Brian


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## kjnorman (Jun 21, 2002)

I would not spend $25 on this. 

My wife is not so keen on watching films at home, even though my modest set up is nice enough, my wife like the whole going out and cinema experience thing.

I myself would be happy about getting a projector set up and doing HD PPV delayed if it was high bandwidth, dts/dd sound and did not need HDMI. But that is not going to happen in our house any time soon....


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## slydog75 (Jul 8, 2004)

kjnorman said:


> I would not spend $25 on this.
> 
> My wife is not so keen on watching films at home, even though my modest set up is nice enough, my wife like the whole going out and cinema experience thing.
> 
> I myself would be happy about getting a projector set up and doing HD PPV delayed if it was high bandwidth, dts/dd sound and did not need HDMI. But that is not going to happen in our house any time soon....


Why must it not use HDMI?


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## DCBnG (Mar 1, 2006)

Maybe if it were simultaneous, but only on nights when we were having people over, etc.... I ain't gonna spend more than we would by just going to the movies, so there would have to be a few people over. I'll bet it would be a big winner with bigger families though.


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## rkester (Jan 10, 2005)

I would if it was simultaneous or witin the week of theatre release, and only if I had friends over who were helping to pay for it.

And obviously a movie I wanted to see.


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## dwynne (Mar 11, 2002)

My 3 out a time plan with Netflix is $15.99 a month and we average about 12 movies a month if we watch them and return them fairly quickly.

For those prices we don't go to the theater much and certainly would not pay $25 for a single movie in HD PPV. 

Movie prices here are high, but not nearly as bad as places like LA or NYC - so I could see some interest in places with really high prices or folks with lots of kids to pay for. An old-fashioned drive-in is open fairly close to home now and they have reasonable ticket prices ($6 and $3), allow you to bring in your own food and drinks for $4 a car load, and always have a double feature and sometime triple features. Makes it a very reasonable trip and something different for the kids, who didn't grow up going to drive-ins like I did.

Having our own "Real" popcorn popper is the best addition I made to the home theater, now little reason to HAVE to go out to the movies  

Dennis


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## darthrsg (Jul 25, 2005)

nope, HDlite should not cost 25 bucks for 2 hours.
full bitrate HDdvd or BluRay might be worth 20 bucks though.


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## slydog75 (Jul 8, 2004)

What is HDLite?


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## n8. (Feb 26, 2006)

dwynne said:


> My 3 out a time plan with Netflix is $15.99 a month and we average about 12 movies a month if we watch them and return them fairly quickly.
> 
> Dennis


15.99 a month?? I was paying 19 plus tax for the same plan. Newer movies were almost ALWAYS unavailable so I went with blockbuster.

I was getting on average 24 movies a month (6 a week) but wasnt getting the ones I really wanted due to the long wait times.

BB is much better: and I get anything I want (most of the time). Plus I get 4 in-store rentals a month!

You are probably thinking "24 a month??" Well... I "backup" all my movies.


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## inaka (Nov 26, 2001)

n8. said:


> You are probably thinking "24 a month??" Well... I "backup" all my movies.


Umm...you can't "backup" something you don't own, return it, and then keep the copy, that's illegal. But you already knew that... 

Oh, and to answer the thread topic, nah, I'll just wait for the DVD and rent it locally.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

The discussion from a few days back...

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=289418

And I said: Yes... great usage for my Home Theater...

I have pretty much stopped going to the Theaters... due to the cost, and the time, and the hastle to go... When i have spent as much as I have for my home entertainment system...

If I can for $30 get a release, where me and my family could enjoy it, at home... with out really incurring much more cost then the "rental" fee....

Sure... I can easly say that I would probably get one at least once a month.


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## af250xxl (Jan 24, 2006)

and how much $$$ for PPV porn in 1080i HD?


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## BConvery (Dec 2, 2004)

af250xxl said:


> and how much $$$ for PPV porn?


Is it HD? IF so, I'm in!


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## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

So it sounds like, even for those people that would pay the $25, that you would only do it if released simultaneously, or near opening weekend.

They're talking about 60 day delays.

Crazy.


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## dwynne (Mar 11, 2002)

n8. said:


> 15.99 a month?? I was paying 19 plus tax for the same plan. Newer movies were almost ALWAYS unavailable so I went with blockbuster.


I was with BB (used a code to get a discount price when they launched), but they were shipping movies to me from the a center 3 days away - so it was a terrible turn-around time. They did not have and refused to get some series discs I asked for, and Netflix had them. The pimple faces at the local store would not let me use more than one coupon at a time (even though the coupon said you could) - and they had about nothing I wanted to see other than new releases (which I was by mail) - then there was trips to and from the store.

I used another promo deal to go back with Netflix for $16 so I dropped BB. The mailing center is one day away now. Some long waits, but they tend to carry about EVERYTHING so I have lots in my queue.

I could probably get more a month if I did like you, but I feel I get a good ROI the way things are - even if I only get 10 per month.

To me it is all about patience, if you wait you can save money. Want to see it now, pay more at the theater. Want it a little latter on PPV, pay some extra. Rent the DVD, pay less. Wait a little long and it is on HBO HD or Starz HD or Sho HD.

The lead time between movie release and DVD release seems to be getting shorter and shorter - so less reason to pay big bucks at the theater or for PPV. What HD DVDs (whichever format) do to this remains to be seen - but DVDs via an upconverting DVD player look pretty good to me (for the money).

You heard about the latest Steven Soderbergh movie "Bubble"? It aired on HDNet the same night it opened in theaters, then 4 days later you could buy the DVD in stores. I don't think $25 for 60 days later would fly.

Dennis


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## durl (Dec 1, 2005)

That's a huge percent of people who think HD PPV picture quality is no better than DVD. I don't see how 480 lines of resolution can look as good as 1080 lines even if the bandwidth is throttled.


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## Mark Lopez (Jan 1, 2000)

durl said:


> That's a huge percent of people who think HD PPV picture quality is no better than DVD. I don't see how 480 lines of resolution can look as good as 1080 lines even if the bandwidth is throttled.


First of all, the poll did not say 'no better', it said 'isn't that much better'.

And secondly, with a high end DVD player, a good transfer and a decent display, 480 lines can look pretty darn good. I'm fairly picky and and I have some DVDs that look better than some of the HD stuff they are beaming down.


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## rkester (Jan 10, 2005)

I agree Mark, many times good DVDs are better than what DTV themselves is passing off as HD content.

I think that the SG Atlantis s1 set is some of the best quality DVD quality picture i've seen. And it's better than most of DTVs HD signal on my TV.


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## dwynne (Mar 11, 2002)

Mark Lopez said:


> First of all, the poll did not say 'no better', it said 'isn't that much better'.
> 
> And secondly, with a high end DVD player, a good transfer and a decent display, 480 lines can look pretty darn good. I'm fairly picky and and I have some DVDs that look better than some of the HD stuff they are beaming down.


I agree. If they start selling HD DVD players for close to the same price as DVD players go for now, and the titles are the same price - sure, why not?

Watching the content on INHD/INHD2 you can tell the difference between old film to HD transfers and stuff produced in HD. Some of the imax to HD stuff looks darn good. Same is true for movies on HBO VS some HBO produced stuff that was shot in HD. A lot of it looks "good enough", but a lot of times you can tell the difference.

On a side note, our local PBS station in on the air in digital but lacks the funds to pass HD - so we get digital SD (480i). For some shows they air "live" as the come off the satellite in HD they have been airing them in 480i 16:9 and THOSE look darn good as well. Good enough that folks seeing them keep thinking they have finally gone to HD - but it is just 480i. So real HD looks better, but crappy analog TV looks so bad that anything is better.

Dennis


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## TyroneShoes (Sep 6, 2004)

rkester said:


> I agree Mark, many times good DVDs are better than what DTV themselves is passing off as HD content...


I also agree, and that's why that category got a high vote...bad HD, not good DVD. Good HD will beat the best DVD transfer out there hands down, but not all HD is good enough to beat a good DVD.

But then I am addicted to good HD, and haven't watched or burned a DVD since I got my set 18 months ago.

So far, News Corp can expect 1% of us to pay that freight. Good luck with that. They shouldn't expect to have any VOD bandwidth issues with just a hundred customers a month.


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