Sony Cutting Back on UMD Sales 108
Karsten writes "An article in Variety claims that Sony is cutting back on UMD releases. While comedies are doing well, other genres simply aren't getting much traction." From the article: "Some have reasoned that sales may have slowed recently because of a shortage of new titles in the last month and because users may be illegally copying films from DVDs onto a memory chip the PSPs can read. Sony is hoping to combat online piracy starting in March when it begins selling movies online via its Connect digital media store. Users will be able to download a pic and watch it on PSP without a disc."
Too expensive (Score:4, Interesting)
The latest news about them bundling UMDs with DVDs is a step in the right direction, at least.
Good! (Score:1, Interesting)
What did you expect? (Score:3, Interesting)
The nail in the UMD coffin says, "Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo" right on it.
They knew what they were doing.. even included the software.. And, despite the fact that people are pirating movies with their memory sticks, a lot of them are copying movies or shows they already own. Then there's the whole issue that it requires far less battery power to read/display a movie off solid state memory than to spin a disc. So it's even more appealing to do so.
The real question is whether or not they will allow it to continue. Will there be a new firmware update that requires a license to play every movie? And beyond that, will they be producing any "killer apps" that make people want to buy the product that will install it? From what I've heard, the PSP has been distinctivly Gamecube about news lately. In other words, pretty well dead in the water. Very few titles. Not much to get excited over.
Movies, Time Shifting, and the PSP (Score:4, Interesting)
To the best of my knowledge (not being a lawyer and all that), it's not legal right now - when you break the copy protection found on the greater majority of DVDs on the market, technically, you're breaking the law in the United States. The specific law being broken is the DMCA.
There are a couple of points to make:
1. They can screw right off with that law, I'm putting my movies where ever I damn well please.
2. There is a neat little exemption in the DMCA about devices that are obsolete. I hope these new High Def player break compatibility with the old formats (yeah, high hopes), because as soon as the tech is obsolete, we get to crack the encryption "legally". Frankly, DVDs are, and will be, "good enough" for me for quite some time.
The other thing to consider here is that UMDs and downloadable movies are essentially new ways to re-purchase content. This process isn't always bad, but in this -case- is very bad. Unlike the move to DVDs, Sony wants us to pay MORE for LESS quality... and pay multiple times.
Sony is trying pretty hard to un-do some damage that they've unintentionally done with the PSP. By providing users a capable media player that works with writable media, they've broken their business model. They've made customers happy, but happy doesn't buy corporate jets.
Re:Or maybe people just finally realise they're cr (Score:3, Interesting)
A recent example: I was a chaperone for a church youth group overnight. By bringing my iPod, I had eight or so movies with me, in a form that fit in my pocket. We watched two. My fellow chaperone had brought three movies (which we didn't watch), which she then had to keep track of the whole video for. Mine were much easier to keep track of, and easier to play. (Since the DVD player at chuch is wierd, and not kept hooked up.)
To bring this back to topic: That's part of the problem with UMD's. All (as far as I'm aware) that I can watch them on are PSP's. The format doesn't truly gain me anything: The size means they are easier to carry, but also harder to keep track of, and I've lost the ablity to share the experience. What's the point? For about the same amount I can get a portable DVD player which is a little bigger, but plays a standard format, or an iPod which will take some conversion, but will play on a standard TV.
Give us a break! (Score:3, Interesting)
Riiiight... So, copying a DVD to a PSP is illegal? Meh! They better get with the program, there is still such a thing as "fair use" (atleast outside the states).
Why should I pay premium for UMD just to get a lowerquality movie with no extras when I just as easily can take my favourite movie, process it and enjoy (well, as much as it can be enjoyed on a small screen with lots of ghosting).
If they had their way, my bought media would be hardlinked with just ONE device, which could only playback to ONE display, requiring the user to buy a copy of the movie for each playback device, and a playback device for each display.
If it ever gets to that stage, I guess it's time to start doing other things than watching bad hollywood flicks.
Irritated? Hell yeah! >(
Keys to Sony's Success (Score:2, Interesting)
http://kamalot.blogspot.com/2006/02/portable-movi
Sony does not seem to think of the big picture.
Make the PS3 a Recorder
The PS3 will come with the ability to playback DVDs. Why not embed the ability to copy the contents of a DVD to a Memory Stick for viewing on the PSP? Sony could control the fair-rights copyright within the PS3 and PSP since they create the hardware for both. They could enforce that your are only allowed to copy the DVD to a PSP a set number of times, much like iTunes handles digitally rights managed music.
If people could buy a DVD and use the PS3 to watch it on their TV as well as use it to copy the DVD to the PSP, people would see a greater value in both the PSP and the PS3. It would solve the problem consumers have with buying two copies of the same movie, an understandable complaint.
Re:Illegally? (Score:4, Interesting)
Read the law. You can find it here [loc.gov]. There is no blanket prohibition on bypassing copy control mechanisms - this is a big, big misconception about the DMCA. In fact, there are both specific and non-specific instances (i.e. basically the same provisions as in earlier fair use definitions) in which bypassing technological copy control mechanisms is explicitly allowed.
Whether or not format-shifting would count is not clearly laid out in the law, anymore than it is in earlier copyright laws. According to the DMCA, the Librarian of Congress is supposed to review cases like this every 3 years to determine whether they would be legal under the DMCA's provisions or not.
The entire purpose of this part of the DMCA was not to stamp out fair use, it was to specifically prohibit circumventing technological measures that were implemented in order to prevent copyright violations. But the bottom line is (or is supposed to be) that if you're not violating copyright law, you are allowed to circumvent these technological measures. The DMCA was not supposed to take away your fair use rights.
How the law has been used and referenced since it was enacted may be another story. But that is the way the law was written, and I'm confident that if it was actually tested in court (and format-shifting has not been, to my knowledge), that both the letter and intent of the law would be followed by the court.
Re:Illegally? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Illegally? (Score:4, Interesting)
Finding DVD's that pay the money for CSS and Macrovision "protection" is getting less and less. The makers know it's useless to put that "protection" on there as it is trivial to go around it.
UMD movies? Foo on you, Sony... (Score:3, Interesting)
For people who can't or would rather throw money at the problem, fine, let them. But they really shouldn't blame the fact that not all people have infinite cash to throw at re-buying the movies they already own on UMD. In the meantime, worry about getting more good games on the PSP - I have some money, and I'd rather spend it on good games than buying my movie collection all over again.