While some people are focusing on Blu-ray as the future of movies, there is a quiet revolution taking place which could eventually eschew the need for any physical format existing at all.
We’re entering a time when everything will soon be on-demand, with us, the viewers, choosing when and where we want to watch our favorite television shows and movies. Choice will soon be the new black.
A Utopian Future?
For this Utopian future to become a possibility, just a few things are required: a fast and reliable Broadband connection, a set-top box capable of delivering a multitude of content, and content providers willing to offer their goods in digital formats.
The first, a decent and speedy Broadband infrastructure, is still a pipe dream, with speeds in the U.S. and parts of Europe failing miserably to services in Asia and Scandinavia. But speed and reliability are sure to increase over time.
Set-Top Boxes
The second, set-top boxes capable of delivering high-definition content at the press of a button, are becoming more common. The new Blockbuster MediaPoint box from 2Wire is just the latest in a long line of competitors in this increasingly crowded market.
We already have AppleTV, VUDU, and a number of other set-top boxes. And now Blockbuster has tried to outdo its movie rental competition, Netflix, by finally offering a digital distribution alternative.
Netflix Vs Blockbuster
has been working overtime during 2008 in trying to make its movie and TV content available on as many products as possible. There’s the Roku box, the LG Blu-ray player, and most recently, the Xbox 360 all offering ways for Netflix customers to access content from the comfort of their front room.
And now, finally, Blockbuster is catching up. The MediaPoint player offers Blockbuster customers the chance to download rental movies to their TVs for $1.99 – $3.99 apiece. This is after an initial $99 buys the box and 25 films to get you started.
Blockbuster may not be offering as much content, 2,500 titles initially, compared to the 10,000 titles on Netflix, but progressive playback will mean the quality of the downloads won’t be adversely affected by a slow Broadband connection.
Conclusions
The amount of content on both Blockbuster and Netflix’ services are sure to increase over time, with HD also becoming standard, as more and more content providers realize the future is digital distribution.
Competition is good in this burgeoning market as it will mean better choice, and lower prices for those of us gearing up to join the revolution. And while Apple, VUDU, Netflix, and Blockbuster battle it out for customers, Blu-ray will join the ranks of other failed physical formats.
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