Self-destructing DVDs

Winters

if it was already posted, sorry. I read this on the teletext a month or so ago. Seems as though its gonne be launched next month

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3064327.stm

The disc, called an EZ-D, will be sold in an airtight envelope. Once the package is opened, the surface of the disc will start to react with the air, slowly changing colour from red to an opaque black over the next two days.

According to New York-based Flexplay Technologies, the company that has developed the EZ-D, the new discs will make it far more convenient to watch films. That's because the discs will be sold at about the same price as it costs to rent a DVD, and will be available from vending machines, hotel gift shops and newsagents.

Sounds pretty good.

jammy_dodger

Sounds pretty good.

Not really,

Sound like more fancy coasters, for me bevies

Señor Juárez

hmm, i wonder if some form of sealent or varnish would stop the reaction from continuing???

CombatCow

So what,all it doing is giving ppl a limited time to rip the DVD,i doubt it will help against piracy tbh.

CombatCow

oneweb

The good: it'll make for more widespread availability of cheap movies.

The bad: the movies die in such a short time.

The ugly: You know all those AOL(cough) and Compuserve and all those millions of coaster CDs that people get and don't want and they end up filling dumps? So now it's set to get even worse :rolleyes:

Combatcow's point is a good one.

Calibos

Was it not originally touted as a rental solution. ie you go to your video shop and rent the dvd and instead of getting a copy that has been scratched and dribbled on by the last renters 3 year old and is thus glitch city.........you get a brand new copy every time and just throw it in the bin after 2 or 3 days.

Sounded like a great idea to me....................damn the environmental lobby is after me..........HELP!!!!!!:D

Señor Juárez

Originally posted by oneweb
The good: it'll make for more widespread availability of cheap movies.

The bad: the movies die in such a short time.

The ugly: You know all those AOL(cough) and Compuserve and all those millions of coaster CDs that people get and don't want and they end up filling dumps? So now it's set to get even worse :rolleyes:

Combatcow's point is a good one.

a very good point, i agree that this could be an environmental issue. what is needed is a CD recycling policy, after all, most of the mass of a CD is just plastic.

peterk19

its just giving pirates a time limit to rip it to a harddrive for burning

Señor Juárez

look, i think we have established that one already. it is an altentative, so DVD's are brand new and unscratched, and can be simply thrown out rather than returned to the shop. This means they can be sold from vending machines etc.

this was never meant to be a solution to piracy.

Gyck

It's a terrible use of the medium.

As has been mentioned already, it means more crap filling up landfill. The big media producers can't figure out how to lick piracy, or can't get their heads around the issue, so they come up with a short sighted solution like this. Piracy aside, it runs against all concepts of sustainability or reuse.

It brings the term 'planned obsolescence' to a new low...

Doodah7

I Note in todays NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/21/technology/21FLEX.html?th there is an article on these new DVD's.

Apparently by keeping the disc in an airtight container and putting it in the fridge, the life of the DVD can be extended to 96 hours or more...

Spacedog

Why not invent a book with ink that goes invisible after a week if you don't read it, eliminating the need for libraries, idiots, shouldn't those a**holes not be making something useful? how do they sleep at night? (on top of a pile of money with many beautiful ladies I bet)

conZ

Originally posted by peterk19
its just giving pirates a time limit to rip it to a harddrive for burning

Fuelling the PC industry, bring back a strong global economy..


... Its all good ...