Commentary

Renting Movies

I don't remember the title of the last movie I rented from a movie store but I know the movie wasn't made in 2008. Maybe 2007? Maybe?

I'm betting that many of you are the same way. We all know that movie stores and DVDs have been taking a hit and won't be around much longer, but what will take their place?

Personally, I've fallen in love with my Apple TV. I use it to rent movies from iTunes, many of which are available in HD. However, there are a lot of movie titles which the iTunes store doesn't carry. Many of these titles are offered by rivaling services, such as Amazon's "unbox" or Netflix, but then again, these services don't carry many of the titles that iTunes provides.

So which service do you choose? This is a question to which there is no clear answer, but I think better solutions will develop in time.

Obviously, we're in an age in which the methods for delivering media are changing. The industry is still working out the kinks. I'm just hoping that, someday soon, it gets more centralized so I can rent my movies and TV shows without having to subscribe to six different services to get them.

4 comments about "Renting Movies".
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  1. Chris Stinson from Non-Given, August 25, 2008 at 9:11 a.m.

    I don't rent......I go to the library!!! I'm in no hurry to see the latest blockbuster - it will be the same in 6 months.

  2. Jim O'Neal, August 25, 2008 at 9:22 a.m.

    Haven't gone to Blockbuster in months...not convenient and more empty cases than movies for the recent releases. We have Redbox at Stop &Shop (think other chains have it too) and while limited # titles, can't beat it: $1.06 per nite!! and its right there after grocery shopping

  3. Caron Stowers from TM Communications, August 25, 2008 at 9:23 a.m.

    Personally, I love Netflix. Great company with excellent customer service and they have just about anything you can think of ready to send to your home. I was told ten years ago that I'd better buy a CD because cassette tapes would be gone by the end of the year. I can still buy them although I do have to look a little harder. So...I don't believe that DVD's will disappear anytime soon. I do not want to watch my movies on the computer but that's okay for some people.

  4. Aakash Raut from Self, August 29, 2008 at 3:40 a.m.

    I have been wondering what the best option is, with respect to renting or viewing movies. It used to be so simple, but now there are a ton of options - many of which, as you write, don't even require you to leave home.

    The thing is, however, I am wondering what is the most affordable. We have a cheap family-owned rental company here... However, at Shop & Save, they rented movies, for one night each, that were even cheaper (less than 40 cents, I think). I recently discovered RedBox, as one of your commenters above mentioned. This is the only video rental services (aside from the online ones) where you can go, after midnight, and still get a movie. [They are in 24-hour stores.]

    I have yet to experiment with renting movies through iTunes, or any other service. Are there any of these online-based video renting services that are worthwhile?

    (I mean, affordable, on par with the traditional rental stores, and reliable?)

    I have recently enjoyed watching television shows online, through CBS Innertube, and other streaming services that now exist. However, I have unforunately had to stop doing so, after I found that the streaming was so slow, that the broadcast keeps freezing and stalling repeatedly, making watching anything too difficult.

    I thought maybe it was an Innertube problem, but from what I learned from a web search on the issue, most (though not all) Innertube users weren't having this problem.

    I thought maybe it was my laptop (that old thing was on its last legs), but this new notebook that I got recently (which, by the way, has also started acting up... I really wish I'd been able to get a MacBook!), didn't let the video streaming work much better. And I don't think Innertube had much to do with it, because I have found that so many other streaming services - for movies and television shows - now exist (AOL.com has its own website for that, and I've recently heard, though not had a chance to try out, lulu.com [or is it "hulu"?]), but those don't seem to work, with my system either.

    So, I'm thinking perhaps it's a problem with my wireless connection. Then again, it works for the internet most of the time... Though does seem to cut out, at times.

    I really wish these things didn't happen - or that troubleshooting was more definite (with fewer variables).

    Please let know, if you would recommend any digital/online movie-renting services, as oppose to the traditional way.

    BTW: I don't even know what an "Apple TV" is.
    ;-)

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