Gizmodo
Honestly, if we hadn't been tipped to this, we probably would've been none the wiser—same as pretty much everybody else on the planet apparently—but it looks like Wal-Mart's video download store caught pneumonia and died on Dec. 21.
The big question for those of you who bravely bought in: Will my bastard child videos still work even with the permanent closed sign in the store's window?
The videos you purchased and downloaded are yours to keep. Yes, you can play your videos as many times as you wish on the computer you used to download the videos. Due to licensing restrictions, you cannot copy or transfer your video files and play them on a different computer.Hurray, as long as you keep the same computer for life.
The store's sudden death actually isn't too surprising even though it was less than a year old and the first one to sport content from the "big six" studios. Who thinks "Wal-Mart" when they think "video downloads," and wants to deal with a clusterfuck of DRM, WMV files and Windows and IE-only compatibility? (Not Hollywood types!) Besides, its goose might've been cooked anyway when iTunes finally snagged a video rental deal.
On the other hand, its online music store is still going strong, or at least going enough to try to pressure labels to sell MP3s through it, though it looks like Amazon has the upper hand (in more ways than one.) Let's hope they weren't taking any cues from their cubicle mates in the vid store department! [Wal-Mart, Thanks MarktMan!]
Comments
Wow. This is such a non-news item that nobody has even commented on it...
Now, your "purchased" movies are locked up forever on a computer that is doomed to die. Great investment.... I can only look forward to the day we can report DRM RIP.
Correct me if I am wrong, but from what I understand the whole video download concept has had, at best, a luke-warm response from the public no matter who is behind it. Apple's video downloads have not been as dramatic as they hopes, the AppleTV has barely been noticed, NetFlix has had very little luck with their video streaming. They all seem to be fine (although crippled in one way or another), but Jane C. Public has not bought into it yet.
Video downloads (aside from iPod based videos) for a number of reasons:
1)There isn't an easy way (to the general public) to transfer the downloads from computer to TV.
2) People don't want to buy another piece of hardware (whether it be a media computer, home server, AppleTV, etc.) to do this.
3) They don't want to try to configure all that stuff.
4) They don't want it locked to a particular computer, especially given the life span of of the cheapo Dell boxes most people buy.
5) People want to burn it to some permanent format so they can use it with another computer (see #4) or TV. Why I can't I bring a movie I bought over to a buddies house?
I'd be upset, but that would mean i'd have to care. and well who really does?
And, just like the Wal*Mart stores, when they finally lift up and move away, leave a small and feeble community around it in its wake. Good thing fewer people bought into this crap than the B&M locations.
this is perfect example of why download media is bullshit! you buy something from one of these sites wether its wallmart itunes or sony and M$ when there service goes so does your media, thats why hard copies like dvd or blu-ray or hd-dvd will always be the best way, its mine to keep forever to play were ever i want!
Do they at least mail out a Smiley-face sticker to you as compensation?
@kitt2112: If either Blu-Ray or HD DVD lose the format war, manufacturing of either optical drive ceases, and the life of your BD or HD DVD discs will be determined by the life of that player you own, at which point you'd have to either abandon it when it dies, or find used replacements at garage sales or Craigslist.
hmm you learn something new every day!!!!! I did not know there was a video service for walmart.
I got a free download of 300, when I purchased the DVD.
It took them 3 weeks to figure out why the service kept locking up. The tech guy was persistent - but he was doomed from the start.
Yayy Digital Murder : )
Less DRM Yayy us!
Looks like somebody is gonna miss out on their christmas bonus...
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