Dude, Where's my Video Store?

by Movie Rentals Compared

If you're a fanatic when it comes to watching movies, today is a wonderful time.  It would make Darwin proud - as the "old" way of watching movies begin to fade away and new, faster, cheaper ways of getting what you want take their place. 

Darwin would probably refer to it as a process of natural selection.  It is.  Only here its a battle for your entertainment dollar.

Nearly Extinct Species: Video Stores (retail outlets)

We can't quite call them extinct, since there remains hundreds of thousands of them across the country.  But the traditional process of renting DVDs in person at a retail store is a nightmare compared to the value & convenience offered by today's DVD rental services. 

You remember what its like at the video store, don't you?  Buried in your subconscious are evil memories of waiting in lines, with zero new releases available and only a $4.00 copy of "Dude, Where's my Car?" left on the shelf. 

Its no surprise that NetFlix and Tivo skyrocketed in popularity over the past 5 years - both offer the power of convenience & selection. 

Fully Evolved: DVD Rental by Mail Services

Like the fish walking on land, when you go to rent DVD online this is the present and the future.  With broadband alternatives and digital rights managed tools still years away from wide availability, DVD by mail services remain the most popular and valuable ways to satisfy your needs to watch 2 - 20 movies per month. 

Blockbuster has made a giant push into the space to catch up to Netflix, with plans calling to expand their popular Total Access DVD rental plan to over 3 million users this year.  NetFlix has 6 million, and its cut the heart out of the retail video store market. 

Evolving Now: On Demand and Download Movie Rights

With players from Amazon, iPod, and Tivo also entering the market the future is definitely headed towards on-demand downloads for movies.  Imagine simply clicking and streaming or downloading whatever film you want, whenever you want it, instantly.  That fish is evolving now - but its a bitter struggle and will still take several years to make it out of the swamp.

Players like Amazon have announced plans to enable streaming content to flow directly into equipped Tivo boxes.  Other developments include HD quality downloads streamed directly from the distributors to your home Media PC.  Its the ultimate convergence theory for all the tech heavy gadgets like video phones and slingbox users.  Once technology, pricing, and design (keep it simple - its what made players like Netflix and Tivo popular in the first place) align we should see a quantum leap once again in home entertainment nirvana.

Final Thoughts - Home Movie Conveniences

The consumer home movie market has more choices than ever before.  Without a doubt the best value and convenience today are the DVD rental service providers.  Price wars have dropped unlimited rental plans about 50% from where they were just 2 years ago.  Broadband and High Definition DRM managed downloads are on the horizon but not yet stable, affordable, or realistic for most consumers. 

Its enough to make Darwin proud.