AfterDawn: News

Disney drops disposable DVDs

AfterDawn reported in 2003 that Disney were to start selling self-destructing DVDs. Basically you could watch these discs for 48 hours after you buy them, but the discs coating reacts with oxygen and turns black and unreadable after that time. Disney marketed it as a rental that you never had to remember to bring back to avoid late fees. The disc was called EZ-D by its developer Flexplay. However, Disney has now decided to drop the self-destructing DVDs, but that doesn't necessarily mean the technology is dead just yet.

Flexplay has been sold to Atlanta-based Convex Group, who now plan to release content in this format. "We believe wholeheartedly in the platform," said Dawn Whaley, executive vice president of the Convex Group. "I don't think we would have acquired a company if we didn't think it would be successful." The discs have been attacked by environmentalists who say it will lead to unnecessary waste in landfills.



Convex Group released an independent film, Noel, during the holidays. It now says it is talking with retail partners and content providers, and plans to roll out additional titles later in 2005. A spokesman for Buena Vista Home Entertainment, the division of Disney that released the films, confirmed that its disposable DVD pilot program is over. He said they are now evaluating what they want to do next.

One of the main issues that caused this format to so far be mostly ignored by consumers is its price tag. $7 for a DVD that destroys itself after 48 hours is a bit high. Also, the main claim behind these discs, that they remove the need to remember to bring back movies to rental services to avoid late fees is no longer that good, as rental giant Blockbuster has nixed its late fees. Netflix, another popular rental service, never charged late fees.

Source:
Wired

Written by: James Delahunty @ 7 Feb 2005 5:52

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• 9 comments

• int3gr4

  These ez-d sounded pretty good until I read the seven dollar price tag. Ouch. Seven dollars for a suicidal dvd.

  7.2.2005 08:02 #1

• ddp

  no thankyou as i might want to watch movie again not watch disk crumble in front of my eyes

  7.2.2005 08:33 #2

• int3gr4

  Just back it up to a non-destructable disc, then throw the the self destructive one away. If you get permission from the copyright owner first, ofcourse. ;)

  7.2.2005 09:05 #3

• ddp

  awww do we have to! where's the fun than

  7.2.2005 09:11 #4

• GrayArea

  "the discs coating reacts with oxygen and turns black and unreadable"
  
  Would have been simple. Just don space suits, unwrap and watch in a vacuum...

  7.2.2005 09:48 #5

• p.monkey

  so does that mean because you actually do own the cd,you bought it ,its not a rental,you can actually back it up for personal use only..and wounldnt that be legal ,because at the time of purchase it was a real working dvd that you paid for.
  
  also how do they know exactly how long it will last every ones house is a different temp , humidity could kill it even faster,wouldnt that suck watchin half and it burns away and you dont know what happens ,is there a money back guarantee,on a defective one ,probably not

  7.2.2005 10:18 #6

• daemonzx6

  This format was dead before it started. I never considered buying one of these stupid discs.
  p.monkey makes some good points, however.

  7.2.2005 10:38 #7

• ddp

  it is the oxygen that destroys the disk not humidity or whatever that does it in. so as GrayArea says put into vaccum or inert gas & watch to your hearts delight

  7.2.2005 11:46 #8

• Cobrajet

  Can you open it, watch it, then put it in a Foodsaver bag and remove the air? Wonder if it would stop the degredation process.....

  5.10.2005 13:02 #9