It seems like more films than ever nowadays have "rental exclusive" DVD & Blu-Ray discs that Netflix, Blockbuster, Family Video, etc. rent out that have all bonus features removed, as well as any kind of extended or unrated version of the film.

Getting a physical disc instead of streaming takes extra time, as well as gas if you are driving to a local store to get the disc (repeatedly if it's all checked out) and then again to return it. One of the main reasons to get physical discs instead of streaming (other than streaming quality is absolutely horrid on a 50" or 65" screen) is for bonus features and the chance to see an extended or unrated version of the film.

It seems to me like this is an extremely low blow coming from studios to millions of customers, especially in these trying economic times. It's really not THAT big a deal, but it is precisely because it's a "little thing" that makes it seem like such an unnecessary low blow to me.

You want to pay less to rent the disc? No extended/unrated version of bonus features for you.

It also creates a nightmare in the used disc market, as these stripped discs get mixed in with used REAL retail copies, so if you buy a used disc from someone, you may end up with one of these stripped discs. I was in Blockbuster today and I was shocked that they have the gall to charge $16.99 for a used rental disc that is STRIPPED of all bonus content.

It's nice to see that not EVERY studio does this, but it really seems like I'm seeing more and more of them recently.

I've heard some people mention they have local "mom and pop" stores that buy the discs they rent out from the same sources as retail stores (they don't have any contractual deals with studios), so the versions of the discs they rent are the REAL retail discs.

Since I don't have any such stores near me, it would be nice to see an online competitor to Blockbuster and Netflix who rents only REAL discs instead of stripped "rental" copies. But it will probably never happen.

Sorry, had to publicly vent.

I don't have an issue with it at all, that is also how they try to keep people that rent and copy discs from getting all the features.

Maybe that prevents some I have no idea.

What do you expect for a $1 ?


As the neutered rentals discs that I have seen all are screen printed rental

-Robert

Quoting RobAGD:

Quote:
I don't have an issue with it at all, that is also how they try to keep people that rent and copy discs from getting all the features.

Most people who "rent and copy" actually take the time to rip out just the movie and ditch the extras. Stripped discs are a plus for people who do that.

And the same on my previous comment regarding having no problem as a consumer with getting less.

Quoting Grendell:

Quote:

I will never understand how a consumer can be happy about getting less. To me, this is the equivalent of walking into a store, and the sales clerk says, "You can have this for $5 or for $10, which would you prefer," and you say, "$10."

Where did I wrote I get less? I don't rent and I don't use netflix (and other crap service alike)... all the movie I own are buy new (except for some gifts). I don't see a problem with putting no extra on "to rent" version that's all, you pay less you got less this is perfectly logical to me.

Why do you ask a question if you don't want to get answers that agree 100% with the way the studio do it?

I have no problem with the striped down disc used for rentals. I do have a problem when the try to resell that same striped down disc for the same price as a used full disc. They need to label the package with that information.

Quoting Grendell:

Quote:
I will never understand how a consumer can be happy about getting less. To me, this is the equivalent of walking into a store, and the sales clerk says, "You can have this for $5 or for $10, which would you prefer," and you say, "$10."

Your example is a little off as, in the context of this thread, you're spending more to get more.  It's no different than buying a car...when you pay the low end price, you get the stripped down model, when you pay the premium price, you get all the bells and whistles.

What I would consider a low blow from the studios is if, for $1 at RedBox, you could get the exact same product I have to spend $20 on.  Bottom line, a consumer who pays less should expect to get less.  If you want the extras, you have to pay for them.

Edit: I see everybody seems to be on the same page here.

I don't hate this practice nearly as much as I hate the studios' desperate attempts to try to recapture the DVD glory years and have me re-buy my entire collection all over again.  First Blu...that didn't work out so good, now 3D...doesn't look promising.  What the hell is next?  Instead of giving me the 100th release of Wizard of Oz, try giving me something new.  Perhaps then I'll actually give you my money.

Like most people seem to think here, it doesn't bother me:

Renting is cheap and I usually only rent movies I just want to watch once, with no interest in extra's.
Movies I buy are movies I want to keep watching and am interested in extra's ... so I pay for those

All in all, seems fair to me