Sony Video Store

Kintarō Hattori

So across the water they now have access to movies and tv shows on their playstation and you can download these to your PS3 and your PSP. When, if ever, are we likely to see it come here?

Rather annoyingly however Sony have it covered it with DRM issues. You have a limited number of downloads and they are tied to your PS3 rather than to the drive that they are on. If you download, back-up or delete the content you could find yourself unable to download the movies/tv shows you've rightfully paid for.

As one of the articles points out, Sony project a 10 year lifespan for the PS3, so being able to download the content you've paid for only 3-4 times over a 10 year period is hardly ideal. DRM makes legitimate consumers lives a nightmare, why do they insist on keeping it going. Surely there must be other ways to solve the problem.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/22/ps3-video-store-provides-more-reason-to-avoid-drm

savemejebus

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

DRM makes legitimate consumers lives a nightmare, why do they insist on keeping it going.

I'm guessing that it's a mixture of it being the only way they could get studios to sign up for their platform and a helathy dose of "please buy our blu-rays".

Retr0gamer

Especially when that 10 year lifespan is more realistically a 5-6 year one with the Sony hoping they can keep the PS3 on as a cheap alternative to their next console like with the PS1 and PS2. I'm sure that you will be able to transfer the files to your the next console if you keep the same account. However DRM is a real joke that give a product inferior to the illegal and cheaper alternative.

I don't think we'll see a similar service here any time soon and probably with only a fraction of the titles. With Europe being made up of so many countries film rights are an absolute mess.

Kintarō Hattori

savemejebus wrote: »

I'm guessing that it's a mixture of it being the only way they could get studios to sign up for their platform and a helathy dose of "please buy our blu-rays".

Oh absolutely. I'm sure the studio's would have run a mile if they hadn't been promised DRM.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

...However DRM is a real joke that give a product inferior to the illegal and cheaper alternative.

I don't think we'll see a similar service here any time soon and probably with only a fraction of the titles. With Europe being made up of so many countries film rights are an absolute mess.

I couldn't agree more Retr0gamer. DRM is a load of nonsense that just causes hassle for the consumer and alienates them from the manufacturer and their product. As you said simply being in Europe makes this a service that we will either not see or have in an inferior form to the americans.

ongarite

I'd assume the controls are to stop you sharing each film you buy, rent with the 5 potential other "alternate account" like you can use the share PSN games.
Also to stop you using the backup feature and bringing your USB HDD backup to another PS3 and sharing it that way.