Sony says: You Demand It, We'll make it

[bingbangbaby]

http://www.cinematical.com/2008/01/2...-make-the-dvd/

In a deal that could have intriguing implications for film lovers, Reuters is reporting that Hewlett-Packard (HP) has signed up Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) for their manufactured-on-demand DVD (MOD) service. In the year since the service was introduced, HP has contracted with 40 other content providers and digitized "about 5,000 titles for its electronic library."

Sony becomes "the first major studio to license niche and older titles" for the MOD service, according to the article. David Bishop, president of SPHE, says that Sony has been reluctant to release certain content on DVD, including some unspecified foreign and independent movies, because of the uncertainties involved in gauging consumer demand and maintaining inventory. There is no word yet on titles, either which or how many, and pricing.

For HP, the deal is a good way to reposition their service, which was originally trumpeted as a way to make sporting events and broadcast TV shows available on DVD within a few days of their original air dates. Sony's unreleased back catalog content includes classic TV, religious and food shows, and local sporting events, in addition to the aforementioned foreign and independent movies.

Several companies already offer their own versions of MOD service; Amazon's CreateSpace, for example, allows individuals to sell their own content on DVD and other media. This could be a viable alternative for folks who prefer to have a DVD rather than a downloaded computer file. And if it opens up the studio's back catalogs and unleashes some long in-demand titles, so much the better.

[bingbangbaby]

HP to make Sony DVD's

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...ck=1&cset=true

It will create copies of the studio's films and TV shows on demand.

By Michelle Quinn, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 24, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO -- Hewlett-Packard Co. plans to announce today that it has signed an agreement with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to create made-to-order DVDs of some of the studio's movies and TV shows.

The agreement, whose terms were not disclosed, boosts Palo Alto-based HP's ambition to play the middleman in the future of how entertainment is distributed.

Sony is the first major Hollywood studio to work with HP in its fledgling business of making DVDs of movies, TV shows and other video content only when someone orders them -- much like HP rival Dell Inc. does with computers. It will allow consumers to order DVDs of some of Sony's older or more obscure programming, which retailers tend not to stock because it's not economically viable.

By making DVDs on demand, HP says it can help studios unlock the value of their libraries and give consumers more choice.

"We're hoping this provides another option to make available products that wouldn't necessarily garner widespread retail shelf space," said Jason Spivak, senior vice president of strategic development at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, a division of Sony Corp. of America.

The agreement comes a month after HP ended its 11-month-old video download service with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. HP had powered the service on Walmart.com that sold customers TV shows and movies to download to their computers on the same day as DVD releases. But download sales were reportedly not strong.

Separately, HP has started a DVD production business and already has agreements with 40 content partners for 5,000 titles, including classic science fiction movies, exercise videos and children's series. The titles aren't on sale yet, but HP said it planned to soon announce partnerships with websites that would sell these made-to-order DVDs.

"This is part of HP's effort to transform digital entertainment," said Doug Warner, vice president of HP's digital content services business. "If studios can sell more catalog than previously, they can generate more money."

[bingbangbaby]

Well this is an idea whose time has come, wouldn't you say? I hope it works out.

[Dean Winchester]

watch it only be TV shows available, no sets that haven't been released

[bingbangbaby]

Well I hope not, they talked about "unreleased back catalog content..."

[Kristen]

Originally Posted by Dean Winchester

watch it only be TV shows available, no sets that haven't been released

If that's how they do it, then that's just stupid. I would LOVE to get a hold of The Nanny Season 3 on DVD, and Season 1 of Designing Women. Sony has been slow about releasing both of those, and this gives me hope, at least. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

- Kristen

[catlover79]

You'd think they would've gotten enough of a demand for Facts of Life's Season 4. The last set was released in October of 2006!!!

[bingbangbaby]

I'm thinking this would be similar to what the "companies" who sell bootleg dvd's do, except these wouldn't be bootlegged, they would be acquired from Sony. So you go to a site, check out the catalog, order what you want, and HP makes you a copy.
At least that's what I'm hoping "on demand" means. If the bootleggers can do it, it should be easy to do it legitimately with Sony's consent, right? And it seems like it should have been done a long time ago! It's a pretty exciting development if it pans out...

[catlover79]

^ I agree...it'll be interesting to see how it all comes together!

[BensonFan]

Originally Posted by bingbangbaby

I'm thinking this would be similar to what the "companies" who sell bootleg dvd's do, except these wouldn't be bootlegged, they would be acquired from Sony. So you go to a site, check out the catalog, order what you want, and HP makes you a copy.
At least that's what I'm hoping "on demand" means. If the bootleggers can do it, it should be easy to do it legitimately with Sony's consent, right? And it seems like it should have been done a long time ago! It's a pretty exciting development if it pans out...

I like this idea. Imagine if you could sort of mix and match tv show episodes, just like when you create a custom CD for your car.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by BensonFan

I like this idea. Imagine if you could sort of mix and match tv show episodes, just like when you create a custom CD for your car.

That's an even better idea!! Thanks, Lisa.

[TV_Fan]

I hope eventually they offer all shows in their catalog.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by TV_Fan

I hope eventually they offer all shows in their catalog.

So do I...*coughAESHudsonStreetcough*

[robby76]

Good idea, but I hope artwork and packaging don't suffer though. I don't want a no frills dvd set just because I'm the only one who wants it... haha.

[bingbangbaby]

Originally Posted by BensonFan

I like this idea. Imagine if you could sort of mix and match tv show episodes, just like when you create a custom CD for your car.

I thought about that too, when they used that Dell Computer example in the article...certain seasons of certain shows

Originally Posted by robby76

Good idea, but I hope artwork and packaging don't suffer though. I don't want a no frills dvd set just because I'm the only one who wants it... haha.

Yeah, I wondered about the extras too...any interviews or bloopers or whatever, I would so rather have that but at this point there are some shows that I'd just like to have the uncut episodes and although artwork and extras would be nice I'd take it without if I had to just to have the episodes.