Sony Executive Calls For Always-On Media Players

[Deshin]

Stupid? Yes. Outraged? No not really. A media player is a media player, as long as the same media is available from alternate sources it's nowhere near as bad as the issue of the Xbone was. People without proper internet connections just won't be buying that specific brand. They can get another brand and not miss out on what they were going to watch anyway. Unless Sony turns around and brings out a bunch of media player-specific exclusive titles but I don't really think that's going to be an issue.

 

[Roxas1359]

Well look who's doing the one eighty now!

Well their other division is, not the Playstation division. You think that they'd listen to each other though and would have seen the backlash against MS.

OT: Seriously, what's with these imaginary notions that these corporations come up with when it comes to this crap. I can see this not working in the slightest. I'm still waiting to see how many people read this and think it's the PS4 that's doing this when it isn't. >.>

 

[Hagi]

I'm guessing the right hand (majority of Sony) isn't talking to the left (Playstation division). Since this is targeted at a more mainstream audience, I don't really see an uprising happening with this like with the XB1. Just a lot of unsold units on fully-stocked shelves.

Not just not talking.

This is Sony (goes for many other mega corporations though). The right and left hands are actively fighting with each other over customers.

The Media Division will bring out their always-on media player. The Playstation division will bring out the PS4 without any always-on requirements, also capable of playing the exact same formats and resolutions.

Whichever division sells more will get a larger slice of the pie next time bonuses are handed out. Doesn't matter much whether the customers you've gained came from another company or your own.

The least I can say for Sony is that it while there is competition the divisions don't seem to be actively boycotting each other for that bonus pie like what's happening in a certain other company...

 

[BernardoOne]

Wait... don;t most people watch movies on netflix or lovefilm now?

netflix and streaming services still do not achieve the quality of blu-ray films.

 

[Quiotu]

And this, my friends, is why there's a constant conflict of interest if a corporation has a media division and a hardware division. This is why Sony needs to pretty much cut ties with Sony Music and Pictures, or at the very least make it VERY known that the two sides of the conglomerate don't follow the same rules.

Of course Sony Music and Pictures are completely gung-ho about DRM, because they don't really have to worry about selling hardware. They are a media division, and hardware sales means nothing to them. But it'll always hurt Sony's hardware divisions if they have ANY say in what's enforced. Sony needs to make their two halves play nice with each other, or one needs to split away... and judging from Sony's roots, it's probably the media half.

 

[idarkphoenixi]

And why would I give up the dvd player I use now? Hell I still use VHS sometimes.

Once again, it's another case of guilty before being proven innocent. Just accuse everyone of wanting to steal shit, and give the pirates a much better, more convenient experience.

 

[Weaver]

Universal already abused the ever loving hell out of online connected BD Players with that BD-LIVE shit (or was that sony?).

Basically, it would stream ads from a website (taking up my bandwidth) before you watched your movie. The problem was, you couldn't skip it. So if the ads hung, like they did on mine, you had to wait like 20 minutes to watch the movie as it slowly, slowly streamed like an unwatchable and choppy youtube video.

I would buy more blurays if it was as simple as put disc in -> play movie.
If I have to watch your bullshit adverts in front of a thing I've paid for I'd rather rip the movie off the disc and convert it. At least in the VHS days we could fast forward.

 

[The White Hunter]

Wait... don;t most people watch movies on netflix or lovefilm now?

netflix and streaming services still do not achieve the quality of blu-ray films.

Whilst I'm fully aware of that I think a lot of people just rent movies and stuff from netflix or whatever now.
I should have been clearer though.

 

[DaxStrife]

So we have DRM for music now. *Heavy sigh*
Look, guys it's not that hard to fight piracy: offer a better product/service. The only people this is going to have an effect on are paying customers and you're just punishing them now for buying your stuff, which will eventually lead to customer attrition. I didn't go to business school and even *I* know how to make this shit work! X-(

 

[Phrozenflame500]

"Hey I have an idea" - Executive 1
"What is it?" - Executive 2
"You know how people pirate all are stuff to get it for free?" - Executive 1
"Yeah, those guys suck!" - Executive 2
"Well, let's make it so that not only do they can get it for free, but they also have the better and more convenient service!" - Executive 1
"Great idea, just give me a moment to finish smoking this LSD" - Executive 2

And then they spent the next few days locked out of their houses because they couldn't operate a lock which doesn't require an internet connection.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

Maybe when 4UHD is mainstream, Internet will be faultless.
If not, dont bother

 

[Laughing Man]

Wait... don;t most people watch movies on netflix or lovefilm now?

Yup but their is no way they'll be watching 4K movies off of either of these services, the internet speed alone needed to get the films is way beyond most folk in most countries expect to need a bandwidth of at least 25 - 30Mbps.

The reality just now is that the shear time and bandwidth needed to download a full blown 4K movie just isn't worth the benefit so since it's just easier and quicker to download a Blu-Ray rip what's the point of sticking a whole bunch of copy protection on a format that by it's sheer size is going to force anyone looking for a cheap for free copy straight to the blu ray rip instead? Just for reference an uncompressed 4K video trailer for the last Spider Man movie (that's just the trailer) weighed in at a hefty 500Gb.

The sheer size of the 4K files themselves may be all the deterrent for most people downloading a pirated version of the film.

 

[Slash2x]

Sooooo Netflix? Seriously I know very few people who buy movies anymore. Digital is easier to use (in the USA) and that is rather firmly focused on having an internet connection. The people who do not have those services because of a lack of internet connection, would not buy your always connected product... So you literally have no market for this/ only people who do not understand what it is.

I think this is (yet another) example of so business idiot speaking about tech he has no idea how to implement. I am surprised he did not throw some more buzz words in like how "we need to shift the paradigm and refocus our infrastructure on this new conceptual alignment."

 

[nodlimax]

Oh I see a change in weather if they go through with this:

Although - wishing and actually getting are two different things. If the shitstorm is big enough they will make a 180 very quickly. I will no buy BR/DVD/*whateverisnext* if you need to be online to watch it.

 

[Doom972]

So they plan on fighting piracy by offering a much shittier service? It's like they haven't learned anything.

Because people who use pirated media watch it through their media players...

Seriously, the people they want to go after won't even notice this because they're all just using their computers.

Exactly. In addition to that, people who previously got their content legally are likely to resort to piracy because they won't be able to get their content on a good service.

 

[Longstreet]

Snip

Double Thread!

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.820807-Sonys-new-Media-Player-require-always-On-line

In all seriousness, besides this Mediaplayer that costs 700 bucks, you also need a special 4k Tv.

Cant believe that in combination with the DRM is gonna sell well. (or hell, even work)

 

[hentropy]

To be fair they did say this during an anti-piracy convention they were basically obligated to go to and obligated to be anti-piracy in. Compared to probably a lot of the other rhetoric thrown around at that same meeting, this was probably rather mild.

In the end the future is digital distribution which is linked to accounts in pretty much every model already, physical media will still be around but it won't be used by the majority.

 

[Saltyk]

No. Bad Sony. You guys need to listen to those smart guys who brought us the PS4. They know what they are talking about.

Yeah, I can't say this will affect me (though, honestly, I never buy used games and DRM still pisses me off), but I can't even see how this would work. For much of the same reasons we all hated on the XBone. Yeah, copy/paste those arguments and you get the gist of it.

 

[AstaresPanda]

Yeah, let me be the first to say that this won't work, unless it was designed to annoy consumers or somesuch.

This, I guess this guy didn't hear about the Horus Heresy level shitstorm that kicked off when Microsoft pulled this stunt.

Well I guess I'm glad I just use my game console as a dvd player these days. I swear does anyone pay the fuck attention in these companies anymore?

LOLOL love that Horus Heresy level shitstorm. Very well put my fellow 40k battle brother.

 

[weirdee]

"I don't think 'new' and 'better' mean what you think they mean."

i'm sure all the pirates will be flocking to their service to repent or something