Gokis Kiosk Self-Service

Movie DVDs at Kiosks

Opening doors for DVD-burning kiosks. One of the earliest licensing programs will come from Sonic Solutions Inc., of Novato, Calif., which is offering a copy-protection program called Qflix designed for burn-to-order DVDs. They are working to license it to DVD kiosk makers such as Polar Frog Digital LLC, which makes MediaIgloo kiosks. MediaIgloo in turn hopes to make deals with the major studios to acquire rights to their films. Retailers including Walgreens already have plans to install in-store movie kiosks.

Movie DVDs Sold At Kiosks Get a Boost - WSJ.com

Movie DVDs Sold
At Kiosks Get a Boost
By SARAH MCBRIDE
September 27, 2007; Page B4

A change in copy-protection rules governing DVDs is likely to quickly unlock a new market for selling movie discs via kiosks, where digital copies can be burned onto blank DVDs on the spot.

Retailers have been hoping to roll out such operations, giving instant access to thousands of movie titles that otherwise might be impractical to stock. But such plans have been tripped up by restrictive copy-protection guidelines. Some "on demand" burning is currently available, but it mostly involves independent titles.

Now, an organization called the DVD Copy Control Association -- a consortium including movie studios and hardware makers that oversees the copy protection system known as Content Scramble System, or CSS -- says it will allow its technology to be licensed more broadly. That opens the doors for DVD-burning kiosks.

One of the earliest licensing programs will come from Sonic Solutions Inc., of Novato, Calif., which is offering a copy-protection program called Qflix designed for burn-to-order DVDs. They are working to license it to DVD kiosk makers such as Polar Frog Digital LLC, which makes MediaIgloo kiosks. MediaIgloo in turn hopes to make deals with the major studios to acquire rights to their films. Retailers including Walgreens already have plans to install in-store movie kiosks.

Having the big-studio content should help drive traffic to the kiosks, says Jim Taylor, senior vice president and general manager of Sonic's advanced technology group. "You need more compelling, topical studio content to get eyeballs there in the first place," he says.

For studios, embracing the kiosks allows them to tap into their back catalog without having to produce and physically store DVDs.

Rest of story

Posted by staff at September 27, 2007 02:39 PM