Previously we reported that Warner Brothers would be releasing a two versions of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ” for download when you purchase the DVD due to be released here in the US on December 11. PCWorld now has more on this, saying these versions will only be available on the two disc “Special Edition” DVDs, with one version for the PC, one for a portable media device. The magazine reports that to take advantage of the downloads users must have Windows Media Player 10 or above. Noting that other DVDs made the download option available by using a link on the internet, this will not be the case with the OotP DVD. Quotage:</P
“Jim Wuthrich, senior vice president of electronic sell-through for Warner Brothers, says that the studio chose to put the movie on the disc instead. “It’s because of the superior consumer experience; you don’t have to wait for the bits to be downloaded,” he says. “The transfer time is dependent only on how fast your DVD-ROM drive is. It’s not tied to your broadband speed.”
Indicating that there is only “one transfer each of the PC and portable versions” the magazine says that it should prove relatively easy to use the download options as “the portable version transfers to your PC hard drive first and then moves to your portable unit.” Finally ” Wuthrich says the portable version will work on any device that supports Windows Media digital rights management, including media players and some mobile phones.”
Dillon, I love how you seem to equate that if you have a mac, then you are a bigger harry potter fan then pc users. GET OVER YOURSELF!
it should be noted that pc’s make up for the bulk of computers in use. the reason PC’s always seem to get these things first is that pc technolagy moves and developed a heck of a lot faster then mac technolagy.
stop making yourself sound like a idiot. there is no such think as bajillions of mac hp fans. there is only seven billion people aprox on earth, and 90% of those people likely dont have a computer, and most of those people that do dont own a mac.
PC’s are more adaptable, macs always take time to adapt because they are controlled by a single company.
stop acting like mac users are god and therefore should be pandered to.
I just don’t understand the world. Mac comes out with Leopard, the new operating system. The amount of Mac user consumers has now increased to 11% of the world, but they don’t make a Mac friendly version of OOTP?????
Are they stupid, they could sell so many more copies. Why even buy the DvD now, i’ll just wait until it shows up for download online.
Posted by Demetry Carrington on November 21, 2007, 12:18 PM
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OK, I am old so I am trying to understand what this means. Will I be able to load this on my ipod? That is all I really care about.
Don’t be so quick to criticize, NotTheHBP. The problem here is a very big one, not so much with mac computers, but with the fact that far and away the highest selling video-capable media players on the planet will NOT be able to play this is a very big issue. Just because a small fraction of computer users are Mac users, doesn’t mean that the vast majority of PMP users ARE iPod users, and they’ll be left out in the cold by Warner’s decision to use WMV-DRM format.
I’m particularly surprised by this considering the fact that Warner Brothers licensed the downloads of the Harry Potter audiobooks to one company and one company only, APPLE. Not only that, they produced a special edition Harry Potter iPod with the hogwarts crest engraved on it. The fact that they’re changing their tune about which companies they prefer to work with in terms of providing downloadable content surprises me.
Warner Brothers had nothing to do with the licensing of the audiobooks (and Deathly Hallows never appeared on iTunes). I believe this was Scholastic’s decision (in consultation with JKR).
The DRM system used by Apple can only apply the limits by coming through iTunes, so they can’t include the video for an iPod without being unprotected (and given the child-like faith in DRM, that won’t happen). Warner Brothers isn’t one of the companies selling their movies on the iTunes store, so the option will be to rip it with HandBrake.
Okay.
I really couldn’t care less about the PC Mac flamewar the computer fanboys like to drag on.
What I want to know is: will this work on the PSP?
My wife wants to know how big the cell phone file will be.
Posted by Leif Longbottom on November 21, 2007, 03:40 PM
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NOTE FROM A GEEK:
Macs aside, the iPod is the most widely-used portable media player. Requiring Windows Media Player DRM will exclude iPod users… 87% of the portable media device market.
Leif Longbottom, I checked the online PSP manual for you. No, OOTP won’t play on it either. It only recognizes Apple’s DRM, or DRM-free video.
I live in Thailand and they already go the 2 dice ed. here i just got it last Sunday and trust me it not as good as you think it really disappointed me, i should have just brought the normal one dics one and look at the half blood prince thing online. But one thing i love about it is the Trailing tonks it was funny and great Nat is just like tonks.
Ugh, WTF, Windows DRM?!
Does iTunes marketshare in this space mean nothing? Do the bajillions of Mac OS X users that are Harry Potter fans not matter?
Typical old media. The only way they can “innovate” is to use old technology that leaves out users who happen to be some of the biggest HP fans!