Mobile video on the verge of a breakthrough

[Colin Dunstan]

Handheld video is the next thing. Need more proof? Check out this article appearing in the Dallas Morning News today.

As legitimate video download services proliferate, and such companies as Diversified make it easier to transfer your own video files to any portable player, experts say, demand for players is set to take off... Peter Winkler, global director in the entertainment and media practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said that Apple's splashy entrance into the portable video market will probably accelerate adoption of the devices. "Apple launched their video iPod with a deal already in place, which was a significant step," Winkler said. "Once multiple content owners see that and they see that there is a commercial viability for this model, they're going to want to get in on the action."

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[rlauzon]

Now that I have my Archos AV740 and have figured out what the magic words are to make ffmpeg convert my DVR video files into something that the AV740 can use, I am finding myself time shifting TV into times where I normally wouldn't watch TV.

So I'd say that mobile video is getting close to a breakthrough - technology-wise.

The problem is that the mentality of the media giants is still stuck in the stone age. Legitimate download sites are most likely going to offer their content in locked up, proprietary formats (like nearly all of Apple's stuff) which is unviewable on anything but their DRM-supporting, locked up, proprietary device.

As people have to deal with DRM-loving devices (like the people whose iPods' battery died too quickly) are finding out, DRM is bad for the consumer - always.

[rmeister0]

rlauzon is right. If the iPod/iTunes success story tells us anything, it is that success comes from making it easy for customers to move content they already own into the device.

If the failure of most e-book hardware solutions tells us anything, it is that failure comes from making it difficult for customers to move content they already own into the device.

I take issue with your last sentence, though. Problems with the iPod battery have absolutely nothing to do with DRM, and iTune's DRM allows playback on an unlimited number of iPods. Both my iPods play my non-DRM content just fine.

[rlauzon]

Originally Posted by rmeister0

I take issue with your last sentence, though. Problems with the iPod battery have absolutely nothing to do with DRM, and iTune's DRM allows playback on an unlimited number of iPods. Both my iPods play my non-DRM content just fine.

Yes, the people who own iPods constantly remind me of that.

But the purpose of iTunes is to sell iPods and vice versa, so I have a hard time seperating the two.

In my case, I don't support DRM and I like to vote with my wallet. So instead of purchasing an iPod (which rewards Apple), I have chosen to reward Archos for creating players that aren't tied to DRM and are Linux friendly (and are cheaper than the iPod).