Would you rent movies on your computer?

[Rev. Powell]

I notice that Amazon is offering the ability to rent movies to play on your computer.  Prices seem to be about $2.99/movie, and you can typically view them for a week before they expire.

I wonder if this is a viable movie delivery vehicle.  Would you watch a movie this way?  Why or why not?

I'm voting no, because I don't like watching a movie on the computer, and because it's cheaper to get the same movies from Netflix to watch on my TV.  I'm curious what others think.   

[SPazzo]

I would if it were cheaper.  I usually watch movies on my computer.  I have a 20 inch flat screen monitor so it's not that bad.  No one else in my family has the same taste in movies as me, so it's a little easier.

The only thing is that I'm not interested in having a credit card, and I'm too young for a Paypal account, so it's a little hard to rent off Amazon.  I think iTunes Store has 99 cent "Movie of the week" rentals.  Usually B-grade 70s-80s flicks.

[Jack]

I'm not interested.  I just don't like watching movies on my computer. 

[WingedSerpent]

While I might not be against it, half the fun of going to a store to rent/buy movies is just walking up and down the isles looking at the cover art and sometimes dicovering a titile you never heard of.

[Rat-Bat-Spider]

Not at that price! Jeez! 2.99 a picture? Who do they think they are? Blockbuster?!?! I'll stick to Netflix; it's cheaper, it has a wonderful selection, and they carry the NC-17 titles that Blockbuster won't grow the stones to rent. And I also agree that I don't really like watching movies on my computer, but my monitor also sucks. I feel if they lowered the price, had a selection comparable to Netflix, AND somebody bought me a large HD-capable monitor, then I would probably give it a shot. But, as it stands, I'd rather get my hair ripped out in chunks than pay 2.99 per picture to watch on my POS Moses-brand computer screen. As Shatner shouted on track two of his world-changing album The Transformed Man: "NO THANK YOU! NO, I THANK YOU! AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU!"

[SkullBat308]

Yeah I'd rent movies on my computer, just not at that price, like RBS said. Once it gets cheaper I'd be all over that.

[Eyesore]

I rented Vampyr from Amazon last week. I like watching movies on my computer, so that doesn't bother me. The only problem is, there aren't a whole lot of movies that I want to see on Amazon yet.

[Jim H]

I feel it is worth noting that HDTVs have monitor connections.  With the right cables, you can very easily plug a computer into them.  Myself, I have a laptop that can do regular TV (S-video and composite) out.  I frequently move it over to connect to my projector to watch films, and sometimes lug it into the basement.  This is how I watch the Net Flix On Demand films (I have WiFi on my laptop, and a good WiFi router).  I might add there is no extra charge for that.

$2.99 for an online delivery method is LUDICROUSLY expensive.  There's no store front, no employees, the bandwith cost is minimal, and they don't even have the handling costs of Net Flix.  If it was $1 or less, and they had a large selection of obscure titles (biggest downside of Net Flix's on demand films is a shortage of obscure stuff, particular foreign and sci/fi horror), or something, I'd consider it. 

[The Burgomaster]

No.  I find no pleasure in sitting in a folding chair at a desk watching a movie.

[dean]

If internet speeds were fast enough and the price was cheap enough then yeah sure, lock me in.

But at $2.99 I'd say no.

[Psycho Circus]

No. I'd rather watch them on TV. Plus, any film I'm remotely interested in, I just buy online for less the £3 usually.

[El Misfit]

my uncle can get his laptop to connect to the tv so he can watch movies easily.

[schmendrik]

Maybe. As a matter of fact, I do.

Netflix makes certain movies available for instant watching over the internet, and I use that feature a lot to avoid the delay of returning something and waiting for the next movie. Sometimes it's an impulse and you need your instant gratification, you know?

That price model works because I'm not paying by the movie. I have an unlimited number of instant movies per month as part of my Netflix subscription.

As far as watching it on the little bitty computer screen, that doesn't bug me. I like the freedom of being able to watch it anywhere in the house. But actually I was asking the guys at the Mac repair shop if there's a way of hooking the TV to the computer. They say that if I have a VGA to DVI cable, that should work on any newer TV with a DVI input.

[Skull]

hehe Im not sure how I can vote on this... I have Netflix and they give me an option to see on my computer but I'm not using Netflix to watch movies on the computer... :)

[Scottie]

I would be interested if the movie they streamed had the same DVD-like qualities such as chapter selection, subtitle options, audio track options and also had the numerous special features I usually shop for in my rental selection.