Yeah, I've read about all sorts of bullshit pricing schemes when HD-DVD and/or Blu-Ray really get started, like charging $40 to download a movie to your computer that you won't then be able to burn to a DVD or HD-DVD to watch on your television.
I've also heard they are thinking about a return to the tiered pricing of the old days of VHS, where a new movie would cost $99 when it first came out, and wouldn't drop in price for ages. Don't know that they are still thinking about the $99 price point, but something that would make it so that people were forced to either rent the film initially, or pay a hefty charge for owning it early.
That way they can double-dip at that level.
It's also becoming clear that even with regular DVDs, they are initially releasing a bare-bones version to the market, and then following it up several months later with a deluxe edition. Another double-dip.
So I couldn't care less is people pirate films.
As for music, well, I used to buy a lot of it. But it's just too expensive anymore, unless I check the Amazon marketplace frequently in search of bargain used copies. And even then, shipping and handling in the Amazon marketplace is up around $3.00, so the total cost has to be less than Amazon's new cost (which I can get for free shipping usually just by purchasing two CDs, which almost always gets you to the magical $25 point).
Cheap downloads--as well as the ability to download the packing and print it on the CD inserts Avery makes--would result in a lot more sales.
But no, the various companies involved just don't get it.
