# EZ-D Self-destructing movies on DVD **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930 "2003-09-11T06:28:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930/41 "2003-09-17T06:11:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ftg \* > \*\*What I like is the “self-destructing” label also applies to the company itself. Much like Circuit City’s DIVX, it will self-destruct in a couple years. > > There is a _very_ limited niche market for these kinds of things. E.g., promo giveaways. Let you see the next wonder video/software for a little bit, then try to get you to buy the real thing. But with DVD recorders becoming commonplace, guess what’s going to happen? > \*\* Aha… I knew there had to be a reasonable niche use for this. Not just promo copies, but “screeners” or review copies - the things sent out to movie reviewers. (You didn’t think reviewers actually went to movie theaters all day long, did you?) Currently, screeners go out with “Review copy. Not for sale” (or something similar) popping up every now and then during the movie. They’ll still want to leave the messages in place in case Gene Shalit decides to dabble in piracy, but at least the discs will go bad shortly after viewing, reducing the chances some will find their way to eBay, garage sales or similar places while the film is still running in theaters. But as a consumer video format? EZ-D sucks spiny green toads. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930/42 "2003-09-17T11:39:47Z")
> [@](#): > > What I like is the “self-destructing” label also applies to the company itself. Much like Circuit City’s DIVX, it will self-destruct in a couple years. You think it’ll last a couple of years? I say that within a year, I’ll be reading about these guys on [Fuckedcompany.com](http://Fuckedcompany.com) The only reasonable use for these things is for trailers for upcoming movies. And even then, it would have to be priced at about a dollar for anyone to buy it. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930/43 "2003-09-17T14:27:20Z")
I will never buy the product. Can we get any more lazy? Not only do we live in a culture that has to be constantly entertained, but we are so lazy that we can’t even put our toys away. Just toss it out and get another. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/91b2a8/32.png) [@Duck\_Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Hook)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930/44 "2003-09-17T15:13:37Z")
To rap up my research portion of this topic… As of 8:30 a.m. 9/17 (approx. 82 hours of exposure), the disc was completely black. It’s almost hard to believe no habitual, late-fee paying, BBV customers chimed in with a positive reaction to this product. Almost everyone has a change or outright negative response. While I believe, like others here, this technology has a “cool” factor and a legitimate use (like the one gotpasswords brought up), it is clear that ez-D is not one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/91b2a8/32.png) [@Duck\_Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Hook)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930/45 "2003-09-17T15:35:38Z")
To rap up my research portion of this topic… As of 8:30 a.m. 9/17 (approx. 82 hours of exposure), the disc was completely black. It’s almost hard to believe no habitual, late-fee paying, BBV customers chimed in with a positive reaction to this product. Almost everyone has a change or outright negative response. While I believe, like others here, this technology has a “cool” factor and a legitimate use (like the one gotpasswords brought up), it is clear that ez-D is not one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/91b2a8/32.png) [@Duck\_Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Hook)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930/46 "2003-09-17T15:39:08Z")
I thought double posting was impossible. Anyway, you get the point…twice. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930/47 "2003-09-17T22:43:39Z")
Double posting, impossible? boy, are you on the wrong board. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930/48 "2003-09-18T02:32:37Z")
No menu, huh? I seem to remember that DIVX discs were pretty featureless too. So apparently, EZ-D is just like DIVX for standard DVD players, except you have to buy a new disc each time you watch the movie. At least with DIVX, you could keep the disc and pay again to watch it later, or “buy out” the disc and watch it indefinitely. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ez-d-self-destructing-movies-on-dvd/200930.md?page=2)