My Blockbuster is open, for now
Fortunately my local Blockbuster survives and I am spared having to buy or download videos. Photo from Google Maps
By Alain Saffel
YegNews.com
It was with much dismay I read that Blockbuster Canada will be closing more than one third of its Canadian stores. It is in hot water because of the bankruptcy of its US parent company and the Canadian arm guaranteed the loans of its US parent. Fortunately, I can breathe a temporary sigh of relief as my neighbourhood Blockbuster will remain open.
We have won a temporary reprieve, but I suppose the ultimate demise of video stores is inevitable. It’s frustrating because we’ve cut our cable and have relied on Blockbuster for a lot of our visual entertainment. (Oh, we’re a thrilling family alright.) We don’t have Netflix and we don’t pirate videos.
I like to watch high quality video, and that means DVDs (haven’t graduated to BluRay yet). I don’t want to stream choppy video through Netflix onto my laptop. I want it on my relatively large screen LCD TV, thank you very much.
With Canada’s Internet service providers greedily eyeing your wallet, still planning to slap Canadians with download limits, streaming doesn’t look like a very good option when your typical DVD is in the 5 gigabyte range. Oh, and I want the full 5 gigs alright. Who doesn’t want to watch the directors commentary for Dinner for Schmucks?
I suppose it’s fortunate “only” one third of Blockbuster stores will close, but what other options do I have? I don’t know if there are any Rogers Video stores left in existence and I think many of the small, private video stores have about dried up.
We buy a lot of older DVDs from HMV (you know the $4 ones I’m talking about?) and we buy boxed sets of TV series that are past their prime. We rarely, if ever, buy new release DVDs. I just can’t see spending nearly $30 on a DVD we may only watch once. Two people can go to the movies for that price. I suppose we could buy it, watch it, sell it at a pawnshop and call it a day, but I’d rather rent it.
Renting is cheap and easy. It gets me out of the house. I get to see all the other movies that they have to offer. I get to chat with the friendly Blockbuster staff (they really do seem to enjoy their jobs). It’s an experience. I still remember going to the video store as a kid, renting a pile of videos and spending all weekend watching videos play in our behemoth JVC VCR with the big coloured buttons (and a wired remote).
Is Netflix a good option?
Sorry, but having everyone huddle around a laptop while you wait for a choppy Netflix video to load (up to six hours, I’ve heard) is not my idea of an experience. Leeching videos on some download network and wondering for days whether you’re actually going to get the video you’re trying to steal (yeah, I said that) is actually going to be the video you want or it’s going to be some weird German fetish video (I’ve had it happen, which is part of the reason I don’t bother).
I suppose I could set up some sort of DVD trade network; a sort of informal DVD rental/barter network. That takes a lot of work. I could set up a website so that people could trade DVDs that way. Might actually work.
Or, I could get off my lazy butt, get some fresh air and head to my local video store, which happens to be Blockbuster. I have fond memories of that place. I added them to Foursquare and was the mayor for a while. I like them. I want them to stay.
I don’t want a download that will expire. I don’t want to pay per view. I don’t want streaming. I want a disc I stick in my DVD player. And no, I’m not a Luddite.
Are the only places in Edmonton you’ll be able to rent a DVD the adult video stores in Edmonton? Not exactly family friendly. Long gone are the days when one would go to the family video store and snicker when you heard the always-squeaky door to the adult video section open and close.
Never know. Maybe the adult video stores dotting Edmonton’s map could have a family section for Blockbuster refugees. I can just imagine store patrons snickering to themselves as they hear the squeaky door to the family section: “Losers. Don’t even know how to use Netflix.”
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18 Responses to My Blockbuster is open, for now
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Thats a lot of Netflix FUD.
You’ll save money(instead of DVD rentals) buying an AppleTV, or equivalent device and streaming Netflix in HD to your TV, (might have to up your internet connection? Shaw’s new plans are very good RE: Caps)
I watch in 720p 5.1 surround Via Netflix, no buffering either, it naturally steps up as it downloads…. Beats DVD’s any day. Just need the selection to improve.
I don’t have anything against Netflix per se, but streaming is great, if you like the wait and the extremely limited selection.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the absurd pricing models of “renting” via iTunes at $4.99 or Shaw’s at $5.99 and $6.99. Really? For something purely electronic? Or I could pay $5 at Blockbuster. Maybe streaming would be worthwhile at $1.99.
I think these companies forget the cost advantage they have in streaming the data and just have dollar signs in their eyes thinking about the massive profit margins. And many know just how little the data streaming actually costs, but that’s another issue.
And so I up my plan to get better download caps, which is kind of what they want you to do. Or, I could save the money and go rent.
What I’m saying is that streaming just isn’t there yet in Canada. Considering what’s happening here, it might be a while before we get there too. At least I won’t be the only one looking like a Luddite.
rumor has it blockbuster might jump into the netflix game. Would do the company some good, considering every new flat screen tv is compatible with computers, essentially making ever tv a computer monitor
Love your reminder of those big, coloured VCR buttons.
I put a CD in a player the other day and the experience felt foreign after using my iPod and dock for so long. I like that you can’t scratch an MP3 file (as far as a know.)
Btw, is a wired remote a converter?! That’s what I still call my remo … and people laugh at me.
I’m not sure about most experiences with Netflix, but I never have to wait for the streaming to buffer, and I watch it on a 21.5″ screen in my living room. I don’t own a television. I watch from my couch. I rent movies from iTunes, and can begin watching as soon as I click “rent”.
I don’t mourn Blockbuster mega chains, thanks. I also don’t own movies, beyond a few classics that I love to watch more than once.
Sorry Alain, but I love Netflix and would highly recommend them to anyone. I currently stream Netflix via my XBox360, and also on my iPad and laptop, and I love e quality of video that I get, especially on my XBox. For a mere $8 a mth, I get full access to their entire library of videos, which updates regularly, the stream/load time is fast and plays in HD quality for most of them. Their videos are NOT choppy (we subscribe to TELUS Optik) at home at all, and when I’m on the move, my iPad streams movies just fine over wifi.
We haven’t rented from Blockbuster for a long time, and honestly, why would we???? If Netflix doesn’t have a movie we want, we just flip over to TELUS TV Video on Demand, and rent a movie there! Can’t rent it there, then off to iTunes to rent the newest released there streamed to my TV in perfect quality. The rental stores are are dead IMO and I don’t see a need for them at all.
I am happy to have broken free of the chains of traditional cable television packages and Blockbuster. Clearly Alain has a nostalgia factor for Blockbuster and I appreciate that sentiment which is why I am in favour of those private movie rental shops staying in business. Forget Blockbuster, support local!
Netflix is a good option though, previously we downloaded a lot of movies, it feels good to be a bit more legit for once. Also, we have no problem with streaming content with upgraded Shaw internet while downloading and browsing the net on two laptops at the same time.
If you still want hard copies, have you tried zip.ca? It’s great (though it does rely on mail service…)
I hear you Alain! It’s not just a loss for families, but students who need to rent the movie instead of reading the book, and what the singles who eye each other up in the new releases section? Where will they find the love now?? It’s a huge societal change in free-time practices.
However, the last time I was in Blockbuster, the staff claimed they never even heard of Blade Runner, so maybe they should close their doors! At least Edmonton still has the quirky reliables like “Videodrome” and “The Movie Studio.” Let’s not forget “The Lobby” for the more… adventurous film viewer.
It’s pretty sad that video rental stores are becoming a thing of the past. It is also generally unfortunate that technology advances at such a fast rate and so much money has to be spent to keep up with it. I remember watching my first movie on DVD as a teenager and now own so many DVDs of my favorite movies and TV shows. I guess the only option is to join the craze. I do believe that Netflix, iTunes etc. are extremely viable options if you own an HDTV and are willing to buy an AppleTV or a Netflix Box or similar. The wait times for starting a movie are negligible if you have a fast enough internet connection.
As such, I still have a 21″ CRT TV and an old DVD player. But if I choose to upgrade (which is something I’d be doing after 8 years), I’d go for an HDTV with an AppleTV box.
It’s simply not true to say that Netflix is choppy or only plays on a laptop.
I’ve been using Netflix for the past six months since it originally arrived in Canada and have been thrilled with the experience so far. It’s affordable ($8/month), plays on my TV through the Xbox, and has never had a problem with poor quality or choppy video. If anything I’ve been impressed with how much HD content they have! This experience is the same I’ve heard from other people who’ve switched to Netflix recently. For those that don’t have an Xbox you can also use an AppleTV, PS3, or GoogleTV to watch on the big screen. And yes, you can always watch on you laptop.
I also know a lot of families with children that find Netflix a great alternative to recording shows off Treehouse with an expensive PVR. Netflix has lots of kids shows like Backyardigans, Dora, Curious George, and Thomas the Tank Engine available on demand and without the harmful commercials kids are exposed to on cable.
The biggest complaints I have with Netflix in Canada are the smaller selection of television and film compared to what’s available in the USA, and the high bandwidth usage. Watching about an hour of programming a day has added about 20 GB to our Internet usage. You can go to Shaw or Telus’s website to see how much data your using now and if Netfix will put you over your plan. Their customer support should also be able to tell you this over the phone. The other feature I’d like to see is a kids mode that looks out non-kid safe content.
You should really give Netflix a try before you knock it. I’m very glad our family did.
Given your SEO expertise I find it odd that you are so reactionary against all the other technical innovations that are part of the online revolution. The web will be the pipeline that all future content arrives. You should be holding remedial job-training for all of those Blockbuster staff – who are your best friends – as you don’t get out much. :}
You know, crljones, it’s a funny thing. I am going to let your comment pass, this time. I may institute Facebook only comments yet.
My experience with Netflix was not good. I wasn’t impressed. Is that to say that everyone’s experience is the same? Judging by the comments, obviously not.
Is everything going online? Well, not everything. There are limitations. I am more online than most people, but I recognize those limitations. I recognize the value in a variety of services both online and off. I also don’t buy into cloud computing, but mainly for security reasons.
My contention is that the economics aren’t there yet for streaming services. Will they be? That remains to be seen in Canada. Let’s see how the CRTC handles usage based billing in the future. It’s not as simple as it would appear, and I didn’t drink the Kool-Aid on Netflix, Apple TV, etc. I may yet.
The technology is certainly capable now, but as Mark points out above, your usage will increase drastically, unless of course you up your plan with Telus, Shaw, or whoever. All of a sudden that economic advantage doesn’t look so good.
I had a chat with an Apple rep about the pricing of iTunes movies and also what you get with them. The box is going to cost you $119 to do it, but there are other advantages in terms of being able to connect your other devices. It seems that you don’t get the additional features available via DVD. That’s an issue. Depending on the movie, we’ll often watch them.
As for my SEO expertise, I also have marketing expertise. I’ve never advised any of my clients to only do SEO or pay per click advertising, which I also do. There is still value in marketing methods other than online. As you’re probably aware, Google typically has 10 slots available for any search. If you’re not in those, you’d better be doing some other kind of marketing.
There are loads of DVDs available at your friendly neighborhood Edmonton Public Library – new movies, old movies, foreign films and TV series too. $12 well spent.
I love Netflix, but I also totally get the draw of getting a DVD. Have to agree with Lindsey, everyone should check out The Videodrome (thevideodrome.ca). I *believe* (though I could be wrong about this, because I actually live across the street from the store, and therefore and haven’t ever asked about it) they even have a program where you can get your movies by mail, sort of like zip.ca, which Mari mentioned. They have a killer selection of TV DVDs, and even some Edmonton produced movies. And of course, the public library has a pretty good selection of TV and movies as well.
Tina makes a really awesome point! I have no clue how EPL has such a tremendous selection of DVDs, but certainly think that it’s the cheapest and most viable option for anyone who lives a slower paced life and doesn’t mind waiting for a few days to get their DVD. Sometimes wait times are longer of course but there are lots of movies that you can get within a day or two!
If you’re lucky enough to live by one, Edmonton is host to my favourite video store: The Movie Studio! It’s the best.
Instead of mourning the loss of Blockbuster, maybe you should be visiting the Movie Studio (three locations across our fair city). They have good prices, knowledgeable staff and a great selection for a wide variety of tastes.
Blockbuster was great in its day, but like the horse and buggy, the typewriter and the VCR, those days are now over. I still have a membership at a store near my condo, but haven’t used it in probably a decade, because once the Movie Studio opened, the experience was far better at the Movie Studio.
And no, I do not work for or own the Movie Studio – I simply prefer to choose an Edmonton-based company over a multi-national when possible.
Finally, as several others have suggested, the library has thousands of DVDs available for the cost of an annual membership ($12). You just have to be willing to wait a couple of days for them to get a copy to your location – which might mean a little planning ahead for weekends.