AV Rant #250: Wiggle my Pixel
Sorry about the late post – the back end of AV Rant has been broken all weekend. This week we welcome Clint DeBoer to the mix for a three way podcast. Clint brings a first-hand report from CEDIA (read the coverage on Audioholics). In other news, we discuss Netflix’s new decision to split off their DVD business and rename it. OnStar admits something Tom always assumed they did anyhow. A new ponzi scheme is uncovered (where “uncovered” means “someone finally realized what everyone already knew”). A new bass trap design is critiqued. Clint talks about 4k projectors at CEDIA, Tom looks at Integra’s new DTR-70.3 receiver, and Clint reveals his favorite receiver line (on looks alone). A new Soup to Nuts next week. Thanks for listening and don’t forget to vote for us at Podcast Alley! To see our (mostly) complete collection of show videos, click here. Download Tom’s FREE ebook Bob Moore: No Hero which is pretty much available everywhere. Friend Tom and Liz on Google+ to join in on one of our hangouts.
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It’s funny: I’ve heard many podcasts discussing the new Netflix/Qwikster split. I haven’t heard one person mention how the US Postal Service is facing bankruptcy and might disappear in the not too distant future!
Mightn’t that be one reason why Netflix decided to make the split? It seems to me that without the Postal Service, the discs-by-mail service becomes completely impossible at any reasonable price. Unless Netflix is somehow able to negotiate a MAJOR price reduction with one or several of the courier companies.
Anyways, I just thought it was another potential reason and angle for the split. I know that when the Canadian Postal Service went on strike earlier this year, Zip.ca temporarily shut down and had to compensate all of their customers for the lost 2 weeks of service when the Postal Workers were forced back to work by the government. If it’s a genuine possibility that the USPS is going away, I can completely understand Netflix wanting to separate themselves from the disc-by-mail business entirely!
I think the reason for the Netflix/Quickster split (really dumb name, btw) is to separate the streaming and dvd user base to reduce the amount of royalties paid out to the studios. The studios want a separate per user amount for streaming and another amount for dvds. This move to split should save Netflix a load of money. Also most users are eliminating the dvd service which saves Netflix even more money, that is until the unhappy subscribers leave for another service.