BitTorrent Entertainment Network disappoints, frustrates

It's no surprise that BitTorrent's new venture peddling movies, TV shows, and video game downloads has failed in the eyes of many a new user, including the fine folks at Ars Technica. Their initial review reported positive marks for customer experience while browsing and purchasing, however once payment was received, hurdles were quickly set in place. BitTorrent failed to recognize the user's PC, however a Mac with the same IP worked swimmingly -- the real pain being that the files weren't Mac-compatible, so they had to be transferred to the PC for viewing. Download speeds were found to be fast, "but not really any more so than you would expect with any other commercial service." The bulk of frustration was attributed to -- surprise, surprise -- DRM failure, where over 50% of the purchases were rendered useless... quite the cherry on top of a fruitless ordeal. Should BitTorrent choose to continue BTEN service with a gusto, they'd be wise to ensure a smooth ride from start to finish -- and they better act fast before media-less customers go back to using the old, scary, wild-west-style BitTorrent.


[Via Slashdot]

[Andrew Paul Baisden @ Mar 1st 2007 10:21AM]

I am not surprised, I am surprised that it is this early. Oh well everyone will still use bittorrent like they used to for DRM free movies.

[Randy @ Mar 1st 2007 10:22AM]

@ OprahDust

I don't think the choice of which DRM to use was as much of a factor as what concessions had to be made to get the MPAA's permission to allow their content to be distributed legally on BTEN.

[Jeff @ Mar 1st 2007 10:24AM]

"and they better act fast before media-less customers go back to using the old, scary, wild-west-style BitTorrent."

'go back to'?

I think the phrase you were looking for was "continue using because there is no reason to do anything otherwise."

[James Smith @ Mar 1st 2007 6:46PM]

Exactly! (I say this as my computer travels through the "wild wild west")

[BIll @ Mar 1st 2007 4:21PM]

Poor quality - long download - keept wanting to access BitTorrent after down load - hard to remove their bug from system. Best advise - don't go there.

[Rahul @ Mar 1st 2007 6:17PM]

I still dont get the point, why would any one pay for downloading content when you can get it for free.. ? you can try as many business models as you want.. but it is not going to work.. RIAA and MPAA keeps suing people who download content, there is yet a way to be discovered to make money of these people.. this is such a huge market. RIAA is not even dealing with 0.001% of the problem here... advertise to this crowd.. you their habits, you know their taste.. monetize it..

[Jack Shah @ Mar 1st 2007 7:43PM]

Why bother with BitTorrent store when you can get all the same shows, movies, books, and stuff from a free, fast, and DRM free site like mininova or the piratebay. If you look at the Scope numbers for major franchises, they keep going up and up....The BitTorrent webstore...the exact opposite. See http://www.divinityassets.com and get an account, and see for yourself.

[mindbleach @ Mar 1st 2007 10:13PM]

News flash: distributing files crippled with DRM via popular methods will not make them any more palatable. This service was doomed from the moment somebody tried to use the word "rent" in relation to a downloaded file. DRM does not work. DRM cannot work.

[Eludium-Q36 @ Mar 1st 2007 11:29PM]

And HOW is this different from everyone's cable system On Demand offering ?! Oh, it's not on your 32" TV it'll be on your 15" notebook PC. Yeh, that's the kind of progress we were all waiting for.

[murc @ Mar 1st 2007 11:47PM]

what isn't DRM killing?

[ethana2 @ Mar 6th 2007 10:31PM]

Just give us an information tax already. DRM doesn't work, heck, the pay-by-the-unit model doesn't even work with information. Let's just pay more taxes, and have otherwise free access to everything. Then you have your government grants for art production, open source software, creative commons, etc.

That is the solution to piracy. We're sick and tired of paying for every little thing. I want a pass to everything. All software, all video, all music. I don't care if I'm never even going to see it. I just don't want to bother with their outdated business models. That is the allure of torrents. No crap from said business models slowing down progress. Innovation.