Amazon pondering high def Unbox rentals?

There's nothing like a random question on a marketing survey to get the old rumor juices flowing, but we wouldn't be at all surprised to find that Amazon is working on HD Unbox rentals, as hinted by the latest survey sent to customers. Respondents were asked to prioritize several interesting potential features, including HD downloads, instant streaming of DVDs ordered from Amazon, ad-supported free streaming, and the ability to browse your entire Unbox purchase history from a TiVo. Actually, several questions focused on the TiVo and other media streamers -- it looks like Amazon's at least considering developing the TiVo as its answer to the Apple TV and Xbox 360. Of course, if that's the case then HD downloads need to happen yesterday, since Unbox already way behind iTunes and Xbox Live Video Marketplace in that regard -- and with the possibility of Netflix coming to the 360 and PS3, it stands to fall even farther back. We'll see how this plays out -- hopefully the high-def download scene is about to blow up.

[Flashpoint @ Mar 4th 2008 8:24AM]

Now that I have Verizon FIOS, downloading an entire high-def movie onto my Xbox360 takes less than 20 minutes. Before, with DSL, it took hours.

I just take issue with the XBL's offerings. They don't have enough movies and some movies take way too long to be available. Recently I've resorted to going to Chinatown where I can get DVD-quality bootlegs of movies still in theaters.

I got perfect copies of 3:10 to Yuma, "No Country for Old Men" and "There will Be Blood" for just $3 a piece. And best of all, I can watch em whenever I want.

[Alan Strangis @ Mar 4th 2008 9:28AM]

Damn, I wish Unbox would come to Canada. I'd love to rent from Unbox and then stream it to my 360 in the living room.

(as long as the hi-def version doesn't break Xbox 360 compatibility).

[Scribbins @ Mar 4th 2008 8:40AM]

I was part of the Unbox survey. I listed HD downloads as the most important improvement (as I have a Series 3 Tivo). There were also questions about subscribing to a monthly service where you could download a number of movies for a set price.

[Andrew @ Mar 4th 2008 8:42AM]

DURRRR BUT THE BANDWIDTH!!!

I've been touting HD downloads for some time in the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD debates. I own both players but see them both as a waste of time. The obvious next step is downloadable content.

[szk @ Mar 4th 2008 8:49AM]

but will it blend?

[chris hanson @ Mar 4th 2008 8:55AM]

how about drm free rentals ehh?

[Joe @ Mar 4th 2008 9:01AM]

That's a stupid idea.

[Mack Swift @ Mar 4th 2008 8:56AM]

This is definetly long overdue on Amazon Unbox. Although hi-def movies are great, I'd really like to see the HD TV-Shows (Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica, Dexter).

[Reginald @ Mar 4th 2008 8:59AM]

Yes please.

I have FiOS so it only takes about 15-20 min. at 14 Mbps to fully download a movie from unBox, however you can watch it as it's downloading. I am a small minority however and most people probably have cable/DSL so it might 3-4 times longer. If they don't allow viewing high-def movies while downloading then this will never take off.

For comparisons, anybody with cable/DSL tried downloading high-def movies from xBox Marketplace? How long does it typically take and can you watch them simultaneously?

[Joe @ Mar 4th 2008 9:04AM]

Keep in mind:

If video bitrate > user's download speed, you won't be able to watch it streaming until (at the mathematical earliest) more than 50% of it is downloaded. Surely that is a consideration of these services.

I couldn't tell you when the last time I waited for an entire (non-torrent for obvious reasons) file to download before I started watching it.

[Flashpoint @ Mar 4th 2008 9:08AM]

With DSL XBOX LIVE didn't allow me to watch the file until it was completely downloaded.

With Fios, I was allowed to watch it after about 20% of it loaded. The rest of the entire film (Michael Clayton) finished downloading by the time the main credits were finished.

FIOS is ridiculously fast. I've tested it everyday and I get an average of 16,000 Kbps.

[Joshua James @ Mar 4th 2008 11:30AM]

I'd like something to get HD movies from somewhere because Apple's stupid policy to not allow HD to my Frontrow enabled MiniMac annoys me!

[Kelmon @ Mar 4th 2008 11:44AM]

Don't care - Unbox is only available in the US and Tivo just doesn't seem to be bothered about the UK market (their website currently seems to say that there is no stock because they don't have a manufacturer anymore). The 360 is ahead of the game since they at least have international content, and Apple is proposing to get something out there later this year, but everything else is US-only and therefore unimportant. This is a shame as at present the only suitable solution that looks like it will be available is the Apple TV unless you want to buy a games console and Tivo would have been a good option.

[Jake @ Mar 4th 2008 1:16PM]

Unbox high def FTW!

No really, I'll rent a movie a week instead of 4 movies a year if Amazon introduces HD rentals. In fact, Amazon buying TiVo wouldn't be such a bad thing. I think they are a better fit for TiVo than any of the much-speculated (Yahoo!, Google, Apple) corporations. Nevertheless, owning a TiVo HD w/ Verizon FiOS would make Unbox HD, and make it that much easier to live w/o cable.