Sonic shoves Qflix DVD burners into more Dell desktops

We know you're struggling to believe your eyes, but those Qflix burners actually are still hanging around. For those who missed all the action last year, these devices enable users to download a DRM-laced film onto their PC and burn it onto a specially-keyed DVD for playback. In other words, you can forget about toasting flicks to that dusty stack of DVD-Rs you've got laying around from late '05. For whatever reason, Dell has seen fit to extend its partnership with Sonic Solutions by offering internal Qflix drives on the Studio XPS Desktop, Studio XPS 435, Studio Desktop and Studio Slim Desktop. The wild part? Its actually charging more for having you clean out its inventory.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2009 9:30AM]

this doesn't sound like such a bad idea for people who are going to pay for movies anyway

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2009 9:37AM]

needing a special drive to burn your paid content onto special DVDs doesn't sound like a bad idea? To me... and many others who might pay for their content...it sounds like a terrible idea and is why I would download a copy free of this lark.

[UnixSystemsEngineer Posted Apr 23rd 2009 12:05PM]

It's a bad idea because they control the prices of the burner, media, and content.

If it's not a complete and utter ripoff already today, they'd jack up prices as soon as anyone started using it.

[cynistersix Posted Apr 23rd 2009 1:08PM]

content prices are also very much controlled by the studios.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2009 9:42AM]

"that dusty stack of DVD-Rs you've got laying around from late '05."

So, so true.

[moldymac Posted Apr 23rd 2009 9:56AM]

2X CompUSA DVD-R FTW

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2009 10:01AM]

Ha ha. I'm glad that they offer the option of not getting the drive. If they forced you to buy it, then I would buy anything but it.

DRM is a bug not a feature.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2009 10:01AM]

If everyone has so many DVD-R's lying around, donate 'em my way. I believe I keep MeritLine in business with all my DVD-R orders. Can't keep 'em at my house.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2009 10:25AM]

DRM: Promoting piracy the world over.

[bdav Posted Apr 23rd 2009 10:35AM]

The measure of a technologies success (in my eyes) is whether anyones taken the time to hack it (e.g. in this case, flash another drive with qflix firmware, virtual burner etc) to my knowledge, this hasn't happened, so must be a fail!

[Bandigolo Posted Apr 23rd 2009 11:23AM]

"For whatever reason, Dell has seen fit to extend its partnership with Sonic Solutions..."

uh, I'll give you one guess and it rhymes with honey.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2009 4:25PM]

sunny?
bunny?
funny?
cunny?
runny?
tunny?
gunny?

[Alex Posted Apr 23rd 2009 1:29PM]

"that dusty stack of DVD-Rs you've got laying around from late '05"

Hahah... so true.

[Guy Posted Apr 23rd 2009 3:14PM]

At least they are only charging $20 more, from the looks of it.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2009 11:29PM]

so is that Qflix DVD burner hi-def? hahahaha, lol! you can pick up a new dvd burner for less than $15 these says.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 24th 2009 11:07AM]

I wonder how long it would take to hack these things if anyone actually cared.