Opinions, please

[clonevs]

Here's the deal. I'll preface it by saying that I know there are producers / distributors /actors / website owners and operators on the page....and I respect your right to earn money for your work.

Cruella.com. Sure you all know the site. Good site, fresh content, maybe a little pricey. But hey, you have to pay for quality...right?

They have full movies available by download. The videos are digitally protected. Not sure if I got the name right, but you need to enter in a username/password on WindowsMedia player in order to view the movie. Easy enough. Once you enter it in...for each movie your player saves that info....doesn't ask for it again. That's fine, I guess as long as you don't want to watch it in another computer. If so....simply redo the username/password....as long as your membership is active.

A few months ago...I had a problem, movies wouldn't play. Contacted them via email....problem fixed. Little time later...same thing. I rejoined, I wanted to get the new content.......retyped username/password into all the movies (about 30) I had saved......everything worked.

Now, a few weeks ago...can't play movies. Contacted them...this time they tell me the movies are only good as long as membership is valid. They said it's "common" and "most websites are heading that direction".

Thoughts??


My opinion: I agree owners of the material want to stop trading and stop people from getting product for free. That's fine. I have a problem with them going the route of the stuff you save only being viewable as long as your still a paying member. I mean, what's next...photos?
My opinion: you join a site...anything they offer for "download" should be yours to download and keep (not share/post). Hell, cruella.com doesn't have streaming! You HAVE to download to play a movie....and it's like 30minutes a film (dsl). I was frustrated...still am. I paid cruella about $200.00 (monthly membership is $29.99...maybe $39.99)...and I have the photos (for now) but all the movies I downloaded are unplayable unless I join again, then only viewable for length of membership.


Thoughts please.

[footslavejoe]

as far as i can see if you download something its yours! otherwise its called renting!!!!and sites like this wonder why some (not me)trade in downloaded files illegally......cruella produces top notch material they should treat their customers with the same respect and care they put into their productions its a no brainer!!!!:2guns:

[tyler]

It's based on the DRM digital rights management technology which is what they are using then.

It's more recent technology from a few years ago, but I wouldn't say everyone is headed that way. Maybe people who are overly concerned about copyright theft will implement it, but it has that 1 negative effect on the customer which you just described. And for that primary reason, I believe that is why not every producer will take the path of this more advanced DRM technology.

It's just an individual choice and NOT a sign of the new times I would think, but I could be wrong. Either case though, I think it is only fair that if a company uses the DRM technology combined w/the expiration option, they should clearly state that so customers aren't confused when their access expires. I mean there's too many people out there that are used to having access to the content forever and that reason alone should be good enough to make sure that clarification is well-advertised on any site that uses DRM expiration.

[bfrug]

It's possible that the files only remain active for so many days/weeks/months - try setting the date on your computer to when you downloaded the files & see if they play. then afterwards reset the date back again.

Could be woth a try.

[spike-me]

if you've purchased a monthly membership then you should only have access to the content whilst you are a member.

You never purchased the actual movies, just the right to view them.

When you are no longer a member you no longer have the right to view the material.

Seems perfectly fair to me.

[ct1900]

It may be fair, but I will not join a site like that. I join sites where I can buy the movies. If the content is good, and they update frequently, I am a repeat customer.

[Lochness]

I wonder if this will work regarding all the cool free content, that is available thanks to youtube, this forum and various per2per networks...

[The Penguin]

some one will come along wit ha program to down load to make this problem go away

[clonevs]

if you've purchased a monthly membership then you should only have access to the content whilst you are a member.

You never purchased the actual movies, just the right to view them.

When you are no longer a member you no longer have the right to view the material.

Seems perfectly fair to me.


thanks for repeating what I said, then adding "seems perfectly fair to me"
very in-depth.

[djwolf]

Ah, I thought it was just me. I have the same problem, the movies worked fine whilst I was a member but now they don't play.

The website is quite misleading because it suggests that once you enter your user name and password for a movie once it will play on your system without having to enter it ever again. This is obviously not the case. I sent them an e-mail asking about it and they said something about technical problems on their website which were being sorted out.