Hollywood, Apple Said to Mull Rental Plan, Defying Theaters

I went to see both recent Star Wars movie in the theater because it's a tradition of mine (going back to seeing the original release in 1977 at a drive-in theater no less) and my experience is exactly what I posted.

Tell me...what is the motivation to lie about it? What possible motivation could a person have to claim that seats are filthy, the floors full of soda and popcorn, overflowing trash cans, people talking/chatting and using their phones during a movie, or, kids screaming/climbing all over the seats?

What is the motivation to make it up?

Know where I had good experiences in the theater? In Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand. Great theaters with in-theater dining, table side service with free refills on popcorn and drinks, some even had sofas and large recliners, many offered beer and spirits, the works - including smiling faces who made you feel welcome instead of making you feel like you're interrupting them as they update Facebook. No complaints about the comfort, noise, or cleanliness.

To me the theater experience overseas matched the airline experience overseas.

But here the theater experience mirrors the poor experience now on all domestic airlines. Overpriced, uncomfortable, and not worth it. At least with a movie I can just wait and buy it and avoid the mess.

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When I was a kid/teenager/young adult the so-called theater experience for me in the states was vastly superior to what I have experienced in the past few years here and that has been from coast to coast so it's not just related to a single area. It's a miserable experience dealing with rude people and there's NO motivation to have to deal with that crap when my home setup is better.

When something like this comes here I might reconsider:

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Don't go to movies at night. And with a movie like Star Wars, stay away from the theaters for at least the first two weeks. Easy.
 
I would pay a premium if I could get a bit perfect copy of the UHD media downloaded on a system similar to the Kaleidescape near the Theatre release time. My system at home will blow any local commercial cinema out of the water in performance. It would only really be beaten by Dolby Cinema but unfortunately we don't have them here in the UK. And once I get a suitably sized OLED it would be on par with the image as well.

I have a 9.1.6 system optimised around two seats which is perfect since it is me and the wife using it 99% of the time.

That's more or less how I feel about it, too. I'm not mucking about with some Netflix-style streaming where I'll end up staring at a weird pixelated mess because their network is congested. Especially not at $50 per showing. Maybe they'll cater a bit to people like us, but I suspect we'll end up with ugly streaming and stereo audio.
 
Yes, because daddy pausing the film so he can take a leak, get a cup of coffee or answer the phone is so much better than the theater experience.

If that daddy happens to be you, hell yeah!
 
There's no way it will be as good as I'd want it to justify that price. I'd accept DRM if it would allow me to 100% download the video so I don't have any buffering issues/quality hiccups and it would need to include a full lossless audio track.

I know my setup is nowhere near a theater experience, but a 130" AT screen with 11 speaker surround is still a pretty good place to host a movie night.

Tangent: Finally getting my carpet/acoustic padding installed. Then I'm on to building my panels and hunting my reflection points.

Don't over absorb. Diffusion works wonders.
 
Don't over absorb. Diffusion works wonders.

Indeed. This is my first major build, so I'm of course reading and reading and reading but eventually I have to start doing. I'll be building free-standing diffusion panels for the rear of the room and killing reflection points/behind the LCR. I'll take any advice into consideration that I encounter(that seems to be backed up in some meaningful way, of course).
 
Don't go to movies at night. And with a movie like Star Wars, stay away from the theaters for at least the first two weeks. Easy.

I don't go on opening weekend or at night - the problem being that light or heavy crowds have nothing to do with the overall rudeness of people other than dealing with a few more.

I wish that the experience I have overseas when I travel with regards to theaters would be possible in the US. But it's not, and, a good deal of the problem is that the movie theater chains see us not as customers but as numbers. A lot of people here probably don't remember full service gas stations, baggers in supermarkets, and tons of employees in stores and elsewhere that were more than happy to help out. Now whenever you go somewhere you literally need a search and recuse team to find an employee.

I remember a time when people didn't have smartphones and I suspect the decline in movie experience since then is similar to the lack of etiquette in other similar public experiences such as simply walking around without being bumped into by someone texting or yapping or having your dinner ruined by people's phones constantly going off in a restaurant.

The thing is in the last 20 years or so people have become extremely rude, selfish, and arrogant in public and being confined with those people inside an airplane, train, or movie theater for several hours is something I try to avoid.

When you go to the theater and pay for it you have nothing to actually show for it versus the really nice collection you can have at home instead and watch multiple times without it costing a cent more. And you can invite friends over for some binge watching without it costing more. That's the problem with theaters - too expensive for what you "get" in return.

If they want people to pay for streaming it had better be dirt cheap since I'm the one providing and paying for my internet, computer, big screen, and sound system.
 
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The last bad experience we had at a movie was the last Jurassic Park with some asshat sitting next to us talking and commenting through the movie to his wife. Of course they also had issues with the film due to a short power outage, which resulted in re-watching about 10-15 minutes in the middle of the move. Other than that, we always go to the AMC (reserved seating, reclining seats) or Movie Studio Grill if possible. Even the Cinemark in our area is converting over to recliners. I used to dislike the movie theater experience, but with all the changes to the ones around our area I actually enjoy going, especially AMC. Skip most of the concession line with the AMC Stubs membership, have our seats already assigned before we even leave the house, and if it is just the two of us we can get the ones that you can raise the arm between them to snuggle ;)

Yes, because daddy pausing the film so he can take a leak, get a cup of coffee or answer the phone is so much better than the theater experience.
Sorry.. Mommy and the kids take way more restroom breaks than Daddy :p I swear my youngest had to make 3 trips during Rogue Squadron :mad: Being able to pause is one of the best parts of watching movies at home!!!!

No way in hell I would pay $30-50 for a one time rental to watch at home though. I can wait for RedBox to get it...
 
I could have sworn we all had this discussion already. I used to love the Cinema experience....then the seats got smaller ( or I got fatter), concession stands lines got long (or my patients got lessened) and kids won't keep their f*@king mouth shut. I got old. I much rather stay at home and watch the movie. I was in the Houston area not to long ago and just about every home I visited had a full blown home theatre room complete with cinema styled chairs. One would have though Americans were waiting anxiously for this. For that matter I did visit the cinema and it cost about $60usd per person when you factor in snacks.
 
I don't go on opening weekend or at night - the problem being that light or heavy crowds have nothing to do with the overall rudeness of people other than dealing with a few more.

I wish that the experience I have overseas when I travel with regards to theaters would be possible in the US. But it's not, and, a good deal of the problem is that the movie theater chains see us not as customers but as numbers. A lot of people here probably don't remember full service gas stations, baggers in supermarkets, and tons of employees in stores and elsewhere that were more than happy to help out. Now whenever you go somewhere you literally need a search and recuse team to find an employee.

I remember a time when people didn't have smartphones and I suspect the decline in movie experience since then is similar to the lack of etiquette in other similar public experiences such as simply walking around without being bumped into by someone texting or yapping or having your dinner ruined by people's phones constantly going off in a restaurant.

The thing is in the last 20 years or so people have become extremely rude, selfish, and arrogant in public and being confined with those people inside an airplane, train, or movie theater for several hours is something I try to avoid.

When you go to the theater and pay for it you have nothing to actually show for it versus the really nice collection you can have at home instead and watch multiple times without it costing a cent more. And you can invite friends over for some binge watching without it costing more. That's the problem with theaters - too expensive for what you "get" in return.

If they want people to pay for streaming it had better be dirt cheap since I'm the one providing and paying for my internet, computer, big screen, and sound system.
Most people don't even know they're doing anything rude since it has become a part of every day life. In my experience people are still courteous enough to stop if you ask them politely. And people using their phone doesn't bother me, so long as the sound is muted and they're not talking.

I go out to see a movie in the theater at least once a week. I've only had 2 bad experiences in the past decade: one was a mentally challenged adult who kept asking what was going on that the theater couldn't do anything about due to the Disabilities Act (we just got a full refund for that one) and the other was a situation where parents brought a baby to a rated R film. 30-40 films a year, 2 bad experiences total. That's a rate of 0.5% over the course of 10 years.
I could have sworn we all had this discussion already. I used to love the Cinema experience....then the seats got smaller ( or I got fatter), concession stands lines got long (or my patients got lessened) and kids won't keep their f*@king mouth shut. I got old. I much rather stay at home and watch the movie. I was in the Houston area not to long ago and just about every home I visited had a full blown home theatre room complete with cinema styled chairs. One would have though Americans were waiting anxiously for this. For that matter I did visit the cinema and it cost about $60usd per person when you factor in snacks.
I think you just got fatter. Not to be rude, but seats have gotten miles better in the past decade. I remember going to a cheap theater awhile back that had not done any updates in 20 years and I could not sit through the entirety of a 90 minute movie. There was no space at all between the seats, the cushioning was so thin it might as well not have had any, and the seat backs only went up half my back. When I saw GotG 2 I caught myself falling asleep because it was so comfortable.

I understand when you have a family things are different. But as an adult I only spend maybe $15 a person if it's a longer movie and I want a drink.
 
I could have sworn we all had this discussion already. I used to love the Cinema experience....then the seats got smaller ( or I got fatter), concession stands lines got long (or my patients got lessened) and kids won't keep their f*@king mouth shut. I got old. I much rather stay at home and watch the movie. I was in the Houston area not to long ago and just about every home I visited had a full blown home theatre room complete with cinema styled chairs. One would have though Americans were waiting anxiously for this. For that matter I did visit the cinema and it cost about $60usd per person when you factor in snacks.

Have you not been to a Theatre in 20 years? Did you eat dinner at the Theatre when you went to the movies?
 
The purpose of the $50 newer release movie schedule is to get money from parents who wait for DVD's. It is hard to round up multiple children and go to a theatre. Parent will pay $50 when they can save on food/hassle. Kids will pressure parents to rent because everyone at school will be talking about it. The studios are looking to squeeze every penny they can because we are saturated with Movie Theatres. Anyone who wants to go see a movie can and does.

Theatres hate this because they need to invest tons of money to make a 'movie experience' and they do not want any more competition. Temporary exclusivity is their only strength, or they would show old movies all the time. It is the same reason Microsoft and Sony throw kickbacks to developers to have launch exclusive titles on their consoles.
 
If it was priced appropriately, I'd pay it. For me personally, it's not only about picture / image quality or audio quality. My current home theater setup is only a 55" + 5.1 (currently only 1080p but 4K HDR by November once the XBox One X comes out) and it's plenty good with blinds pulled and lights off.

For me the issues with movie theaters are (depending on the specific theater) - parking, cleanliness and other movie-goers:

1) Some of the theaters near me are in congested areas with no parking other than street or private structure parking. Nothing too crazy but adds to the costs and inconvenience.
2) Cleanliness. Other than sweeping the floors / aisles, I don't think they have EVER cleaned the theater since it's opening. Imagine how it must be for a theater that's been open for awhile / few years. I'm not a germophobe but even I can imagine the possibilities.
3) Other audience members. I don't watch kids' movies but even R rated movies can have high schoolers / adult assholes who can ruin the experience.

The only 2 cases where I will voluntarily go to a theater are:
1) Blockbusters in IMAX or the new pseudo IMAX that need to be seen in IMAX.
2) Deluxe theaters that have reclining / reserved seats + booze and or food.

Given the above, paying $50 bucks isn't that much different than any of the above case-scenarios once all the fees / conveniences are included.
 
No shit. I swear it's like they haven't been since the mid 90s.
I have a newly renovated AMC in town here. While the theater is quite nice the $9.75 price tag is still a bit much. Considering that is just the ticket. If you want popcorn and a drink you more than double that price. So it ends up being $30 per person.
 
Just went to the theater on vacation (rainy beach day) and it was $60 just for tickets for 4 of us. On occasion I would use this.

I always wait for the Blu-ray. Something to keep in mind for those that want to see it on a 40' screen, you are also 40' back. I'm 10' back from a 120" screen, I'm getting the same effect. Also my 100lb sub has a much easier time pressurizing my acoustically treated theater.

The only time I go to the theater now is on vacation or when the whole family wants to see something right now and we go to a Dolby Vision theater.
 
I went to see both recent Star Wars movie in the theater because it's a tradition of mine (going back to seeing the original release in 1977 at a drive-in theater no less) and my experience is exactly what I posted.

Tell me...what is the motivation to lie about it? What possible motivation could a person have to claim that seats are filthy, the floors full of soda and popcorn, overflowing trash cans, people talking/chatting and using their phones during a movie, or, kids screaming/climbing all over the seats?

What is the motivation to make it up?

Know where I had good experiences in the theater? In Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand. Great theaters with in-theater dining, table side service with free refills on popcorn and drinks, some even had sofas and large recliners, many offered beer and spirits, the works - including smiling faces who made you feel welcome instead of making you feel like you're interrupting them as they update Facebook. No complaints about the comfort, noise, or cleanliness.

To me the theater experience overseas matched the airline experience overseas.

But here the theater experience mirrors the poor experience now on all domestic airlines. Overpriced, uncomfortable, and not worth it. At least with a movie I can just wait and buy it and avoid the mess.

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When I was a kid/teenager/young adult the so-called theater experience for me in the states was vastly superior to what I have experienced in the past few years here and that has been from coast to coast so it's not just related to a single area. It's a miserable experience dealing with rude people and there's NO motivation to have to deal with that crap when my home setup is better.

When something like this comes here I might reconsider:

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The theaters here are decent but nothing overly fancy. Our biggest issue is time and having to work on their schedule for a rare change there's actually a half decent movie worth watching. I'm in the process of building a HT in the basement as result of this and overall admission cost. Btw, with theater picture you listed, how many can afford to go to a theater like that? These guys will probably have a hard time paying off their bills and it's still a public theater so you'll still get your dose of e.coli and all that good shit.
 
Have you not been to a Theatre in 20 years? Did you eat dinner at the Theatre when you went to the movies?


Err yes...I rather stay at home if given the option. I never said I stopped going to the cinema. And yes I did have a chicken sandwich served to me in the theater in Houston.
 
The theaters here are decent but nothing overly fancy. Our biggest issue is time and having to work on their schedule for a rare change there's actually a half decent movie worth watching. I'm in the process of building a HT in the basement as result of this and overall admission cost. Btw, with theater picture you listed, how many can afford to go to a theater like that? These guys will probably have a hard time paying off their bills and it's still a public theater so you'll still get your dose of e.coli and all that good shit.

Actually those really nice looking theaters cost approx. $7 per seat (compared to around $3 for the regular theaters). Each theater complex usually offers 2-3 classes of seating (from 200 chairs per theater to about 30) and they are all separated. I also forgot to mention the private lounge for the higher class tickets along with normal food and drink being included in the price (similar to what's in the food courts nearby). Free refills on snacks and drinks also. Booze, beer, and steak or other foods are extra and can be ordered using a touchscreen and then brought to your area by a waiter - some of the theaters even include the higher class food and cocktails at the ultimate tiers (approx. $25 per person depending on location).

One major difference in their seating is that the chairs are not covered in cloth as they are in US theaters but are vinyl or leather - probably an easier surface to clean. Interesting enough the studies I read showed that subway seats tend not to be as filthy as theater seats or airlines - might have to do with the same coverings (smooth versus cloth).

The big thing about them is that with a hospitable environment it makes you want to go see a movie. Private lounge/waiting area, large open areas well lit up and exciting to look at in the front, food and drinks included at the higher tiers, clean environment? If someone did that here then sign me up.

Our biggest issue is time and having to work on their schedule for a rare change there's actually a half decent movie worth watching

Yeah, having to work around a theater's schedule along with driving there, seeing the movie, and returning home is a definite disadvantage when you could just instead buy it and see it when it suits you.

As I recall I mostly stopped going to theaters for the reasons I mentioned but perhaps many years ago going to rent movies for $1 per night from Blockbuster/Hollywood Video really just made it not worthwhile to spend the extra money for a movie ticket. 9 movies versus seeing 1 for the same price? No contest.
 
What kind of shithole are you going to? If your experiences are typical, it sounds like you could easily make your money back if you uploaded and monetized the footage of your theater outings.

I see a lot of negative theater experiences posted in theater threads. I'm thinking they need to find a better theater. I go to one frequently and rarely have a negative experience (talking, cellphones, sticky floors, etc.).

Not saying my experience is typical, but not all theaters suck. And no, I won't tell you guys which theater it is because I don't want you f**kers ruining my experience! :)
 
I don't have a decent theater within 60 miles, heck my local theater is a total shit hole. I'd use this for top titles, once/twice a year for my family.
 
I think what some people are missing is that we will be at 100" LED TV's within the next year or two. We bought some 75" TV's at my work and they were $1500 regular price at Costco. This wasn't even some black friday deal, we just drove over and bought them. I bet we get at least one 75" TV for sub $1000 on black friday. The first instance I can find of a 75" TV was Samsung announcing one for $9,999 and that was waaaaaaayyyyyy back in the past. It was way back in 2012. So within 5 years, the 75" TV has fallen to 10 to 15% of its original price. I'm not saying 100" will happen THAT fast but I'm saying things move faster than most people expect.

Pairing a $1,000 75" TV with a $1,000 sound system is not unreasonable and I think the experience would be less than a theater but "good enough" that the convenience (free food/snacks/drinks, ability to pause, not drive, not find parking, not fight for a good seat, etc..) would outweigh the marginal benefit that a non Imax or non Ultra premier theater provides.

Additionally, many people would save money. When my wife and I watch a movie in the theater it's $35 for 2 tickets. if we had kids it would be $60 to $70 depending on their age. Add more if people buy food or drinks.
 
Nope nope and nope. Fuck you and your $30-50 for a movie. If I can pay $20 and own the movie upon release... and I can rent a movie for $1 after it's been released on redbox, then there has to be a reasonable middle ground... that meaning, somewhere between $8-12 MAX for renting a theatrical release.

Otherwise, continue to enjoy piracy I guess? Whatever, keep shooting yourself in the foot and hoping it doesn't bleed.
In what world are they going to let you watch a first run movie for 2-3 bucks/person (assuming you only have 4 people watching)? Your price only makes sense if they can limit the number of viewers to 1 (maybe 2) and they can't. If you want it for 8 bucks, you'll have to wait for PPV. And for the record, I wouldn't pay this to see it either, but I also don't want to see first run movies in my house. Theaters have better sound and significantly bigger screens and there are no distractions (unless you're a typical person on [H] who apparently goes to the some of worse theaters in the country)
 
And with your expensive ticket you get to wait in line greeted by unfriendly people in a smelly theater that is filled with God-knows-what sticky crap in the ancient seats, noisy chatty assholes texting and talking on their iPhone while the movie is playing, babies crying, kids climbing all over seats, and stale popcorn with flat drinks. All for the low, low, low price of about $60-$75 for a few people.

Go to a better movie theater. When I go, I'm in a leather recliner with ample legroom, no sticky floors (across multiple theater complexes) in complete comfort....but even before one of the theaters I go to upgraded, the chairs were comfy and the floors clean.

Seriously, where are these theaters?? Our old regal is a $3 theater now I take my 4 year old to once in a while, and it's way better than that! Yeah, sometimes there are kids in there that can't sit still and talk to much, but that's why I choose the $3 one. It's clean though.

Our other theaters around here have sofa's, recliners, leather, amazing screens and sound. Tuesday's you can get in for $5, I think Wednesdays a cheese burger is $5. Very clean, 99% of the people are nice...and they have beer! You live in Oakland or something? (I used to, I can say that)
 
I went to see both recent Star Wars movie in the theater because it's a tradition of mine (going back to seeing the original release in 1977 at a drive-in theater no less) and my experience is exactly what I posted.

Tell me...what is the motivation to lie about it? What possible motivation could a person have to claim that seats are filthy, the floors full of soda and popcorn, overflowing trash cans, people talking/chatting and using their phones during a movie, or, kids screaming/climbing all over the seats?

What is the motivation to make it up?

Know where I had good experiences in the theater? In Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand. Great theaters with in-theater dining, table side service with free refills on popcorn and drinks, some even had sofas and large recliners, many offered beer and spirits, the works - including smiling faces who made you feel welcome instead of making you feel like you're interrupting them as they update Facebook. No complaints about the comfort, noise, or cleanliness.

To me the theater experience overseas matched the airline experience overseas.

But here the theater experience mirrors the poor experience now on all domestic airlines. Overpriced, uncomfortable, and not worth it. At least with a movie I can just wait and buy it and avoid the mess.

View attachment 34064

When I was a kid/teenager/young adult the so-called theater experience for me in the states was vastly superior to what I have experienced in the past few years here and that has been from coast to coast so it's not just related to a single area. It's a miserable experience dealing with rude people and there's NO motivation to have to deal with that crap when my home setup is better.

When something like this comes here I might reconsider:

View attachment 34065

You're going to the wrong theaters, because everything you described about overseas theaters is available in the U.S. Of the places I go these days, 2/3 offer liquor and dining. I personally have ZERO interest in dining theaters, because I find people eating a meal during a movie more annoying than some noisy kid that shows up once a year.

All I can say is you're going to the wrong theaters. I don't know what you choose, but I never have the issues you're describing, and I average a couple of dozen movies a year. I go to animated kids flicks, action flicks, rom coms and so on and aside from the little kid asking dad about something at a movie it was no biggie. I certainly wouldn't trade the experience for what there was in the 70s. Better seats, better sound and images are roughly the same (hell I can do 70mm film on some movies). And noisy kids were in theaters 40 years ago too and floors were, if anything, stickier then, because unlike today we didn't have drink holders built into the chair.

Here's what's typical in theaters http://www.lookcinemas.com/look/movie-experiences
And here's an image of seating at the Galaxy. And these aren't even considered the best in the area. Most say that Alamo is the best. And while I haven't been recently, I always found that Cinemark was a good experience too (across multiple locations)

If you've really been to theaters all over the country (recently) then you've got a gift for picking bad theaters.
 

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I think what some people are missing is that we will be at 100" LED TV's within the next year or two. We bought some 75" TV's at my work and they were $1500 regular price at Costco. This wasn't even some black friday deal, we just drove over and bought them. I bet we get at least one 75" TV for sub $1000 on black friday. The first instance I can find of a 75" TV was Samsung announcing one for $9,999 and that was waaaaaaayyyyyy back in the past. It was way back in 2012. So within 5 years, the 75" TV has fallen to 10 to 15% of its original price. I'm not saying 100" will happen THAT fast but I'm saying things move faster than most people expect.

Pairing a $1,000 75" TV with a $1,000 sound system is not unreasonable and I think the experience would be less than a theater but "good enough" that the convenience (free food/snacks/drinks, ability to pause, not drive, not find parking, not fight for a good seat, etc..) would outweigh the marginal benefit that a non Imax or non Ultra premier theater provides.

Additionally, many people would save money. When my wife and I watch a movie in the theater it's $35 for 2 tickets. if we had kids it would be $60 to $70 depending on their age. Add more if people buy food or drinks.

I'm with you on big TVs, but that's not what most have and most don't even have a soundbar, much less a proper surround setup. But I do agree that their may be a market for it for families. Personally, I rarely pay more than 8-10 bucks for a movie ticket, but I'm big on matinees. It's easier to get the seat I want that way without buying tickets in advance (cuz I hate paying s/c for buying a movie ticket).
 
LOL who would be stupid enough to pay 50 bucks to see a movie? Even a good one let alone the crap they put out lately.

If I can get 6 buddies together to split cost and beer I can easily see this being worth it. I spend nearly $30 every time I go to the movies between tickets, parking and drinks/food which I try to avoid but can't always.
 
I'm no lover of the cinema chains, and I only go to 1 or 2 movies a year. But the ones around me have all at least upgraded to the leather recliners and some have booze (if you REALLY want that $12 whisky and coke or $10 beer).

But $50 to see a first run at home isn't for me. I'll wait 4 months and rent it from Netflix or drop $3 at a Redbox. But I DO understand that for people with kids, $50 for 4 and not having the theater hassle is probably justifiable.

Now, if that $50 came with a blu-ray/4K UHD included, I could see more value in that.

Cinema chains (ie - Cinemark / AMC) will throw a hissy fit over this though. Watch the lawsuits fly.
 
.....I actually believe that the price would be more that $50, especially for the first year or two. The 1 and 2% have such a system already. $35K for the system and $500 per first run movie. Imagine all of the folks that paid for the right to party from the cash they had in their top drawer and finding out that john and jane doe can now do the same for $50.

Might happen with Apple's 500 billion in cash on hand, but would make other folks say WTF. $50 for a first run movie <bragging rights> is cheap.
 
$35K for the system and $500 per first run movie. Imagine all of the folks that paid for the right to party from the cash they had in their top drawer and finding out that john and jane doe can now do the same for $50.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I felt something along these lines (just about $30k cheaper, LOL) when I was the "king of MY hill" with laserdisc, big screen TV, kick ass stereo, surround sound, etc. And now you can buy it all for $1000 at WalMart. SIGH.

I mean, I new laserdisc releases were FIFTY bucks (and this is in 199x dollars, when I made 1/3 or less than what I make now). $35 on sale, if you were lucky. I know I paid $50 for Terminator 2. I paid like $250 for the Star Wars THX box set. And now... SIGH. I should be happy that technology has improved and we can all benefit from it. And I am. Sort of. Not bitter at all (ok, still a little bitter).
 
.....I actually believe that the price would be more that $50, especially for the first year or two. The 1 and 2% have such a system already. $35K for the system and $500 per first run movie. Imagine all of the folks that paid for the right to party from the cash they had in their top drawer and finding out that john and jane doe can now do the same for $50.

Might happen with Apple's 500 billion in cash on hand, but would make other folks say WTF. $50 for a first run movie <bragging rights> is cheap.

500 for a rental? You'd have to be more than 1% to justify that. You'd have to be better than 1% and famous enough that you don't want to show your face in a theater. I know millionaires, and they're not spending 500 bucks to watch a movie at home.
 
Haha the good old days.Man, when I got my 1st laserdisc player it was single sided like a record player. Halfway through you'd have to get up and flip it over. When I got a double sided player, I thought our house was the shit. We had it hooked up to my dad's Marantz stereo ...

Do you remember the Criterion special edition discs? I remember saving whatever cash I had left over and dropping $75-100+ (in 1990's dollars) on the Criterion version of the movies (John Woo's The Killer and Hard Boiled). Luckily one of my buddies later got a job at the Tower Records / hooked me up with the employee discount! I think I still have the discs stashed away in storage somewhere after my folks retired and moved. Talk about flashbacks.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I felt something along these lines (just about $30k cheaper, LOL) when I was the "king of MY hill" with laserdisc, big screen TV, kick ass stereo, surround sound, etc. And now you can buy it all for $1000 at WalMart. SIGH.

I mean, I new laserdisc releases were FIFTY bucks (and this is in 199x dollars, when I made 1/3 or less than what I make now). $35 on sale, if you were lucky. I know I paid $50 for Terminator 2. I paid like $250 for the Star Wars THX box set. And now... SIGH. I should be happy that technology has improved and we can all benefit from it. And I am. Sort of. Not bitter at all (ok, still a little bitter).
 
500 for a rental? You'd have to be more than 1% to justify that. You'd have to be better than 1% and famous enough that you don't want to show your face in a theater. I know millionaires, and they're not spending 500 bucks to watch a movie at home.

Found it!

Its called Prima Cinema and here is a decent writeup: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-prima-cinema-2016-5

They seem to still be in business ( http://www.primacinema.com/what-is-prima-cinema/ ) although I thought it was a more recent company. They have been in business since 2010/13 and the site is still up but I read somewhere that some dealers are having problems downloading movies.

$500 for 24 hours, ouch.

Prima Cinema01.PNG
 
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I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I felt something along these lines (just about $30k cheaper, LOL) when I was the "king of MY hill" with laserdisc, big screen TV, kick ass stereo, surround sound, etc. And now you can buy it all for $1000 at WalMart. SIGH.

I mean, I new laserdisc releases were FIFTY bucks (and this is in 199x dollars, when I made 1/3 or less than what I make now). $35 on sale, if you were lucky. I know I paid $50 for Terminator 2. I paid like $250 for the Star Wars THX box set. And now... SIGH. I should be happy that technology has improved and we can all benefit from it. And I am. Sort of. Not bitter at all (ok, still a little bitter).

Lol.

Unfortunate/fortunate way technology works. I thank you for being a first adopter so manuf saw there was a market for stuff and found out a way to make it all cheaper and more "Henry Ford" for us masses. Without your investment dvd's and blu-rays might have never made it.

hope u feel a lil better now :)
 
This would be a great deal for families... so maybe its not a deal for one individual but for a family of four/five or more or a group of friends its a hell of a deal.

Family of five here, 50 is a lot less than what I would spend on tickets and concessions.
 
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I felt something along these lines (just about $30k cheaper, LOL) when I was the "king of MY hill" with laserdisc, big screen TV, kick ass stereo, surround sound, etc. And now you can buy it all for $1000 at WalMart. SIGH.

I mean, I new laserdisc releases were FIFTY bucks (and this is in 199x dollars, when I made 1/3 or less than what I make now). $35 on sale, if you were lucky. I know I paid $50 for Terminator 2. I paid like $250 for the Star Wars THX box set. And now... SIGH. I should be happy that technology has improved and we can all benefit from it. And I am. Sort of. Not bitter at all (ok, still a little bitter).
To have a theater like sound system and quality projection, you don't need to spend 35k.

Getting the sound quality above 300hz (not an exact number) to a very good level is super cheap and honestly is very easy to correct its silly. Now everything below that sucks.

You got nulls, mid bass bounce, peaks and valleys, plus the amount of power and extra woofers required is hard (and expensive!). Blending subs with mains is also hard, this is where you need extra equipment and some actual knowledge to be able to get a seemless transition. The best way to fix bad sound is to have wood walls and a raised floor, not exactly convenient for most and again isn't an absolute fix.

Video is fairly simple, hook up an expensive projector and get a good screen ... then pay someone $100 bucks to calibrate.
 
Found it!

Its called Prima Cinema and here is a decent writeup: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-prima-cinema-2016-5

They seem to still be in business ( http://www.primacinema.com/what-is-prima-cinema/ ) although I thought it was a more recent company. They have been in business since 2103 and the site is still up but I read somewhere that some dealers are having problems downloading movies.

$500 for 24 hours, ouch.

View attachment 34161

Just a sidenote, I can rent the whole local movie theater for a private showing for less than 500 bucks.
 
To have a theater like sound system and quality projection, you don't need to spend 35k.

Getting the sound quality above 300hz (not an exact number) to a very good level is super cheap and honestly is very easy to correct its silly. Now everything below that sucks.

You got nulls, mid bass bounce, peaks and valleys, plus the amount of power and extra woofers required is hard (and expensive!). Blending subs with mains is also hard, this is where you need extra equipment and some actual knowledge to be able to get a seemless transition. The best way to fix bad sound is to have wood walls and a raised floor, not exactly convenient for most and again isn't an absolute fix.

Video is fairly simple, hook up an expensive projector and get a good screen ... then pay someone $100 bucks to calibrate.

I don't agree on that. To get the high range to very good level takes multiple thousands minimum. You may get entry level sound super cheap but very good? Forget it.
 
I don't agree on that. To get the high range to very good level takes multiple thousands minimum. You may get entry level sound super cheap but very good? Forget it.
Depends on room size and volume.

Converting a bedroom into a theater could be done cheap, converting a basement is going to cost a bit more. Still spending over 35k on stuff, especially with used JBL equipment the expense is marginalized, build your own subwoofers and it got a lot cheaper.

There's nothing magical about what equipment a theater uses, they just use a lot more of it because of the bigger room. What they do that most don't know about is professional level EQ. It's not as simple as buying some over priced pre-processor and some more over priced amplifiers. If you don't EQ your room forget about theater like quality.
 
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