DVDs versus VOD

In the TED Talk video ‘Chris Anderson of WIRED on tech’s Long Tail’ said, “The digital video disk (DVD) had its debut in the mid-1990s”. WiseGEEK, clear answers for common questions, said, “Video-on-demand (VOD) was originally introduced in Hong Kong in 1990. However, later on it made its debut in the United States.

DVD or Digital View In doing the science fiction assignment of module 4 based on a Philip K. Dick book, I was divided between the idea of watching a science fiction movie through the rental of a DVD or accessing a VOD website. I chose the latter to watch the movie ‘Minority Report’. However, my digital selection was through a free VOD movie website The current competition between DVDs and VOD is an example of increasing returns.

DVD vs. VOD (The Competition) Arthur (1996) said, “In the increasing returns world, especially in high tech, re-everything has become necessary because every time the quest changes, the company needs to change” (p.104). The way movies are being watched is constantly changing. With this change, comes the change in policies among technology entities. If high tech entities are not updating their policies, then their increasing returns would be decreasing, as in the case of ‘Marshall’s principles of diminishing returns among bulk-material manufacturing entities’ (Arthur, 1996, p. 103).

A real life example of this occurrence is my membership with Columbia House. I have been a member of this DVD movie vendor for a number of years. Within the last two years, my purchases have declined, due to the VOD entity Netflix. With this decline, the company (Columbia House) would be experiencing decreasing returns, as my funding is channeled away from them and towards another entity (Netflix) that is experiencing increasing returns. I now find it easier and more convenient to view movies digitally online than to have to wait for the delivery of a shipment of DVDs which may take up to three to five days for delivery. In addition, I can access free on-demand movies from the website mentioned above or any other free on-demand movie websites, if funding is not readily available to me.

McLuhan's Tetrad With respect to McLuhan’s tetrad, the tetrad of the DVD/VOD movie industry is as follows: Enhances: VOD, unlike DVD, allows everyone can have instant access to movies without time delay (Just-in-time). Obsolete: VOD makes DVD outdated. Reverses: VOD reverses instant access to movies on the Internet unlike DVDs that allow for delayed access through mailing. Retrieves: VOD recall DVD that started in the mid-1990s.

Reference Anderson, C. (2004). Chris Anderson of WIRED on tech’s long tail [video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_anderson_of_wired_on_tech_s_long_tail.html WiseGeek (2012). What is video on demand? Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-video-on-demand.htm Arthur, W. B. (1996). Increasing returns and the new world of business. Harvard Business Review, 74(4), 100−109. Retrieved from the Business Source Complete database.