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by SimonPStevens 5652 days ago
There is plenty of market for streamed movies.

My TV provider offers films on demand at £2-4 per viewing. The convenience of being able to watch immediately, and cheaply outweighs the choice of buying the DVD/BR and being able to watch multiple times.

Quick cost comparison:

1) Stream it for £4. Film was rubbish. Total cost = £4.

2) Stream it for £4. Film was great. Wait a few months until price falls. Purchase DVD at discount for £5-£10. Total cost = £9-£14

3) After release purchase for £15. Total cost = £15.

Of course this depends on the economics of your specific location and the cost differences, but personally I think I spend less in total on films because I very rarely buy physical media until the prices fall.

Streaming to a PC fits a very similar market profile, the only difference being it caters to those who build their entertainment system around a PC rather than a regular TV, and I think the lines between those as two separate systems are going to increasing blur in the coming years.