How can video-on-demand be as compelling as renting a DVD?
The main driving benefits of VoD are sold as convenience and choice. However, with their comprehensive features, DVDs are perceived as much better value than just watching a video stream of the main future. Most streaming platforms are based on the heavily compressed MPEG-4 video format, which does not offer a way to replicate the DVD experience that is offered through MPEG-2 (chapters, subtitles, languages, special features etc). Several companies have developed technologies that use the in-built BIFS/XMT API in MP4 to create commercial applications which can generate titles that are billed as ‘network DVD without the disc’, and early studies suggest they are received extremely well.
