<!--Literally flexible disc type-->

Flexplay is a trademark for a discontinued DVD-compatible optical video disc format with a time-limited (usually 48-hour) playback. They are often described as "self-destructing", although the disc merely turns black or dark red and does not physically disintegrate. The technology launched in August 2003 as a joint-venture with Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment under the name eZ-D. The Flexplay concept was invented by two professors, Yannis Bakos and Erik Brynjolfsson, who founded Flexplay Technologies in 1999. The technology was developed by Flexplay Technologies and General Electric.

Origins

The technology was originally intended as an alternative means for the short-term rental of newly released movies. Since the disc is capable of being used in any standard DVD player, the manufacturers hoped that it would succeed where other time-limited DVD technologies, such as DIVX, failed. Test marketing of eZ-D discs began in August 2003, but was canceled early when consumers rejected the concept. Owing to fears of cannibalizing DVD sales, movies were made available on eZ-D between 2 months and several years after being released on DVD and were priced at US$6.99, both factors that significantly limited consumer demand.

SpectraDisc was another such technology, and on January 13, 2003, Flexplay Technologies acquired all of the SpectraDisc Corporation assets. SpectraDisc discs worked in a similar way as Flexplay discs, only not starting as red and turning blue instead of black.

Specifications

Flexplay discs do not bear the DVD logo. When asked whether Flexplay discs do or do not comply with DVD forum standards, a company spokesperson replied that "Flexplay DVDs are produced to be readable in DVD players adhering to DVD Forum specifications."

A Flexplay disc is shipped in a vacuum-sealed package. There is a clear dye inside the disc, contained within the bonding resin of the disc, which reacts with oxygen. When the seal is broken on the vacuum-packed disc, the layer changes from clear to black in about 48 hours, rendering the disc unplayable. If unopened, the shelf life of the sealed package is said to be "about a year".

Releases

The Disney organization announced in 2003 that it would issue some releases on Flexplay ez-D discs (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Bridget Jones' Diary, The Recruit, Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Hot Chick, 25th Hour, Heaven, Equilibrium, Frida and Signs).

Discs were test-marketed in Austin, Texas. One grocery chain dropped the discs in February 2004, saying "It didn't turn out to be an item that our customers were looking for."

In 2004, Flexplay was purchased by The Convex Group who also own the Lidrock and HowStuffWorks brands. Flexplay discs were priced at around US$4.99, a price comparable to that of a two-day DVD rental.

See also

  • Planned obsolescence
  • DIVX and DVD-D, other disposable disc formats
  • Disc rot, the unintended decay of optical discs due to physical or chemical deterioration

References

  • Website (archived on December 1, 2010)
  • How Flexplay DVDs Work
  • United States patents 6,511,728, 6,537,635, 6,641,886, 6,678,239, 6,709,802, 6,756,103, 6,780,564, 6,838,144, and 6,839,316 by Flexplay Technologies