From music to movies, the trend towards downloadable entertainment has beeen strong. People are looking for ways to get their entertainment in a convenient, easy form, and today's high speed internet connections and improved file technologies has made it even more accessible than ever. This includes DVD movie files.



The DVD revolutionized the movie industry. Its all digital format allowed moviemakers and video manufacturers to complete change the way people watch movies. It's popularity has been so immense that filmmakers have even begun to change the process of film making to fit in with the culture. Where commentaries and special features were initially added as an afterthought, they are often now specifically created with DVDs in mind. The success and its digital nature, led to the increased interest in being able to download DVD movies.

One barrier in attempting to download movies has been their immense size. A single DVD can contain over 4 gig of data, representing a somewhat time-consuming download at even the fastest speeds. However, new technology such as improved compression methods makes it easier and more convenient to download films in all their glory. Moreover, faster and more reliable connection speeds make downloading less time-consuming overall.

While the trend towards allowing consumers to download DVD movies is fairly new, it is increasing in popularity. Independent film houses are especially interested in making their films available in this way, as traditional movie distribution methods are sometimes limiting in their reach and appeal. By placing the movies online for download, they're able to reach broader audiences that might otherwise have been inaccessible.

The increased ability to download has also led to better access to hard-to-find titles. While retailers, both traditional and online, often have limited stocks of either very popular or very limited releases, downloadable DVDs represent an unlimited inventory. Retailers are able to provide their customers with the titles they are looking for, when they are looking for it, preventing lost sales through inventory shortages.

Downloading isn't just limited to commercial titles. Many of the personal video cameras on today's market save their files in DVD format. By making these availabe for download, people are able to share their home movies with distant family and friends, saving time and money over the old method of shipping movies to loved ones. Personal filmmaking is also growing increasingly popular, enabling these small-scale moviemakers to share their creations with a vast audience; something that may otherwise be extremly expensive or altogether impossible.

As the trend towards downloadable entertainment grows, however, more and more companies are looking at the potential of making their movies available for download. Additionally, new methods of protecting data from unauthorized copying give distributors a greater sense of security against pirated movies. Some allow download to a computer and a limited number of burns to a disc so that users can have a true DVD for watching in any player. Others restrict use to playing on a computer only, and prevent any sort of copying.