# Watch just-released-in-theater movies from home



## keithlock

If the idea of watching a movie the same exact day it comes out at the theater, but in the comfort of your home, excites you, consider the 24-hour rental fee before jumping on the bandwagon. For a regular 2D movie, the rental cost is a whopping $500. Add another $100 and you could be streaming a 3D movie to your big screen TV.








The rentals come in through a set-top-box, probably akin to the "low-end" Roku box that serves "cheap" flix, called the PRIMA Cinema Server. The cost of the device is $35,000, which for some, is a mere drop in the bucket when considering their home theater setup cost them somewhere between $500k and $2 mill or more.

This weekend, folks lucky enough to have this setup may be streaming Jurrasic Park 3D and/or The Place Beyond The Pines to their home theater systems. Coming is Fast & Furious 6 with Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Paul Walker, and Vin Diesel. Also, Tom Cruise's Oblivion is also going to be available for home theaters with the PRIMA setup the same weekend it hits the cinema.

Owners of the proprietary device, also called the PRIMA Movie Player or PMP for short, are referred to as "Members," giving them the feeling of exclusivity.

This is a great setup for people that hate the crowds, or for the home body type, or folks that need to feel significant, or for people that just can't get to the theater for whatever reason.

"Some people are willing to pay a lot more money and watch a movie in their home theater. Business executives, pro athletes, celebrities ... some just can't go out, some are too busy with their schedules traveling all over," said Prima CEO Jason Pang.

Currently, Prima is in talks with many studios, and right now has the ability to offer movies from Universal, Focus Features, Magnolia Pictures and Cinedigm. There haven't been anymore 'yeses' but no studio has "flat-out rejected" the idea yet either.

The Prima server holds up to 50 films at one time. The huge files are downloaded during the days before the "big release." A title will show as "Coming Soon" until it is allowed to be played, at which time it moves to the "Now Showing" category. A typical 2D movie can take anywhere between 2 and 5 hours or more to download, so it is delivered early to make sure the only wait is the release date, and not the download time.

Movies are downloaded even if not purchased, wasting a great deal of bandwidth in some cases, but saves a great deal of time in others.

A recent piece in the LA Times focused on "the Schultzes," who "spared no expense," on their $500,000 plus home theater system.

It has "custom-built armchairs with heat and massage functions," a 3D projector that cost about $100k, an eight by 18 foot screen, and walnut-paneled walls.

"When the projector costs three times that, you don't pay attention to the Prima cost ... We have boxes at the Hollywood Bowl, and we go to Disney Concert Hall to see Dudamel. Even if we watch 10 to 12 movies a year on Prima, it is still a fraction of our overall entertainment budget," said Ken Schultz.

"We found the secret sauce to make billionaires act like little giddy schoolchildren," said Prima's CEO Jason Pang.

_Sources:_

latimes.com

curbed.com

walbrandt.com

theosroundtable.com

_Image source:_

primacinema.com


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## J&D

It was only a matter of time before this type of service became available. If I had the money to become a member I would. I rarely go to the movies anymore as the experience continues to degrade and is not worth the price of admission. It would be nice to have the option to watch a movie on release date.


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## chrapladm

Hopefully Lionsgate and Paramount and others get on board. I hope that nothing gets downgraded in streaming these movies. Watching a new in the cinema(my cinema)3D 200FPS would be awesome so long as it is the same as original.

But with all the newer movies just being digital files it shouldn't be to hard for those lucky enough with fast enough bandwidth to have this amazing product.


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## Tonto

I think Sonnie should bite the bullet & get this, that way we could go to his house & evaluate the experiance. And it would be tax deductable as a business expense !


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## phillihp23

Tonto said:


> I think Sonnie should bite the bullet & get this, that way we could go to his house & evaluate the experiance. And it would be tax deductable as a business expense !


I wonder what Sonnie would charge for tickets to the show? onder:, he has to cover his overhead :devil:


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## phillihp23

The Sony 4K Media Player for $700 looks so apealing at this moment :foottap: thanks a lot :surrender:


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## chrapladm

Would you be aloud to charge others and make a profit while having this service?

Seems like you would be cutting in on the commercial cinemas. It would be nice as an option because there are to many rules that cinemas have to follow to just have a new release. I just figured you would not be able to charge others to watch is all.


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## NBPk402

Sounds appealing but way over anything I could ever afford... I guess I will just have to wait for the Bluray realease and then play it in my home theater.


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## tonyvdb

25 years ago it took as long as 2 years for a movie to be released to home video. Now it can be a little as 3 months. I just wait for it as i am in the camp that the home theater experience is far better. 
I must admit that there are about 3 movies this coming months that will be hard to wait for.


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## DruNewp

I'm definitely getting one of these. Just as soon as I win the lottery that is. $500 to rent a movie!??? Ain't nobody got time for dat!


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## Greenster

Just think how you would feel if the movie turned out to be very bad! $500 for that?


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## Infrasonic

DruNewp said:


> Ain't nobody got time for dat!


LOL I bet Sweet Brown would get it if she could afford to.


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