Redbox Instant is shutting down after less than two years

[Shawn Knight]

Streaming video service Redbox Instant is shutting down. The service, jointly operated by Redbox and Verizon, will officially close its doors on October 7 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific according to a notice posted on the company’s website.

Rumors of a shutdown started swirling about a week ago although those that have paid close attention to the service likely saw the writing on the wall months ago.

As Gigaom explains, the service disabled new sign-ups starting about three months ago following a credit card fraud issue. In addition to not being able to sign up new members, existing customers with expiring credit cards were simply booted from the system as they couldn’t add a new payment method.

Redbox Instant launched in March 2013 and offered a combination of physical DVD rentals at Redbox kiosks (customers were allowed to rent four discs per month) in addition to online video streaming. Its streaming catalog didn’t come close to matching the size of competitors like Amazon Prime Instant Streaming or even Netflix’s own. It mostly focused on movies instead of television shows which has been the bread and butter for Netflix up to this point.

In the interim, Redbox Instant said customers may continue to stream movies and use their Redbox kiosk credits up until the shutdown date. Information on applicable refunds will be e-mailed to current customers and posted on the company’s website on October 10.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/58308-redbox-instant-is-shutting-down-after-less-than-two-years.html

 

[Shaun2312]

Red who?

 

[Guest]

I'm not very surprised. I never used Redbox streaming video. I did take a look at it. I rent my videos from Amazon and Vudu, and there was nothing different on Redbox.

For older stuff I have Netflix and occasionally Hulu. Every other service I've looked at offered smaller offerings available at Netflix or Hulu.

I've also been less impressed with my experience with Redbox; it would have taken alot to persuade me to become their customer. For instance, if you get in line for the next dvd available at a particular kiosk, you get billed from THAT TIME, and if you take advantage of a special offer, the time you rent it already counts as one day, so you're never billed for less than two days, minus any free day. What, do they think that when all customers have to do is rent online from Amazon, this sort of treatment will get them customers. In other words, Redbox is crooked and destined to fail.

 

[tipstir]

Too many doing the same thing here. Redbox in mostly every Walmart and even in a Walmart Neighborhood Market (Food Only).

 

[TadMSTR]

This is kind of funny. I briefly worked on their tier 2 help desk (as a contractor) while they were still in beta. I jumped ship as soon as I got a job offer elsewhere. I could see back then they were doomed to fail as they sub contracted everything. Verizon employees are union so they subcontract whenever possible to avoid covering benefits. There were like 3 or 4 companies involved in tier 1 and tier 2 support. They suffered from communication problems and lack of proper planning.

 

[captaincranky]

I've also been less impressed with my experience with Redbox; it would have taken alot to persuade me to become their customer. For instance, if you get in line for the next dvd available at a particular kiosk, you get billed from THAT TIME, and if you take advantage of a special offer, the time you rent it already counts as one day, so you're never billed for less than two days, minus any free day. What, do they think that when all customers have to do is rent online from Amazon, this sort of treatment will get them customers. In other words, Redbox is crooked and destined to fail.

You sound like you're clueless, lazy, have a vastly inflated sense of entitlement, or work for Amazon.

Amazon, "Instant Video", runs about $5.00 for a new release rental. Amazon also deems it "appropriate" to have their crap DRM infested player, run as a start up program.

Redbox, OTOH, is just $1.20 for a single night rental. If you're not too tired, just sit up on Monday, until the, "Coming Soon" videos are transferred into the, "New Release" category. That happens at about 1:00 AM Eastern Time, Tuesdays. Reserve the DVD, and pick it up at your convenience. If you leave as soon as you reserve it, you can hold the DVD close to 40 hours, for the price of one day's rental.

Even if Redbox makes the charges you're claiming, they would have to bill you for 5 days rental (!), to equal the charges from Amazon.

There are close to a dozen Redbox kiosks within 5 miles of my house, and I have yet to miss even the hottest new releases, or be billed for more than one day, using my strategy.

Too many doing the same thing here. Redbox in mostly every Walmart and even in a Walmart Neighborhood Market (Food Only).

And what is your issue with that? It's maybe, "too convenient".

 

[tipstir]

I've used Redbox only 3 times, and to return the movie in time is a hassle. The line is always long when I had to return the movie. Amazon Prime Instant Videos or $3.99 if your on Prime to rent a movie. Now that tax is added more like $4.xx. Netflix you get all what you want, current ones just have to wait on their releases. I have no issues doing so. So I've gone Netflix way. Dropped Amazon Prime 2013. Had it from 2009 to 2013. Which was enough for me.

OTA has ANT TV and This TV both are free both show movies around the clock. There is also Get TV mostly classic movies too.

 

[captaincranky]

I've used Redbox only 3 times, and to return the movie in time is a hassle. The line is always long when I had to return the movie.

That hasn't been an issue for me at all. I admit I have a lot more free time and a different, more flexible, schedule than most.

Amazon Prime Instant Videos or $3.99 if your on Prime to rent a movie. Now that tax is added more like $4.xx.

But it's a fiver if you're not, is that true? And at either price, multiples of Redbox's single day charge. Besides, if Redbox wasn't doing very well in its disc rental efforts, WB, and others (?), wouldn't be withholding their content from them, until 30 days after the retail sales drop.

Netflix you get all what you want, current ones just have to wait on their releases. I have no issues doing so. So I've gone Netflix way. Dropped Amazon Prime 2013. Had it from 2009 to 2013. Which was enough for me.

But, if I got Netflix, I would need to move to a higher tier of internet service, thereby doubling my cost. With my normal zero to five rentals a month, it leaves me averaging about 20 bucks a month for web service and, "movie tickets". (Plus taxes, of course).

OTA has ANT TV and This TV both are free both show movies around the clock. There is also Get TV mostly classic movies too.

Well, OTA TV is also has Hi-Def and a plethora of decent, entertaining material,on in prime time. All you gotta do is switch between CBS, ABC, and NBC, + PBS if they're not fundraising. As long as you keep your finger on the"mute" button of your remote as a defense against the commercials, you should be able to enjoy a visually entertaining evening at home

 

[Guest]

Good. Speaking as a FiOS customer who went through months of having to use a VPN to watch Netflix (and Verizon trying to tell me that upgrading from my 50/25 package to a 75/35 package would fix this), hopefully this reduces the incentive for Verizon to engage in further Netflix-ganking-****ery going forward.

 

[tipstir]

That hasn't been an issue for me at all. I admit I have a lot more free time and a different, more flexible, schedule than most. But it's a fiver if you're not, is that true? And at either price, multiples of Redbox's single day charge. Besides, if Redbox wasn't doing very well in its disc rental efforts, WB, and others (?), wouldn't be withholding their content from them, until 30 days after the retail sales drop. But, if I got Netflix, I would need to move to a higher tier of internet service, thereby doubling my cost. With my normal zero to five rentals a month, it leaves me averaging about 20 bucks a month for web service and, "movie tickets". (Plus taxes, of course).
Well, OTA TV is also has Hi-Def and a plethora of decent, entertaining material,on in prime time. All you gotta do is switch between CBS, ABC, and NBC, + PBS if they're not fundraising. As long as you keep your finger on the"mute" button of your remote as a defense against the commercials, you should be able to enjoy a visually entertaining evening at home

I am on Comcast I only get internet with them! I got the Exec CSR to get my high price 50 mbps and 10 mbps to $40 a month for year. I need to call her back after year to keep it at that rate. Everyone I met got it for $40 a month, but yet their site reads $63 a month. Some pay higher than I was like in the $80s.

OTA (over-the-air) I am getting 74 channels now in 2014. I've switched from Comcast CATV in mid 2012. I have installed dual HD ANT on my roof one points NW and the other SE. So I can tap into two markets. Range is 80 miles combine using with amp and 8-way drop amp. I record in 1080i 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus on my Intel i3 Dual core 8 GB DDR3 Laptop connected via HDMI to my SONY 40-inch LCD 1080p HDTV with 5.1 Dolby, but I use my SONY TrueHD 7.1 Surround Component Amp. Along with SONY Network Media Player and SONY Blue Ray with BD feature that's also on my network. So the ACER/Gateway 15.6-inch laptop runs 365/7 and does go to sleep when idle.

I use USB 3.0 1 TB HD to store the HD recordings. So I do record from CBS (2x), NBC (2x), ABC (2x), FOX (2x), CW (2x), MYxx(2x) PBS (4x) in this area. They're adding more channels so what you get on CATV your seeing now on OTA sub channels. I only record what I like. Windows Media Center does the work. I use quad HD tuners that requires the Network LAN.

So OTA Free, Netflix is $7.99 plus tax along with the $40 (no tax) on there internet only. So that comes out to be $48 a month. Plus under Windows Media Center you get a nice Netflix UI to access and watch your media.

P.S. I have USB IR to use to control the Windows Media Center via Logitech Harmony 700 Remote also use Logitech Wave Pro Wireless Keyboard and M710 mouse.