Qflix

Qflix is a technology originally developed by Sonic Solutions Inc. It is approved by the major movie studios. Basically put, Qflix makes it possible for users to download (or otherwise acquire) digital copies of Hollywood movies, and then burn them to disc using a specialized DVD burner and software. The resulting DVD will include the Content Scrambling System (CSS) content protection system found on the vast majority of all retail DVDs.

The CSS inclusion is why a standard DVD burner cannot burn this way. It is designed originally for the Internet and is used with movie download service CinemaNow. Customers will still be subject to restrictions on their downloads, such as a burn limit, but the resulting burn does in fact contain the same CSS protection as seen on regular DVDs. Another use for Qflix would be with Kiosks, where users could potentially select from thousands of digitally stored movies or TV shows, or other video content, from a single Kiosk and have the disc burned to take away within minutes.

Unlike traditional pressed DVDs that aren't economically feasible to produce in small numbers, DVDs created with Sonic's DVD On Demand technology could theoretically be sold at a much lower cost. Several companies have gotten on board with the QFlix system.

One such company is Verbatim, a noted maker of blank DVD media (among other storage products), and RITEK that produces the same products. Pioneer also linked up with Sonic for Qflix products and Dell has sold Desktop PCs that come equipped with Qflix hardware.

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