It should be noted that this website uses the term, “Home Video,” in two different ways. Firstly, it uses it as an umbrella term for the viewing of movies in the home, physical or otherwise. Secondly, its also the label given to the era in time where movies are being released on physical video formats. By default, the timeline below displays all events (with more always being added). Because the timeline has many events, use the buttons below to narrow down your interests.
February, 1997 (Los Angeles Times, 1997/02/07, p. F1)
Sirius Publishing Releases Their First 50 Titles on MovieCD
Sirius Publishing beats DVD to the market with their “MovieCD” discs. The discs offer “near VHS-quality,” and are playable in PCs with a CD-ROM drive. In their first 8 months, they reportedly sell approximately 300,000 discs through computer retail outlets. Their biggest selling point is their playability in laptops, allowing for “movies on the go.”
March 24th, 1997 (Billboard, 1997/04/12, p. 3)
Warner Home Video Releases the First 25 DVD Titles In the U.S.
In a soft test launch involving seven U.S. cities, Warner Home Video distributes their first 25 titles on the new DVD format (the first of which is the disaster film, Twister (1996)). Best Buy reveals that within the the first day of the format’s launch, they sold approximately 2,500 Warner DVDs from the 74 stores that carried the format.
April 21st, 1997 (PR Newswire, 1997/04/21, p. 1)
Reel.com Launches the First Online Movie Rental Service
Reel.com is the first to use an online ordering form for the rental of movies. They launch their service with 35,000 titles available for rent. Although much smaller websites, such as Home Film Festival (homefilmfestival.com), Video Wasteland (slaughter.net) and Video Vault (videovault.com) were already renting videos over the internet, they required calling or e-mailing an order in.
April, 1998 (Billboard, 1998/05/16, p. 53)
Netflix Launches Online DVD Rentals and Sales
With the company established the previous year, Netflix launches their online DVD rental service with 925 titles available for rent for $5 each.
June 8th, 1998 (Billboard, 1998/06/13, p. 79)
DIVX Discs are Test Launched
DIVX discs are launched as an alternative to traditional rental systems. A DIVX disc could be purchased for less than $5 (average price of a rental). Upon playing the disc, he or she would have a 48 hour window to watch the program. They could then extend this viewing period for an additional fee (which required the DIVX player to be connected to the internet via a telephone line). The format was discontinued on June 16th, 1999.
March 31st, 1999 (Tivo, Asselin, 2013, p. 42)
Philips HDR110 (TiVo DVR)
TiVo launches the first consumer DVR device. Like the VCRs before it, the device is primarily used to time-shift television programming. But unlike VCRs, they are digital and allow the pausing and rewinding of live TV. This first TiVo device, the HDR110, had a 14GB hard drive which could record up to 14 hours of content.
September 21, 2001 (lddb.com)
Pioneer Presses the Last Movie on Laserdisc
The last film pressed on the laserdisc format, Tokyo Raiders (2000), is released in Japan. The last American discs were pressed in October 2000 and were Bringing Out the Dead (1999) and Sleepy Hollow (1999).
January, 2002 (Sound & Vision, 2002/01, p. 24)
JVC DH30000U (D-VHS)
The first D-VHS VCR is released in the US for $2000. Although the format had been in use since 1999 for data storage, the new machine repackages the technology for the purpose of recording HDTV. Later that year, Hollywood films are released on the format under the “D-Theater” trademark. These require a special D-VHS player equipped to play “D-Theater” movies. They provide 1080i resolution.
May, 2004 (Fresno Bee, 2004/05/26, p. C6)
Redbox DVD Vending Kiosks Launched
Redbox begins a test launch of DVD rental kiosks in the Denver area. They become the first widely successful DVD vending service in the country. Prior to splitting off into a separate entity, the concept began as a McDonald’s Ventures project to drive more customers to their restaurants. By November of 2012, they will have 42,000 kiosks across the country.
March 14th, 2006
“A History of Violence” Is the Last Major Film On VHS
New Line Home Entertainment releases A History of Violence onto VHS. It is the last major studio film given a wide release on the format. Disney would continue using VHS exclusively through their “Disney Movie Club” until the end of the year.
March 28st, 2006 (https://www.cnet.com/culture/toshiba-launches-worlds-first-hd-dvd-player)
Toshiba HD-A1 & HD-XA1 (HD-DVD)
Toshiba is the first to release an HD 5-inch disc. Their first players are the HD-A1 ($499) and the HD-XA1 ($749). They delay the roll out in the U.S. until April 18th, when movies will be available on the format.
April 14th, 2006 icv2.com/articles/comics/view/8494/serenity-first-universal-title-hd-dvd
Warner and Universal Release the First 4 Titles on HD-DVD
Coinciding with the launch of Toshiba’s HD-DVD players in the US, Warner and Universal release their first titles on the format. They include Million Dollar Baby, The Phantom of the Opera, The Last Samurai and Serenity.
June 15th, 2006 (Business Wire, 2006/06/15, p. 1)
Samsung BD-P1000 (Blu-ray)
Samsung ships out the very first batch of Blu-ray players to retailers, the BD-P1000. Its cost is $1,000, twice that of Toshiba’s competing player for their HD-DVD format.
June 20th, 2006 (Wall Street Journal, 2006/06/20, p. D1)
Sony and MGM Release the First 7 Titles on Blu-ray
The very first titles are released on the new HD format, Blu-ray. They include 50 First Dates (2004), The Fifth Element (1997), Hitch (2005), House of Flying Daggers (2004), Underworld: Evolution (2006) and xXx (2002). The studio will also distribute The Terminator (1984).
February 10th, 2010 https://www.engadget.com/2010-02-10-sonys-200-bdp-s470-is-companys-first-3d-ready-blu-ray-player.html
Sony BDP-S470 (Blu-ray 3-D)
Sony releases the very first Blu-ray 3-D compatible player, costing ($200). Viewing the movies also requires a 3-D TV and a “Blu-ray 3-D” firmware upgrade.
May, 2010 (Selkirk Journal, 2010/07/09, pl. 5)
Movie Gallery Files Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Movie Gallery, parent company of Hollywood Video, decides to liquidate all of its assets after two previous Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings. The company begins the process of shutting down all their stores.
June 1st, 2010
Sony Home Entertainment Releases the First Blu-ray 3-D Title
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009) is the first title to be released on the new Blu-ray 3-D format.