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Venture capitalist: Blu-ray a "speedbump" to digital content

May 12, 2009 Benchmark Capital's Bill Gurley, whose current investment portfolio includes VUDU, Linden Lab/SecondLife, Move Networks,  Zillow.com and other familiar startups, gives his view on where digital video is headed in this presentation he posted to his site from the AlwaysOn Hollywood conference two weeks ago. (via boxee)

He disputes the techie idea that one day all content will be free, saying "great content is superexpensive." He also argues the Netflix DVD model will never work online because retailers can't buy a digital copy of a movie to rent out for an unlimited period of time the way they can with a DVD. "The $25 all-you-can-eat video service online will never exist."

Then he calls Blu-ray, like the DVR, an "unfortunate casualty and speedbump" in the transition to digital content, arguing people won't invest in Blu-ray. ouch!

Here's the whole presentation: (warning, there's some profanity)

Posted by Jennifer Netherby on May 12, 2009 | Comments (1)