Take it from a guy who loves movies; Video on Demand is the greatest invention since Pay Per View. Already I hear you asking, "Aren't they the same thing?" They're close, but not the same.

Once upon a time, cable television providers began offering the 'private telecast of special events' to their subscribers. That was a lousy marketing name, so someone with a firm grasp of catchy phrases dubbed it 'Pay Per View'.

The term 'Pay Per View' (PPV) accurately reflected the nature of the programming: pay once to view once. Frequently, these were world championship boxing matches featuring very well know fighters (think Mike Tyson) and a whole lot of panache (think Don King).
The first major PPV event directly marketed to cable subscribers happened 28 years ago today. On September 16, 1981 Sugar Ray Leonard fought Thomas "Hitman" Hearns for the Welterweight Championship of the world, and cultural phenomenon was born.

Today, promoters use PPV to broadcast special events such as Live Earth, and worldwide sporting events like World Cup soccer. It has also become a convenient way for cable and satellite television subscribers to watch new release movies for less than the cost of a single movie theater ticket.

The rise in popularity of DVD players and DVR devices showed cable and satellite television providers that Pay Per View had some limitations, particularly its anchor to the start time of the event or movie. Subscribers could pay in advance, but couldn't watch the movie or event until its scheduled start time.
Cable and satellite television executives quickly grasped the fact that while their companies were indeed steeped in state-of-the-art technology, they weren't actually technology companies. They were entertainment companies. If they were going to effectively compete in the soon-to-be-massive DVD/DVR markets (start, stop, pause, forward, reverse), they had to augment their existing PPV product.

Necessity gave birth to Video On Demand, which is true to its name. At first, only a few movie titles were offered; generally older movies with broad appeal. What viewers quickly discovered with VOD, however, was the total control they had over their viewing experience. They could start the movie whenever they wanted, and could control the VOD program just like a DVD, pausing, skipping ahead, or rewinding at their convenience.

Today, cable and satellite television providers offer hundreds of VOD movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters like Star Trek and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to niche market programs like John Cleese's Wine for the Confused.

If you haven't tried Video On Demand, give it a whirl. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the freedom it gives you to watch what you want, when you want.