What does VOD mean?
How much does it cost?
What do I need to see a movie?
Can I view movies on a Macintosh?
Should I select streaming or download?
Can you move or burn VOD movies?
What happens when time runs out?
Can I join if I'm not a U.S. resident?
Is it safe to give my credit card number?
How do I cancel my membership?
How do I get my VOD site listed?
I have another question.

What does VOD mean?
VOD stands for Video-on-Demand It's also known as pay-per-view or DVD-on-demand. It's a technology that many people feel will one day make DVD rental services obsolete. It allows you to "rent" adult movies for one-time or repeated viewing on your computer (or your television, with the proper hook-up) without having to make a trip to the DVD store or wait for your selections to arrive in the mail. You also don't have to return anything or pay monthly membership fees. (If you prefer to rent DVDs, visit our Gay DVD Rental Guide).

How much does it cost?
Most sites charge a flat fee to watch a movie once or as often as you like for a set period of time, which can be anywhere from 48 hours to as long as six weeks. Sites that offer single viewings usually sell minutes in blocks of 15 or 30; the more minutes you buy, the cheaper they become. So let's say you want to watch a 60-minute movie offered on the site. You would buy 60 viewing minutes for $5 to $8. That is, you can watch 20 minutes, stop the movie, resume viewing at a later time, watch 10 minutes, stop, etc., until you have viewed the movie for a total of one hour. You also can skip ahead or rewind scenes. Alternatively, the site may charge a flat fee for access. So you would choose the movie and for $5 to $8 be able to watch it as often as you like for 48 hours, or $14.95 for 30 days. See the profile of each club listed in this guide for more details about its payment structure.

What do I need to see a movie?
You'll need either a DSL or cable broadband connection (although you can get by with a 56 Kb dial-up modem for streaming video, the quality won't be so hot and the wait will be maddening). You also will need the latest version of Windows Media Player (for streaming and downloads) or the free DIVX player (for downloads on some sites). See each site's profile for more specific technical requirements. For best performance, you will need a computer with a Pentium III or equivalent process, a 450 Mhz or faster processor and at least 128 MB of RAM. It also helps to have a video card with at least 8 MB of RAM (16 MB or more is suggested) and a monitor with a resolution of at least 800 x 600. If you are unsure if your computer is up to speed, many sites offer free streaming video sample. If you have a mobile camera phone, you can download two-minute adult clips at Xobile.

Can I view movies on a Macintosh?
Effex Media, Gay Closet VOD, Gay HotMovies, Maleflixxx and X on Demand offer access to Mac users. We recommend a PowerMac G3 or G4 with 128mb RAM or better and MAC OS 8.6 or higher. All other sites in this guide require a PC.

Should I select streaming or download?
The FAQ at Gay Video Link has a good explanation of the difference: "Pay-per-minute streaming provides instant access to video content and the size of the image and image quality is optimized to your connection speed automatically by our servers. The faster your connection, the larger the image and the higher quality of the video you receive. Streaming allows you to jump to any part of the movie at any time during playback. Users often purchase use streaming to sample a few movies in our library and then purchase Download Rental of their favorite titles to enjoy full-screen, DVD-like quality of the movie. Download Rental requires you to download the complete movie before it can be viewed, which can take an hour or more per title. Once downloaded you can view the rental for 14 days from date of purchase and watch it as many times as you like. A Download Rental acts just like a DVD in your system — you can fast forward, rewind, pause, etc just like a DVD or VCR."

Can you move or burn VOD movies?
VOD sites typically include a digital license with the products that doesn't allow them to be transferred to a second computer or burned. The idea is that, like renting a DVD, you eventually must "return" the movie or pay for additional time. However, some sites allow you to burn a VOD download to a CD-ROM or DVD but it will only play if it's in your computer's drive so that the digital license can be accessed.

What happens when time runs out?
You will no longer be able to access the movie unless you buy more time.

Can I join if I'm not a U.S. resident?
Yes. Most sites accept users from anywhere in the world.

Is it safe to give my credit card number?
This is a common concern. All of the clubs require that you provide a credit card number, even if you are requesting a free trial. Those that ask for a credit card provide encryption security that keeps your card and personal information safe in transit to their computers. In the unlikely event your card number is stolen, the Fair Credit Billing Act allows credit card companies to hold you responsible only for up to $50 in fraudulent charges as long as you notify them in writing within 60 days of the date the bill was mailed. Visa and Mastercard waive liability no matter how much time has elapsed.

How do I cancel my membership?
For most sites, there is no membership to cancel. That's the advantage of paying as you go. For those sites that charge a recurring monthly membership fee for unlimited access, visits their customer service area or log-in to your account for instructions on how to cancel. Usually you must cancel at least a few days before your membership renews to avoid being charged.

How do I get my VOD site listed?
Send details by email to feedback [at] dvdrentalguide.net for consideration.

I have another question.
Your best bet is to contact the Customer Service department of the rental club that you have joined, or check the site for its FAQ. For questions about profiles on this site, contact the webmaster by sending email to feedback [at] dvdrentalguide.net.