If you’re sick of running to the video store, a new convenience has appeared at the Union. Large computer rental machines are now the new craze in renting DVDs.

These machines are sitting in the Union lounge by the computer lab and the Black Swamp Pub.

“We’re testing the location,” Terry Richardson, owner of Blowing Green Entertainment, Inc. said. “It’s a convenient location. It should work well with all the traffic.”

Richardson, finance professor of the University, is testing the area to figure out if the machines will prosper business.

There are approximately 10 to 12 thousand students that pass by that area. “People will rent if they know about it,” he said.

“We need to collect data and generate a certain volume. We need to figure all that out,” he said. “That’s what the testing phase is all about.”

As of Friday last week when it arrived, the movies cost $.99. Although the price will change to $2.50 for new releases next week, the older movies will stay $.99.

The DVD machine only accepts credit and debit cards, like Mastercard, Visa and American Express. An ID is not necessary, because the machine will remember the credit card.

If a movie is late then it will charge the credit card the same price every day it is late. The movies are due within 24 hours of rental. If a movie is not returned within a certain amount of time, the movie will be sold to the renter.

The machines are touch screens. There are different categories/ genres to choose from. Once a category is chosen, it has a limited amount of movies. Choose a movie and it will spit out.

The DVD disc will slowly come out from under the screen. The disc does not arrive in a box. There are sleeves to slip the disc into when ready to go.

Return the movie by sliding the credit card and pressing return. Slip the disc, with the label facing the right, back in. Even if the disc is not put in correctly, the machine will send an e-mail to Richardson to inform him.

The machines spins the DVDs like a carousel. Richardson said the machines are similar to CD changers.

If the disc ends up scratched or it does not work in a DVD player, just call (419) 372-4357. Someone will be able to help.

The prices and rental periods will change once next week comes around.

Richardson hopes to make the spot in the Union permanent. “I decided to give it a shot,” he said. “You don’t need bricks and motor for it.” Not driving to go get a movie can be convenient for people who live on campus. And for any cheap college student, who enjoys watching movies, will be in lower prices than any rental video store.

Jen Paglio was at the machine renting “Starsky and Hutch.” “I would come here because it’s cheaper,” she said.

Richardson also plans on selling DVDs at the machines once the movies become one or two months old. He would put up some for $10.

“Anything we do in a video store, we try and do here,” Richardson said.