So, as mentioned on this thread, GDH (Gonzo International) got smart and is now offering their new animes on real time for internet downloads. I plan to report my experience with this new age.

My first impression was not too good: the free versions are really crappy even for YouTube standards:

Blassreiter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk5DLElScRk
Druaga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vgQ6WJ8zhQ

bittorrent.com is also offering free versions, I don't know the quality because the torrent versions are locked for US-only residents, which was a VERY BAD move since we all know most fansubs do not aim at US only. What about Canada, UK, and all of us who feed on english subtitled anime? Oh well. Here are the links, I appreciate if someone can comment on their quality since I can't download them (they obviously require a bittorrent client)

Blassreiter
http://www.bittorrent.com/users/gonzo/series/Blassreiter/e896b933-02a4-11dd-afd4-00e0815ef9b6?csrc=s-r-a_l
Druaga
http://www.bittorrent.com/users/gonzo/series/DRUAGA_-the_Aegis_of_URUK-/04d355e6-026f-11dd-8cef-00e0815ef9b6?csrc=s-r-a_l

The official "paid" versions are available in two major download sites, http://www.crunchyroll.com and BossTV (the last I don't know the link).

I registered at Crunchyroll to see how it's fairing. The site is kind of buggy and I don't like the layout, but it works so that's the plus. They also offer a "high-quality" streamed version which I did not watch, but anyone can, I don't know if you need to register though, here is the link:

Blassreiter
http://www.crunchyroll.com/media-318035/BLASSREITER-Prelude-to-Despair.html?hires=1
Druaga
http://www.crunchyroll.com/media-317861/The-Great-Tower-of-Druaga.html

I paid using PayPal (had issues at first, took them a couple of day to fix their system), you are free to donate any amount. Some people donated $75 for each episode! that makes me happy because it means the innitiative is working, but seams the number of donors was not that great. I donated $5 for start, if the quality is good I will keep donating for each episode about $2 which is what I find worthy for a single episode.

After donating, I immediatly got HTTP download links. The download is comming fast at full my connection speed (ADSL 600 ~ 62Kb/s). In half-hour I can comment on the quality.

I think this is the way to go, and if it works out, we might be looking into the future. Comments I read say the video quality is not all that good specially considering the file is huge (316Mb XviD), a fansub could easilly fit a HD version using XVid at some 230Mb. I did not see any comments on the sub, but the subs are official from GDH so I guess they are on track.

Crunchyroll has a community feeling to it, I talked to their admin on mail concerning the PayPal problems and he was very attentive. I liked the community aspect, though it removes a little the profissionalism (I got confirmation from several sources that it was indeed a legitimate site and the donation would indeed go, at least in part, to Gonzo, before doing all this). I recommend the site, it offers downloads for non-licensed anime and stuff like that. A borderline legal site (on all aspects other than Gonzo anime, which it is totally legal).

Download complete and watched the episode.

the encode was actually poor. I could easilly imagine a 200Mb Xvid with that quality, there was some artifacts specially on fast-moving or dark scenes. Seams their encoder need to work on his skills =p

Subtitles were EXCELENT, no engrish or stuff, actually very good work. Only down is that there were no karaoke at the ED, just a plain translation =p

Follows the file data:

Fize: 318.709Kb
Size, fps: 854x480 @ 24fps XviD codec
Length: 23:43min (with ED and next episode preview)
Data rate: 1605 kbps
Audio: MPEG-3 48000Hz Stereo
Audo data rate: 215kbps (VBR)

I think they can improve specially on the image quality. It could easily be achieved, with XviD, at some 200Mb. I don't think they should move to H264 because the goal is to be the most compatible possible.

My final judgement: worth the download, and I'm up to pay $2 just for the sake of having an "original" anime, but I believe two things are missing: One, a little more quality, Two, some sort of promotion where, if I buy all episodes, I can get the DVD for some symbolic fee (like $5)

As for the anime, it's above average visuals even for Gonzo, they got their CG act together and they actually use CG everywhere, even on characters walking (when wearing special suits and stuff). Seams a good title.

So when you compared them to the fansubs, the quality was actually worst? That doesn't sound good.

No, I said that for a 316Mb video file, fansubs could stuff the same quality into a 200Mb. The quality is pretty similar to standard fansubs (some indeed could do better though), but seams some people wanted them to release it on HD and not standard resolution ... some people will make any excuse NOT to pay I guess.

If the DVD is not 5.1, I would say the quality is on par with a DVD rip - but as I mentioned, some people argue they would only download if it were HDTV-like.

I also believe the point was to offer an alternative for an on-the-fly legal way to download a subbed "ok" version with low cost compared to illegal fansub downloads who usually take up to 2 days to release their versions. I'm sure they are still testing and the visual encode will improve as they gain experience.

Anyhow, I think I would pay even if the quality was you-tube like, because what I want is to pay for my anime. Either if I download a better version off a fansub latter or not is pointless since I have paid for the episode anyway ;) If I pay $2 per episode, it will still be around 50% cheaper than a full-series Imports.

Ok people are just being plain greedy now. They want Gonzo to release free HD anime, lol. That's the biggest load of crap i've heard since people tried to sue Mcdonald for getting America fat.

Well.. if it was youtube quality i probably wouldn't buy it since on average youtube is quite bad and i've seen some pretty crappy ones too. But since the price is so cheap, i wouldn't mind paying it.

No, far from youtube quality (the free one is though =p you can see the episode for free on youtube and that's "legal" since Gonzo themselves uploaded it there), but the paid downloadable version as I mentioned is ok, except they could make the file size smaller.

lol ^^ we still want to fit 26 episodes into a DVD :P

I will probably get from a fansub instead of re-encoding >.> hei, I paid for it, nothing wrong with downloading another version now =p