Well I ordered Vudu two days ago. I have already tried Moviebeam, but the selection was extremely limited; 100 titles at any one time and only about 6 or 7 were HD (albeit compressed). Picture quality was very good for SD and Excellent for the compressed HD. Even the SD video qulaity was better than the VOD that you get from Verizon Fios--plus most of the videos were widescreen. Of the 5-7 movies that I have watched from Fios VOD, none of them were shown in widescreen--all were full screen. I can't figure out why Verizon would do this. Anyway, Vudu will have 5000 movies available from all major studios, although none of them will be in HD. Apparently some time in the near future Vudu will be displaying the video in HD. The hardware is already capable of doing this. According to a review by David Pogue, NY Times, the SD video from Vudu is pretty good. If it is better than what I get from Verizon Fios, I will be happy.

I am glad you ordered this product.

I've been playing with the Vudu for about six months now. Let me tell you - these guys have an outstanding product on their hands. It will completely change the way you will view movies.

The picture quality in SD is outstanding. I watched 300 a week or so ago and I don't know how the video quality could have been any better in HD. For those folks who are used to crappy video quality from other providers in the past, the Vudu will be a treat. Vudu uses the latest industry standard video file type that is suitable for SD or HD content. They really do a good job. Not all video is outstanding quality. Unfortunately, Vudu can only work with the source content of what they are given. However, all the newer movies are truly outstanding and as good or better than anything you'd get on cable, satellite, or DVD.

As for HD content, the box certainly is capable. It has HDMI, Component, S-Video and Composite outputs. It also has a coaxial and optical audio connections.

You are right - at present there is not any HD content on the box. To my knowledge Vudu is still working on getting the rights to provide HD content. It will certainly come and probably sooner rather than later, but that is my guess and mine only. The box is certainly designed to handle it.

And the 5000 movie line is no smoke and mirrors. There really are that many movies available...

And as for "On Demand" - if your line speed is greater than 2 Mb/sec, it really is INSTANT. I've been messing with the Vudu most of the time on a slower DSL line. I just ended up getting 8Mb/1Mb cable modem service (business class) partially because of the Vudu. And let me tell you - being able to view these movies instantly is AWESOME. It is just the best.


I'm happy you got the box and come check out the Vudu forums over at forum.vudu.com. All of us who have been involved along with the team at Vudu would love to hear your thoughts and comments. This company is VERY keen on customer input and listening to what customers want and desire in a product. So your input - especially at this early stage can help to shape what the box will be in the future.

Jon

Thanks for your comments. Two questions: any idea when Vudu is going to start being shipped? I had heard before Oct 1, but there are no indications from Vudu website that the product is now being shipped. Also, are all newer movies shown in 5.1 surround (at least those recorded in 5.1 surround)?

thanks

Thanks for your comments. Two questions: any idea when Vudu is going to start being shipped? I had heard before Oct 1, but there are no indications from Vudu website that the product is now being shipped. Also, are all newer movies shown in 5.1 surround (at least those recorded in 5.1 surround)?

thanks

I don't have any dates for shipment, but they should start shipping any day now. I have not heard anything has changed from what has been announced.

As for DD5.1, well, Vudu is able to give us users whatever they get as source material from the studios. So, some movies are in DD5.1 and others are not. I am not sure I understand why the studios won't provide all content in 5.1 but they don't. There's a LOT that the studios do that doesn't make sense - I've seen enough craziness to make your head spin! So to fully answer your question - not all new movies are in 5.1 but that is not Vudu's fault.

I heard from at least one Vudu employee that they started shipping today. This has not yet been confirmed on the public website www.vudu.com or the forum.vudu.com site.

I am glad you ordered this product...and come check out the Vudu forums over at forum.vudu.com.

Vudu was supposed to ship October by October 1. It is now October 3rd. Thus far no word. A message on Vudu's website, or even an email mentioning the new ship date would be nice! Also, I signed up to join the Vudu forums, yet I never received my activation email, as such I cannot post.

This is not starting out too well! Beware!

Vudu was supposed to ship October by October 1. It is now October 3rd. Thus far no word. A message on Vudu's website, or even an email mentioning the new ship date would be nice! Also, I signed up to join the Vudu forums, yet I never received my activation email, as such I cannot post.

This is not starting out too well! Beware!

I've got a pretty good feeling the boxes will ship this week. It was supposed to ship in the first week of October, not necessarily October 1st. Delays of a few days happen all the time - particularly with new products.

As for the e-mail from the website, send me an e-mail from here and I'll look into it for you. I'm a moderator over there and while I can't add you, I can talk to the folks who can. There's a problem with the forum e-mail notification system that might be preventing you from getting the e-mail. Send me your info and I'll look into it.

Jon

I just realized that I don't think there's a way to send an e-mail from the forum. So send me a private message...

It's been officially announced that the Vudu shipping has begun! I've seen reports from Vudu customers that they have received their tracking numbers via email. Folks who chose next day air should have their Vudu's tomorrow by my calculations. All other orders are being shipped in the order that they were received.

Jon and I will keep an eye on this thread (NOTE: we are not Vudu employees, just very experienced Vudu beta testers). For more in depth discussion of the Vudu, please join us on forum.vudu.com
:)

Sounds like an interesting idea... sort of like TiVo with Amazon Unbox. The thing that is to bad is you can not control it with IR....always something :(

Sounds like an interesting idea... sort of like TiVo with Amazon Unbox. The thing that is to bad is you can not control it with IR....always something :(

Oh, it's much better than Unbox. I don't think Unbox gives you INSTANT access to content. Vudu does. The selection of movies is very good and growing and hopefully HD content will be available in the near future.

The lack of IR control is a pain in the butt, but you get used to it. The scroll wheel remote is very nice and is comfy to hold. That said, the box has a couple USB ports and so I think there's certainly the possibility at some point of having an IR dongle that would plug into the USB. That would be one of the easy ways to fix that problem! :)

The lack of IR control is a deal breaker for me. I would much rather a Tivo Series 3 with HD and all of the new features that were released today (Engadget site) over one more box in my theater room that I can not control with my Remote (that controls everything else and keeps my wife happy)
Sorry dude
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/tivo-series3-and-hd-finally-get-tivotogo-mrv-esata-drive-othe/

I have been using it for bout two weeks and it works great. The only problem so far and its a big one is that alot of the movies are available to buy only. I only got this to rent.

Hollywood just doesn't get, I will not buy something I can't hold. I don't trust these downloads yet and probably never will. But they continue to try testing on us.

Few big diferences between Vudu and Tivo...

1. Tivo is MPEG2, Vudu is MPEG4 (smaller file sizes = faster downloads)
2. Tivo currently has up to 2,000 titles to choose from, Vudu says they have 5,000.
3. Tivo gives you, well Tivo services but there's that pesky monthly fee.
4. Vudu isn't tied to your Cable TV provider.

We've been a Tivo dealer for awhile and we're just bringing in the Vudu line. We'll be setting up side by side demo's in a week when we get our first Vudu shipment. I'm extremely excited about the potential of their product. I'm thinking Hollywood is going to see the $$ on VOD and start serving up more quality titles for '08.

Few big diferences between Vudu and Tivo...

1. Tivo is MPEG2, Vudu is MPEG4 (smaller file sizes = faster downloads)
2. Tivo currently has up to 2,000 titles to choose from, Vudu says they have 5,000.
3. Tivo gives you, well Tivo services but there's that pesky monthly fee.
4. Vudu isn't tied to your Cable TV provider.

We've been a Tivo dealer for awhile and we're just bringing in the Vudu line. We'll be setting up side by side demo's in a week when we get our first Vudu shipment. I'm extremely excited about the potential of their product. I'm thinking Hollywood is going to see the $$ on VOD and start serving up more quality titles for '08.

I agree. Vudu looks very appealing. It has alot of potential.

I've had one now for about two weeks and the short answer is that I really like it and I'm excited about it's potential.

The longer answer is that the device itself is excellent. It's high-def, it's fast, and the interface is great (IMO). The struggle with the Vudu is that they are at the mercy of the studios - the studios control most aspects of every movie that they have. They control whether the movie is distributed in 5.1 (based on my experience very few so far are), whether the movies can be rented, purchased, or both, and how quickly the movies are available. If the studios ever come around then this device will absolutely change the way that people interact with video content. My concern is that the studios are so hung-up on content protection that they can't see the forest through the trees.

Hi-def movies are supposed to be coming to the box very soon. I think this will be a nice hurdle but the main things they need to address (and again - it's going to depend on the studios) are:

- every movie should be available for rent
- every movie (that is available in 5.1) should be distributed in 5.1
- movies need to be made available to Vudu on the same day that they are made available to Blockbuster/Netflix.

I'm going to stick with this device just to see what happens. It's got tons of potential and even today I'm finding some serious enjoyment with it but it has the potential to make a similar impact that Tivo has.

I agree with all three of the points you made. I was disappointed to find out EVERY movie cannot be rented. People aren't getting the Vudu to buy movies that can only sit on the hard drive (which will eventually fail, at some point).

If the content owners get it together, I'll be compelled to buy one (or more than one if you can transfer movies between Vudu boxes within your home)!

or more than one if you can transfer movies between Vudu boxes within your home!

I think this will be a key element in the success or failure of this device actually. I've already got one and I'd buy another right now if I could use it to transfer movies between boxes.

If that were the case then I think they'd actually get more people buying movies instead of just wanting to rent them. For me specifically, I've got two kids under 4 and I could see buying several of their favorite movies (JUST ONCE) and sharing that movie between a box in the family room and the bonus room. The interface is so simple that they could navigate to their own movies if this were possible.

With the company coming out of the gate with over 5,000 titles and knowing that this is the key to being the box of choice I would expect they're working feverishly to get their title selection over 10k as soon as possible. We have two units setup in our showroom and everyone we've demo'd them for has taken one home. They do make it enjoyable to rent or shop for movies in home.

When you sell a Vudu, don't forget to let them know that there's a great free online user community at forum.vudu.com . I'm one of the moderators on that board, and so is Jon (NA9D).

I agree with all three of the points you made. I was disappointed to find out EVERY movie cannot be rented. People aren't getting the Vudu to buy movies that can only sit on the hard drive (which will eventually fail, at some point).

If the content owners get it together, I'll be compelled to buy one (or more than one if you can transfer movies between Vudu boxes within your home)!

And therein lies the problem, the content owners seem to want you to move from the "buying to own" model, like physical DVD's, to the time limited rental model with you renting over and over again, which the public doesnt seem very interested in. Look at the d/l to own prices-as much as the physical packaged media, with lower quality and no interactivity, locked up on a box you cannot upgrade, cannot backup your purchases, is encumbered with DRM. The content compaines can only blame themselves for the electronic distribution market disaster which currently exists and will continue to exist as long as they lack courage, vision, and remain afraid to affect DVD sales with the possible large growth opportunities electronic distribution COULD provide.

Why would I want to pay $18 for a lower quality/inflexible legit download, when I can go out and fairly easily just download an "unlegit" ripped version for $0?

Dear HIDEF Lifestyle

So, if one of your clients have a Crestron Remote or Universal....and the ask if you can consildate them?!? you can not. What is there answer? I personally find it very frustrating...talking about missing the boat on a very basic need.

any other thoughts on this...its the only negative thing about the product and I am having getting past it.

Unfortunately yes, you can't consolidate for now...

However they've confirmed that they're working on both an IR remote, and network control.

Keep in mind they just released this unit in October and are already a main contender. With simple improvements and some expansion on the movie selection we believe they're going to explode.

Unfortunately yes, you can't consolidate for now...

However they've confirmed that they're working on both an IR remote, and network control.

Keep in mind they just released this unit in October and are already a main contender. With simple improvements and some expansion on the movie selection we believe they're going to explode.


Did they happen to mention a timeline and if the original Vudu box is upgradable or do I need to buy a new box.

Did they happen to mention a timeline and if the original Vudu box is upgradable or do I need to buy a new box.

This is a software update only and should be released to the field soon. You won't need to buy a new box to realize this function.

Just began the process for becoming a dealer (Admit One Cinema Design, LLC). I spoke with Vudu and they are offering the first two Bourne movies in HD for free. I think the movie selection with get better and above all, I think the concept is great. I definately would like to see IR control (I am a Crestron dealer) as well as the ability to add third party storage. I also feel if the studios could drop their paranoia, it may be possible to add a BD or HD-DVD burner that would allow a one or two time physical copy to be made, obviously including the copy protection.

Anyway, glad I found out about the product. We'll see how things go.

I like the look and functionality of the Vudu and the frontend looks pretty awesome but i'm gonna hold off p/u one until its also capable of being a media extender...

Regards,
Ricky

Yes- that would be a great feature. It could happen. I agree that the front end is cool. I was thinking about the fact that my wife and I have our nephews over just about every weekend. I have all of my DVD's loaded into three Sony 400 disc changers controlled by an Escient and it is in a seperate building on my property where my dedicated home theater is installed. Most of the time we watch movies in the "big boy" theater but sometimes we just chill out in the media room (65" DLP). It is a royal pain to pull discs out of the changers for them to watch when they come over so this will be great in that respect. But there are many features I would hope to see implemented at some point. Still, as of right now, I think these folks are at the top of the heap in their respective category. I think the key will be making the system available for third party products to be able to integrate.

Vudu just released a software update that includes support for remote control via IP commands. This opens the door for 3rd party integrators to build the Vudu into sophisticated theater systems with centralized control systems. I've also heard of some individuals that have used this new capabilty to tie their Vudu into their Slingboxes, allowing them to watch their Vudu from virtually anywhere.

Are those of you that are already using this device experiencing any bottlenecks in regards to files being sent to the unit?

I ran the online test for bandwidth at my connection and would not consistently pass the test ... what are most of you using for a connection?

Thanks

I've had absolutely no problems with movies being delivered to the unit. I've watched about 5 movies and they've all started instantly and I never once had to wait for it to buffer.

The picture quality is outstanding as well. And plus, starting today they are seeding each device with two free HD movies (Bourne Identity and Bourne Supremacy) and the final movie in the trilogy (Bourne Ultimatum) will be available for purchase on December 11th.

I watched Bourne Identity (for like the 5th time) this morning and the HD picture quality was absolutely superb. I was extremely impressed.

I'm loving this little device and it just keep getting better and better.

We are considering becoming a dealer; and I may get one myself. If the picture quality is anything compared to HD DVD I have so far, I am sold. My questions to you current owners is this... Can an external drive be attached via the USB connection to backup the movies you purchase? What size is the on-board hard drive. How many HD or regular movies can be saved on the drive? I am quite interested in this device, as I am growingly becoming more and more displeased with the blockbusters and redbox rental options I currently have, due to scratched beyond playable discs.

I would put the image quality up against any other HD source. This has been independently confirmed by the paying public with the release of the HD titles.

The internal HDD is 250GB. The estimate for number of purchased movies that can be saved on the hard drive varies from 50~100, depending on what movies and format. There is no limit on the number of rental movies, as they can be streamed live when your HDD gets crowded. Folks who never purchase movies will never need to expand their storage. The product plan does include support for offloading movies from your primary hard drive to USB attached hard drives. That is still in the test phase, but I would guess it will be in the public software before summer. Feel free to join us for more detailed conversations at http://forum.vudu.com .

Is there a link to the full list of avail. titles and formats?

Is there a link to the full list of avail. titles and formats?


Not yet. We've asked for it, and it's on the todo list for the developers.

Couple more questions.

1) how long is the typical HD movie download if you purchse the full movie, as well as normal def. movies.
2) how many times within the 24 hour rental period can you watch the movie?
3) I read somewhere that most of the movies were avail. for purchase not rental; is this true?
4) can you pay a balance of the purchase price if you rent the movie and want to own it?

Couple more questions.

1) how long is the typical HD movie download if you purchse the full movie, as well as normal def. movies.
Normal def. movies are instant view/downlaod (i.e. the length of the download is less than or equal to the length of the movie). This is based on having a 2MB download broadband service. HD movies were just released to the public and we (beta testers) are expecting to be doing a lot of HD homework very soon. It is my expectation that if you have a faster broadband service, say 4MB download available, that HD movies will stream/download in real time for instant viewing.
2) how many times within the 24 hour rental period can you watch the movie? No limit on the number of times you can watch the movie. NOTE: The independent studios now offer a 48 hour viewing window. I'm hoping the studios will follow this lead.
3) I read somewhere that most of the movies were avail. for purchase not rental; is this true?False. More movies have rental prices than purchase prices. Many moves offer both prices.
4) can you pay a balance of the purchase price if you rent the movie and want to own it?We (beta testers) have asked for this, but so far it is not an option.

The service is excellent. The only flaw right now would be that newer movies are released to own for a couple of weeks before they are made available to buy.

Yeah, we all wish the studios would loosen up on the rental window delays.

HD seems to be playing instantly for us, no delay in streaming.

I'd recommend this box to almost anyone. It really is going to change the way people watch movies in their home.

The HD picture quality is outstanding!! I can't even muster up one bad thing to say about it.

They need to continue growing their movie library but I have no concerns about this as they are adding to it all the time and right out of the box it's really good anyway.

They need to make sure that every movie is available for rent but I'm not sure how much they are in control of this. I will say that most movies are available for rent so it's not a huge problem but occasionally I find a movie that I'd like to rent but it's "purchase only"

The interface - it's excellent and they seem committed to continual development on that front.

In summary - this ranks right up there with my first Tivo purchase. Buy it today and you'll love it. After a year's worth of development I think it will be HUGE!

Vudu may just be the eventual end to BluRay vs HDdvd...

There is simply no device near where Vudu is for convenience and cost. Also keep in mind that they Just started shipping and will be improving quickly over the next year.

Also, the issue with renting/buying/movies taking too long to be available... This is all the fault of the studios and seems to be improving as well.

Vudu may just be the eventual end to BluRay vs HDdvd...

There is simply no device near where Vudu is for convenience and cost. Also keep in mind that they Just started shipping and will be improving quickly over the next year.

Also, the issue with renting/buying/movies taking too long to be available... This is all the fault of the studios and seems to be improving as well.

After seeing my first HD movie on the Vudu I completely agree with you that this could be a great alternative to the BluRay/HDdvd war. I personally don't think that we'll ever have one standard - it seems like both formats may stick around forever but let's not get into that debat here! :)

I, like you, am very hopeful that the studios "see the light" and loosen up their policies a bit and allow for longer rental windows and quicker rental/purchase releases. I'm clearly not an expert in this area but I speak for myself at least when I say that I am NOT opposed to paying for my movie watching experiences (as opposed to renting DVDs and ripping them to my computer for permanent use) and I KNOW that they'd get more of my money if they allowed me real-time access to the same content through Vudu that I can run to Blockbuster and get. I've already tagged about 45 movies to my Vudu wish list that I will watch over the next few months. Some of these movies I had never ever heard of but I used Vudu to search for quality content that intrigued me.

I looked at the vudu site, the component out goes only upto 480p, is this true?, Because I have an older Mitsu HDTV which has only component int.

This will be limiting factor for me until I upgrade other wise it looks interesting.

Sam.

If the picture quality with their standard definition movies is as good as posted, I will definately be getting one. I also want longer viewing windows and larger selection and I think both of them are coming. Vudu has HUGE potential. I may even give one as a gift this Christmas (after I get mine) of course! I believe that the Vudu product is going to explode in the marketplace. No other product out there seems to be even close to what they have! It has the potential to be Netflix, on steroids! Just imagine what else could be in the pipeline!

I agree. I think that once they start adding (and I'm just assuming that they will) TV Episodes and Podcasts that it will entice more and more people.

And I can vouch for you that the SD DVD picture quality is about as good as it gets.

This little box is the real deal. It just needs a little time to grow and evolve.

I am always into new technology and Vudu definitly interests me. I have 2 questions. If vudu is going to replace my hd dvd and blu ray it needs to have comporable specs. First are Vudu movies released with uncompressed or lossless tracks. Since it is a download service i assume uncompressed pcm is out of the question, but can it do dobly true HD. Also are the Vudu boxes capable of outputting 1080/24. If it has both those features i am in. If not i will wait until VOD offers the same quality in terms of 24fps support and lossless audio. Also, will vudu ever get the interactive features that HD DVD and br have like bd java or hdi games, special features, and PIP.

Hi mosman22,

The vudu is dead on in both areas - dolby true audio (currently at 5.1) and 1080p at 24fps. The second spec has caused some heartburn for folks that don't understand the 24fps requirement - they have 1080p screens that can't handle 24fps, so they have to run at 1080i. Feel free to come over to forum.vudu.com to ask any other questions you might have.

I looked at the vudu site, the component out goes only upto 480p, is this true?, Because I have an older Mitsu HDTV which has only component int.

This will be limiting factor for me until I upgrade other wise it looks interesting.

Sam.

I also don't understand this limitation. There's some BS on th Vudu web site about it. But if my TiVo HD can output 1080i over component, then so should Vudu.

I also don't understand this limitation. There's some BS on th Vudu web site about it. But if my TiVo HD can output 1080i over component, then so should Vudu.

PG - I'll try to help you move from "not understanding" this limitation, to "not liking".

The content owners (i.e. the studios) have an extreme fear of seeing their movies ripped to the internet and shared freely. With the HDMI interface standard, they are convinced that their high quality content can be delivered over the internet without being stolen. Therfore, the studios are requiring HDMI be used for High Definition output (i.e. 720p, 1080i, or 1080p). Without the HDMI requirements/restritions (and the DRM that implies), the studios would not release the movies for Vudu to offer.

You may not like it, but I think you should be able to understand it.

well that sways me not to buy it, i have everything centrally located in my house, and can be distributed to all tvs from there. No hi def component, then it wont do me and a lot of other people any good, hdmi is too costly to distribute, and i know a lot of people who have had handshaking problems with it. Xbox 360 has 1080p out of their component, and some tvs will display 1080p over component even though its not advertised. thats a deal killer for me.

This sounds really interesting, but why is this any better than OnDemand?

Plus that 400 dollar box price is pretty steep IMO, and I would rather have a maximum number of rentals tied to a tiered flat monthly rate. Hello Netflix and Blockbuster are you listening?

This sounds really interesting, but why is this any better than OnDemand?
That's a good question! I don't have OnDemand. How much HD is available?

It would be ironic if the cable company STB let you watch OnDemand HD at 1080i over component!

Vudu sent me an email saying I was invited into their "Vudu Evagalist" program which is I can buy the box for 99.00 and then when I activate it they will give me 99 dollars in credit....Is it worth it?

How in the world did you get on that list?? Sign me up now!!!! I'll take three.

Glad to see somebody appreciates how sweet the Vudu Evangelist program is. I know that some of the folks who applied to be beta testers, and could not be accepted because all the slots were taken, were sent the Evangelist invites.

Well, it sure seems like a no-brainer to me. They give you the box for $99 and then give you a $99 credit for movies(selected from a list of over 5000 not 10 or 15) which you probably would've rented or bought from Netflix, cable PPV, Best Buy, etc. In return, they want your opinions and ask you to spread the word, and they certainly can't force me to say nice things if I don't like it. I sure don't see a downside.

How....do....you....sign....up???????:eek:

Worth it. I was on the beta list and didn't make that round. Got an email earlier this week for the evangelist program and got the vudu box on Friday. Takes a day or so to update the database and get the free Bourne movies.

After watching a couple of movies (The Dark Crystal, Hot Fuzz) I have a couple of observations on first blush:


Video quality is excellent on the SD content and outstanding on the HD. On Hot Fuzz (SD) there were NO discernable artifacts and the upscaled pic (1080p) on my RS1 FP was as good as the same movie I saw upscaled on my Toshiba XA2. The HD on the Bourne movies was very good and compares favorably to any HD DVD or Blu-Ray that I have. Video quality is nailed on this product.
Interface is excellent. Very quick to browse and the search functions and filtering on results are very good. The db searches are very quick. Interface is the best I have seen for a video service.
Movie selection is pretty good but there are noticeable gaps with some standard catalog titles missing and some new releases strangely only available for purchase. Overall the catalog is a solid 6/7 on a 10 scale and it appears to be growing with both good catalog and release titles on a daily basis.
Setup is very simple. I would have no problem giving this to any tech challenged family member who has the prerequisite network requirements.
Sound is hit and miss. A good number of films are only in stereo. Vudu says this is what the studios have given them. New releases are coming in with 5.1 but not all.
There is no Closed Captioning right now in the box.
The remote is compact and simple, consisting of only a few buttons and a down-click scroll wheel. Even though it is a joy to use it is RF only. I wish that I could integrate this with my Harmony.
HD content right now is limited to the Bourne Movies you get for free. As I mentioned the quality is excellent for both video and sound. More HD content is promised and would be the SELLING point for this product if they could have quality new titles with good encodes available for rent in DVD release time window.
Customer service is readily accessible and responsive by both phone and email. They seem to be solidly behind their product.
The software and firmware on the unit is being updated regularly it appears and VUDU seems commited to making requested changes and fixes on a regular basis
Movie load speed is instantaneous on the features I have watched so far. No lag and no glitches in playback.


With the brief time I have spent with the unit I am pleased. I think Vudu is the first company to nail the Interface, video quality and load speed in a very user friendly box. The only thing holding it back is the price ($299) and the movie selection. Price for the unit will likely go down, but the content selection must come along quickly.

I have great sympathy with the pains that Vudu must have when dealing with the studios to try to extract high quality content on a timely basis, especially with HD media. Blu-Ray and HDDVD are having very similar problems (a dearth of quality content and few catalog titles) so I do not think that Vudu is being singled out.

I also don't see Vudu as a competitor for Blu-Ray and HDDVD directly. Their content, model and equipment seems perfect for HD rental and not ownership, making them a companion for my existing Blu-Ray and HDDVD players rather than a replacement.

If Vudu can get releases quicker AND get a good selection of HD content for viewing,I think they will be a force to reckon with in the coming year.

Need to see how this develops, but right now Vudu appears to have a good portion of the video delivery over IP solution that I have always wanted, completed, stable and ready for the market. Now if they can just get the content producers to let loose with the media...

This box is one to keep an eye on.

-Alex-

This sounds really interesting, but why is this any better than OnDemand?
It's been a number of days and yet nobody has answered the question.

Is the answer "it isn't"?

This sounds really interesting, but why is this any better than OnDemand?

I can only "guess", as I have only used my cable companies "OnDemand" service 3 times in 6 years.

Greater selection - thousands and thousands (moving towards 10K plus) of shows you can watch instantly.

Better interface - you have to use the Vudu to appreciate how slick the interface is. The few times I've used the cable service it has been horrible trying to find a movie.

Better control - the scroll wheel on the Vudu makes forward/reverse navigating through movies a breeze. Navigating through a movie with my CATV service is frustrating at best, if not futile.

Find out for yourself. The 30 day money back guarantee will let you come to your own conclusion with no risk.

I can only "guess", as I have only used my cable companies "OnDemand" service 3 times in 6 years.

Greater selection - thousands and thousands (moving towards 10K plus) of shows you can watch instantly.

Better interface - you have to use the Vudu to appreciate how slick the interface is. The few times I've used the cable service it has been horrible trying to find a movie.

Better control - the scroll wheel on the Vudu makes forward/reverse navigating through movies a breeze. Navigating through a movie with my CATV service is frustrating at best, if not futile.

Find out for yourself. The 30 day money back guarantee will let you come to your own conclusion with no risk.

I would be willing to try it but I'm not paying 400 bucks for a box to download movies. .

That is a serious problem as I expect most people here are interested primarily in the HD side. I bet everyhting they have on SD is also avaliable on DVD.

... HD content right now is limited to the Bourne Movies you get for free. As I mentioned the quality is excellent for both video and sound. More HD content is promised and would be the SELLING point for this product.
...

This sounds really interesting, but why is this any better than OnDemand?

I have had Vudu for a while now and I have rented several (6 maybe?) VOD films from Verizon Fios over the past couple of years. The quality of the SD videos using Vudu are much much better than what I get from Verizon Fios. Also, for some reason, none of the Fios videos that I rented were in widescreen format. In short, Vudu VOD is much better than Fios VOD in my opinion.

I just got my notice ordered it for $99 and get $99 movie credit once I deposit $20. How can you beat that!!!!:D

Vudu just got better today. From - Crave.cnet.com

"When we reviewed the Vudu back in September, we said "only feature films are available, but Vudu says that TV shows are on the roadmap." Vudu made good on that pledge today, adding 12 TV shows to its content roster. Episodes are available for $1.99 each--the same price you'd pay for TV shows on Apple's iTunes Store.


TV content on Vudu is said to be "in beta," but it should be available to all Vudu owners as of today. The initial dozen shows offered are: 24, Arrested Development, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Family Guy, Firefly, Lost in Space, My Name is Earl, NYPD Blue, Prison Break, The Riches, Shark, and The Shield.

I just got my notice ordered it for $99 and get $99 movie credit once I deposit $20. How can you beat that!!!!:D

How did you manage to do this? Please share :).

EDIT: I didn't realize you could create an account on the site without actually purchasing a VUDU. So I have an account now...here's to hoping I get one of those "special" emails ;).

Well, I used good old Google, typed in 'vudu evangelist' and found this site; http://www2.vudu.com/aboutus_evangelists.html. You fill out a survey, they decide whether or not you are "worthy" and accept you ...or not. I have no idea what their selection criteria are nor how many they will allow, but apparently my box is on it's way!!!! Cooool.

Better control - the scroll wheel on the Vudu makes forward/reverse navigating through movies a breeze. Navigating through a movie with my CATV service is frustrating at best, if not futile.

Find out for yourself. The 30 day money back guarantee will let you come to your own conclusion with no risk.

you seem to be in the know?!? Is the current box upgradeable....in any way shape or form?

The boxes are upgradeable as far as firmware updates, etc. They also hope to allow additional storage and maybe burners to be connected to the unit in the near future. There will also be a "dongle" coming (hopefully in January) to connect to the unit that will enable IR remote functionality.

. There will also be a "dongle" coming (hopefully in January) to connect to the unit that will enable IR remote functionality.

This is a huge feature....can you expand. Where are you getting this information from?

They just delivered my vudu and squeezebox. It is snowing now and its supposed to snow all weekend, but I guess my time will be occupied:D

I would be willing to try it but I'm not paying 400 bucks for a box to download movies. .

This is a problem for products such as TiVo and Vudu. Even though they may be "better", they may not be "$400 better" than "free" alternatives such as boxes from the cable company.

This is a problem for products such as TiVo and Vudu. Even though they may be "better", they may not be "$400 better" than "free" alternatives such as boxes from the cable company.

Considering what you're paying for a limited time rental of a movie, the box should be free or maybe a $100 deposit on the box.

Vudu will never be a big the next big thing with that $400 entry fee.

I agree, when the Tivo S3 came out for around $800 it was way too much, but 1 year later a HD S3 can be had for $299 and now I own 2.:D


This is a problem for products such as TiVo and Vudu. Even though they may be "better", they may not be "$400 better" than "free" alternatives such as boxes from the cable company.

The vudu form factor is kinda funky, but it would fit perfectly where I just had a HTPC at the base of my screen.

My box should be coming in any day now :).

Mine is on it's way, too. I just got the tracking #. What is a squeeze box, by the way? I, too, will have something to do this weekend---of course that's in addition to shovelling and watching the Pats!!

I agree that the initial $400. entry fee is too high, but I'm quite sure the price will drop. Plus if, as promised, they start adding considerable HD content(are you listening Vudu?), I see it as a substitute for HD players(BR and/or HD-DVD). I have had an HD-DVD player for over a year and was real close to going format neutral by adding BR(at about $400) until Vudu came along. We shall see, but I'm rooting for Vudu!!

Mine is on it's way, too. I just got the tracking #. What is a squeeze box, by the way? I, too, will have something to do this weekend---of course that's in addition to shovelling and watching the Pats!!

I agree that the initial $400. entry fee is too high, but I'm quite sure the price will drop. Plus if, as promised, they start adding considerable HD content(are you listening Vudu?), I see it as a substitute for HD players(BR and/or HD-DVD). I have had an HD-DVD player for over a year and was real close to going format neutral by adding BR(at about $400) until Vudu came along. We shall see, but I'm rooting for Vudu!!

http://www.slimdevices.com/

Bill, Thanks for the info about Squeeze box. I thought it had something to do with vudu. Quite a cool little device. I'm going to look into it--(another)new toy, new toy!! Figures that it's a Logitech item--they make a lot of great stuff. I have some of their mice and Harmony remotes.

Looks like this weekend I'll be concentrating on shovelling and the Pats, 'cuz my Vudu isn't due to arrive until late next week. Guess it's a slow road from AZ to MA. Oh well.

question for nded...


Do you have any info on this "dongle" (for IR purposes/control) that is being reported in this thread? I am hearing that in January it will be available on the current box.

thanks

question for nded...


Do you have any info on this "dongle" (for IR purposes/control) that is being reported in this thread? I am hearing that in January it will be available on the current box.

thanks

My best guess is that it will be some sort of USB attached IR receiver. The Vudu has a couple USB ports for such creative enhancements. With it being USB, you could still keep your Vudu out of site, and just put the USB/IR device in the line of site for your remote.

My best guess is that it will be some sort of USB attached IR receiver. The Vudu has a couple USB ports for such creative enhancements. With it being USB, you could still keep your Vudu out of site, and just put the USB/IR device in the line of site for your remote.

Will it be available on the current box?

Will it be available on the current box?
At this point, I don't know. As soon as I hear something that I can share, I will post it.

Hey VUDU, where's the "Special Holiday Price"? I'm looking for that special Christmas gift to myself but agree that $400 is a bit too high.

Can Vudu be used as a streamer for our own MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 files stored on a LAN?

Can Vudu be used as a streamer for our own MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 files stored on a LAN?


Not at this time. This has been one of the most requested enhancements from the customers, and I hope to see it happen also.

Bill, Thanks for the info about Squeeze box. I thought it had something to do with vudu. Quite a cool little device. I'm going to look into it--(another)new toy, new toy!! Figures that it's a Logitech item--they make a lot of great stuff. I have some of their mice and Harmony remotes.

Looks like this weekend I'll be concentrating on shovelling and the Pats, 'cuz my Vudu isn't due to arrive until late next week. Guess it's a slow road from AZ to MA. Oh well.

If like the Squeezebox then take a look at the Sonos (www.sonos.com). It's the cream of the crop.

I got the Vudu all set up and it is pretty awesome,pq is better than dvd but not as good as hddvd. The audio is fantastic. I also like the interface and search functions.

I still think $399 is a bit much, but for $99 and $99 movie credits this is a no brainer.

Just as a side note I also got a squeezebox and set it up. This also has great sound and well worth the current $269 price.

Qverall a great day :D:D:D

Well, I used good old Google, typed in 'vudu evangelist' and found this site; http://www2.vudu.com/aboutus_evangelists.html. You fill out a survey, they decide whether or not you are "worthy" and accept you ...or not. I have no idea what their selection criteria are nor how many they will allow, but apparently my box is on it's way!!!! Cooool.

I tried this last week (13th) and they had already shut-down the program stating they had reached their quota. I had been considering the device myself but the $400 price tag for a rental box and then another $4 (or less) pop per movie was a bit steep. Had I got into the program for the box I would have then had no problem paying for the rentals. Ohh well, guess I'll wait and see what other deals come up. There have been 1-2 units each week on eBay so thats always an option, though it doesn't support the company with additional sales.

...snip... There has been a ton of these of eBay as of late too, ship jumpers?

I'm sorry you didn't get into the Vudu Evangelist program, but hey, that's no reason throw out a BS statement like this. In eBay History there have been 2 Vudu's sold. There is 1 Vudu for sale on eBay right now.

I do not think this word "ton" means what you think it means. Would you care to expand on how you came to this conclusion?

There was no BS indended as it was a question my question, not a conclusion. There are four in closed history (actually 3 considering one reslisted) and one open. I saw a bit more last month though. Just seems a bit higher for "used" gear of this caliber.

After setting this up and using it this weekend, the jury is still out at $399.
the deal I got is a nobrainer for $99 and $99 in movie credits is awesome. After using it I would consider it at $399 with no hassels of netflix etc.

The PQ and Audio are great.

There was no BS indended as it was a question my question, not a conclusion. There are four in closed history (actually 3 considering one reslisted) and one open. I saw a bit more last month though. Just seems a bit higher for "used" gear of this caliber.

The Vudu product has been on the market for less than 90 days, and comes with a 30-day full moneyback guarantee. That combination makes it very unlikely that you will see any great deals on fleabay for some time. Why sell it on ebay for less when you can get all your money back from the company?

Still can't figure out why you asked the earlier question that you apparently already knew how to answer yourself... :rolleyes:

I'd jump at a chance to test Vudu box for myself, but the current price is too high for the current features. If I had to guess, I think they probably set it this high to control the strain on infrastructure & to gather user feedback and the price should come down once they move from the early-adopter/enthusiast market into mainstream.

What I'd really love to see is more HD content (including TV shows) and some sort of flat-fee model, e.g. $20/mo for X rentals or $30 for a season of a TV show.

The Vudu product has been on the market for less than 90 days, and comes with a 30-day full moneyback guarantee. That combination makes it very unlikely that you will see any great deals on fleabay for some time. Why sell it on ebay for less when you can get all your money back from the company?


Exactly. So since it's so new, and you can get your money back within 30-days why are there units up each week on eBay. People are selling them for more then they paid, so thats not it. It doesn't make any sense.

I'd jump at a chance to test Vudu box for myself, but the current price is too high for the current features. If I had to guess, I think they probably set it this high to control the strain on infrastructure & to gather user feedback and the price should come down once they move from the early-adopter/enthusiast market into mainstream.

What I'd really love to see is more HD content (including TV shows) and some sort of flat-fee model, e.g. $20/mo for X rentals or $30 for a season of a TV show.

I think you're basically right. I went ahead and made the plunge but I think that the $399 price tag is a bit too high if they were really looking to gain mass acceptance into the market place. After using the box for a while I do think that the $399 price is actually worth it but I also realize that the general public won't pay that price and I think that Vudu recognizes that too. I think you were spot on about their pricing strategy.

I'm not sure if you'll see the flat-fee pricing model anytime soon but I do agree with you that it would certainly make it more appealing to more users. I would think that you're more likely to see some sort discounted pricing scheme for a season of a TV show than to see flat pricing for all other rentals.

Overal - I've been extremely pleased with the device and I've found that I watch WAY more movies now than i did before I bought it simply b/c I can browse the catalog at my own pace and find several movies that appeal to me. I can then "earmark" those movies to my wishlist so that I can easily find, rent, and watch them when I'm ready.

This device is pretty slick and I think it will be one of the top 5 devices to watch in 2008.

Well, it looks like I'm getting my Christmas presents early. Within ten minutes of each other, I got emails that I was accepted into the Evangelist program by Vudu (ordered 2nd day delivery) and made it into Moxi's Home Cinema HD DMR beta (will be here Thursday) :D. Now if only my wish for an end of WGA strike would come true so I could get my annual dose of 24!

I'm in!!! Got my Evangelist invite just now...definitely worth a try at $99 w/$99 in movie credits.

Regards,
Ricky

I'm in!!! Got my Evangelist invite just now...definitely worth a try at $99 w/$99 in movie credits.

Regards,
Ricky

Just curious, do you get a discounted rate on movie credits when you run out?

Not that i'm aware of...as I understand it I get a $99 headstart is all.

Regards,
Ricky

just ordered my vudu from the evangelist program, can't wait to get it....

Just to make sure everybody understands this - The Vudu Evangelist marketing program is now "closed" and no more invites are being sent out. I know a lot of folks that wish they could have been selected, but there were only so many Vudu's allocated to the program.

As for the rental/purchase fees, evangelist participants pay the same price as all other Vudu users. There is no discount after they watch their first $99 worth of programming. Please keep in mind that this program is one of many different marketing thrusts being tried by a startup company. Only time will tell them which ideas generated the deisred results.

ordered my vudu from the evangelist program yesterday and just picked up a Integra DTR 7.8... Thank god I am off for the rest of the year

I saw somewhere they are giving away vudu's FREE with new Sharp LCD's.
I have 2 45" Sharp LCD's. Is the offer retroactive?

No-just kidding about the retroactive part.
I just made it into the Ev program.
It's a no brainer for $99 & $99 in movie credits.

It will be interesting comparing Bourne in HD side by side on the Vudu and HD-DVD!

I had a question with regards to using a Vudu box abroad. Would it be possible to do so using a VPN with a US-based IP address?

I had a question with regards to using a Vudu box abroad. Would it be possible to do so using a VPN with a US-based IP address?


Thats an intriguing idea you've got there. I guess it would depend on how your VPN handled the unique implementation of the P2P protocol that Vudu uses. It might work, it might not work. The only way you can know for sure is to try it.

The above is from a technical perspective. From a legal perspective, I think the studios would freak out if they figured out what you were doing, and I know you wouldn't have any chance of getting help from Vudu support if you have problems. The are clearly marketing/supporting this version of Vudu as a USA only product (not even Canada/Mexico are invited to the Vudu party right now).

You gotta love the studios regional business models.
They are soooo consumer friendly.

You gotta love the studios regional business models.
They are soooo consumer friendly.


I couldn't agree with you more brother.

So this may be a stupid question -- where's the HD content?

I got my Vudu yesterday, hooked everything up, had it update and what-not, and I can't for the life of me find any HD content. I can't find the Bourne Ultimatum either! I know they're giving all the Bourne movies away for free, but I apparently don't have that option...

I'm missing something here...haha.

So this may be a stupid question -- where's the HD content?

I got my Vudu yesterday, hooked everything up, had it update and what-not, and I can't for the life of me find any HD content. I can't find the Bourne Ultimatum either! I know they're giving all the Bourne movies away for free, but I apparently don't have that option...

I'm missing something here...haha.

Not a stupid question at all. You are not yet seeing the HD content and free Bourne movies because your Vudu needs to update your software and database. Your Vudu has been sitting on the shelf in a fulfillment center while the Vudu software and database have been going through several changes. First time installations take a couple days to download all the updates because the Vudu does this at a trickle speed to prevent it from swamping your internet connection. You should visit the forum at www.vudu.com to learn all about your new toy. For example, the Bourne movies (including the initial delay seeing them) is discussed at http://forum.vudu.com/showthread.php?t=1995

Hope you like your Vudu!

Not a stupid question at all. You are not yet seeing the HD content and free Bourne movies because your Vudu needs to update your software and database. Your Vudu has been sitting on the shelf in a fulfillment center while the Vudu software and database have been going through several changes. First time installations take a couple days to download all the updates because the Vudu does this at a trickle speed to prevent it from swamping your internet connection. You should visit the forum at www.vudu.com to learn all about your new toy. For example, the Bourne movies (including the initial delay seeing them) is discussed at http://forum.vudu.com/showthread.php?t=1995

Hope you like your Vudu!

Ah-hah! That makes sense! I see the network activity lights going nuts all the time now so it *must* be updating. It would be a fantastic UI improvement to be able to see network usage or just some indication that the device is acquiring data. It could even be hidden in the advanced/setup menu too.

Thanks for the forum link -- I'll pay more attention to them now :).

Ah-hah! That makes sense! I see the network activity lights going nuts all the time now so it *must* be updating. It would be a fantastic UI improvement to be able to see network usage or just some indication that the device is acquiring data. It could even be hidden in the advanced/setup menu too.

Thanks for the forum link -- I'll pay more attention to them now :).

Your suggestion is already on the software engineers todo list - watch for it coming to a Vudu near you!

Your suggestion is already on the software engineers todo list - watch for it coming to a Vudu near you!

What type of interaction is there between users and the engineers? I looked for some sort of active thread on the forums but maybe I wasn't looking in the right place.

Another idea I thought of was a scheduler for downloading content...I share my connection with my family and it's not always advantageous to go to my box and switch from low to normal bandwidth usage when I could just schedule it to hog everything at night...know what I mean?

I got the HD content now and I purchased the Bourne Ultimatum :).

What type of interaction is there between users and the engineers? I looked for some sort of active thread on the forums but maybe I wasn't looking in the right place.

All of the engineers have access to the public forum. The more active engineers on forum.vudu.com are Greg, TinL, VolkerS and Hagen. Even when they don't directly respond please keep in mind that the forum moderators are all members of the Beta Tester team, and we post every customer suggestion into the Vudu Bugzilla system. Each suggestion is assigned to the appropriate engineering group.

Another idea I thought of was a scheduler for downloading content...I share my connection with my family and it's not always advantageous to go to my box and switch from low to normal bandwidth usage when I could just schedule it to hog everything at night...know what I mean?

That's an interesting idea having a way to indicate peakload usage windows. I'll post that suggestion to the engineers. However, keep in mind that the Vudu system download bandwidth requiremetn is a very small trickle except for when you are actually downloading/streaming a movie. The software and database updates are designed to not impact your other network devices.

I got the HD content now and I purchased the Bourne Ultimatum :). Cool, be sure to post back here how good/bad you find the HD content to be on your setup (and also on forum.vudu.com of course!). :)

That's an interesting idea having a way to indicate peakload usage windows. I'll post that suggestion to the engineers. However, keep in mind that the Vudu system download bandwidth requiremetn is a very small trickle except for when you are actually downloading/streaming a movie. The software and database updates are designed to not impact your other network devices.

Cool, be sure to post back here how good/bad you find the HD content to be on your setup (and also on forum.vudu.com of course!). :)

I can understand database updates not falling under the category of "scheduled peak usage", but for instance, downloading Ultimatum -- it'd be nice to tell Vudu to go nuts during off-peak hours but hold off during peak-usage times. Scheduling my torrents has made everyone in the house much happier...haha.

I'll be sure and post my setup and how *awesome* it looks. Everyone I've shown it to so far has been very impressed.

I'm a UI guy and so far I've been pleasantly surprised how easy it is to navigate the interface with so few buttons. I'm pretty sure my parents could use a device like this...and I will find out soon enough.

All of the engineers have access to the public forum. The more active engineers on forum.vudu.com are Greg, TinL, VolkerS and Hagen. Even when they don't directly respond please keep in mind that the forum moderators are all members of the Beta Tester team, and we post every customer suggestion into the Vudu Bugzilla system. Each suggestion is assigned to the appropriate engineering group.

Hmmm ... this could get interesting. I might need to make some popcorn and watch for a while ...

What I mean by the above is that TiVo and Vudu are competitors (in a broad sense). But Tivo is the anti-Vudu in that they don't give a s*** about engineering. At all. Yes, they did, early on. Now, it's all about making "deals" and wasting $millions on bad marketing.

We'll see if Vudu can maintain any engineering focus to the company, and we'll see if that's the right business decision for them to make. I really hate TiVo's lack of engineering responsiveness, but I fear that it's the right business decision.

Hmmm ... this could get interesting. I might need to make some popcorn and watch for a while ...

What I mean by the above is that TiVo and Vudu are competitors (in a broad sense). But Tivo is the anti-Vudu in that they don't give a s*** about engineering. At all. Yes, they did, early on. Now, it's all about making "deals" and wasting $millions on bad marketing.

We'll see if Vudu can maintain any engineering focus to the company, and we'll see if that's the right business decision for them to make. I really hate TiVo's lack of engineering responsiveness, but I fear that it's the right business decision.

I think that in order to capture the market segment that is in need of a service like this, a company *must* pay attention to the engineering side of things. I hope that Vudu understands this and applies it to their business model!

Hi All,
The wife and I got our Vudu box yesterday...setup was very easy. I purchased a Linky game-bridge for wireless internet access and so far everything works great! First, the front-end is great...easy to navigate, not cluttered, clean. The remote is very nice w/minimal buttons which echo the minimalist design of the whole Vudu system. WAF is very high! Since im in the Evangelist program I will be getting some of our friends over to check it out. My favorite feature are the previews...I can watch previews all day!

The one thing we'd like to see is an "all-u-can eat" option either payed monthly or yearly...seems to me things can get pretty expensive for us movie lovers...especially during the wet winter months when there's nothing to do but watch movies. The other thing is having the Vudu box also be a media extender...this feature would put it over-the-top and make it worth its $399 price tag.

So far so good...i'll keep updating everyone on its use.

Best Regards,
Ricky

I got the box on Friday and set it up over the weekend. I'm going to post on Vudu when I spend more time with it, but here's my quick take.

Setup was super easy. The hardest part was figuring out the best way to connect it to the Internet. I ended up flashing my old Buffalo G router with Tomato firmware and messing around with settings until the wireless client mode worked (the most helpful Internet link was to a post on Vudu forum, actually).

I also didn't realize that the box had to update movie content until I read it on the forum although I suspected since I couldn't find Bourne movies initially. Perhaps Vudu needs to put up some sort of a pop-up message or something (don't think that was in instructions). Other than that, it operated exactly how you'd expect.

With regards to what Vudu should do to make it better, it's probably all covered in the forum posts over there. IMHO, given that studios will continue to hamper movie availability/pricing/viewing intervals/etc., I think Vudu will be wise to move into the media extender market. If they can make deals with music services (like Sonos has) and implement good playback of user video files (i.e. formats covered by new SageTV HD extender), the price will be more than justified.

The above is especially true if rumors of Apple movie rentals will come to fruition. If Apple were to offer a wide selection of movie rentals at the iTunes Store, it'd put Apple TV in direct competition with Vudu. And as we all know, ATV also does music & video.

P.S. Oh, I also purchased Bourne Ultimatum even though I am a rental guy at heart :)

think Vudu will be wise to move into the media extender market. If they can make deals with music services (like Sonos has) and implement good playback of user video files (i.e. formats covered by new SageTV HD extender), the price will be more than justified.

The above is especially true if rumors of Apple movie rentals will come to fruition. If Apple were to offer a wide selection of movie rentals at the iTunes Store, it'd put Apple TV in direct competition with Vudu. And as we all know, ATV also does music & video.

P.S. Oh, I also purchased Bourne Ultimatum even though I am a rental guy at heart :)

I, too, purchased the Bourne Ultimatum. I hope that movie studios see this as a viable option for making money and partner with Vudu for many more HD releases.

As far as using Vudu as a media extender -- this would be phenomenal. Only, I wonder what kind of hardware is inside the box -- could it handle a task like that?

As far as using Vudu as a media extender -- this would be phenomenal. Only, I wonder what kind of hardware is inside the box -- could it handle a task like that?

I agree. I really hope that they add this functionality but I'm sure they'll focus on refining what they've got first and then focus on a few of the ancillary possibilities.

As far as the device being capable of handling the task - I would think it definitely could handle it since it's basically already doing that sort of processing over the internet right? Maybe I don't understand how it's actually working. Is it not streaming the movies?

I agree. I really hope that they add this functionality but I'm sure they'll focus on refining what they've got first and then focus on a few of the ancillary possibilities.

This is why I am so torn as to what Vudu should do next. I would be happy if it became a perfect movie-delivery box, i.e. same availability of movies/TV as DVDs, same release dates, rent/buy options for EVERY movie/show, longer viewing period for rentals, etc. However, the hard reality is that movie/TV studios are the ones dictating the terms and they do not seem to be particularly easy to deal with.

That's why it makes sense for Vudu guys to not stand still while negotiating with studios and continue adding functionality. I just read an article about Apple TV that says that if Apple were able to add movie rental functionality to ATV, they could sell as much as 7 million units in 2008. Vudu has the rental functionality covered already, so why not go for the value-addding media playback functionality?

As far as the device being capable of handling the task - I would think it definitely could handle it since it's basically already doing that sort of processing over the internet right? Maybe I don't understand how it's actually working. Is it not streaming the movies?

-- Radio/music features would seem be fairly painless regardless of Vudu's guts. I think most chips (i.e. not PC processors but special hardware used in standalone devices like SageTV HD extender) nowadays support audio playback and music services seem to be a lot more willing to negotiate deals. Music formats are less varied compared to video too. The real coup for Vudu would be ability to play iTunes protected content (probably off of user PC and not directly).

-- Photo viewing seems to be simple at first, but could be problematic. From what I read most chips have trouble with the speed of resizing of large photos to fit TV resolution.

-- Video functionality is the most complicated part. If Vudu uses a special chip (like those in SageTV HD extender or Tvix boxes), then it's largely limited to what that chip supports. If it actually uses a low-power CPU (like the one in Apple TV), then it may be easier although dedicated chips usually are better since they are optimized for audio/video functionality. To top it all off, there are very many video formats out there. Personally, I'd like to see support for Divx/Xvid (legacy purposes), H.264 (directly and in MKV wrapper), and HD streams (recorded HD TV content, mpeg2 or .ts). VIDEO_TS folders & ISO files would be nice but probably won't happen with Vudu.

Well, it sure didn't take long -- the report is out that Apple signed agreement with Fox for movie rentals and since Disney is very close to Apple, they are expected to be on board as well.

http://valleywag.com/337902/apple-and-20th-century-fox-strike-digital-movie-rental-deal

interesting...

I have one, havent even opened it yet. Anyone want to buy it?

Can't you just return it to Vudu for full refund?

Just received my Vudu.. Setup was a breeze. So far the entire family thinks it is "cool". Now if I can leave it alone to get the updates.

Can anyone who has HD disc players and a vudu tell me how the quality of the vudu HD downloads are compared to HD DVD and Blu Ray discs? Thanks in advance.

Can anyone who has HD disc players and a vudu tell me how the quality of the vudu HD downloads are compared to HD DVD and Blu Ray discs? Thanks in advance.

First and foremost, it really depends on what your system can and can't do and what you are expecting.

In comparing the Bourne Ultimatum, I have watched it through VuDu and also a Toshiba A35 (Right now, the highest end HD DVD player). If it's sound you are big on, there is no question that HD or Blu-ray trumps the Vudu since it doesn't support any of the new uncompressed sound formats. Picture wise- I was surprised at how good the Vudu version looked on a 61" Samsung DLP- but still, not up to par (contrasts/colour "pop"/etc) with the HD DVD.

BUT I like the way this is going with more HD content, and if you don't have a high end receiver and don't want a hand in the current mess that is the high-def "war" it's a nice little alternative worth checking out.

My two cents.

The movies look far better than any rentals thru DirecTV, Dish, Comcast PPV(both SD and HD). But not as good as either Blu ray or HD DVD. Both of those formats are better audio(not remotely close) and video wise.

Thanks for the answers-audio I don't care about, but picture quality is a must-I am a videophile and have to have the best, so I guess until downloads are equal to optical media I'm stuck with blu ray and HD DVd, at least blu ray anyway.

Let me get this straight.... Vudu wants me to pay them $400 for the privilege of allowing them to then charge me for standard-definition-only movie rental downloads over MY broadband.

They're smoking crack. Even Moviebeam was better than that; it didn't use up broadband bandwidth to download the movies, and some were in hidef.

Hell, even the VOOM receiver at least served as an OTA ATSC tuner after that service went black. Vudu doesn't even function as a network streamer. When they go belly up, the best you can do is salvage the hard drive.

Let me get this straight.... Vudu wants me to pay them $400 for the privilege of allowing them to then charge me for standard-definition-only movie rental downloads over MY broadband.

They're smoking crack. Even Moviebeam was better than that; it didn't use up broadband bandwidth to download the movies, and some were in hidef.

Hell, even the VOOM receiver at least served as an OTA ATSC tuner after that service went black. Vudu doesn't even function as a network streamer. When they go belly up, the best you can do is salvage the hard drive.

If you are going to complain about the price, at least use the legitimate arguments. Vudu does offer HD downloads right now (well, Bourne movies) and more content including HD rentals will be added this month.

Here's the latest press release -- http://www.vudu.com/press_release01.06.2008b.html

And some quotes:
VUDU Adding more than 70 High Definition Feature Films for Ultimate In-Home Viewing Experience, Including Transformers, The Italian Job, and War—More to Come

Consumer Electronics Show—January 06, 2007—VUDU Inc., the company that brings instant access to video-entertainment to the living room, announced today that it is greatly expanding the high-definition (HD) movies available through the VUDU box. By the end of January, 70 HD movies will be available for customers to rent and watch instantly. More HD movies will be added to VUDU over the coming months as the studios make their films available.

...

Playback of the HD movies will be instant provided the Internet connection to the home network is consistently 4 Mbps or greater. Those with lower or fluctuating bandwidth will experience some delay before viewing can begin.

VUDU customers will be able to rent HD new releases for $5.99 and HD classics for $3.99. The offering will include recent releases such as A Mighty Heart, Blades of Glory, and Hostel: Part II (Unrated Version), as well as classic such as the Star Trek franchise.

...

The HD titles complement the over 5,000 standard definition movies and TV shows currently available from all the major U.S. film studios and more than 22 independent and international film distributors.


Having said that, the price as it is right now is expensive. However, such is the life as an early adopter. No one is putting a gun to your head and forcing you to buy a Vudu box. :)

And in case anyone missed another annoucement, Vudu is releasing XL model that offers 1 terabyte of storage and more features designed for custom home theaters.

http://www.vudu.com/press_release01.06.2008a.html

..VUDU XL takes this one step further by providing storage to accommodate more than 500 standard definition movies plus advanced controls for integration with networked home theaters and IR-based universal remotes. For the home theater enthusiast, VUDU XL takes full advantage of the best available high definition displays, surround sound, and other home theater investments while eliminating the clutter associated with storing large video libraries.

...

Starting this February, VUDU XL will be distributed through high-end audio video retailers, custom installers and resellers focused on custom home theaters and will retail for $999.

Both versions of Vudu (Classic and XL) will have instant view to HD titles at the end of this month, including some HD content like the Star Trek franchise that is not available anywhere else (Netflix and Blockbuster are not gonna have them the same day Vudu released them). I think this will be the first of many Vudu exclusive HD movies.

Nded, are you saying Vudu is getting Star Trek movies in HD? I assumed it was the Season 1 of the series that was released on HD-DVD recently.

Nded, are you saying Vudu is getting Star Trek movies in HD? I assumed it was the Season 1 of the series that was released on HD-DVD recently.

Yep, we are talking Movies in HD, not TOS.

Let me get this straight.... Vudu wants me to pay them $400 for the privilege of allowing them to then charge me for standard-definition-only movie rental downloads over MY broadband.

They're smoking crack. Even Moviebeam was better than that; it didn't use up broadband bandwidth to download the movies, and some were in hidef.

Hell, even the VOOM receiver at least served as an OTA ATSC tuner after that service went black. Vudu doesn't even function as a network streamer. When they go belly up, the best you can do is salvage the hard drive.


I agree not only is their box expensive (it needs to be free); they need to adopt a monthly subscription, why pay high single rental prices when I can get Netflix or just use one of the big content providers rentals. Don't get me wrong I like the idea, but lets be realistic they need to get their costs down to build a customer base or they will fade away or be absorbed by the competition, and there will be plenty of competition within the next couple of years.

While I agree that a lower box price and, especially, a subscription plan would be welcome (no one would ever disagree with that), the counter-argument to "lets be realistic they need to get their costs down to build a customer base or they will fade away or be absorbed by the competition" is that Vudu right now is a niche product much in the same way Sonos/Squeezebox/etc. are or had been. So while they build up infrastructure and content library, they can afford to charge early adopters a premium and not sell boxes at a loss or subsidize them.

I really want to try this out but $400 is a little steep. I hope they offer a program where the box is only half price. I would jump on a deal where it's $200 and you also get $50 to $100 in movie credits.

I just checked my download speed. Its 1.64 megs over my cable modem (Comcast). Its a bit slow for instant access, apparently. However, I am using an old 200mhz. Pentium computer. Any idea if my old computer is causing the Vudu website to detect a slower download speed than would otherwise be the case if I were using an up to date computer?

You older computer may be slightly affecting the download speed test but I wouldn't expect materially higher download speeds with a faster machine.

Thanks, mebby. Sorry to hear it.

I just checked my download speed. Its 1.64 megs over my cable modem (Comcast). Its a bit slow for instant access, apparently. However, I am using an old 200mhz. Pentium computer. Any idea if my old computer is causing the Vudu website to detect a slower download speed than would otherwise be the case if I were using an up to date computer?

What does commiecast say that you should be getting? Depending on your browser/OS setup on that P200, it could actually make a world of difference. You might want to go to some place like http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks and see what you need to do to properly configure that old dog so it can run with pack.

Now there's an idea! However, I will soon be replacing my old dog of a computer. I was just trying to figure out whether the speed limit was due to my old computer or Comcast. Comcast advertises 4 mbps, but I'm not close to this speed.

I wonder how much of a delay my download speed would mean to Vudu? Would I have to wait 5 minutes after ordering a movie, 30 minutes? Anyone have an estimate?

FWIW, we just moved my computer out to the shed to make room for the hdtv installers, who are supposed to be wiring up the house today.

You might have already tried this, but everytime comcast ups its speed they say to unplug your cable modem for a few minutes so you will get the speed bump.

hi does anyone have any experience of use of a vudu box outside of the usa,the box functions without a lan cable attached,i was wondering if you use a proxy server ,or some other internet source.im taking a box to the uk this weekend to show some friends,also going to remove the hd and see if it can be upgraded to a 750gb and fils copied over to new hd,i will update via the forum of my success or not thanks peter in florida

They just cut their prices to 295.

http://www.vudu.com/press_release01.24.2008.html

I'm right on the edge of buying one, but I don't want to be another early adopter...(HD DVD is leaving a bad taste in my mouth...)

I just bought one today. I definitely like it.

hi does anyone have any experience of use of a vudu box outside of the usa,the box functions without a lan cable attached,i was wondering if you use a proxy server ,or some other internet source.im taking a box to the uk this weekend to show some friends,also going to remove the hd and see if it can be upgraded to a 750gb and fils copied over to new hd,i will update via the forum of my success or not thanks peter in florida

You can view movies you've purchased and are on the hard drive, but you can't do anything with the box outside of the U.S. They are currently prohibited from allowing you to download content outside of the US. Their agreements with the content providers don't extend outside of the U.S.
They might at some point market the VUDU box outside of the US but they are currently concentrating on the US only.

I think a nice feature would be to allow you to re-rent movies you've previously rented for half the price or less. I think that would encourage more re-rentals and would be a selling point. The studios can't think people will rent the same movie twice at full price very often.

My issue with Vudu is that they now have to go toe-to-toe with Apple, which usually does not favor the competition. Apple will have more HD content out of the box. Where is Vudu with this? You can't advertise HD movies and expect people to be happy with 2 Bourne titles.

Also, will Vudu's HD content be of a higher quality than Apples? 1080p aside, what about the compression, bitrate, etc.

All of Vudus content looks better than Apple Tvs. The box doesn't do as many things but what it does do it does great. Its only flaw(which extends to others as well) is the delay in rental availability.

I think a nice feature would be to allow you to re-rent movies you've previously rented for half the price or less. I think that would encourage more re-rentals and would be a selling point. The studios can't think people will rent the same movie twice at full price very often.

My issue with Vudu is that they now have to go toe-to-toe with Apple, which usually does not favor the competition. Apple will have more HD content out of the box. Where is Vudu with this? You can't advertise HD movies and expect people to be happy with 2 Bourne titles.

Also, will Vudu's HD content be of a higher quality than Apples? 1080p aside, what about the compression, bitrate, etc.

I like your idea about the reduced rate re-rental. You should signup for the forum at www.vudu.com and post your suggestion there.

Next week Vudu will release 70+ HD titles (including Star Trek movies - not TOS). I've already watched several of them as a beta tester. Vudu owners with 4MB broadband will be able to watch these movies instantly when rented/purchased. By the time Apple get's their delayed viewing HD software rolled out, I'd think Vudu could pass them for HD content. Vudu already has about 5,000 SD titles available now for instant viewing - I belive the Vudu box is designed to do movies better than the Apple.

I'm confident Vudu's HD content will be of a higher quality. The Apple is only going to output 720p vs Vudu at 1080p. We've already had reports from folks with both systems that the SD content on Vudu looks much better than @TV (looks better than DVD quality also), and many of the SD titles on Vudu have 5.1 sound, while the Apple only puts out stereo sound for all SD titles.

I have been reading that Vudu is more of a purchase service rather than rental, which they don't tell you. I have read that most movies are only available for purchase. If I wanted to buy movies I'd just buy the DVD. I think rental is more important on these boxes, which is what Apple is focusing on.

I have been reading that Vudu is more of a purchase service rather than rental, which they don't tell you. I have read that most movies are only available for purchase. If I wanted to buy movies I'd just buy the DVD. I think rental is more important on these boxes, which is what Apple is focusing on.

Don't believe everything you read son. The last time I checked, out of the current 5,000 movie catalog on Vudu, only about 1,200 titles are purchase only, all the others - almost 4,000 titles - have rental options. There are many movies on the Vudu that are rental only, and there are those users who complain about them not having purchase options. Ideally, every movie should be available for rent and purchase, but the content owners don't see this yet. The rent/purchase options are not up to Vudu.

I think a nice feature would be to allow you to re-rent movies you've previously rented for half the price or less. I think that would encourage more re-rentals and would be a selling point. The studios can't think people will rent the same movie twice at full price very often.

My issue with Vudu is that they now have to go toe-to-toe with Apple, which usually does not favor the competition. Apple will have more HD content out of the box. Where is Vudu with this? You can't advertise HD movies and expect people to be happy with 2 Bourne titles.

Also, will Vudu's HD content be of a higher quality than Apples? 1080p aside, what about the compression, bitrate, etc.


The Bourne titles looked good. I looked at them tonight. I plan on comparing some scenes with the HD DVDs this weekend.
Plus the HD titles are encoded at 1080P24(480P24 for SD film content)The audio is encoded with DD+ and the box transcodes it to DD for output over optical or HDMI.
The Bourne movies sounded good. I'll compare some audio parts this weekend as well.
I've had my VUDU box for a couple of days now and it is much better than I could have imagined. The interface is slick and very fast. And once they roll out their HD content(only the Bourne movies are currently available in HD) the VUDU box will be my first choice for most of my HD rentals, followed by Xbox Live, and then Netflix.

Just wanted to add that Apple is in the similar position -- some movies on iTunes are also purchase-only or rental-only. In that sense Vudu is actually better than AppleTV as it allows you to purchase movies and store them on the box.

FWIW, I am a rental guy but I bought some purchase-only movies on Vudu. It's not the best value proposition compared to high-def media (especially with all the BOGO sales), but it's not outrageous either. Certainly, a trip to the movies for two comes out more expensive.

DVRupgrade has Vudu for $295. I may have to get another box. Way to go Vudu!!!!!

Retail on the Vudu box is now $295.00. They're also working on a new higher end box for custom installers that will expand networking and storage capabilities. It wouldn't be surprising if the boxes support audio in the future as well ;).

Right, the new box is VuduXL and will come with 1 TB of storage and some other advanced functionality.

With regards to price drop, Vudu is offering $100 in movie credits to people who purchased the box within 30 days of the price drop (announched 1/24).

I'm really back and forth about whether to go for a Vudu box or not. I definitely would go for Vudu over AppleTV though. A few questions:

Generally, how soon after DVD release are movies available from Vudu?

Is there anywhere that one can view a list of what movies they currently have for rent and for sale?

Do they have the IR enabled yet?

Thanks

I'm really back and forth about whether to go for a Vudu box or not. I definitely would go for Vudu over AppleTV though. A few questions:

Generally, how soon after DVD release are movies available from Vudu?

Is there anywhere that one can view a list of what movies they currently have for rent and for sale?

Do they have the IR enabled yet?

Thanks

DVDs are available for purchase when they are released to normal retail stores for purchase. Rental availability typically follows within a week - sometimes two and this is controlled 100% by the studios. Apple TV will face the same restrictions as best as we all know at this point.

They do not currently have a list of movies that you can review on their website. They ran a poll on their forums and it showed that most people are content with the current library. That was before they released 82 Hi Def movies to the library. Me personally - I'm pretty pleased. They have some gaps in the library but they are rapidly expanding it. Also - I think that of the ~5,000 movies available, approximately 4,000 to 4,500 are rentable if that helps.

IR - not yet but I'm fairly convinced that they intend on releasing this very soon. I think their next big release is going to give us expandable external storage. IR may or may not come with that release but they seem to indicate that it's in the hopper.

I really have enjoyed my Vudu. If you're on the fence then I recommend that you try it out. You've got 30 days to play with it - if you hate it then send it back.

Check out the VUDU website that has a link to their forums. You can probably get some answers there.
The IR USB dongle is not out yet but is supposed to be out soon.

For new releases I think it depends on the content provider. I see The Brave One is available to purchase and rent in SD on VUDU and that came out a couple of days ago on disc.

Currently 85 HD titles show up when Searching. 4996 titles show up when searching for everything right now.

i have had Vudu since December as I got it as a Xmas gift. At first it was great. I started watching movies with the family that we normally would have gone to rent. I hooked it up to a wireless brudge so it working off of my wireless network without a hitch. My biggest complaint is that new content is not always available for rental only purchase. Case ion point...I AM LEGEND is available as a purchase only and not for rental. That has become very annoying. The SD content is EXCELLENT. In fact, for the most part I cannot always tell a huge a difference between the SD and HD movies. Downloads have been fine, however, you need ateleast 4mb to get HD immediately. I have a used atrick though for downloading, I usually give the Vudu about a 10 sec start to start downloading. For some reason, once in a while if IU start viewing right away, I sometimes would get a small choppy start.

I do not plan on using this to purchase movies except for one exception. Movies that I my kids want to see over and over will be on the Vudu box otherwise I will just buy the DVD/Blue Ray. The inital cost is not cheap, but I have already saved in gas going blockbuster and netflix just isn't fast enough if I want to find something and watch that evening.

I'm really back and forth about whether to go for a Vudu box or not. I definitely would go for Vudu over AppleTV though. A few questions:...snip.... Do they have the IR enabled yet?

Thanks

The IR Dongle is now out and the IR Codes are available for download into popular remotes with internet updates (i.e. Harmony, Pronto, etc...). Go to forum.vudu.com for details please.

The IR dongle works great. It was in the Harmony database when I set it up last week. And since the IR receiver has excellent reception I can point my Harmony remote in ANY direction and the VUDU receives the commands.

i have had Vudu since December as I got it as a Xmas gift. At first it was great. I started watching movies with the family that we normally would have gone to rent. I hooked it up to a wireless brudge so it working off of my wireless network without a hitch. My biggest complaint is that new content is not always available for rental only purchase. Case ion point...I AM LEGEND is available as a purchase only and not for rental. That has become very annoying. ...
This has nothing to do with VUDU, it is the content provider that does this. They are the ones that determine when a title can be for rent, for sale or both. And what time period it will be available. Just like the 24 hour rental period, the content providers dictate that.
At least the content providers are pretty much making the digital content a level playing field. If it's only available to buy On VUDU and not for rent, it also won't be available to rent yet on AppleTV.

I'm a junior member on this forum, but I have had a chance to have both of these products at home and my XBox 360 - with recent Divx support - crushes both of these products.

Vudu doesn't have the content. PERIOD.

Apple TV will get the content, someday, but it isn't there yet.

A 360 with my cable DVRS in every room has yet to be replaced.

You forgot to mention: with an XBox 360 you get the Red Ring of Death as a free bonus!

Thanks for the replies mebby & nded. I think I'll go for it.

I'm a junior member on this forum, but I have had a chance to have both of these products at home and my XBox 360 - with recent Divx support - crushes both of these products.

Vudu doesn't have the content. PERIOD.

Apple TV will get the content, someday, but it isn't there yet.

A 360 with my cable DVRS in every room has yet to be replaced.

I'd like to know exactly how 360 has more content than Vudu? Vudu has over 5,000 movies most of which are rentable (4,000-something, I forget). 360 doesn't have nearly as much movies. The only advantage is 360's slight lead in HD movies (just 20-30 titles, I believe). AppleTV's HD rentals number about the same as Vudu, but they don't have nearly as much SD content. iTunes only wins when it comes to TV shows.

With regards to using 360 as a media player, I humbly disagree. Not only is it huge, loud and game-centric, unless a box can play MKVs, it's dead to me as a media extender. I built an HTPC about a year ago even though I've had 360 almost since the very beginning just because Vista Media Center is way better than the lame 360 media interface (and even with the latest update, you can't play AVIs from Media Extender on 360 or play MKVs period). Now, mind you, I don't own a single Sony console, and my 360 never RROD'ed on me, so I have no bias.

I'm a junior member on this forum, but I have had a chance to have both of these products at home and my XBox 360 - with recent Divx support - crushes both of these products.

Vudu doesn't have the content. PERIOD.



VUDU has over 5100 titles available. That's more content than anyone else.

Well I went for it and I'm sorry I did. MOST of the movies I'd like to just rent are for purchase only. And the "new" movies list seems to lag way behind what they have to offer at Blockbuster et al.

I don't care who's to blame, the Evil Empire or Vudu, for me at least, who likes to mostly RENT new releases, this is a a joke .

At this point, if you can't stand to wait 30 days for the new titles to move from purchase only to rental, then Vudu is not right for you. It is much better for somebody that wants to have the luxury of being able to spontaneously pick something to watch that strikes your fancy at that moment in time.

Given that the release to video dates from the studios are arbitrary, I'm in the second category. I don't care when I watch a particular title, I just care that I can watch what I feel like watching. I dont' care if somebody else saw it 30 days, or 30 weeks before I felt like watching. I'm just not that absorbed with what the studios are putting out these days, and I don't have to see it on the randomly selected Tuesday that they choose to put out the DVD.

Well I went for it and I'm sorry I did. MOST of the movies I'd like to just rent are for purchase only. And the "new" movies list seems to lag way behind what they have to offer at Blockbuster et al.

I don't care who's to blame, the Evil Empire or Vudu, for me at least, who likes to mostly RENT new releases, this is a a joke .


It' the same for all VOD sources, except places like the cable company where you don't a have a purchase option so the title just won't show up until you can rent it.

If you can't wait the 30 days then no VOD service is for you since it's pretty much a level playing field. They all have to play by the same rules. It's just that some VOD services like VUDU give you a purchase option for some titles. Maybe the content providers will change thing , like having more than a 24 hour viewing window and rentals from the very beginning. But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the providers to change their policy.

I guess it's not for me then. :-(

My wife also had a BIG problem with the 24 hour window; you get 5 days with Hollywood Video.

Now that I'm done complaining and have used the box for a few days, I think I've changed my mind and will keep my Vudu !

Really the only problem I still have with it is the 24 hr viewing window which I hope they change soon to at least 48 hrs. I don't understand why they would have a problem with this!?!? Unless they're trying to get a re-rental fee from those who start to watch a movie one day and then forget to finish watching it within the 24 hrs . Kind of how the video rental stores love late fees; 20% of their profits come from late fees.

I'd like to encourage you to join forum.vudu.com and voice your opinion on the 24 hour window there. You'll be preaching to the choir, but the more folks that chime in on this topic, the better. It'll give Vudu some more amunition to convince the big studios to change the viewing window (some small studios already allow 48 hours on the Vudu).

I guess it's not for me then. :-(

My wife also had a BIG problem with the 24 hour window; you get 5 days with Hollywood Video.

Yep, unfortunately the studios control this window, and all VOD providers are stuck with this. Even DirecTV had to change their policies a couple of weeks ago to conform. I think even extending this to 30 hours would allow most people two nights to finish watching a movie.

Things will change in the industry. I remember when you could first rent movies back before Blockbuster came along. You had to pay money to join the store's rental "club." The movies were like $5 or $6 each and you could keep them for 24 hours. I'm not sure why the studios have this but sadly they do. I'm sure it will change.

I encourage people to do 2 things on Vudu:

1.) Rent films from the smaller studios giving 48 hour windows
2.) Rent films from Warner Brothers - Warner Brothers is releasing movies for purchase and rent on the same day. They should be rewarded for that.

I had the opportunity to work with a system using a Vudu box the other day. This is a very impressive product. The video quality of what I saw was much better than Apple TV.

Well I've had Vudu for about a month and a half now and I really love it ! Even my wife has become addicted to it. Honestly, IMHO the SD quality is almost as good as HD on a lot of these movies. Really the only problem we both have with it is the 24 hr. viewing window. Hopefully that will change when the studio's stop being so paranoid.

I think even extending this to 30 hours would allow most people two nights to finish watching a movie.Yes, 30 hours would be great. You could start watching a movie at 8PM one night and then finish it up at 8PM the next night. That would be a great improvement. Come on Hollywood, will six extra hours kill ya?

Well it looks like the price has dropped to 149 for the box.

There has not been a post here since may and that may be really good or bad, as consumers usually post when things are wrong.

How is everyone doing here? Are you happy with this setup?

Jeff, any comments? You seemed to be impressed originally and as a calibrator I am curious as to your current impressions in 2009.

Ty

The Vudu conversation moved to a different place on AVSForum - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1081645

Lots of talk on forum.vudu.com also

Vudu is looking good to me.

We bought the box and didnt realize the 24 hour window. Crazy policy when you are competing with alternatives like Netflix. We returned the box....that policy alone will kill that project.



Well I've had Vudu for about a month and a half now and I really love it ! Even my wife has become addicted to it. Honestly, IMHO the SD quality is almost as good as HD on a lot of these movies. Really the only problem we both have with it is the 24 hr. viewing window. Hopefully that will change when the studio's stop being so paranoid.

We bought the box and didnt realize the 24 hour window. Crazy policy when you are competing with alternatives like Netflix. We returned the box....that policy alone will kill that project.


Your analysis of the market is about on par with your pre-purchase shopping skills. Vudu is not competing with Netflix. Vudu is in the VOD market with instant delivery of first release movies in the highest quality possible combined with a total instant watching catalog of over 13,500 top notch titles. Netflix is in the disc distribution business with a sidline streaming service featuring out of date catalog titles with poor video/sound quality. Just because you aren't in the market for high quality VOD doesn't mean there aren't enough people in the market for such a service. You may or may not be happy with Netflix streaming - that has nothing to do with what the Vudu is about.

We bought the box and didnt realize the 24 hour window. Crazy policy when you are competing with alternatives like Netflix. We returned the box....that policy alone will kill that project.

This is the policy for all VOD providers. VUDU doesn't make that decision, the contnet providers make it.
Whether you have Comcast VOD, FIOS VOD, Xbox Live VOD, PS3 VOD, Itunes, or VUDU. They all have that viewing window from the major content providers.
Maybe one day they will realize a 30 hour window makes more sense, but until then you have to live with the 24 hour viewing with with VOD.

This is nothing new.

I am new to this discussion and would like to know what exactly I would be getting by going with the XL unit over the std. $149 receiver? I will not be purchasing movies from Vudu and be using it solely to rent HDX titles. I did see where future updates will be focused on the XL unit. If the possibilty exists that it will be upgraded to deliver Dolby True HD and DTS Master HD audio it would make sense to go with the XL.

I have two Apple TVs and quite frankly I am very happy with them. I want to add another but the HDX rentals have me considering the Vudu for my 123 inch screen.

Just order a new LG BD390 bluray player and you can get all the functionality of Vudu along with the bluray player. Vudu will most likely stop selling boxes all together as the software/service is being integrated into new TV's and bluray players from Mitsubishi, LG, and Samsung with more to come.

Unfortunately it does not appear to have the analog outputs my HT setup requires at this time. It also has the flip down door that I do not like. I have my equipment mounted in a rack with a glass door. The flip down feature just gets in the way and eventually will get broken if someone closes the glass door on it. I have a Panasonic BD55 that performs the Blu-ray functions flawlessly. I don't know if the LG will match the BD55 in Blu-ray playback.

My mistake I see that the 7.1 analog outputs are there. The LG site for whatever reason doesn't list them and they do not have a rear panel view.

How is the HDX download performance of this unit?

The Vudu box is great little box. Out of all the VOD boxes it has the best picture quality. The only problem with all these boxes is that the movie release dates on new titles is delayed and doesn't usually come out day and date with the DVD/Blu ray.

The XL model offers more storage and RS232 control. Otherwise there is no difference I believe. If you only are going to rent then the regular is fine.

Just order a new LG BD390 bluray player and you can get all the functionality of Vudu along with the bluray player. Vudu will most likely stop selling boxes all together as the software/service is being integrated into new TV's and bluray players from Mitsubishi, LG, and Samsung with more to come.

I saw the 390 at CEDIA and its ability to stream HDX (rather than have to wait for the download) is certainly appealing. Do we know if VUDU will be adding this HDX "instant stream" ability to existing VUDU STBs?

Jeff

There is also a Vudu discussion in a different forum. Perhaps you should inquire there.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1081645

Personally, I'm quite confused by what streamer discussion goes in what forum, but such is life.