http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/digital-downloads/vudu-goes-hd-thumbs-nose-at-blu+ray-and-hd-dvd-324913.php

Looks like Universal and Vudu are teaming up. Are online downloads of HD media the direction Universal wants to go?

Plenty of the movie studios team up with online partners. Universal was just the first to team up with Vudu. Others will, too. Disney offers movies on Xbox Live. Many of the studios offer content through cable and satellite PPV and OnDemand. It's just smart business to offer your content through more than one channel.

still will be interesting to see what the quality is like compared to some of the other download services (and hdm)

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/digital-downloads/vudu-goes-hd-thumbs-nose-at-blu+ray-and-hd-dvd-324913.php

Looks like Universal and Vudu are teaming up. Are online downloads of HD media the direction Universal wants to go?

All comanies will be offering movie downloads. Seriously think Sony isn't raming up their DD division?

Plenty of the movie studios team up with online partners. Universal was just the first to team up with Vudu. Others will, too. Disney offers movies on Xbox Live. Many of the studios offer content through cable and satellite PPV and OnDemand. It's just smart business to offer your content through more than one channel.

yes, but this is download to own.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/digital-downloads/vudu-goes-hd-thumbs-nose-at-blu+ray-and-hd-dvd-324913.php

Looks like Universal and Vudu are teaming up. Are online downloads of HD media the direction Universal wants to go?
Every single studio is expanding their distribution channels, including Disney, etc.

The goal in business is to ensire that you are available to your potential customers through the various channels they may seek you.

This includes downloads, both in SD and HD - appearing in Vudu doesn't mean that Universal excludes HD DVD, no more than Disney doing Apple TV means they exclude Bluray.

Just the way of the world today...

Now, in my opinion, the prices seem higher than we can get HDM media for, and I suspect that the downloaded movies will be smaller and of lower quality - but I guess that we'll see soon enough.

Now - a GREAT idea would be to plug an HD DVD burner into your Vudu and be able to burn your copy straight to disc to play on your HD DVD player....

Someone hasn't red the forum rules.

Looks like Sony, Disney, Fox, Lionsgate and Vudu are teaming up. Are online downloads of HD media the direction Sony, Disney, Fox and Lionsgate want to go?

--fixed--

yes, but this is download to own.Yes, I think some folks are missing that point.

Nobody thinks any studios will sit this this alternative out do they? Even if HDM was a runaway success they'd still give this additional revenue stream a shot.

Kudos to Universal for doing the right thing.
Downloads should replace physical media and it can't come soon enough! the idea of physical discs is so 80's (although popular)....

Nobody thinks any studios will sit this this alternative out do they? Even if HDM was a runaway success they'd still give this additional revenue stream a shot.

Exactly. It's in their best interest to have things in place and be pro active on technology rather than reactive.

I have a feeling DD will be here sooner than we think. The main difficulty is personally see is getting the data from the PC to the TV. Someone needs to make and market the hell out of an intermediate device than makes than connection seamless.

count me out. Pay $25 to have a movie sitting on a harddrive? Not to mention that I doubt strongly it will rival the quality of Blu-Ray and HDDVD..

Record companies did not stop pressing CDs when iTunes came about now did they.

Record companies did not stop pressing CDs when iTunes came about now did they.

No, and neither will DVDs, I think most of us just wish that HDM would lay down roots deep enough so that it continues to have a place at the home-entertainment table.

I think if you've ever had the joy of a hard-drive crash, your probably leery of plunking down for this, it's not even very portable. If it were more convenient I think people would save their current DVDs as rips on their hard-drives like they do music, but they don't because it's not. I think a system like this is going to have a harder time distinguishing itself from plain old VTR than HDM does from DVD.

Record companies did not stop pressing CDs when iTunes came about now did they.

Yep. Both will co exist for but you can clearly see that DD did close down stores such as tower records and CD shelf space in stores isn't as big as it used to be.

For those who'll prefer the convenience of DD, will jump on it. For those who like to have a physical copy, will continue to buying them as is.

I think a lot of people like to think in absolute and that's hardly ever the case. DD is the least of HDM problems anyhow. Both format are much more prone to remaining niche to due a simple lack of interest and the inablility for many to distinguish or even care about the HD presentation benefits.

and this is why the writers are going on strike. They know that downloading is where it is going to be.

No, and neither will DVDs, I think most of us just wish that HDM would lay down roots deep enough so that it continues to have a place at the home-entertainment table.

I think if you've ever had the joy of a hard-drive crash, your probably leery of plunking down for this, it's not even very portable. If it were more convenient I think people would save their current DVDs as rips on their hard-drives like they do music, but they don't because it's not. I think a system like this is going to have a harder time distinguishing itself from plain old VTR than HDM does from DVD.

Roots?

when did they announce this? Is the release date FEb 08? :D

VuDu isn't going anywhere with this. The pricing is way out of the ballpark for both the unit and the actual content. No physical copy for backup.

So, I can spend $400 and buy for $20-25 (mind you I don't actually own anything), or I can go out and spend roughly 100 more for both players(HD/BD) and get the media for roughly the same price?

Nice. :(

yes, but this is download to own.

Only if you use a very, very loose definition of "own".

No right of resale.

Can only use it until the company goes belly up or you stay subscribed to Vudu, most likely.

No thanks.

Yes, I think some folks are missing that point. I think that the point should be quite clear to most folks - as it is quite an important distinction.

And because it is a download to own, all the more reason to pair a Vudu receiver with an HDM burner to burn your HD downloads permanently, as I suggested in my post a little further up.

This would bring the whole home-delivery thing... well, err.. home :)

The company said VUDU customers will be able to purchase the action film starring Matt Damon beginning December 11. The price will be $24.99.

In addition, for a limited time starting November 23, new VUDU set-tops will include permanent copies of The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, the first two films in the Bourne trilogy.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/vudu112107.htm

As I understand this actually uses b i t t o r r e n t to distribute the movies, and vudu units may actually participate in the swarm sending to other units.

I feel sorry for any would-be Vudu owners om Comcast!

As I understand this actually uses b i t t o r r e n t to distribute the movies, and vudu units may actually participate in the swarm sending to other units.

I feel sorry for any would-be Vudu owners om Comcast!



I got news for Vudu owners if this is true... welcome to the wonderful world of throttled bandwidth.

Good night, done. Seriously, if its a b i t t o r r e n t solution, they are done before they even get started.

Bit T*rrent, huh - how long until these machines are hacked to download movies from "alternative" sources then? I'd give it a couple months at most.

BioSehnsucht said "as he understands it". That definately doesn't make it a fact. It doesn't mean anything.

Studios will sell there content through any channel they can. The format war is a another issue. Downloads and highdef media and dvd will co-exist. There won't be just one way to watch movies, just like there isn't one type of movie watching audience. This is great for consumers...more choices and options to get your movies and music.

Downloads are the future. We all know it's been coming or a long time and the studios will eagerly make their content available so long as they're comfortable it's secured.

Look at iTunes and look how the CD racks in the stores have shrunk.

I'm not ready to give up my racks of DVDs anytime soon, but I'll probably end up like the guys who still have their laserdisc collection.

The Vudu box has two usb ports which are supposedly for future additional storage. Sounds like that could also be a "safety net" incase a hard drive crash happens???

Downloads may be the future, someday. But I think they have zero chance of selling content for full price if it is overly encumbered or locked to a single machine.

- Tom

Downloads may be the future, someday. But I think they have zero chance of selling content for full price if it is overly encumbered or locked to a single machine.

- Tom
downloads almost have the same restrictions as hd-dvd and bluray right now (not counting the combos). very few people even have 1 hd movie player let alone multiple ones (and that will not change anytime soon). in 5 yrs when everybody has a player that will change (and it becomes the primary player in laptops/computers/car etc).

and i dont know specifically how vudu works but xbox you can go to anybody's 360 and download movies as long as you sign in. by the time hd players take over i suspect downloads will be much more portable.

my point is hd players are pretty damn restrictive right now. right now xbox downloads are more portable than my hd-dvd/blurays (i know alot more people with 360's than i do with a hd movie player)