AppleTV vs. Vudu vs. Amazon/TiVo vs. Playstation/Netflix vs. Xbox Live vs. Comcast HD - Page 5

He's in marketing and may not know. There some engineers over at the forum, they might have a better answer.


Im betting its like dvr's and such, you send it back.

I saw your questions. The hard drive is not user replaceable (and I don't believe dd would work). I'm trying to get the correct information to give you about out of warranty repairs.

Thank you for looking into it.

However, while I don't own the box, I have a hard time believing that given the opportunity, that someone could not figure out how to replace the drive. heck I have replaced drives on pretty much every home entertainment device I have owned that has had a hard drive (Dish DVR, Directv DVR, Tivo and so on) though various methods. Only Sony and their DHG-HDD series of OTA receivers have eluded me. And that is what worries me. Sony charges a ridculous price to replace the drive (If you can even get them to do it anymore) and you sit back just knowing that drive cost is nill to them.

I understand obviously that the whole DRM crap fest is part of your answers, but if vudu offers a reasonable repair option and clarifies the policy on purchased content being re-downloaded for no fee (1 year, 2 year, lifetime?) I am in, if not, then I can't justify my cash going to Vudu.


I tried the (are they official for support or just user info and hosted by the company?) forums and they didn't seem to address the question. I emailed vudu through the support page yesterday morning on these questions and am still waiting for a response.

The big thing that I am seeing regarding purchased titles is this from the website

If VUDU has to repair or replace your VUDU Equipment, or if content is lost due to a failure of the hard drive in the VUDU Equipment, VUDU will, to the best of its ability and within the rights granted to it by its content licensor's, replace all purchased (but not rented) movies
or other purchased (but not rented) entertainment content that you acquired from VUDU and that is or are stored on your VUDU Equipment ("Content"), for a period of one (1) year from the date of such Content's purchase."

Does the Vudu Vault service make the 1 year thing no longer an issue?

Also, looking at this thread over on the vudu forums
http://forum.vudu.com/showthread.php?t=2000

is Nded a vudu rep? Cause his answer in post 3 makes me believe that he is, but the way he answers later on is not someting I would want to deal with if I was a customer.

I just got a Vudu box last week, and I am impressed. I was holding out for PQ, and the HDX content knocked me off the fence. I have watched several titles in HD, and HDX, and can say that HDX is almost as good as Blu-Ray. I did an A/B compare with a Blu-Ray title I own, and I could see just a hair more detail on the Blu-Ray, in freeze frames, but I really had to look for it. This is on my 133" screen.

I have spent many years with Netflix, and it is just a real pain in the behind, trying to get SD content, not to mention HD content, for me, was almost impossible. Then, when I finally got it, some times it was the wrong disc, the disc was scratched etc. I finally gave up, and just started buying all my movies. This started getting expensive, and there were plenty of movies I just wanted to watch once. For me, Vudu is well worth the money. Now I just hope they up the content, and release dates for rentals.

Geez Free, netflix has been great for me, but like your experience with neflix, I had the same issues with blockbuster online service.

I am very close to going with vudu for their quality, I just need a few more questions answered. I am one of those consumers a big box store employee hates and I admit it. I like to ask ALOT of questions

I like my XL but it is addictive: you can spend a lot of money with just a few clicks of the remote

I would still like to see Vudu add HD Test Patterns and an active screen saver of cover art

I bought the XL through a local integrator and installed it myself; controlled by an RTI remote system: also have the Apple TV

[I have no connection with Vudu other than as a customer]

I hear ya on the spending, Im glad I got the $200 credit to get it out of my system

I already second your motion at Vudu forums for the test patterns.

Netflix is going to start to stream HD titles to standalone boxes (the little $100 Roku player and $400 combo Blu-ray/Netflix players from both LGE and Samsung) and Xbox 360s (when the "New Xbox Experience" launches next month); the HD content will not be available on PCs or Macs (see this). Quality and quantity of content is unknown, but it will apparently require a significant broadband pipe--8-to-10 Mbps.

I've used Netflix "Watch Instantly" some, on my PC (the laptop that I'm composing this on is in my HT system, connected to a 46" 1080p LCD panel). The SD quality is nothing to write home about, but I've used it to re-watch and/or catch up on some television here and there, and to watch a few indie movies that weren't all that visual and which I couldn't have watched in HD anyway. It's definitely worth every penny I've been asked to pay for it so far . It'll be interesting to try it on Xbox.

I imagine their HD will be soft like Apples. If they put up an HDX quality video, you can bet it wont be free.

Netflix could make it interesting will a set fee download plan though.

yeah from what I have seen HDX quality will be hard to beat with a streaming only delivery.

I still am looking forward to it and maybe this will speed up amazon and tivo with their HD plans.

SatinKzo - No, I'm not (nor have I ever been) a Vudu employee. I think the later on post that bothered you was my sarcastic response to an irritating poster ,which would be easier to understand if you had been following the forum live at the time, where the other guy was constantly bombarding the Vudu forum with gripes because he is obsessed with complaining about Vudu (he loves his @TV hobby gear). The folks at Vudu bent over backwards to try and please the other guy, but he just kept on disrupting the forum. Eventually he was banned for life for being a troublemaker.

I would be happy to independently answer any questions you have about getting a Vudu.

Very good to know. Thank you for your reply. I was not sure and that is why I asked.

I really want to get vudu but I am still waiting for my questions to be answered either here, over at vudu forums, or in an email reply to them that I submitted on Monday (Oct 27th) morning.

I have only gotten 1 answer that the hard drive is not user replaceable, but every manufacturer says that and will not support it and I don't expect a company employee to tell me it can be done even if it can be so I am fine with that answer. But I do have other questions.

I have not yet attempted to replace/duplicate the hard drive, so I can't report on how this might work in the field. From a purely technical perspective you gotta believe a dedicated tech with the right gear could do it, but I can't tell you how.

Do you have any other open Vudu questions?

yes nded, I do.

Can you read back on the purchase replacement policy question I had a couple posts up (#123)?

Also, do you happen to know what Vudu's policy/charge is for drive replacement when it does fail? Again, I don't want to pay through the nose for a sub $100 part.

*Btw, in my comment about your reply on the vudu forums to the one user... No issues with how you replied I was just thining "man is this guy a vudu employee? I wouldn't want my employees posting that in public to a customer". But going back and looking at other posts I can see why it appears he ticked off a few people there. Nothing wrong with a fellow customer telling someone to scale it back though.

You may find the reading at http://www.cepro.com/article/vudu_pl...tent_recovery/ to be helpful in your decision making process.

AFAIK the hard drive replacement cost hasn't been publicy addressed, as we just now reached the point where the first Vudu's sold to the public are 1 year old and are out of the warranty period. I expect that VUDUPatrick will get back to us fairly quickly with an official answer.

Thank you Nded, I appreciate your responses.

I must say also, thank you Vudu. you have pushed the competition lately with quality. Looking at all the netflix partnerships now (tivo just added). I am wondering if Tivo/netlfix could match HDX quality since they would essentially have the same hard drive buffer/storage as vudu!

One more question for anyone...
Is vudu still planning Demo kiosks? I thought I read they were not just selling through bestbuy but havine demo systems there... I still can't find one in stock in any bestbuy store within 300 miles of me and I just want to go see one in person. All I have now are screenshots and reviews from users.

SatinKzo - where are you located?

Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Bestbuy website states no Vudu in any stores in MI, IN, IL, OH. Vudu webstie says they have demos in chicago.

Btw, I'm actually not willing to drive 300 miles to see one

I'll ask around to see if I can find somebody in the beta tester program with a Vudu near Kalamazoo, Michigan willing to host a demonstration. However, you might want to take advantage of the 30-Day moneyback guarantee on Vudu's. Just go ahead and order one from Best Buy (so you get your $200 credit), and if you aren't satisifed send it back. The only thing you are risking is the cost of the movies you rented (and perhaps return shipping which would be negligible).

Nded, I sent you a PM with a question related to your last post.

The problem with this statement is that the majority of consumers do not care about Blu-ray/HDX quality. The number of people watching full length shows on their laptops is growing dramatically. Availability vs. quality, and availability wins every time. Netflix is going to take over this market. The Netflix streaming player is going to be available for every platform and close-to-DVD-quality is perfect for the majority of consumers.

They just announced that the Netflix streaming player is coming to TiVo S3's and HD's. Its coming to 360's and Blu-ray players and they have a stand alone box. You can use it on PC's and soon to be Mac's.

Where can Vudu compete? I can't figure it out. Their business model is non existent. They offer a service that doesn't add any value over the competition. All it does is allow you to purchase movies. It doesn't play music or photos. It just doesn't compete and it's expensive for what it does.

For the purists out there that want the best quality then there will be Blu-ray.

Well, I don't know if there is a "problem" with my statement....

I expect netflix HD quality to be comparable to Vudu, but not vudu HDX at first. I would dearly love for it to offer the HDX quality at first trust me. But I don't see them being able to match it on the non-mass storage based players (Roku, Samsung players). So netflix HD will be HD-lite at first as my best guess and probably HD-lite only on the streaming only players with limited storage. Unless I have missed somewhere a direct head to head comparison against the netflix HD.

As for the purists and guys like me, yes, BD is the way to go to get the best PQ available to the consumer mass market, but sometimes I don't care if say Baby mama is in HD-lite or in Full HD glory from Blu-ray, I just wanna watch it NOW in the best possible PQ that is available NOW

*disclaimer, baby mama came to mind, I don't actually care if I watch it in SD or HD or in No-D

I think people understate how many there are that actually care about PQ.

Secondly, there are multiple music services (Amazon, Walmart, Apple), why cant there be more than one for movies (and there should be)?? Dont forget that the watch now content is crap as far as new stuff goes, and the HD will be too. Yeah, its great if you get bored and are sitting in an airport. When Netflix decides to go new release download, youll be paying for it just like Apple and Vudu. Why do you think they are putting it in all these boxes? So they have more people to charge

Netflix didnt take over the rental market (BB Online is doing fine) and even though Netflix might be Walmart, but there is still room for Target.


We all began to think that HDDVD and BR would stand side by side, only thing that killed HDDVD was the studios.Now, to keep revenue up, studios are looking into selling movies any way they can, the more download services the better. I for one dropped both Netflix and BB Online and strictly use my Vudu box.

There's nothing wrong with multiple music services. DRM has virtually been removed from the content so they are all the same.

DRM will never be removed from video and it will drastically hurt digital download adoption.

I cant blame em on the video, so it doesnt bother me. Studio spends 100 mil on a movie, just for people to steal it.

I have no problem with studios protecting their investments. Not to turn this into a big debate in this thread cause it doesn't belong here. Not sure what it is about movies and music but people seem t be inherently dishonest when it comes to them. For some reason even the most law abiding people think it's ok to make copies of rentals instead of buying a copy.

I do believe that you should be able to make copies of stuff you own though for real backup purposes, not to share with friends.

I completely agree with this statement, and it goes along with your earlier question. What happens if you buy a movie and the HDD craps out??

I can see myself buying some big movies like Batman/Iron Man, but only when they are released to buy in HDX.

You go to the store and buy a DVD. What makes you think that you should be able to make copies of that single movie that you purchased into other formats? The studio sold you the right to view it on DVD, not on your iPod, mobile phone, or in HD. If you want to view it in those formats then you should pay for the movie in those formats.

It's no different that software. You purchase a license to install MS Office on your Office PC. But, you also have laptops, PC's in the kids rooms, etc. You don't have the right to install it on what you didn't pay for. If you want to install it on those computers then you need to pay for more licenses.

Now don't get me wrong, I rip movies and encode them to multiple formats. I don't think it's right but I couldn't care less.

I think increasingly we will find people could not care less about the text of fine print hidden inside shrink wrapped boxes and mostly unenforceable as far as what consumers do with those boxes inside their own home. If I pick up a box, carry it to the register, and pay for it then as far as I am concerned I bought it.

We should limit copyright law to acts of massive unauthorized distribution, especially for profit. Nobody cares about enforcing the rest of it. It is not worth the effort or cost to society.

Do we want our tax dollars spent enforcing a violation of fine print in a shrink wrap license that nobody reads, or is even given a chance to read before purchase?

- Tom

And since my previous post will probably get deleted... (yep, only lasted 45 minutes?)

here is something I hope can stay...

VuduPatrick where are you? I never got any further info from you and no one has responded to my questions that I posted through the vudu support form on the vudu website. It said I should get a response withing a day or two I believe.

VuduDoug, are you associated with Vudu in anyway? I see you have been on, but have not commented yet.