Walmart Entertainment’s Disc-to-Digital Service Powered by VUDU - Page 9

? ~$500 for a great HTPC, ~$60 per TeraByte for storage....

For my server build (I was planning on using unRaid) I priced about $840, and that's just with 4TB. I didn't really want to build the HTPC, so I was planning on going with an ASRock 252B, which is a pretty sweet build, and it's priced at $775 on amazon. So that alone is $1615. Plus there's the long process of ripping all of my discs, setting up the media software and tweaking audio/video settings, which while some people enjoy doing that kind of stuff, it's just a headache for me.

The cost of converting my movie collection to digital is tiny portion of that, and once they start bundling more movies with a UV license, it would be zero cost to convert. Plus no worry about tweaking anything, it's all there. Granted, I do love the look of a lot of HTPC software like XMBC and MediaPortal more than I do Xbox or PS3's setup, but I'm willing to give that up for price and convenience.

On the VUDU forums they posted that
VUDU just got the OAR version of Ghost Protocol. So once they encode it, they can replace the current cropped version.


http://forum.vudu.com/showpost.php?p...1&postcount=10

What if we want to keep the version we have

I know I need to bring the disc but what about the cases?

No, you don't need the cases, just the disks.

Anyone seen the commercial for this? With the family walking into the store trying to balance their stacks of DVDs, and the kid can't keep hold of his. Made me wonder if the ad team finds the idea as preposterous as some posters in this thread.

This slipped under the radar:

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/wal...-digital-27042

After reading the article it seems you should call your local Walmart photo center to see if they can do it, if they sound clueless then try another store.

I watched the Disc to Digital (HDX) version (I paid to upgrade) of The Dead Zone (1983) on VUDU last night and was quite pleased with the picture and sound quality and I recommend it for fans of the movie. When a streaming version of a older film like this is blown up to 120" you can really see if the quality is there or not. The sound was Dolby Digital 5.1 and not Dolby Digital Plus but it sounded fine. One minor complaint was that the original aspect ratio 1.85:1 seemed to fill the entire 16:9 screen.

My daughter who was visiting at the time asked why this film was not on Blu-ray if VUDU had access to a high definition element. It was a good question and I explained that some movie studios were finding it cheaper to farm out their older movies to other parties. As an example I used the discussion going on in the Twilight Time thread over the movie Fright Night in the Blu-ray software forum. Many people were upset that Sony Pictures chose to license that title to Twilight Time for a limited 3000 copies Blu-ray release. Some of the advantages that were listed for Sony were:

1. They get their money up front.
2. They don't have to manufacture any discs.
3. They don't have to distribute any discs.
4. They don't have to worry about shelf space or merchant returns.

I think Paramount Studios is reaping the rewards in much the same way. Although they could be pressing The Dead Zone on Blu-ray perhaps they think the better business model is to sell the digital version to VUDU and let them distribute the film on demand. Perhaps it is a one-time charge to VUDU or a percentage of the take or a combination of the two. If this film is ever released on Blu-ray I will likely buy it as well but that's just me.

Paramount and Warner open the mattes on all 1.85:1 movies to 16:9 as a matter of policy for all home video transfers. The difference is miniscule and not worth fretting over.

I was under the impression that 1.85:1 was the same as 16:9 and that 2.35:1 or 2.40:1 was the top/bottom black bars.

16/9=1.78 not 1.85

So anything higher than 1.78:1 will show some black bars when there is no overscan.

When a show has aspect ratio of 1.78:1, like broadcast HDTV, there will be no black bars.

Good to know, I guess I haven't noticed any black bars on 1.85 is because I've always owned DLP TVs (on Widescreen) and they have a lot of overscan.

Good to know, thanks.

Sony almost always retains a mathematical 1.85:1. Most other studios are hit-and-miss depending on the specific title.

I wonder if this will make people think twice about building an HTPC or buying a Kaleidescape system if you add up the cost.

I doubt it will effect those wanting an HTPC because there's a lot of advantages(OTA recording, gaming, etc) but I do think it will effect entertainment servers. I'm still not sold on the Walmart Disc-to-Digital program as it stands.

I really want TV Show support. A lot of TV Shows (like Friday Night Lights) probably will never see a blu-ray release, but are available in HD online from multiple sources. I'd like if I could buy the complete set of DVDs and just for a few more dollars upgrade to HDX copies from Vudu.

So I took the 4 alien DVDs in to Walmart today to get the hdx versions. I ended up with both the theatrical and special edition of aliens but no alien. Dumb Walmart employees. Unfortunately the receipt they provide doesn't name the movies so I didn't discover the error until I got home.

Anyone know if you buy the 3D version do you also get 2d version?

I don't think you can do disc to digital to get 3d versions of movies

I know that you can't do the disc to digital on 3D but if I buy on vudu say Tron 3D does it have the option to watch it in 2D?

If you make the list (from vudu) before you take your movies in there, then they go of the list. So, if you type "Hugo" on the website then the only options are bluray or DVD. Doesnt matter if its 3D version or not.

And just to backup what others are saying, the stamps come off REALLY easy. I just dabbed a napkin with rubbing alcohol and POOF it's gone!

I took in blurays of 12 monkeys, Air Force One, and Mission Impossible II & III. No problems. An old lady helped me out and she'd never done the process before and was able to figure it out in 5 minutes.

I have noticed that not all UltraViolet movies are on Vudu. I had a Blu-Ray (Falling Skies S1) w/UV Flixster code, but no Vudu equivalent. Meaning my parents can't watch it on their TV's via Vudu, the main thing I find UV is good for.

I've had the same problem with Flixster/Warner since day one. Sony,Paramount and Vudu all show up in my UltraViolet libary, no Flixster. I have given up on them, wrote a least 5 emails to Flixster & UV both . NOTHING

mark

I've been bringing in my DVD's and Blu rays to my local wallmart(s) since June. I went through all 800 DVDs I have to log which movies are avail on the disc to digital and went through the 150 Blu rays and checked the same. Once my lists were done I began taking in the Blu rays 10-15 at a time and 3 DVDs to upgrade to hdx.

So a month later all my avail Blu rays are done, and most of my DVDs that I want are upgraded to hdx. Still have more DVDs to upgrade, better than have in to rebuy the Blu ray version.

So after a month of trips to wallmart, my suggestion is to grab a stack of the sheets and fill in at home the list you want to do that day. Then be nice to the wallmart employs doing the work and they will take care of you, since most don't know how to do it, had to teach a few myself. But by the third time they were calling me by my first name and calling me on my cellphone when they were done, usually quicker since I was always pleasant with them. Go during week when they are less busy helping customers with photo.

If you do it in the infancy, while employs are learning they often make errors in your favor, like not stamping the Blu rays/DVD or charging two dollars for upgrade rather than the five, so I've heard anyways.

To me vudu is awesome since I have a large library. This is why, 1 I can stream one movie from my ps3 vudu library and a second stream from my Sony Blu ray player. Second reason if the family wants to stream from laptop, iPad of iPhones when we are out no prob, we can watch are movies on our devices.

The rest of my movies that aren't available yet for disc to digital I will burn to nas and get dune media players to playback. So i will need less space for the nas since I put 145 on my vudu account. That's at least 3 terabytes off my nas and put on wallmarts server

My thoughts anyways

Anyone still taking advantage of this? I would have expected much more traffic to this thread if they were.

I've gone to Walmart 3 times for a total of 11 movies but only because they were not available on blu-ray and I could get them on HDX. Otherwise, I would have purchased the blu-ray copy.

I use a Roku....no Vudu available, can I still use thier service? I have the same problem with movies i've purchased that include a digital copy, they wan't you to use either ultraviolet (thats vudu, right?) or itunes? or transfer to computor which I don't want.........do I have any other options?? thanks for any replys