Ultraviolet: What do you like and not like about it? (1 Viewer)

[Tino]

I gotta be honest. When ultraviolet came out I HATED it. I was so used to iTunes that I rejected uv without ever really testing it thoroughly. I was bored the other day and started playing around with it and.....whaddya know..I now love it. It's as good as iTunes versions with some added value. Chief among these is the ability to stream these films in HD through my Xbox 360 using the Flixter app. I have transferred over 60 films from my library in the last few days. I love that they are all in the cloud and I can either stream them or download them right to my IPAD. I am definitely a convert...though I still love iTunes too.

 

[Sam Posten]

Very interesting Tino. Thanks for your feedback. How many accounts did you have to create, just 1?

 

[cinemaparker]

It should just be as simple as entering a redemption code in one specific place. It shouldn't be people having to create multiple accounts or being forced to sign up for any particular service just to redeem their copies.

 

[Sam Posten]

Word. And I'm out until that happens. And recommend others stay out until that happens.

 

[Tino]

SamI believe I just signed up at Flixter and followed the instructions. Like I said, I HATED UV, but in the end it was much simpler than I thought. I suggest Sam that you try it. You may become a convert like me.

 

[Ejanss]

Having no tablet and doing almost zero traveling in the last year, I have no use for UV whatsoever, but I also don't begrudge having it.
Most of the movies are free bonuses, from Vudu promotions, Warner promotions, disk combos, etc.--I haven't paid for one movie yet, would you? (I"ve also got free credit for one $2 disk upgrade, but since I don't have a computer Blu-ray disk drive, I'm waiting for them to finally come up with a PS3 app.)

I don't use it for living-room viewing, since it's easier to download the complete file on PS3 than to stream. They're all in SD, and some of movies I already have on HD hard disk, but I figure, A) I might be getting a tablet by this time next year, and B) hey, it's free.

 

[Towergrove]

Having no tablet and doing almost zero traveling in the last year, I have no use for UV whatsoever, but I also don't begrudge having it.
Most of the movies are free bonuses, from Vudu promotions, Warner promotions, disk combos, etc.--I haven't paid for one movie yet, would you? (I"ve also got free credit for one $2 disk upgrade, but since I don't have a computer Blu-ray disk drive, I'm waiting for them to finally come up with a PS3 app.)

I don't use it for living-room viewing, since it's easier to download the complete file on PS3 than to stream. They're all in SD, and some of movies I already have on HD hard disk, but I figure, A) I might be getting a tablet by this time next year, and B) hey, it's free.

Ejanss I dont know what you mean by this. Ultraviolet is a streaming AND Download product.. I watch Ultraviolet films DOWNLOADED to my PS3 via VUDU all the time to watch and they are in HD 1080.

 

[Sam Posten]

Genuinely curious q: can you download those Vudu movies, disconnect the PS3 from the net and watch them with no net access? Can you even start the Vudu app without net connectivity?

 

[Ejanss]

Ejanss I dont know what you mean by this. Ultraviolet is a streaming AND Download product.. I watch Ultraviolet films DOWNLOADED to my PS3 via VUDU all the time to watch and they are in HD 1080.

Except that I only have a basic Internet connection, and it takes me a day and a half of casual PS3 usage to completely download a 3G file (and at least two to download a 6G HD file), and the streaming connection can't support anything over a SD resolution without stops.

For that much work, if it's a title I already own--and got the UV copy as "backup", or so the studios say--I can just as easily walk across the room and get my faithful old HD copy off the shelf. SD is only for traveling (where HD wouldn't matter on a 8-11" screen), or for a movie I don't already own, but I only have one or two of those.

Genuinely curious q: can you download those Vudu movies, disconnect the PS3 from the net and watch them with no net access? Can you even start the Vudu app without net connectivity?

They seem to be stored ON the Vudu site, so looks like you first have to access the site to find your titles--If you're asking, do they show up on the desktop like PSN downloads....no.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Very interesting Tino. Thanks for your feedback. How many accounts did you have to create, just 1?

I have answered this question multiple times, Sam. You just have to create one account with the service you want to use. If you use vudu or flixster, it will auto-magically create a UV account for you, and you can redeem your titles directly from the service now.

 

[cinemaparker]

In this day and age, the way that UV works is a few steps back from where we currently are technologically speaking.
It should be as simple as entering a redemption code in one spot. That's it. There's nothing consumer friendly or intuitive about this whole thing and that's what drives me insane. There should be one website where you input the redemption code. Anything that requires you to create two or more seperate accounts to use is not helping in this day and age where most people are suffering from an excess of different site log-ins and passwords that they have to somehow remember. Really hoping the days of passwords and log-ins will be over soon.

There was some kind of error I had where Flixster wasn't able to connect to my UV account and I literally had to kill the Flixster account and open up a Vudu account instead just to be able to connect to my UV collection.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

As I just explained, you only need to create ONE account! You can watch and redeem your movies at either vudu or flixster. No need to create accounts anywhere else! They have made it much easier than it was last year. I signed up for both a year ago, but now I only use vudu, and there is no reason at all to have a flixster account if you don't want one. Also, you can login to both services with facebook as well, so there is no need for a separate login.

http://www.vudu.com/ecopy.html

https://redeem.flixster.com/ultraviolet/

 

[Sam Posten]

Multiquotes!

They seem to be stored ON the Vudu site, so looks like you first have to access the site to find your titles--
If you're asking, do they show up on the desktop like PSN downloads....no.

Well, that ain't really a download then, is it? Does it do the same thing on a tablet device or does it not require a mobile unlock when you are on the go?

I guess I am ok with the dumb not quite a download on a PS3, but if the "download" on a mobile device means you still have to be connected to a network to watch your content that's flipping stupid...

I have answered this question multiple times, Sam. You just have to create one account with the service you want to use. If you use vudu or flixster, it will auto-magically create a UV account for you, and you can redeem your titles directly from the service now.

Right, but in the past there were a LOT of caveats. Like you couldn't unlock every code with one system, and not all of the marketplaces had access to all of the films. Are there still pieces of content locked up that Vudu or other store fronts can't get to? If yes then that's broken.

In this day and age, the way that UV works is a few steps back from where we currently are technologically speaking.
It should be as simple as entering a redemption code in one spot. That's it. There's nothing consumer friendly or intuitive about this whole thing and that's what drives me insane. There should be one website where you input the redemption code. Anything that requires you to create two or more seperate accounts to use is not helping in this day and age where most people are suffering from an excess of different site log-ins and passwords that they have to somehow remember. Really hoping the days of passwords and log-ins will be over soon.

There was some kind of error I had where Flixster wasn't able to connect to my UV account and I literally had to kill the Flixster account and open up a Vudu account instead just to be able to connect to my UV collection.

Ringing endorsement there, and it sounds like what I am asking is STILL NO, that you need multiple accounts to be able to get access to all UV has to offer.

As I just explained, you only need to create ONE account! You can watch and redeem your movies at either vudu or flixster. No need to create accounts anywhere else! They have made it much easier than it was last year. I signed up for both a year ago, but now I only use vudu, and there is no reason at all to have a flixster account if you don't want one. Also, you can login to both services with facebook as well, so there is no need for a separate login.

http://www.vudu.com/ecopy.html

https://redeem.flixster.com/ultraviolet/

Again, you are saying yourself that things have changed. I'm not certain they have enough to convince me. Telling me i can tie this to my FB account isn't really an enticement either, that's a whole different story tho.

 

[Tino]

I go to ONE site, my flixter account and voila it's automatically available in hi def on my Xbox. And once downloaded to my mobile device, it does NOT require a connection to view. Seriously, it's as easy as iTunes. And remember I used to vehemently HATE ultraviolet...till I just tried it.

 

[Patrick Donahue]

Correct, unlike the past you need only open one account with whichever service you wish. All of your UV business (redeeming codes) can be done in that singular place. Very easy.And if another UV service comes along that you like better, you simply create an account with them and your entire library will come with you. I used to hate the idea of digital, but especially now that it's become hard to find anything but the newest releases in a store, I have come to love it.

 

[[email protected]]

...As have many of us.....If its more important to only have to deal with only one company (apple) and its not a problem to have to always use (apple) device brand (or lose your movies) and you don't mind paying full price thru apple for your movies (little or no studio support) then itunes is for you.

 

[Tino]

SamI'm not sure if I asked you, but have you even tried to use it? The reason I ask is that I felt exactly as you do.....until I tried it.

 

[Sam Posten]

It's not about having to deal with one company, it's in endorsing a product that is technically flawed and is a mess to use. We'll see.

Tino, no I do not because I refuse to be one of the statistics that they constantly tout. Just because someone has tried your cockamamie schemes doesn't mean you are a satisfied and ongoing customer.

If and when they get the messes sorted (and to be fair, it's been 3+ years and there are still problems) I will give it a shot. I'm not a zealot. But I refuse to be a pawn either.

 

[Tino]

But Sam we keep telling you it's not flawed and very easy to use. There is no mess. At this point I don't get your resistance to just try it. What harm can there be in doing that?

 

[Joshua Clinard]

For digital movies, vudu is the best streaming service available! Vudu's UV catalog is the deepest there is. CinemaNow and Flixster are missing several from my collection, but not vudu. There are some TV seasons and a couple movies from small studio's such as The Weinstein Company that don't have UV status on their site because they don't yet have a UV licence with those companies. A UV licence is sold separate from a digital licence in some cases. So, no, the service is not perfect yet. I expect those issues to be worked out. (If you redeem those movies on vudu, instead of flixster, they will still be added to your library) They have been making a lot of improvements along the way. But what service is perfect, in this day and age. iTunes isn't perfect either. I continue to hear random cases where a movie would disappear from someone's library, or be removed from icloud. Why does a service have to be perfect for you to use it? If you could get some enjoyment out of it, for example by letting your kids view your movies on a mobile device, wouldn't it be worth it?