Ultraviolet keeps moving forward. Have you used it yet? (1 Viewer)

[Joshua Clinard]

More than 6,000 titles are now available in the UltraViolet format, with 3 million accounts. That may seem like a small number, but I think of UV as a beta product, that's still very much under development. A lot of people are judging it as if it were a finished product. The Common File Format has yet to be deployed. Major retailers like Amazon.com and BestBuy will soon be launching their storefronts. Studio Support will be increasing much more by the end of the year. in January, 2013, we will see what UV really looks like, and by that time, I think it will be much different. Once this happens, once people know that they are able to download the movies to their computers, and play on any device, and once more titles are available, I think this format will grow exponentially. I predict 12 million users and 15 to 20 thousand titles will be available by next summer.
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/digital-evolution/ultraviolet-hits-3-million-accounts-6000-titles-27590

 

[Steve Tannehill]

I got an email from Vudu offering me a free video if I linked my Vudu account with my Ultraviolet account. I did, but they lied...it was only a free video if you created the UV account thru Vudu. There is also an offer for 5 free videos if you have a DVD converted to Walmarts streaming service...but I don't trust it.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

That's not a lie. On the page where you sign up, it clearly states, New Ultraviolet account required to get a free movie. I had no trouble in getting my five free movies for using the disc to digital service, even though it wasn't my first time doing it. I actually got to get 10 free movies because they e-mailed me a redemption code before they started offering a clickable link in your account settings page, so I was able to redeem a second set. I am most happy with vudu.

 

[HACKINT0SH]

LOL, just earlier tonight I was off at the Vudu sight reviewing some of this. I'm sure I'll check it out, even if I don't believe in it. Only problem is I have to solve some Vudu interface problems that are built into my HTS.

 

[DavidEC]

I have read where ""SOME"" Wal-Marts are accepting the "HD-DVD"s for conversion to the "VUDU" "Cloud" movie collections for the $2 each price?
Has anybody here been able to do this and on the "VUDU" site there has been no ''OFFICIAL'' comment or policy.
avid

 

[Joshua Clinard]

It's a conversion from HD to HD, just take the discs in and they should add it to your account, ass long as you select the Blu-Ray version from the list. They shouldn't give you a hard time. In fact one time I had a stack of about 15 DVD's, and somehow I left 2 of them at home, and the sales clerk went ahead and added them anyway, they told me to bring them back later to get them stamped.

 

[Jason Charlton]

I'll chime in on this thread, since my situation has changed and this topic is one in which I now have a vested interest.

Until last week, the notion of "digital copies" of movies that I can view on any device had absolutely no appeal to me. My purchasing decisions were in no way swayed by the presence or omission of a digital copy, and I had no stake whatsoever in the "UV" vs. "Non-UV/iTunes" camp.

Then I walked into work last week to discover that everyone in our company was given a brand-new iPad (yeah, it's a cool company). This is the only apple product I own, and the only "portable" device on which I'd ever consider watching movies (I have an Android phone, but I simply see no reason to watch movies on a screen THAT small).

Naturally, I started going through my older Blu-Rays to see which had digital copies (and still had the activation code).

My first thought was "can I download directly to the iPad?" For that, I started by going to iTunes (natch) on the iPad and entered my first code.

Downloaded the first one with no trouble at all. Cool. Now the next one. Whoops - needs the physical disc in a computer in order to activate. OK, I move over to my PC, add the disc, download several more movies into iTunes on my PC, then connect the devices, a couple of drag and drops, done.

In about an hour's time, I had 6 movies - roughly 12 hours of entertainment - loaded on the iPad for what will likely only be watched during travel and power outages.

Then I paused and thought about this thread and all other UV-related discussions. iTunes had been so simple - why in the hell would I ever consider doing this any other way? I used an existing account - had to do nothing more than enter my password for each download and that was that.

Digital copies now have some degree of value to me, but from what I've read about the headaches surrounding UV and all the hoops one has to jump through to get their movies (coupled with the absolute DREAM that accessing the content via iTunes has been), I have determined that they are NOT valuable enough for me to even consider exploring UV as a means for getting my digital copies. If a movie I like is UV only, I think I can live without having a digital copy of it. I don't foresee getting a non-Apple tablet in the future and am perfectly happy living in the "walled" Apple community.

Just .02 from someone who only recently joined the 21st century.

 

[ackbak]

I tied UV a couple of times and was completely unimpressed with the process. This is supposed to be easy and seamless, and it currently is not. I don't really see UV succeeding without getting Apple fully on-board.

 

[David Deeb]

Digital copies now have some degree of value to me, but from what I've read about the headaches surrounding UV and all the hoops one has to jump through to get their movies, I have determined that they are NOT valuable enough for me to even consider exploring UV as a means for getting my digital copies.  If a movie I like is UV only, I think I can live without having a digital copy of it. 

Value is the key-word in this discussion. What is the value of all these different digital copies. And what is the value of the sheer TONAGE of content anymore. There is so much content available that the value of most of it has become worthless. I mean I myself have literally 100's & 100's of choices between literally 100's and 100's of BDs & DVDs I own. 100's of cable channels. And now 100's of streaming channels including YouTube, and all the other digital channels via my BD player / Roku box, etc.
I really don't see the average family seeing "value" in collecting digital movies the same way they have built their digital music collection or even their physical movie collection.
Digital copies do have value but it has to be simple. Going through hoops, or buying a digital copy for $20 (without a physical back-up) probably is just too pricey when there are seemingly 10 million other choices NOT at $20.
I have not tried UV yet (but not saying I never will), but as someone who owns literally 100s and 100s and 100s of physical discs, I really see no value at this stage, in buying into the digital eco system of UV either.

 

[Towergrove]

Value is the key-word in this discussion. What is the value of all these different digital copies. And what is the value of the sheer TONAGE of content anymore. There is so much content available that the value of most of it has become worthless. I mean I myself have literally 100's & 100's of choices between literally 100's and 100's of BDs & DVDs I own. 100's of cable channels. And now 100's of streaming channels including YouTube, and all the other digital channels via my BD player / Roku box, etc.
I really don't see the average family seeing "value" in collecting digital movies the same way they have built their digital music collection or even their physical movie collection.
Digital copies do have value but it has to be simple. Going through hoops, or buying a digital copy for $20 (without a physical back-up) probably is just too pricey when there are seemingly 10 million other choices NOT at $20.
I have not tried UV yet (but not saying I never will), but as someone who owns literally 100s and 100s and 100s of physical discs, I really see no value at this stage, in buying into the digital eco system of UV either.

Studios need to lower their digital copy prices.
I do think that many will and do find value in digital copies. I prefer to own my media instead of rent. Evidentially many people do as sell thru both digital and physical are a 10 billion dollar a year business. Someone is buying.