What's new

Press Release Announcing the launch of MOVIES ANYWHERE (1 Viewer)

Tino

Taken As Ballast
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 1999
Messages
23,523
Location
Metro NYC
Real Name
Valentino
The mobile version has a smaller number of films compared to the disc version, so that’s to be expected.

Yeah my Vudu collection is at 1,400 (and all of that is now in iTunes and Amazon as well!) - all built on D2D conversions and codes. If you buy full price for a digital movie you are doing something wrong ;)
I just checked my Amazon account and only Disney films have ported.

Obviously there are issues since it’s working for some and partially for others.
 

Jason_V

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 7, 2001
Messages
8,950
Location
Orlando, FL
Real Name
Jason
The only two holdouts, as much as I am aware, are Paramount and Lionsgate.

I would estimate Lionsgate will come on board eventually.

Paramount, on the other hand, is a tough cookie. From some internal things I know, they are demanding a very high price for their catalog and have been courting buyers, but I think most everyone has backed away (my opinion). Either Paramount is going to continue holding out for a distributor that can afford their price, or, they will agree to make their money on streaming purchases. Again, my opinion.

Most of the Universal stuff I have loaded through iTunes (Back to the Future, ET, Jaws, Jurassic Park), so there is a workaround for those titles.

Paramount...oy...they're a cluster from what I understand in the business media. So many different issues there, not to mention the Trek split between CBS and Paramount and the absolute lack of anything most people want to see on their slate.
 

Josh Steinberg

Premium
Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Messages
26,250
Real Name
Josh Steinberg
What's interesting is a number of HD titles not available on optical.

Take for instance The Parent Trap and A Night At The Opera. It's indicated that there are HD versions. I wonder how these look and if some sort of restoration was done. And if it was, at least for ANATO, why hasn't Warner released it to Blu?

I've been trying to spread the word about titles like that available in HD versions online for years but usually it got no traction. (Not intending to pick on you, Ron - the more that can enjoy these, the better!)

In the case of Night At The Opera, it's the same transfer as the DVD. A lot of studios started scanning in HD in the late 90s and using those HD masters as the basis of their DVD releases. So the streaming versions online are coming from the same source but in higher resolution. Because Warner has an internal policy that they won't release a BD that's less than perfect, these masters are not considered good enough by them.

But MGM doesn't care and these are the same types of masters they license out to Twilight Time and Kino.

A lot of the Disney HD masters are newer and look phenomenal.

Almost all can be rented for $4. Why buy it for $20 when you can watch it once for $4? If you think you'll watch it more than five times, by all means, but if it's something you watch once every few years, I find an HD rental works just fine for me.
 

Ronald Epstein

Founder
Owner
Moderator
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 3, 1997
Messages
66,478
Real Name
Ronald Epstein
Josh,

I would rather buy. I am a collector. I don't rent.

Just saw Murder By Death is available in HD. Sure, the same DVD master, but now in HD (as it was originally scanned).

This service has so many possibilities.

Yeah, I think you were ignored by many, Josh as we probably all felt optical releases were forthcoming. Streaming really hasn't started to seep into our minds until more recently. Our mission statement here is geared towards watching films in the best quality available. However, the reality of life is finally coming to fruition that we aren't going to get the titles we want in that format.
 

Cranston37+

🇺🇸
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
3,038
Real Name
Patrick
I've been trying to spread the word about titles like that available in HD versions online for years but usually it got no traction.

I feel like I’ve been doing the same thing. People kept saying how superior blu-ray is, and I would argue that it didn’t matter if the movie you wanted to watch wasn’t on it. One of the most requested blu’s is The Philadelphia Story - I’ve been watching that digitally in HD for about the last 5 years and I only paid $2 for it!
 

Scott Merryfield

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 16, 1998
Messages
18,848
Location
Mich. & S. Carolina
Real Name
Scott Merryfield
Ron,

One caveat to the Vudu Disc to Digital program is that not all the transfers available online are as good as what you have on disc, and it's impossible to know until you buy the online copy. For example, I converted my DVD copy of The Hustler only to discover that the online version available on Vudu was a pan & scan transfer. Vudu did eventually credit my account after I complained, though.
 

Ronald Epstein

Founder
Owner
Moderator
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 3, 1997
Messages
66,478
Real Name
Ronald Epstein
Ron,

One caveat to the Vudu Disc to Digital program is that not all the transfers available online are as good as what you have on disc, and it's impossible to know until you buy the online copy. For example, I converted my DVD copy of The Hustler only to discover that the online version available on Vudu was a pan & scan transfer. Vudu did eventually credit my account after I complained, though.


Gotcha. I don't think I am going to do the conversion. I just don't have the time.

But the more I think about it, the more I am going to start buying a lot of these titles that I don't think will ever see the light of day on Blu-ray.
 

Cranston37+

🇺🇸
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
3,038
Real Name
Patrick
Ron,

One caveat to the Vudu Disc to Digital program is that not all the transfers available online are as good as what you have on disc, and it's impossible to know until you buy the online copy. For example, I converted my DVD copy of The Hustler only to discover that the online version available on Vudu was a pan & scan transfer. Vudu did eventually credit my account after I complained, though.

Yes, but remember that now a D2D conversion at Vudu will transfer to the other services that DO have the correct transfer. I personally don’t even use Vudu for watching, just to get discs transferred into MA...

(I just checked The Hustler for you and it does indeed transfer to MA, iTunes, Amazon and Google with the correct transfer - I originally got it through Vudu like you)

Once Amazon joins Apple TV, I will have 5 providers to choose from on my TV to view my MA collection in the event there is a problem with a title like a bad transfer.
 
Last edited:

Josh Steinberg

Premium
Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Messages
26,250
Real Name
Josh Steinberg
Josh,

I would rather buy. I am a collector. I don't rent.

Just saw Murder By Death is available in HD. Sure, the same DVD master, but now in HD (as it was originally scanned).

This service has so many possibilities.

Yeah, I think you were ignored by many, Josh as we probably all felt optical releases were forthcoming. Streaming really hasn't started to seep into our minds until more recently. Our mission statement here is geared towards watching films in the best quality available. However, the reality of life is finally coming to fruition that we aren't going to get the titles we want in that format.

I understand and respect that.

I'd argue that an HD stream is the higher quality version if the only physical media version is DVD. There are a ton of movies where there's only a crappy MAR DVD available - particularly with classic Disney live action!

As for being a collector, I am too, but I don't feel like I'm collecting when I'm dealing with streaming. So rental works fine for me. A $4 rental is much nicer on my wallet than a $30 blind buy, especially if I end up not loving the movie :D
 

Ronald Epstein

Founder
Owner
Moderator
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 3, 1997
Messages
66,478
Real Name
Ronald Epstein
I understand and respect that.

I'd argue that an HD stream is the higher quality version if the only physical media version is DVD. There are a ton of movies where there's only a crappy MAR DVD available - particularly with classic Disney live action!

As for being a collector, I am too, but I don't feel like I'm collecting when I'm dealing with streaming. So rental works fine for me. A $4 rental is much nicer on my wallet than a $30 blind buy, especially if I end up not loving the movie :D


Oh, yes, let me clarify....

Now I don't have to blindly buy everything. I can rent. Though blindly buying often gets me 7.1 audio which from looking through the Vudu catalog, not all new releases have. Baby Driver is one that doesn't on the HDX version.

The stuff I buy is content I have confidence in.
 

Peter Apruzzese

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 20, 1999
Messages
4,888
Real Name
Peter Apruzzese
Yes, but remember that a D2D conversion at Vudu transfers to other services that DO have the correct transfer. I personally don’t even use Vudu for watching, just to get discs transferred into MA...

(I just checked The Hustler for you and it does indeed transfer to MA, iTunes, Amazon and Google with the correct transfer - I originally got it through Vudu like you)

Once Amazon joins Apple TV, I will have 5 providers to choose from on my TV to view my MA titles if there is a problem with a title like a bad transfer.

This is interesting. Let me make sure I understand this. Assuming I set up a Movies Anywhere account, titles I have in one of my digital services (Vudu & iTunes & Amazon) that are also available in the other services will then become available to me in those other services?

[Note: I have some movies on Vudu and a handful on iTunes plus one or two Amazon purchases. Most were from included digital codes with discs, and about 10 or so on Vudu were from the D2D service when they had a free promotion. I don't use these very often so forgive me if this question sounded basic.]
 

Cranston37+

🇺🇸
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
3,038
Real Name
Patrick
This is interesting. Let me make sure I understand this. Assuming I set up a Movies Anywhere account, titles I have in one of my digital services (Vudu & iTunes & Amazon) that are also available in the other services will then become available to me in those other services?

[Note: I have some movies on Vudu and a handful on iTunes plus one or two Amazon purchases. Most were from included digital codes with discs, and about 10 or so on Vudu were from the D2D service when they had a free promotion. I don't use these very often so forgive me if this question sounded basic.]

You got it! Welcome!
 

Noel Aguirre

Supporter
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Messages
1,590
Location
New York City
Real Name
noel
Dude chill. I didn’t ask you any question. I just said no one accused you of making anything up.

Chill? I have all my movies linked up. No worries here. And I never said you asked a question. Whoever was trying to confirm that what I was saying was accurate or not- as if I wasn't reading the 4K icon in iTunes.? No worries.
 

Christian T Lee

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Messages
110
Location
Cornwall, Ontario, Canada
Real Name
Christian Taylor Lee
I’m on hold as I type this trying to resolve my issues.
Hi Tino, did you have any luck? I had the same problem as you. Once talking to support and disconnecting and then reconnecting my VUDU account all my titles ported over successfully.
My VUDU titles also appeared in my iTunes account. Took about 30 minutes for them to appear in iTunes.
Hope it works out for you.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,710
Messages
5,121,111
Members
144,146
Latest member
SaladinNagasawa
Recent bookmarks
0
Top