UV/Vudu doesn't universally support HD purchases on tablets and mobile (1 Viewer)

[Tino]

I agree with what Josh said.

I freaked a bit until I saw the thread was started by Sam.

 

[Tino]

Of just add

"....sometimes on certain mobile devices only."

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I have over 90 films in my Vudu library -- almost all were UV codes from discs I have purchased. I am getting more used to the system, but still find it confusing at times -- especially when it comes to how and when UHD versions show up when codes are redeemed from those discs. I almost never watch any of the films in my library, though -- I've redeemed the UV codes "just in case" I want to watch something when we are out of town. We do occasionally rent movies through them for films I do not want to blind buy -- it's certainly more convenient than driving to a rental store (and very few physical store options exist anymore around here).

I did run into a confusing situation with them this past week, but Vudu customer support rectifed the problem. I had a free rental that I received via an email code, but Vudu was charging my account instead of giving me the free rental when I rented a film. Customer support got back to me about 30 minutes before my free rental was set to expire and informed me I needed to select "watch" instead of "rent" to redeem the free rental. They refunded the cost of the film I had rented and already watched (Fantastic Beasts) and I still had the freebie, so we also rented Logan -- we got two free rentals instead of one.

So, their website can be confusing at times, but at least Vudu seems to correct any issue I've run into.

 

[Sam Posten]

Exactly Scott. I am not a vudu/UV primary user. I am the designated stuckee organizing for my family's collection. They watch on TVs and smart devices like Rokus. I'm just the monkey who redeems the codes and got stuck converting disk to digital. Last night I had some free time lying in bed before sleep and I said 'Hey let's go watch Real Genius on my iPad since we got that on Vudu'. It showed in SD and I tried to figure out why. Others appeared in SD too, but seemingly randomly others were in HDX. This made no sense. It still doesn't. We paid for HDX content and can't get it because of the shitty and impenetrable rules.

If you bought an HD movie on iTunes and couldn't play it on any compatible device the world would howl. Because of the shitty joint system UV somehow gets a pass. And I'm sure there will be half a dozen responses like 'At least we can play Vudu on the devices we own, unlike iTunes '...

 

[Josh Steinberg]

We paid for HDX content and can't get it because of the shitty and impenetrable rules.

Sam, you absolutely can get this content in HDX on the devices that are approved for HDX viewing, like a Roku. Most Vudu titles can only be streamed in SD on portable devices and that SD limitation is present for certain titles when viewing on a computer instead of a set top box. But these are not new or hidden limitations. I'm sorry that it came as a surprise to you, but this has been part of this service since the beginning. As other users have written here, this is done at the request of the rights holders - i.e. this has nothing to do with "Vudu" or "Ultraviolet" being inherently crappy, it has to do with rights holders making choices you don't agree with. I feel like your complaint is with the studios that are requiring these locks, not with the provider simply following their contractual obligations.

For the second time, I respectfully ask that the thread title be amended to reflect that HDX content that users have paid for is not being removed. The alarmist title of this thread doesn't really seem to match the reality of the situation.

 

[Sam Posten]

I can't edit the title on mobile. Will do it when I get home.

I stand by my original positions, whether you agree with them or not. It's a stupid limitation and has no parallel on any other walled garden. Amazon, iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Play. If you have paid for content you get that quality content on any device capable of connecting to that garden.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I stand by my original positions, whether you agree with them or not. It's a stupid limitation and has no parallel on any other walled garden. Amazon, iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Play. If you have paid for content you get that quality content on any device capable of connecting to that garden.

Sam, respectfully, as has been pointed out in this very thread by other users, that's simply not true. Amazon has very similar content playback limitations. I'm not sure if iTunes still does, but at one point they did as well. I was under the impression that items purchased in the Xbox store can only be played on an Xbox, and that items in the PlayStation store can only be played on a Playstation, so if that's the case, that wouldn't really be a relevant comparison.

Also, Vudu is merely one of many possible options for UV content. Do other UV storefronts have this restriction? If so, then the thread should be about UV in general and not single out Vudu. If it's solely a Vudu restriction, then it's worth noting that the content would be available on any other UV provider.

The thing that I'm disagreeing with here is the assertion that the sky is falling, when it really isn't. In a perfect world, all content would be unrestricted and people would be trusted to pay for the media they consume, but we don't live in a perfect world. Every delivery system has limitations of some kind, whether it's physical tape, optical media, digital downloads or streaming.

Will the vast majority of users attempting to stream a movie on an iPhone over a cellular signal really be able to perceive a difference between HDX and lower quality streaming on a three inch screen? And since it's been reported that Vudu is trying to bring HDX options to more titles, not less, shouldn't we be praising them for that instead of being upset that they're not finished doing it yet?

I apologize if this is getting argumentative and I don't mean to be hostile or obnoxious. I just can't express what a jolt it was to see your headline, because my first thought was that things I purchased were being taken away from me, which thankfully is not the case.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I can't edit the title on mobile. Will do it when I get home.

I stand by my original positions, whether you agree with them or not. It's a stupid limitation and has no parallel on any other walled garden. Amazon, iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Play. If you have paid for content you get that quality content on any device capable of connecting to that garden.

Sam,

This subject matter shouldn't be adversarial between us. I don't think any of us disagree with your point in bold. However, are you getting what some of us are saying to you? That this limitation has always been there. Until recently, none of us was able to watch any Vudu HDX on their mobile devices. Now, at least, some HDX material is available to our mobile devices. All of us would want no limitations and hope that happens in the near future.

 

[Robert Crawford]

In a perfect world, all content would be unrestricted and people would be trusted to pay for the media they consume, but we don't live in a perfect world.


I apologize if this is getting argumentative and I don't mean to be hostile or obnoxious. I just can't express what a jolt it was to see your headline, because my first thought was that things I purchased were being taken away from me, which thankfully is not the case.

Right, I think we can all agree about that unrestricted point.

As to the tone of this thread, I think some of us need to be less argumentative and listen a little better to each other's POV.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

[edit - nevermind]

 

[Cranston37+]

It's a stupid limitation and has no parallel on any other walled garden. Amazon, iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Play.

I echo what Josh said in saying, respectfully, that this is simply not true. And we've proven that.

What I (and I think others) can't understand, Sam, is if this limitation is also in place for non-UV content and non-UV providers, then why do you keep characterizing this as a UV problem?

 

[Sam Posten]

I've edited the thread title. Moving on.

 

[Cranston37+]

"It's 2017 and UV/Vudu doesn't universally support HD purchases on tablets and mobile"!?

C'mon, Sam, as a moderator you should be fostering good discussion, but instead you're lobbing bombs to see what the reaction will be. This is not what HTF is all about. Very disappointing...

 

[Sam Posten]

If this were only about phones you might have half a point, but it's not. It's tablets too and 2017 tablets have resolution greater than anything short of a 4k TV, sometimes greater.

All my Disney stuff is showing up in HD on Amazon, iTunes and Vudu, not sure what your argument is there. All 6 of my non disney Amazon Prime purchases in HD show up as "You own this product in HD" and play in HD. Not sure if that's universal or not. All Amazon Prime subscription videos are in HD as far as I can tell.

 

[Tino]

Sam

Again respectfully you've beaten this horse to death a million times. It's a bit frustrating to those of us that love the service to constantly have to try to defend and explain it to you. I really don't think you want to get it.

You hate VUDU and UV. We get it. Honestly we do. We really don't care that you hate it.

Can you please cease and desist? Pretty please?