12/10/2007, 11:50pm, EST
Monday, December 10thVudu to offer Bourne download along with DVD release
Hollywood studios are taking a chance on the Vudu set-top box by granting the service the right to distribute the first of many major movies simultaneously with the official DVD release. The Bourne Ultimatum will be available Tuesday for rent or purchase, in standard and high definition. Universal Pictures is one of a few studios that have agreed to sell high definition content through the Vudu box, though there are not many titles currently available, in contrast to the 5000 standard definition titles that Vudu offers. Vudu sells the set-top box for $400, with rentals ranging from $1 to $5.
The Vudu box is designed to be used with standard or high definition televisions, requiring a 1.5-megabit internet connection for downloading purchased movies or a 3-megabit connection for streaming rentals. The high definition video market is a little uncertain currently, as HD-DVD and Blu-ray battle for market dominance. By providing high definition movies digitally, users can side-step either format and just get the content directly from the Vudu video service.
"Universal is committed to providing new and innovative entertainment experiences for consumers," said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital. "VUDU's breakthrough technology speaks to the evolving digital distribution market and is a perfect way for Bourne fans to get the best motion pictures in superior home video quality in the timeliest manner possible."
Filed under: industry
Other story tags: Universal, HD, movies, Vudu, digital download, online video, set-top
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$5 for a rental seems pretty reasonable for a high def rental. Cheaper than the Xbox.
$20 to buy the movie in high def is about the right price point. The MSRP for HD-DVD is $39.98. Even if you buy it "reduced" at Amazon it will cost you $27.95 + shipping. Oh yeah and you have to wait for it to be delivered, vudu is high-def video on demand.
Apple TV is ridiculously expensive compared to vudu. The vudu has a 250GB HDD, versus Apple TV's 160GB hdd for the same price. Movies on Apple tv are $12.99 for older standard def movies - a new (high def) release for $20 isn't bad compared to this. Oh yeah, you dont need a computer and Itunes for vudu either - meaning its Grandma/Mom/Little Brother friendly.
The one barrier to Vudu's mass adoption will be the unit price IMHO. But if you look around you can get it cheaper than the $399. Even on vudu.com if you order right now you get $50 off in movie cedits.
And no way are those other prices in line with reality.
This will undoubtedly fail in the long term, leaving the greedy bastards at the studios with no choice but to keep trying to pull money out of our pockets in every possible way... other than using iTunes.
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