BBC unveils UltraViolet DVDs, BDs
Latest Doctor Who series to come with download copy
The BBC has announced a set of Blu-ray Disc and DVD releases that will support the UltraViolet online video locker service.
Upcoming Doctor Who, Top Gear and David Attenborough releases will support UV to allow owners signed up to the service to stream and download versions of the discs’ content to mobile devices, computers and such.
The content will be also be made available through Flixster, the Warner Bros-owned online movie shop, the BBC indicated. Flixster has its own desktop and mobile player apps, but one of the key features of UltraViolet is the ability to play content bought from one store - or acquired freely through a disc purchase - on other UV-compliant apps.
So far, UV is largely a US affair, with the likes of Walmart/Vudu, Paramount, Warner/Flixster, Universal and Sony punter compatible content stores.
Here in the UK, Tesco, which owns the Blinkbox film store, is one of UV's supporter companies but doesn't appear keen to bring it to the UK yet. Warner and Sony have said, however, that they will be ramping up their UV efforts here later this year. Lovefilm is also a UV backer, but has yet to roll out support for the service here. ®
COMMENTS
No such thing as UV DVD
That cr*p is just not in the DVD specs.
Now, about "Upcoming Doctor Who, Top Gear and David Attenborough releases will support UV to allow owners signed up to the service to stream and download versions of the discs’ content to mobile devices, computers and …"
If I get a DVD I already can rip and format it for any mobile device, computer and ..., without signing up to anything and without letting some control-freak lawyer to tell me what and when I can or cannot watch.
Re: i think i shall stick to my currant set up......
Well, I'm sure you have your raisins.
Re: No such thing as UV DVD
I've been doing this for a while now with both DVD and Bluray. Buy film, copy onto media centre pc (or re-encode to save space).
Why bother with the hassle of creating accounts and drm when I can easily rip the film onto my media centre pc or just download it from a less than reputable place if I'm feeling extra lazy. Then I've got a easy to use front-end to all my media without having to dig through a bunch of dvd/bluray boxes.
The front end to which I refer is XBMC of course.
UltraViolet, classic bait and switch
Ultraviolet according to an industry puppet -
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/12/08/ultraviolet_uk_launch_for_boxing_day_we_kick_the_tyres/
"...through UltraViolet, punters will buy a universal, lifetime right to watch a movie in any format they want; it may be streamed to any device from the cloud, or downloaded to any device..."
The reality -
https://www.networkworld.com/community/node/81514/
...Alas, my hopes were dashed when I finally looked at UltraViolet's fine print. Instead of "owning" an Internet-capable copy of my movie or TV series, all I really get is a license which includes, "streaming from the selling UltraViolet Retailer, at no extra charge above the original content purchase price, for at least one year after purchase. This no-extra-charge streaming will be offered to specific apps/devices, and via streaming means, to be determined by the selling UltraViolet Retailer. Streaming of a given title from the selling UltraViolet Retailer more than a year after its purchase, or at any time via Streaming Services other than the selling UltraViolet Retailer, may incur fees and if so any such fees would be presented to the consumer in advance of streaming titles, with the consumer having the option to accept the fees or not use that Streaming Service..."
...and it goes on with more of the same.
Re: No such thing as UV DVD
Bigfinish.com are the only company I can think of which offers both formats for one price. Each CD sale includes an MP3 download which is accessed from your account. If you only want the download, the price is cheaper.
However there's nothing to stop you then selling the CD on again on eBay and keeping the download for yourself but I guess BF have learned to live with this and are happy to give their customers the flexibility. Can't imagine any of the big record companies or publishers doing this.
