Hasta La Gadget!

Walmart Entertainment launched its in-store disc-to-digital Ultraviolet conversion early last year, and now it’s making the process a bit simpler by letting customers do it by themselves at home. Powered by the Vudu To Go app for Mac and Windows PCs that already lets viewers stream or download movies in up to 1080p, they can search for previously-purchased movies from participating studios (DreamWorks Animation, Lionsgate, MGM Studios, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) and then convert them: DVD to SD or Blu-ray to HD for $2, DVD to HD for $5. Like the beta feature recently launched by Best Buy’s CinemaNow, the app authorizes the copy and then you can watch it through any of the numerous Vudu / Ultraviolet-ready devices and services merely by logging in.

One other new feature on the way is the ability for Vudu users on iOS to download copies to their devices for viewing offline. We first saw the feature on mobiles when its Android tablet app launched last month, and it will come to the Apple family of hardware in mid-February. One other note as Walmart attempts to expand its “Entertainment” brand is a Facebook app that will let its fans read and submit reviews and also vote on which movies will be offered for sale in-store and online. Still need a reason to give UltraViolet a try? Vudu is tossing new users 10 free pre-selected movies just for linking their account or signing up. Check out the full list of details in the press release after the break or hit the source link to see if it’s live.

Continue reading Vudu and Walmart bring disc-to-digital conversions home, iOS app adds offline viewing next month

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Walmart Entertainment

It is said that HDX video has long been a trademark for the Vudu service for some time already, especially when it rolled out streaming and Vudu-to-go downloads for PCs last year which were limited to standard definition. Good to know that progress has been thrown into the mix recently, where the service will now deliver not only 720p HDX video, but 1080p HDX video as well over the web. Your eyes might make that jig of joy, but what you see on the PC does not mean that your ears will rejoice equally since it appears to be limited to stereo audio at the moment, and for folks who have already run some tests on it, they realized that they could not access the Flash streams on a phone or tablet.

All you need to do if you are interested is this, just log into the website and give it a go. Have you already given it a go, and how do you find it so far? Do bear in mind that you would need a decent Internet speed at the very minimum in order to enjoy Full HD video on Vudu, in addition to an HDCP-compliant display, of course.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Vudu Internet streaming 1080p video announced, Walmart In-Store Disc-to-Digital conversions,

Vudu has just announced that their 1080p video streaming service is available over the Web, allowing users to enjoy a cinema-like experience straight from their browsers as well as Vudu To Go, making it the first-of-its-kind service that is available in today’s market. Touted to be the first streaming service to use a Web browser to deliver HDX, which is the highest-quality content available from any Internet, broadcast or satellite on-demand service, your eyes will definitely be clamoring for a better quality monitor if you haven’t made an upgrade to your monitor for years. HDX is a groundbreaking video format that is capable of offering stunning 1080p HD True Digital video, where it complements HDX streaming also over Vudu-enabled HDTVs, the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Blu-ray players and streaming media devices including (but not limited to) Roku and Boxee.

One of Vudu’s strengths would be it having the world’s largest selection of HD movies, where among these include thousands of blockbusters, Hollywood classics and indie films. All movies are available the same day they are released on DVD or Blu-ray, so you know for sure there is no need to play the waiting game longer than normal, and you can rent or purchase these movies without the need for a subscription. Are you looking forward to enjoy this new service from Vudu?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Walmart In-Store Disc-to-Digital conversions, Vudu Available on Xbox 360,

Every TV maker trying to avoid total commoditization has a special trick to keep its designs unique and worth a higher price. For JVC, that trick is sound. It’s launching the BlackSapphire line of LCD-based 3D TVs with the 55-inch, edge LED-lit JLE55SP4400, whose signature is an unusually powerful built-in audio system: the 45W system and 3D processing supposedly produces surround sound without having to line the living room with extra speakers. Odds are that the set won’t provide much competition for dedicated speakers, although JVC is promising more integration beyond this with rare built-in SlingPlayer TV streaming, just in case there’s a Slingbox in another part of the home. The all-in strategy could make the inaugural BlackSapphire more of a bargain than it looks: that $1,300 you’ll pay when the screen ships this month might be all you need to start watching.

Continue reading JVC intros 55-inch BlackSapphire LCD TV with 45W virtual surround sound, SlingPlayer

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

JVC intros 55-inch BlackSapphire LCD TV with 45W virtual surround sound, SlingPlayer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With the rapid growth in media-streaming set-top boxes for televisions, it’s said that more people are using their TVs to watch online videos instead of their computers. Market research firm NPD Group reported that televisions are now the “primary screen for viewing paid and free video streamed from the Web.”

According to their latest survey, 45% of Americans are using their televisions as their primary display for watching online video content, while only 31% said they primarily used their computers to watch online videos. It’s almost a scary statistic if you know that just last year, 48% primarily used computers for online videos while just 33% used televisions.

However, it’s also not too surprising. The growth of different set-top boxes has led to a new revolution when watching online streaming content. Many companies have their own solutions, including Roku, Boxee, Google, and even Apple. Hard drive manufacturers like Western Digital and Seagate also have set-top boxes of their own.

What’s also unsurprising, is that Netflix came out on top as far as the most-used service for watching online content on the television. 40% of consumers use Netflix, while 12% use Hulu Plus, and 4% connect to Vudu. What about you? Have you made the transition to watching online video in the living room instead of on the computer?

[via BGR]

Users watching more online videos on TVs than computers is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
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