UltraViolet, which launched in October, is a download standard that is designed to allow buyers of a DVD or Blu-ray to access a digital cloud copy of the content on a computer, in addition to the purchased hard copy.
Movie distributor
Paramount Pictures recently became the first studio to offer digital movies using the UltraViolet DRM-protected standard on its website, allowing prospective customers to buy a digital copy without having to purchase a Blu-ray or DVD disc first.
Paramount’s website currently offers a wide variety of movie genres, from action and drama to comedy and horror. The site carries many popular Paramount movies, like Super 8, Star Trek, and True Grit.
Older movies, like American Beauty can be purchased in standard definition for $12.99 or high definition for $19.99, while newer releases cost $16.99 for SD and $22.99 for HD. This is a lot pricier than iTunes and Amazon, and thus far, Apple has made no move to accept the UltraViolet standard, as we expected when UltraViolet was announced earlier this year. Why, exactly, would I purchase a copy of Breakfast at Tiffany’s on the site for $19.99 when I can get the Blu-ray, presumably with UltraViolet access included, online for $16.99? Or for $9.99 in the iTunes Store?
The Paramount site is also offering rentals of some of its movies, priced at $4.99 for high definition and $3.99 for standard definition for newer releases, and a dollar less for older movies. Rentals are not part of the UltraViolet system, and use a different type of DRM.
There are a limited number of movies available, but the site is offering classic choices that are popular with purchasers (Forrest Gump, Footloose, Ghost, etc). Those of you who are interested in making a purchase from the site will need to create an UltraViolet account in order to purchase and stream or download the movie from the site.
The movies can be viewed on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, but only through streaming over WiFi. You’re not able to download a movie onto your iDevice, unfortunately. At this point, the service does not support set-top boxes like Apple TV or consoles, and there is no Android, Windows, or Blackberry mobile support.
Thus far, UltraViolet doesn’t seem like its poised to succeed, at least not in a standalone capacity. iTunes and Amazon have a lot of the same digital choices at cheaper prices, and with fewer restrictions. Have you purchased (or plan to purchase) an UltraViolet digital movie or a Blu-ray that comes with UltraViolet access? How do you feel about the service? Let us know in the comments.
0 Responses to “Paramount is First Movie Distributor to Offer UltraViolet Cloud Video Format”
Post a Comment