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Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

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    Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

    First off, let me say that I had been very happy with Vudu when I got it in December of 2009, just before Walmart bought it. Being an avid movie watcher this was a dream come true and I was amazed that more people have not used Vudu.

    6 months ago, Vudu in my opinion still had the lead in quality digital movie distribution - that lead is slowly being marginalized by Netflix which has in the last 6 months completely re-vamped its streaming section and added a ton of movies and the now released Apple TV going rental-only (this was a direct response to Vudu IMHO).

    Now, sadly, I think the company and its management have been too complacent in not delivering enough new domestic and especially foreign movie content (also note that most foreign contact is dubbed which I refuse to watch). Just look at the lack of company communication on these boards to user requests for more movies.

    People will stay with you for a while, but soon they will start to shift - I for one will buy the new Apple TV and am already using Netflix much more. Just to give you an idea .... I used to watch around 20+ movies monthly through Vudu, and now its more like 10 and it will go down if things don't change.

    Note what I say now - your complacency will cost you money.... as it has cost Blockbuster the monopoly on the DVD market .... honestly, I don't understand this mentality - its as if the people who started this business are no longer there.

    Couple of additional observations:

    1. I could care less about the addition of 100 new applications since your controller is not that user friendly anyway and the content is mainly for people with smaller screens, i.e. laptops, than people with large ones - plasma, etc.

    - focus on what you do best - there is a reason why Apple TV only does TV and movies....

    2. Brazil - this beta sucks - Amadeus is WAY better with the exception of HDX streaming.

    a. you can't power down the system without going back to Amadeus....
    b. you are now able to search for movies only by single category rather than by multiple categories.. making it a pain to use....
    c. I have a 50MB cable Ethernet connection and HDX constantly is slow....

    I want to continue to use Vudu, but will do less so... and I am sure that I am not the only one with this mindset.

    #2
    Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

    I'd also like to add that while Brazil is in beta, the streaming interface is shipped as a production product in a number of TVs and Bluray players. Personally, I'm using the LG Bluray players with the streaming interface and it is not sluggish or deficient in any way. I much prefer it (given that it supports instant HDX streaming) over the old STB download model.

    I originally purchased 5 of the STBs the first month they were available so I'm very familiar with what they do and how they do it. I've decomissisioned all but one of those boxes in favor of the new (and truly better in my opinion) streaming devices. I also have a Netflix and CinemaNow account and watch movies on all 3 but most often we watch it on Vudu because of the selection and quality.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

      Dan,

      thanks for the follow-up.

      I sincerely hope that you will address the issues with Brazil, especially the ability to watch subs rather than dubs - or have an option for both.

      With regard to movie requests, I do think its better to have a list of movies that is available to all users (after you long into your vudu account online) with a selection of new movies both domestic and foreign to which users can add rather than wait for users to request the movies one by one - there should be some kind of database of new and older domestic and foreign movies.

      That is because people are too lazy to request movies - most people are and don't have the time to do so.

      For example in your coming soon section you have only 8 movies, of which 5 are relatively old 1 unknown and only 2 are new. If you go to rotten tomatoes you will find a much larger selection of movies released on DVD including the likes of Brooklyn Finest, After Life, the good the bad and the Weird, Dorian Gray, etc.

      I am not trying to be negative just point out some deficiencies, as I see them, in your current product offering.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

        Apple Tv can only output up to 720P nothing higher. As well as it can only play back 720P and lower content. If you want low quality content, then AppleTV is the place to go. And then it can only use a small section of codecs. The ATV is very limiting. I would rather get a RoKu than an Apple TV. At least the RoKu can play some higher quality content.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

          I started out with a vudu setbox and now I have 42" lg tv and lg 579 blueray player. They both have internet connection with Vudu, Netflix and other application. Netflix in terms of first run movies across the Internet is in no way comparable to Vudu

          Netflix does not stream HD Movies, no first run movies still have to rent the disc and no 5.1/dolby sound. The video quality is not even close to Vudu. If you like watching old movies and the old TV series then Netflix is for you.

          I chose to use both and find that both more then meet my needs. Trust me I watch much more content from Netflix and Vudu then TV.

          The final release of Brazil took care of the problem of not being able to turn off/standby on the set top box.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

            I find this thread interesting....Indeed, VUDU needs constructive criticism from time to time.. I have been a customer since the beginning and still have the set-top box, as I do not need a TV nor Blu player......I love the concept of the set-top, as it offers me the flexibility to either stream movies or download them to the built-in hard drive.....Say for instance, something happens to the path from VUDU to your device, or their servers go bad or if there is an outage, if you have streaming only, you are SOL, also consider those that do not have connections capable of streaming(not fast enough), but can download....Since downloading is an option in Amadeus AND Brazil, I tend to use it for my top movies....For example, I purchased and viewed Tropic Thunder in SD, it was unwatchable during streaming due to the buffering, I downloaded, then viewed it, no problem....

            There is an inherent risk when data is stored in the cloud...I prefer local storage.....So far the Brazil beta has been a PITA from time to time, currently I have buffering on every movie I have viewed lately, regardless of the quality... To VUDU's credit, though, I called and a great tech asked me how my network was set up, I told him, and he escalated the issue to a higher engineer who will call me to troubleshoot the issue further..As Walmart and other retailers sell more VUDU embedded devices, the engineering team has to step on the accelerator to squash any remaining bugs.....

            I am primarily a collector of movies and VUDU is my method of getting them, I am bullish on electronic sell-thru of digital content( beats trotting down to the local video store and search through the 4 for $20 section)......The sale that is going on now is awesome for me because I can collect good films at a bargain price, some even in HDX....I may be repeating myself, but the main things I would like to see are these:

            1-ability to download and store films locally using an external hard drive(I know the studios need to cooperate for this to happen).

            2- Get the licensing needed to allow purchasing more HDX movies at reasonable prices.( the few HDX films available during the sale was a great example of this, and I took full advantage)....

            3-Embed the service on other manufacturers set-tops, preferably w/hard disks, as the VUDU boxes have a finite life span, there are a lot of other boxes out there....

            4-arrange the website to show movies on sale, it would be much easier to navigate thumbnails on the website than it is on the VUDU device, my thumb went numb scrolling through all the selections...Maybe the "Movies on Sale" category could be arranged differently, as it stands now there are a few thumbnails that show...Maybe that could be expanded.....

            The OP mentioned the lack of subtitles in foreign films, I have not seen an issue with this...One of my main foreign films was Red Cliff, it has subs.......

            Bottom line, if Walmart puts it's full muscle behind the VUDU brand, it can smoke any competition currently out there.....But remember, Walmart tried internet streaming before and was not successful.....I do not think that will happen this time....Anyone that has been a customer since the beginning saw the evolution of the service, I want that evolution to continue, and it has.....New features and functions are being added all the time....This is a good thing... The latest function I have seen is now Brazil has it's own speed test, right from your device......

            Sorry for the long post, I just needed to air some things out.....

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

              I used one of my BX100 boxes this weekend. If I did not have it I would not be able to watch an HD movie from VUDU at my girlfriends. She only has 1mbs DSL connection, so with the BX100 running Amadeus, I can download the title at home. Pack up the VUDU BX100 and put it in my offical VUDU BX100 carry case.
              And then set it up at her house to watch the HD movie.

              The BX100 is the best of both worlds. You can run Amadeus and download the content in advance, or run Brazil and stream the content.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

                Originally posted by aaronwt View Post
                I used one of my BX100 boxes this weekend. If I did not have it I would not be able to watch an HD movie from VUDU at my girlfriends. She only has 1mbs DSL connection, so with the BX100 running Amadeus, I can download the title at home. Pack up the VUDU BX100 and put it in my offical VUDU BX100 carry case.
                And then set it up at her house to watch the HD movie.

                The BX100 is the best of both worlds. You can run Amadeus and download the content in advance, or run Brazil and stream the content.
                Or you can also download it in Brazil.......

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

                  Originally posted by canadien37 View Post
                  Or you can also download it in Brazil.......
                  You can download it in brazil now with the BX100?
                  If that is the case then what is the point in running Amadeus?

                  Or can you only download purchased content? With Amadeus you can download rental content and purchased content.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

                    Originally posted by canadien37 View Post
                    Or you can also download it in Brazil.......
                    I just tried the daily 99 cent rental with Brazil on my BX100. There was no download option in Brazil.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

                      I was not clear, sorry about that, the download option is for PURCHASES, not rentals.....I usually speak in terms of buying films, thanks for pointing that out.....I didn't consider the scenario you mentioned, downloading a rental in Amadeus, then taking the box somewhere else, then viewing it....

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

                        Or just avoiding the streaming issues in Brazil by downloading a rental before watching it at home. That's why I'm still using Amadeus. (That, and my wife and daughter are used to it and don't like the new look of Brazil.)

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

                          regarding the original post, I was pretty worried when Wal Mart purchased Vudu. It was not all that long ago when Wal Mart tried to get into the rent-by-mail DVD market to compete with Neftlix. After a while, they threw their hands up and folded up shop. So, I'm still worried they will ultimately do the same with Vudu.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

                            I would like to add Microsoft Zune to the list of competitors -they are more expensive though $6 for just HD (720p) quality :
                            http://social.zune.net/movies

                            I will probably watch Brooklyn Finest and Experiment in the next day or so to try out the service on my xbox.....

                            in follow-up... in your coming soon section again nothing new... stuff like Cast Away, Australia and Oxford Murders (which was already in the "theater section")....

                            How about creating a section on your website where users can select in advance movies they would like to see added?

                            Here is a sample of new movies coming to DVD from moviefone:
                            http://www.moviefone.com/dvd/coming-soon

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Vudu will lose to Apple TV and Netflix if they continue being complacent...

                              Originally posted by jarac View Post
                              I would like to add Microsoft Zune to the list of competitors -they are more expensive though $6 for just HD (720p) quality :
                              http://social.zune.net/movies

                              I will probably watch Brooklyn Finest and Experiment in the next day or so to try out the service on my xbox.....

                              in follow-up... in your coming soon section again nothing new... stuff like Cast Away, Australia and Oxford Murders (which was already in the "theater section")....

                              How about creating a section on your website where users can select in advance movies they would like to see added?

                              Here is a sample of new movies coming to DVD from moviefone:
                              http://www.moviefone.com/dvd/coming-soon
                              It is 1080p instant streaming on the Xbox if you have the bandwidth. The picture quality is very good but the audio is not as good as DD+ on Vudu.

                              Comment

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