VUDU on Yahoo

[NA9D]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

Brag about over-paying for a device that has crappy audio and no HD?
Doubtful.

Customers complain about the price and instead of listening to the complaints, you tell the customers they're wrong.

Not the best approach in my book.

I didn't say customers were wrong to complain about price. My point is that reviewers are criticizing the price and using that as the reason they say the box will fail. But my point is that people don't buy on price as the only consideration in a purchase. If a freaking remote costs as much as the Vudu - what product is more ridiculously priced?

I feel that $400 is too high for the product to gain mass market acceptance. However, that's an initial cost and I see it coming down in the next year or so to a lot less as volumes pick up and as component costs continue to drop. I complained vehemently about that price when it was announced. However, after listening to the people who know how product launches like this work (and people NOT at Vudu), I have come to agree that $400 is an acceptable and appropriate price point at this time.

Also, do you have a Vudu or are you basing the crappy audio comment on the review? The audio is not at all crappy, IMHO. Yes, not all of it is in DD5.1 and that's an annoyance, but I've never noticed crappy audio. The studios are the ones at fault for the lack of DD5.1.

And HD is coming. Relax on this would you guys? It's all about getting the studios to agree to license the stuff...

[cmunguia]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

OK, yes I am a beta tester and I'm sure if you could of been a beta tester you would have.

if you think that $399 is too much to pay for Vudu than you should of waited until the price drops. and it will drop just like any other gadget does.

did you know I paid $799 for my first DVD player. that was a very long time ago. and that was after I waited until they droped to a price I could afford. Now you can buy one for as low as $30.

So for all of you who are complaining about the price or the content or the sound. You know you are the tech geeks that just had to have this technology so that you could show it off to your friends and family and be the first to have it. Just like the people who bought the Iphone and paid the extra $200 to be the first on the block to have it.

You know that the Vudu will only get better with time and the price will drop, the sound will improve and we will see HD content. all in due time.


Patience Grasshopper!

[metallus2000]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

Ok....

I made my points earlier...I won't keep harping on them...

It is interesting on the fierce loyalty this box generates...;-)

Now let's all play nice in the sandbox....mine is coming for Christmas...

[bqmeister]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

If a freaking remote costs as much as the Vudu - what product is more ridiculously priced?

gonna have to go with Vudu.

[bqmeister]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

I complained vehemently about that price when it was announced. However, after listening to the people who know how product launches like this work (and people NOT at Vudu), I have come to agree that $400 is an acceptable and appropriate price point at this time.

Because some smart folks told you $400 is acceptable, you now magically agree, even though you initially thought it was too expensive?

You're the #1 cheerleader and you thought it was too high.

Think about that for a sec. You're really agreeing the price is OK because you're the #1 fanboy. But the price is STILL too high.

[bqmeister]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

Also, do you have a Vudu or are you basing the crappy audio comment on the review? The audio is not at all crappy, IMHO. Yes, not all of it is in DD5.1 and that's an annoyance, but I've never noticed crappy audio. The studios are the ones at fault for the lack of DD5.1.

And HD is coming. Relax on this would you guys? It's all about getting the studios to agree to license the stuff...

I'm not buying a $400 device that won't give me same day releases and new releases that lack 5.1.

HD is coming. Ok. WHEN.

When will HD be here? If it's here in 3 years, it's too late. If it's not available by Christmas (actually by Christmas shopping season, or Thanksgiving, it's too late).

When we vudu have HD?

And I almost have to say it's not the studio's fault, but rather Vudu's fault. Vudu is making crappy agreements with the studios. Their (vudu's) folks need to make better agreements to get better movies, sooner, with better audio and better video quality if they are to succeed. Vudu needs to push better for agreements more favorable to vudu.

[NA9D]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

gonna have to go with Vudu.

Why do you think that a remote control with no hard drive, no ethernet port and a small processor is correctly priced at $399 but the Vudu is not? Please expound on that?

[redwein]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

Ok....

I made my points earlier...I won't keep harping on them...

It is interesting on the fierce loyalty this box generates...;-)

Now let's all play nice in the sandbox....mine is coming for Christmas...

I think the whole thing is pretty easy to explain. Most of the people who would buy at this stage are early adopters. They understand the state of the technology and the initial pricing and would typically not be bothered by either. That group of people is much smaller than the market that Vudu is ultimately going after. Those that don't fit the early adopter profile would probably be bothered by both and should wait.

Now what should Vudu do under these circumstances? They probably would not be able to manage selling a million of these boxes in their first quarter and probably have a business plan that doesn't assume or require it. It is quite possible they have all the business they can handle at the moment and that would mean that the price is right where it should be at this point in the cycle (only weeks into selling them).

Note that early adopters being happy with the initial offering while openly saying that they expect the product to improve and come down in price is really not an indication of "fierce loyalty". It is an understanding of reality in a process that they have seen happen many times before (e.g. CDs, DVDs, cell phones, flat panel TVs, etc.) To those of us who see it that way, this is just another cool product that seems to satisfy a need that was previously unsatisfied. The part about satisfying the masses is something that will definitely have to come for this to ultimately succeed, but it certainly does not have to at the moment.

[NA9D]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

My only comment to this is that if you don't own the Vudu now, you have no idea, absolutely none about what it can do. If you don't want to pay $400 for it then fine. No skin off my neck. That is your choice and I agree it's a lot of money. If the value proposition is not there for you I understand. It's no a box for everyone.

But please don't come in here and try to impugn those of us who feel that price is not the sole factor here. And we are willing to wait for an improvement in the content and the quality.

HD is coming a lot sooner than you think. It certainly won't be 3 years and I am guessing it won't even be 3 months.

If you think the arrangements with the studios are crappy, then I encourage you to attempt to start your own company doing the same or similar thing and then I am sure you can get better arrangements and licensing deals.

I'm the number one cheerleader because I believe in the product and over the last 10 months, I've put a lot of sweat equity into finding the issues and bugs in the dang thing so all of you guys can have an excellent and enjoyable movie experience!

At the same time, it's not a box for everyone. If you don't want to pay $400 then fine. Don't complain. Just don't purchase it. The real problem is that you want the box badly but you just don't want to pay the money for it. Again - fine. Give it 6 to 9 months and the price will likely be a lot better, the content will be better, etc. Just don't insult those who have been the early adopters and made the investment to get the company off on the right foot so that later on you and everyone else can enjoy the product at a cheaper price.

I'm not buying a $400 device that won't give me same day releases and new releases that lack 5.1.

HD is coming. Ok. WHEN.

When will HD be here? If it's here in 3 years, it's too late. If it's not available by Christmas (actually by Christmas shopping season, or Thanksgiving, it's too late).

When we vudu have HD?

And I almost have to say it's not the studio's fault, but rather Vudu's fault. Vudu is making crappy agreements with the studios. Their (vudu's) folks need to make better agreements to get better movies, sooner, with better audio and better video quality if they are to succeed. Vudu needs to push better for agreements more favorable to vudu.

[redwein]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

When will HD be here? If it's here in 3 years, it's too late. If it's not available by Christmas (actually by Christmas shopping season, or Thanksgiving, it's too late).

And exactly how much experience do you have launching a new technology and product to make such a proclamation? Are you honestly telling me that if the company manages to stay afloat and does what you are asking by next Christmas, everyone would magically say "I gave you a chance, Vudu, and I refuse to buy it now."? That seems a little ridiculous. I could only see that if some other product came out that was better.

On a note about price. I paid $900 for my first Tivo Series 3 and I just paid $600 for my 3rd one. I am not price sensitive and would have paid significantly more for the current product. I'm sure it comes as no shock to them that people want the price to be lower and that it will need to come down to succeed in the mass market. That has been heard. None of that feedback really matters at the moment though if they are selling as many boxes as they want. That will come into play later on.

[cmunguia]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

come on now, anyone who thinks that $399 is to much, then please wait until the Vudu is within your budget.

If I earn $1 million a year then $399 is no big deal.

If I earn $30 thousand a year then I would wait until the unit is $99

[bqmeister]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

Why do you think that a remote control with no hard drive, no ethernet port and a small processor is correctly priced at $399 but the Vudu is not? Please expound on that?

Well, truth be told, I don't have a $399 remote. I've opted for the lesser $130 harmony. I like the concept of the higher end remotes, but don't like the button feel or layout as much as the model I have (with the removable face-plates).

I have owned more expensive remotes. I think my most expensive, including the RF add-on, was $280. Factor in the x10 ir to rf receiver I have, and it's easily over $300 on remotes.

I also looked at the pronto's in the past, but I really like hard buttons, so the pronto's weren't for me. Although they are great products.

Because - they do their job well. They effectively replace all other remotes and make confusing home theater setups easy to operate. My wife can push one button and immediately be watching TV. That is a very successful product. Setup is a breeze. These expensive remotes make intimidating setups much less intimidating for visitors to my theater.

So why is it better than vudu?

It does it's primary job well.

Universal remote job functions - replace existing remotes, simplify control of devices, make things work together easily and do it well. Check, check, check, check.

Vudu's job functions - replace DVD player, change the way movies are delivered, deliver content in High Definition, and make the movie watching experience as good as or better than it is today.

Well, no, no, no, no. I still need my DVD player (or HD DVD player). Same Day DVD releases are not available on vudu. Content is not in HD. Movie watching experience is actually worse due to lack of dolby digital or dts audio.

AND to top it all off, vudu won't even work with my fancy schmancy universal remote!!!!

[redwein]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

The issues involved in making a universal remote are trivial compared to what Vudu needs to do. Vudu has to deal with network issues, studio issues, technical issues regarding their protocol. The universal remote has to map buttons to signals.

It is very likely that Vudu will be able to replace your DVD player someday, just not right now. The points that were being made about Vudu's price seemed to say that it would be too high even when it reached perfection. That's why the comparison to the price of unversal remotes and other products was made.

CD players didn't instantly replace tape decks. Heck, I think they still come in some cars. DVDs didn't instantly replace VHS. Faulting Vudu for not instantly replacing DVDs at this stage of its life is a little difficult for me to understand.

[Petercarbo]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

1. No one likes the $400.00 price (even with the secret $100.00 discount code) By the way hope you didn't get yours at 400?..;-)
...

So what is the code or where can I get it?

[bqmeister]

Re: VUDU on Yahoo

Many folks who buy Bluray players retire DVD players. I retired (actually moved my dvd player to another room) when I got my hd-dvd player.

I honestly don't know what purpose a DVD player should serve, other than to play movies you already own, after getting a dedicated movie download box.

So yeah, you still need a way to play movies you already own. But after getting a vudu and still needing to go to blockbuster to rent transformers?

Crazy.