Ultraviolet shutting down
#26
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
Also keep in mind that just a week ago Walmart decided to put even more emphasis on Vudu .It isn't going anywhere.
Yesterday, we learned that Walmart ended its push to launch a Netflix-like on-demand streaming service. Instead, Walmart plans to focus more on their Vudu service rather than expanding into a new on-demand service.
“Vudu has developed a strong platform, and we aim to continue to bring our customers more content, on more devices, at the best possible price,” says Walmart spokeswoman Tara Raddohl-House.
Yesterday, we learned that Walmart ended its push to launch a Netflix-like on-demand streaming service. Instead, Walmart plans to focus more on their Vudu service rather than expanding into a new on-demand service.
“Vudu has developed a strong platform, and we aim to continue to bring our customers more content, on more devices, at the best possible price,” says Walmart spokeswoman Tara Raddohl-House.
#27
DVD Talk God
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
Yeah people who are digital only and dumped their physical media collections were probably freaking out at this news.
Not that it would ever happen, but if any of these digital services like Vudu went under, there would be some really fucking angry people who put in hundreds if not thousands of dollars into this.
I know that probably 90% of the people here who are supporters of digital movies, especially in this forum, are in it for convenience and because they simply don't have the space to store movies in their house anymore.
Not that it would ever happen, but if any of these digital services like Vudu went under, there would be some really fucking angry people who put in hundreds if not thousands of dollars into this.
I know that probably 90% of the people here who are supporters of digital movies, especially in this forum, are in it for convenience and because they simply don't have the space to store movies in their house anymore.
Last edited by DJariya; 01-31-19 at 07:16 PM.
#29
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
All the money invested in UV collections now rests on the corporate whims of Walmart, VUDU's owner. This is why I haven't sold any of my Blu-rays or DVDs.
I knew Hollywood would deep-six UV once enough people got hooked on digital streaming and content. The sharing terms were far too generous for bigger studios like Disney to swallow in the long run...
I knew Hollywood would deep-six UV once enough people got hooked on digital streaming and content. The sharing terms were far too generous for bigger studios like Disney to swallow in the long run...
What I think caused the shift to MA was that the studios saw how Disney had strong armed major retailer like iTunes, Amazon, and Google to participate in it's program, and they wanted a piece of the action.
I'm mostly fine with this except that MA doesn't handle TV shows. This isn't so much concern for what I already own, but since I get most of my digital stuff from codes that come from Blu-rays, there won't be a way for studios to include codes for TV shows anymore. And what about existing releases? Will Batman: The Animated Adventures lose the digital code because there's no place to redeem it? Will it only be redeemable on a former UV site, like Vudu?
#30
DVD Talk Reviewer & TOAT Winner
Thread Starter
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
"Any and all", I'll remember they said that.
#31
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
I personally have no physical media, I have not purchased a Blu-ray or DVD in about 3 years. I have almost 400 movies and tv shows accessible through Vudu, and I am not concerned.
#33
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
I never expected Target or Best Buy to shut their streaming sites down nor Walmart shutting down their Streaming/MP3 store... Yet those did close. So it concerns me.
#34
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
I think Vudu as a service is, currently, more attractive a buy than, say Walmart's DRM music store ever was. Vudu is pretty big. FandangoNOW would probably desperately want Vudu's customer base, for example. Still, the "safety net", so to speak, of UV is going away.
#35
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
VUDU only has 15% of the digital sell-through market - it's a small player in a field dominated by Apple's iTunes and Amazon's Instant Video. It's a complete rounding error to Walmart's bottom line, which is why there is significant corporate risk it disappears down the road. VUDU is now the provider of last resort for all UV collections. Streaming video is not one of Walmart's core competencies as the world's largest retailer.
Walmart is going to get out of physical media, sooner or later. They keep shrinking their media area and have been slowly drawing down any content (books, magazines, videogames, movies, music) threatened by digital distribution. Once they get out of physical media, VUDU looks more and more like an unnecessary division.
I'd be very surprised if VUDU is around in seven years.
Walmart is going to get out of physical media, sooner or later. They keep shrinking their media area and have been slowly drawing down any content (books, magazines, videogames, movies, music) threatened by digital distribution. Once they get out of physical media, VUDU looks more and more like an unnecessary division.
I'd be very surprised if VUDU is around in seven years.
#37
Banned by request
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
There will probably be a few services by then anyways. More than likely they'll allow UV and MA movie lockers to port into. I could care less if Vudu goes belly up. As long as there is another service that has a good interface, then I'm good with that.
#38
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Not necessarily Formerly known as Solid Snake
Posts: 29,241
Received 1,243 Likes
on
854 Posts
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
I’ll go the other direction ... I have never bought a digital copy of a movie and never will. Give me the code with my physical purchase and I’ll redeem them, but I don’t trust digital content hosted on somebody else’s servers as it relates to “ownership” rights.
#39
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
if it all went belly's up the lawsuit would be huge.
physical media is for niche supporters and grandparents looking for Christmas gifts for their grandkids. the world is going digital for everything, I don't see how Vudu, or some other services will ever go away.
physical media is for niche supporters and grandparents looking for Christmas gifts for their grandkids. the world is going digital for everything, I don't see how Vudu, or some other services will ever go away.
#41
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: In the straps of boots
Posts: 27,999
Received 1,181 Likes
on
834 Posts
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
Yeah, I imagine that the user license agreements are pretty solid in that you (we) have no rights if the services shut down.
Everything's temporary. Nothing's permanent.
Everything's temporary. Nothing's permanent.
#43
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
I got the email, but can't recall ever using the service. After getting a recovery email, come to find out I have 5 movies available. 4 I've never seen, and Last Action Hero. I have no idea how they got there. I guess I won't really be missing the service.
#44
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
Walmart is going to get out of physical media, sooner or later. They keep shrinking their media area and have been slowly drawing down any content (books, magazines, videogames, movies, music) threatened by digital distribution. Once they get out of physical media, VUDU looks more and more like an unnecessary division.
#45
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
Yeah that's exactly backwards. Once Physical media is gone, Digital Media would thrive.
But this is Walmart, they still have a huge CD selection.
But this is Walmart, they still have a huge CD selection.
#46
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
Even just 15% of the market is a decent chunk when you consider how much room digital distribution still has to grow. If it can stay in the top 10 ranking of streaming providers, Vudu will be guaranteed a future. Walmart is fighting hard to remain a market leader as Amazon sucks up revenue from traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. I don't see it throwing in the towel anytime soon.
VUDU only has 15% of the digital sell-through market - it's a small player in a field dominated by Apple's iTunes and Amazon's Instant Video. It's a complete rounding error to Walmart's bottom line, which is why there is significant corporate risk it disappears down the road. VUDU is now the provider of last resort for all UV collections. Streaming video is not one of Walmart's core competencies as the world's largest retailer.
#47
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
The first thing you learn in business school, leave a maturing market space if you are stuck in third place. There are substantial risks Walmart decides to axe VUDU down the line. Once everything goes all digital, VUDU doesn't feed into Walmart's primary retail business. Walmart dropped their digital music service cold when that became an also-ran in the business.
The best-case scenario in the long run is that Walmart finds a buyer for VUDU.
The best-case scenario in the long run is that Walmart finds a buyer for VUDU.
#49
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
The first thing you learn in business school, leave a maturing market space if you are stuck in third place. There are substantial risks Walmart decides to axe VUDU down the line. Once everything goes all digital, VUDU doesn't feed into Walmart's primary retail business. Walmart dropped their digital music service cold when that became an also-ran in the business.
The best-case scenario in the long run is that Walmart finds a buyer for VUDU.
The best-case scenario in the long run is that Walmart finds a buyer for VUDU.
#50
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ultraviolet shutting down
From what I can find, Walmart's digital music market share was basically a rounding error. iTunes had 69%, Amazon 6%, Walmart far less.
Amazon never bailed on music, so if Walmart has 15% of the digital video market (rent/buy), that seems like enough to keep them in it. So I'm not worried it's going to be shuttered any time soon.
That said, if Vudu starts to do poorly, Walmart could shutter it. Which was supposed to be the point of UV; you weren't dependent on one retailer.
Paramount will have to move to MA is they want to keep putting digital codes in physical media, unless they want to go back to iTunes only or something.
Amazon never bailed on music, so if Walmart has 15% of the digital video market (rent/buy), that seems like enough to keep them in it. So I'm not worried it's going to be shuttered any time soon.
That said, if Vudu starts to do poorly, Walmart could shutter it. Which was supposed to be the point of UV; you weren't dependent on one retailer.
Paramount will have to move to MA is they want to keep putting digital codes in physical media, unless they want to go back to iTunes only or something.