New Features Needed

[garrisonr]

I really like the VUDU service, but it is falling a bit behind as far as interface and user experience.

I want to a bookmarking feature for different scenes for movies you own. Kaleidoscape has this and it is awesome. The way it works is just like DVD and Blu Ray chapters that exist on physical media. The titles of the chapters are integrated into the Kaleidoscape menu, so you can jump right to your favorite parts. This is really great for musicals but lots of movies benefits from this (like the 20 minute intro from 2001 that I usually to skip). Users should also be able to create their own bookmarks and share them with others.

I want to see Get Glue social media integration (or something similar). I do have my tablet and phone with me usually, but it would be nice just to pick up the remote and share it. I'd really like an option to start the movie and post simultaneously. It would be really cool to go even further. One of the best parts of the movie theater is the crowd experience. It would be fun for VUDU to have virtual screenings of movies where the viewers could participate in discussion (using a tablet or phone) during the film. This would enable real-time "don't go down that hallway" group moments that would kick the fun up several notches.

I also want to see more movie collections. For a short period during the 2013 Oscars, those movies were visible as a collection, but they aren't available now. I think that's an essential collection that should be available to review at all times. Those films need to be broken down into the various categories too (best picture, actor, etc.). There are lots of other award collections that should be available. The Criterion Collection is a major missing piece. I think that might be a HULU exclusive, but I doubt that agreement is perpetual so VUDU needs to jump on board ASAP. Again, Kaleidoscape has figured this out and has their movies nicely categorized. They also have a neat complete my collection function that enables you to automatically add a group of titles to your collection.

The website layout and Vudu 2 Go app do not upscale well for larger screens. I have a great 24' PC monitor butthe webpage and app don't re-size to fit how much space I have and it is really frustrating. This should be a really easy fix because it was just lazy programming.

The my Vudu/Purchases functionality should also be updated. It works ok for small collections, but as your library grows, it is somewhat cumbersome to navigate. Plus, there's zero wow factor with your library. When you compare the interface to what is available on XBOX and Sony Video Unlimited movie services, it really looks boring. I want to be able to share the titles of my collection with my friends. I also want to be able to sort them into my own collection titles.

Another issue - I want the ability to upgrade my movies from SD to HDX and eventually to 4K. I've already done disc to digital - I'm talking about movies you already purchased on VUDU in SD that now have a higher resolution available for purchase. It is a slap in the face to ask for full retail price again.

Again, it is really great and is the best overall service, but it just doesn't engage me like the other services. The service just needs some more shine to take away the boring.

[jeremymc7]

Re: New Features Needed

I'm in total agreement with you but obviously there are some practical limits here.

Kaleidoscape is a phenomenal system and personal has always been my point of comparison as well. As close as Vudu can get the best. There are numerous problems of course. Some of which are that Kaleidoscape is run of a system that cost $10-20k and more or less must be custom installed for each buyers home. Vudu on the other hand typically run's on $100 hardware that's bought from Amazon or Best Buy. Obviously there is far more power, flexibility, scalability, etc is the higher end system. Not to mention Kaleidoscape controls the Hardware and Software where Vudu only control's the Software so it has to write to the least common level of Hardware.

Collections are another awesome idea. Kaleidoscape really pushes these. Honestly too hard I think. The problem is the Studios as always. You want a "collection" without holes in it. Unless you can get all studios to participate and not hold back any titles you end up with collections with holes. I guess it's better than nothing, but always seems half hearted to me to buy Bet Picture for the last 20 years if 25% of the film might be missing. Just an example. I think what would be great would be to have Collection "lists" so you could easily find things. Anything available is highlighted and not available is ghosted. And if it was ghosted you could fire off a quick email tot he studio by clicking of it saying you really wanted it. It's be nice to have Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Film, Highest Grossing, etc all while in Vudu

Ya, website is a bugger. Should be a simple fix. Not enough resources I suspect. They've been adding a lot to the customer service and D2D side lately. Only so much money to go around. And there have been some nice "tweaks" over the past few months. Doesn't work well for the few of us using 10ft screen home theater set-ups.

4K is a huge question mark. We all paid to upgrade from all our other format. This is one of the VERY few times in history you could basically trade in most or a large chunk of your collection for only $1 a title. 4K upgrading is really going to fall on the studios as well. I think we've got a WHILE to go on that one. I'm ready to do it now if they are. But it's going to take a few years. Oddly enough (to me) there is still a HUGE mass of people buying DVD's.

They give me what I need, for now, and I'm happy. But as you say not thrilled or excited and it's not leaps and bounds above the competition.

I think one of the problems here is that UV is portable. Most of my collection is UV. Very little of it is Vudu specific so if I went somewhere else I really wouldn't walk away from much.

With the 4K streaming services starting up the ONLY thing's that been keeping me tied to Vudu have been HDX-1080, 3D, & 7.1. That, and more is going to be available soon from other providers so as you say Vudu needs to step up their game, if not proactively, if the (near) future they will likely be forced too unfortunately.