External hard drive

[NA9D]

Re: External hard drive

I couldn't remember what it was called. Smart Card. It just seems like it was designed for the purpose of having the card removed but at some point they must have changed it. Otherwise why have a card that is removable?
link everything to the card, like the Xbox Gamertags, then once it's purchased you could watch it on any box. it's still just as secure since without the card it was purchased with, you can't watch it, just like with the Xbox gamertags..

But then i'm sure people would lose their card which would open up another can of worms. of course if you only have one VUDU box then it isn't a problem either. But with multiple boxes it would be nice to be able to watch any purchased content on any box you own.

Originally, these first came out with satellite boxes and I think the original idea was that card would carry all your subscription info. Take your card to your friend's house and viola! you can view your channels at his place. But when I got my Dish boxes a few years ago, all the smart cards were tied to the boxes and had to be used to activate the boxes. Same goes for Vudu.

I think there's reason why the cards are used by manufacturers. First of all, you don't have to program boxes with encryption codes when they are being built. You just build them and box them and ship them. Then you use another set of equipment to program the smart cards with the codes. I think it's really more economical that way. Also, if Vudu decided they needed to use a new set of encryption keys and changed the way the encryption works, they could probably just issue a completely new set of cards to users. That would be an easy way to do it. I am sure there are other reasons also.

The real problem is that DRM is just needed at all. I'm all for letting Hollywood keep what is theirs but there's a reason for why piracy happens. If all movie purchases cost $500, no one would buy them and nearly everyone would pirate them. If movies cost $2.00 to buy, probably everyone would buy them and no one pirate them. There's a balance somewhere between the cost barrier for a movie and one's desire to pirate. If it's cheap enough, people will buy the movie because then they have a "real" copy. Make it easy and convenient to get and cheap enough and there's no market for piracy. The music industry is finding this out now with DRM free songs. Back in 2000 when I got married, Napster was in full swing. I tried to find some of our wedding/reception music on Napster. Half the songs were poor quality or I couldn't download them, etc. I got a few. But I had to buy a number of CDs for just one song which ****ed me off. Enter iTunes a couple years later - now I can buy just one song and easily. No need to pirate. I think the same would go for movies.

Anyhow, I am WAY off topic here. Anyhow, I am looking forward to both HDX purchases and external storage (hopefully with something other than a USB drive). This is the future...

[aaronwt]

Re: External hard drive

Actually there is a smart card in the box but I wouldn't like to speculate as to what implications that has for portability of accounts and associated content.

I couldn't remember what it was called. Smart Card. It just seems like it was designed for the purpose of having the card removed but at some point they must have changed it. Otherwise why have a card that is removable?
link everything to the card, like the Xbox Gamertags, then once it's purchased you could watch it on any box. it's still just as secure since without the card it was purchased with, you can't watch it, just like with the Xbox gamertags..

But then i'm sure people would lose their card which would open up another can of worms. of course if you only have one VUDU box then it isn't a problem either. But with multiple boxes it would be nice to be able to watch any purchased content on any box you own.

[HeadHodge]

Re: External hard drive

But if I had to guess, I would say licensing is the biggest barrier to releasing external storage support. The studios really don't quite know what to do with this stuff yet, and let's be honest, Vudu is a little ahead of it's time.

This is this point I try to keep bringing up.

VUDU already has archive abilities. But if it can't be used to archive movies depending on licensing issues, what makes anyone think that it would be any different if you had an external hard drive hooked up to the box??

Maybe it would be better if you could do the same as I can with my notebook computer where I can unscrew an access lid on the bottom of my laptop and swap it out with a larger drive as capacity price points drop over time.

[Citizen Erased]

Re: External hard drive

As for the whole External HDD issue, I'm not personally concerned as I only rent, but many valid complaints are being raised here. If Vudu plan to keep making money of sales they need to allow external storage.

Technically I'm sure it's not hard to do. Maybe keeping track in the gui of which films are stored (or 'archived') onto external devices is one issue, but again, not hard to solve ("watch now" becomes "Plug in USB drive 0 to watch now"). Maybe they want to sell external server box (with built in HDDs) that integrate better with the main vudu box, I don't know.

But if I had to guess, I would say licensing is the biggest barrier to releasing external storage support. The studios really don't quite know what to do with this stuff yet, and let's be honest, Vudu is a little ahead of it's time.

Add to that the whole "Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem" stuff that keeps getting talked up but never delivers any proposals for how this is meant to work. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes until January for this to go public.

[Citizen Erased]

Re: External hard drive

i wish they would actually use card in the box like Xbox uses Gamertags, that way you could watch content you purchased on any box as long as you have the card.

Actually there is a smart card in the box but I wouldn't like to speculate as to what implications that has for portability of accounts and associated content.

[MaxH]

Re: External hard drive

i wish they would actually use card in the box like Xbox uses Gamertags, that way you could watch content you purchased on any box as long as you have the card.

+1

[Stanley Kritzik]

Re: Comment re: External hard drive

Well, I don't know how you say that HDX is hogging space. The file size is in the 9 to 10 Gig range and they are only available for rental at this point. So since you can't purchase any HDX content (not until later in the week when you can purchase a few titles), how is HDX hogging space on the box? Hard drive space is not an issue with rentals. It's only a problem with purchases.

As for announcing things, Vudu has already announced their intentions to offer external storage. The original announcement was that you'd be able to hook up a drive via USB. That might be fine for some people but what happens when that USB drive fills up? Is Vudu going to support multiple USB drives? Personally, I hope they opt for a more flexible sort of external storage such as a shared, drive, etc. Who knows what they are going to do except they have said that they plan on doing it.

People look to the future. Obviously, HDX is going to be a purchase item, in quantity, and at 10 gig each, the hard drive can fill up fast. I'm not afraid of a USB hook up, with drives getting up to the terabyte range, and beyond. The issue is that VUDU should fill us in on more details. They undoubtedly have options in alpha and beta test -- I'd like to know more.

SK

[aaronwt]

Re: External hard drive

If you were willing to buy a new box just to have them transfer content. Why not get the box from BestBuy so you can get a $200 movie credit and repurchase the titles?
Not the best solution, but it might be an option since you were willing to purchase another box just to have them transfer the content.

i wish they would actually use card in the box like Xbox uses Gamertags, that way you could watch content you purchased on any box as long as you have the card.

My vudu is full! I can't buy anything more, and I can't rent more than one movie at a time at all. Not only that, but my Vudu is full of movies I can't archive, and I have 20+ movies archived, and all my tv shows archived!

So I called Vudu Tech Support (back when they took calls still, ugh) and asked them if I could buy another Vudu, and move my "adult" (back before "adult" movies existed on vudu, so this is only parent movies, not "adult") movies over to one, and keep all the "kid" movies on the other. Then I could have all the cartoons and animated flicks in the kids room and all my movies in the living room. They said they couldn't move the movies at all, even if it meant a $300 new vudu box sale. Ugh! Anyways, I am about fed up with my Vudu, as it has been useful only to watch movies I bought a while ago for a long time now. The customer service rep did offer to give me a 30% refund on movies I wanted to delete though... That was nice of him.

[NA9D]

Re: Comment re: External hard drive

The lack of an external drive, especially with HDX hogging space, has to hurt VUDU's sales and its standing in the competitive marketplace. Step on the gas, VUDU!

Well, I don't know how you say that HDX is hogging space. The file size is in the 9 to 10 Gig range and they are only available for rental at this point. So since you can't purchase any HDX content (not until later in the week when you can purchase a few titles), how is HDX hogging space on the box? Hard drive space is not an issue with rentals. It's only a problem with purchases.

As for announcing things, Vudu has already announced their intentions to offer external storage. The original announcement was that you'd be able to hook up a drive via USB. That might be fine for some people but what happens when that USB drive fills up? Is Vudu going to support multiple USB drives? Personally, I hope they opt for a more flexible sort of external storage such as a shared, drive, etc. Who knows what they are going to do except they have said that they plan on doing it.

I've seen companies get hurt big time by flawed announcements. SlingMedia announced their SlingCatcher product in 2006. It was supposed to be out a year ago. It just came out this fall and a lot of people were unhappy with the delay. Since then, the company has decided to be tight lipped about future product releases until they can guarantee a release date.

I'm not sure what Vudu's priorities are. But given that they've been spending time on enhancing the service FIRST, I think that's most important. I'd rather have HD streaming, 4 Mbps streaming on all content, HDX, etc. before external storage. Now that they have the library and user experience down and perfected, I do hope they add things like external storage, media playback, etc. We'll have to see when the plan on offering it - the box is constantly changing - that's part of the fun. Those of us who have had the boxes for a year now have seen that. I don't know of any other product that has changed so well or so often over the course of 12 months. I'm sure this will happen before too long...

[Stanley Kritzik]

Comment re: External hard drive

Not so easy. If there is external storage work in development, it may be at a point where they don't know when it could be released. So it's hard to make a promise and then miss it. They did that with the USB storage announcement when the box came out a year ago. I'm certain that it will be released in due time.

It's better to under-promise and over-deliver.

I'm just more used to an "open" environment these days. A few of the electronics companies I deal with announce things like: statement of direction, what's being beta tested, target announcement dates, etc. If an external drive were revolutionary, why fine, hush it up. But, DirecTV has external drive capabilities on their HR-line of DVRs (HR20, 21, & 22), and there are a number of vendors who supply same. The lack of an external drive, especially with HDX hogging space, has to hurt VUDU's sales and its standing in the competitive marketplace. Step on the gas, VUDU!

Stan

[NA9D]

Re: External hard drive

I
Just tell us what's coming, and when.

Not so easy. If there is external storage work in development, it may be at a point where they don't know when it could be released. So it's hard to make a promise and then miss it. They did that with the USB storage announcement when the box came out a year ago. I'm certain that it will be released in due time.

It's better to under-promise and over-deliver.

[Nded]

Re: External hard drive

I understand your frustration, but even if you had purchased on day one, your Vudu would barely be over 1 year old now. The vast majority of BX100 owners are still under warranty. That said, it doesn't lessen your frustration.

Vudu has kept every promise they've made, and exceeded most user and industry expectations. They announced plans to support external storage a while back, and it has been delayed for some reason (probably feature release priorities if I were guessing). I am confident we will all get external storage support in the near future.

[Stanley Kritzik]

Re: External hard drive

Yes, when your VUDU fills up, you can have trouble even renting until you archive or delete.

I'd recommend taking their offer on deleting one of those purchased titles, and stick to renting for the time being, and cross our fingers that the external storage comes sooner rather than later. My guess is that more and more people are starting to run into this kind of situation, and that external storage is an important topic there at VUDU. They're in the business of reselling content, and the worst situation possible is having customers who can't continue to purchase or rent.

It gets "old" and "tiring" after say, close to two years, that we non-XL customers can't get additional storage. After all, we're the early adopters, and to p*** off their best customers is not very smart. Also, why should such stuff be military secrets, anyway?

Just tell us what's coming, and when.

How about it VUDU?

Stan Kritzik

[NA9D]

Re: External hard drive

I don't buy movies, so I may be missing the point. But I don't get the purpose of VUDU's Archive feature if you can't use it to get the purchased movies off your box without losing it. Deleting them would force you to purchase them again and that doesn't make sense either.

Right now Vudu's archive feature allows you to archive to the "cloud" some movies and all TV shows. So there is a purpose there. It's just that not all content is licensed for this sort of "cloud" storage. I really don't know why it is not...

[HeadHodge]

Re: External hard drive

Yes, when your VUDU fills up, you can have trouble even renting until you archive or delete.

I'd recommend taking their offer on deleting one of those purchased titles, and stick to renting for the time being, and cross our fingers that the external storage comes sooner rather than later. My guess is that more and more people are starting to run into this kind of situation, and that external storage is an important topic there at VUDU. They're in the business of reselling content, and the worst situation possible is having customers who can't continue to purchase or rent.

I don't buy movies, so I may be missing the point. But I don't get the purpose of VUDU's Archive feature if you can't use it to get the purchased movies off your box without losing it. Deleting them would force you to purchase them again and that doesn't make sense either.