Vudu Insta Watch

[mgbcondor]

So just saw on Facebook a posting by Vudu (which again btw won't let me comment just share) I digress anyway it now offers Insta Watch where you buy your DVD or Bluray at WalMart and scan your receipt at the store and it's instantly available on your Vudu account.

How will the store link up to your Vudu account thru just scanning a receipt when most Wal Marts are clueless about disc to digital conversion in general.

This is nice but I'm curious does this mean I still have a digital code inside the case that I can now either give to someone else or sell?

[lostinva]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

Store employees are not involved with this in any capacity.

http://www.vudu.com/instawatch/

[Jeff*H]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

I would imagine that Instawatch will replace the packaging of UV code slips inside all Wal-mart DVDs and blu-rays at some point in time, as the UV code slips will become redundant. Instead of redeeming a movie code here on Vudu, you simply scan your receipt and the movie will appear in your account. A UV redemption code slip would no longer be required, as your store or online receipt essentially functions as your UV code slip.

[RBBrittain]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

Instawatch has nothing to do with D2D; it uses your Walmart.com account (required for Savings Catcher) to link your receipt to Vudu. As the previous poster said, it's more likely to replace UV code slips (though I'm not 100% sure all the studios will go along) than D2D.

It may even be a prelude to Vudu joining DMA for Disney titles, as has been rumored; that would give Vudu a key place in redeeming Disney titles purchased at Walmart thru DMA (from DMR points to even iTunes) while hastening the demise of Digital Copy Plus (always intended to be transitional from disc-based DC to DMA).

[MaxH]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

Eh, if I can get the disc for the same price online, I'd rather pay another $1-2 for D2D than make the trek to the nearest Walmart. I avoid them anyway, the only time I've set foot in one in this millenium is when I took a heavily damaged disc for D2D because (obviously) it wouldn't work at home.

[Squatting Hen]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

Well...there is no Savings Catcher WalMart app for Windows Phone. I guess I have no way to scan my receipt for purchases I make in the store.

[lostinva]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

You can manually enter your receipts through the Savings Catcher web site as well.

https://savingscatcher.walmart.com/

[BlakkMajik3000]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

Instawatch has nothing to do with D2D; it uses your Walmart.com account (required for Savings Catcher) to link your receipt to Vudu. As the previous poster said, it's more likely to replace UV code slips (though I'm not 100% sure all the studios will go along) than D2D.

It may even be a prelude to Vudu joining DMA for Disney titles, as has been rumored; that would give Vudu a key place in redeeming Disney titles purchased at Walmart thru DMA (from DMR points to even iTunes) while hastening the demise of Digital Copy Plus (always intended to be transitional from disc-based DC to DMA).

I don't think it replaces D2D, as I'm sure many users still have a significant backlog of titles they purchased long ago that wouldn't be eligible for this, but are eligible for D2D.

I do think it will affect buying decisions going forward, at least for me. I'll admit, I buy most of my physical media from the "jungle", and really only buy from my local WM if I happen to be in there on the release date of a film I want ( I don't pre-order anything...ever) or I see a movie from my wishlist at a good price ($10 or less). In other words, I do not make much of an effort to buy physical media from WM (store or .com).

Due to current home improvements, I have taken somewhat of a "break" from buying movies, aside from primarily new releases or limited catalog releases. When I get back on the horse and start knocking out the remainder of my catalog purchases, I will definitely be looking first at WM to see if the movie is part of this program, since most catalog titles don't get UV inserts unless they are re-releases (and sometimes not even then).

I'm curious as to why Vudu doesn't also have an InstaWatch section as well.

[Fofer]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

This seems similar to Amazon's Disc+ On Demand service, and I am happy to see it. Higher quality, more titles, and on VUDU where my big library of digital video already lives.

I will no longer step foot inside the Walmart near me, but I'll buy from Walmart.com if the price and availability is right. I am assuming this is just a (free) extension of the same titles that are/will be available for Disc to Digital, and therefore are UV compatible.

http://www.vudu.com/instawatch/

[Ruinit]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

What's the point really if EVERY movie and EVERY TV show you purchase is not available? It will force us to check to see if available for instawatch before we make a purchase! So again if I buy a Disney movie the answer is not can't instawatch it

Quit adding new services and make the ones we have work across the board! If the point is to buy once and watch anywhere then make it so.

JMO

[YankeeGator6]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

So, if I buy an MGM movie for instance, and it doesn't have a redemption code in the package, but Vudu offers it, it will redeem? If so, that's pretty cool.

[johnmccann1976]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

Does it work for pre orders? Also, I shop online how would I know if it is an available title?

[Ruinit]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

So, if I buy an MGM movie for instance, and it doesn't have a redemption code in the package, but Vudu offers it, it will redeem? If so, that's pretty cool.

I have looked at the list, no mgm and no disney that i can find.

[Fofer]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

What's the point really if EVERY movie and EVERY TV show you purchase is not available? It will force us to check to see if available for instawatch before we make a purchase! So again if I buy a Disney movie the answer is not can't instawatch it

Quit adding new services and make the ones we have work across the board! If the point is to buy once and watch anywhere then make it so.

JMO

While I certainly agree with your frustration, your logic doesn't make much sense. "If you can't do it for every single title from every single studio, then don't bother doing it all?" Sorry, that's not how business (or tech) does things. I'm happy with what's available, and the only way for these things to evolve and grow is to allow for it to start somewhere. Eventually, hopefully, the other standouts will come on board. Or the market will speak and less people will buy from the non-participating partners. But that's up to the studios and not VUDU. I'm sure VUDU and the Ultraviolet consortium would love for Disney to be on board, even mores that you or I do. It's simply not up to VUDU. It's up to Disney.

But to suggest that they should quit expanding the service for the studios and titles that ARE participating isn't wise in the slightest. They should keep marching ahead, keep innovating, keep making the service better and more robust. That's best for the customers who are actually on board. In the meantime, the current users of the current system can keep building their libraries and be happy with the system. And if the pressure builds and the standouts come on board, great.

If not, oh well, that's the way the ball bounces. And I still love using VUDU and I love building my VUDU/UV library.

[Fofer]

Re: Vudu Insta Watch

I have looked at the list, no mgm and no disney that i can find.

Again, I think this is simply a (free) extension of the Disc to Digital program, which is tied to Ultraviolet, as far as I know. So their omission here makes (unfortunate) sense.

In my experience, just because something is Ultraviolet doesn't also mean it's available as a Disc to Digital. But if it's available as Disc to Digital, then I'm pretty sure that also means it's Ultraviolet. At least, that's been my experience with ~400 conversions so far.