Some movies lost UV compatibility....

[scottmcasey]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

I also lost my UV copy of There's Something About Mary (still available only through VUDU). I used VUDU's in-home disc-to-digital conversion to purchase from Blu-ray on 6/8 and was presented with the Extended Version. I know it was UV compatible, because it is showing in Flixster as a movie in my collection that is "not yet available for streaming or download on Flixster." However, no version of the movie currently appears in my UVVU account.

Since the in-home disc-to-digital was released with the 50% promotion, i have converted all available titles in my collection. I currently have over 400 movies and over a dozen TV seasons in my collection. All are UV, with the exception of Meet the Parents (D2D), Oz the Great and Powerful (Disney Copy+), and now There's Something About Mary.

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

This is something I didn't even think about when this discussion began and make A LOT of sense. I know the ALID has been changed on movies before (on instance I can think of is with The Notebook.) Flixster and VUDU have had problems between each other in getting the right ALID, and this can affect your UV account. That might be worth bringing up in a support ticket as to whether or not it was changed or perhaps inputted wrong.

When we change an ALID, it is done for everyone that owns the movie on the service. In the case of The Notebook, we updated it to the correct ALID a long time ago. Some may still have the incorrect ALID on the other side, and would need to contact the company they redeemed the film with.

With that being said, we're happy to check to make sure we have the correct ALID for a movie, if you're having trouble exporting or importing it. We should be able to tell if the issue is on our side, or theirs.

[shadow316]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

That's very possible and if it's the case you would think Vudu would automatically update everyone who previously had the extended edition in their account with the correct ALID. In such case Vudu would have to have known that some people already purchased the extended edition, whether Vudu intended it or not, and that simply changing the ALID for a title would case this problem.

I've also had titles readded to my purchase history. However one example, in my case, was that I redeemed Les Miserables (1998) through Sony. It showed up on UVVU with HDX rights but when Vudu imported it, it originally showed up in my purchased history as "Les Miserables (SD)" because Vudu only had SD rights at the time. Once Vudu obtain HD rights it was added again to my purchase history as "Les Miserables (HDX)".

This is something I didn't even think about when this discussion began and make A LOT of sense. I know the ALID has been changed on movies before (on instance I can think of is with The Notebook.) Flixster and VUDU have had problems between each other in getting the right ALID, and this can affect your UV account. That might be worth bringing up in a support ticket as to whether or not it was changed or perhaps inputted wrong.

[Speedaddict81]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

excuse my ignorance. What is an ALID?

Basically the individual movie's id number, something I don't think we can see. Vudu and other providers have to ensure that they have the proper ID on their content so it appears correctly on UV...in this case they may have updated the TSAM extended edition ID to one that is not UV-compliant, whereas the theatrical ALID may be UV compliant.

In other words, the industry equivalent of a UPC.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

excuse my ignorance. What is an ALID?

[rdodolak]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

That's very possible and if it's the case you would think Vudu would automatically update everyone who previously had the extended edition in their account with the correct ALID. In such case Vudu would have to have known that some people already purchased the extended edition, whether Vudu intended it or not, and that simply changing the ALID for a title would case this problem.

I've also had titles readded to my purchase history. However one example, in my case, was that I redeemed Les Miserables (1998) through Sony. It showed up on UVVU with HDX rights but when Vudu imported it, it originally showed up in my purchased history as "Les Miserables (SD)" because Vudu only had SD rights at the time. Once Vudu obtain HD rights it was added again to my purchase history as "Les Miserables (HDX)".

[echopulse]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

Or, it could mean that the ALID was changed. That has happened before. I once did D2D for Night at the Museum. On vudu, it showed Night at the Museum correctly, but on Flixster, and uvvu, it showed Night at the Museum 2, because vudu put the ALID for Night at the Museum 2 in my account. When they changed it to the correct one, Night at the Museum 2 was removed from my uvvu and flixster account, and then Night at the Museum 2 was D2D eligible. Maybe what happened here, was that the ALID for TSAM was changed from the Extended to the Theatrical version. Probably affected everyone. Sometimes, when an ALID is updated, it shows as a new transaction, even though it's not. That explains why some titles rise to the top of your flixster page, even though you added the movie a long time ago. The movies get updated often. So I think it's probably just a mistake. The bottom line though, is you still have the movie, so they didn't shortchange you, you just got a different version than you paid for. I would ask Fox to correct their mistake though.

[rdodolak]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

Ahh, now we are getting somewhere. When fox carpet bombed us with new titles, something went amiss with these two where the extended one loss UV status for some reason.

Huh. Go figure.

I don't know about anyone else, but I fail to see justification for abandoning UV/Vudu over this matter. Others may feel differently and I respect that, but I for one am unshaken by such an anomalous fluke. I work in the technology sector and I know good and well stuff like this happens on occasion.

Agree. However, that doesn't explain why kokomo lost UV rights for that title on UVVU.com or why Vudu gave him a copy of TSAM (theatrical) when he had the extended edition. Since both titles have unique IDs the two titles shouldn't get easily confused.

If Vudu lost UV rights to the extended edition then kokomo should still maintain UV rights on UVVU.com and even though Vudu may lose UV rights he would still have access to the title on Vudu since he perform the D2D, as I understood, through Vudu. Vudu shouldn't have given him a free copy of the theatrical edition. This is speculation, and not necessarily what happened, but it's almost as if Vudu gave him a copy of the theatrical edition, which is UV, since he lost the UV rights to the extended edition. But that would mean Vudu would know what is going on.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

According to FMBB's list, TSAB (Extended Edition) was added to his list on 3/7/2013 which is when he initially created the list. TSAB (Theatrical) was added to his list on 6/15/2013. The spreadsheet shows both qualified for D2D via either DVD or Blu-ray. However, when searching the D2D list on the Vudu web site TSAB (Extended Edition) is no longer on the list.

Ahh, now we are getting somewhere. When fox carpet bombed us with new titles, something went amiss with these two where the extended one loss UV status for some reason.

Huh. Go figure.

I don't know about anyone else, but I fail to see justification for abandoning UV/Vudu over this matter. Others may feel differently and I respect that, but I for one am unshaken by such an anomalous fluke. I work in the technology sector and I know good and well stuff like this happens on occasion.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bjh21nml17...rum%20post.jpg from 12-26-2012
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t0as9s2xt2...0mary%20EE.jpg

This is not about me I did not start this thread this is about movies being removed from UltraViolet accounts.Many people have reported this has happened to them recently and in the past.

By the way I have over 200 movies in my UltraViolet account and only 4 on itunes from DVD purchases.

Personally, I have only had the opposite happen (movies getting added to my UV account from Vudu which were not previously there).

I have never had one be taken away.

If it were me, I would go to the mats to find out. In this case, it would be an inquiry to Fox. Seems like you are instead just going to let it stand.

I had HP-DH#2 in SD via a Flixster redemption. It was showing up in my UV account and Vudu as SD only, but I owned the Bluray disc. I did not feel this was fair and after about ten days of e-mail tennis, I got my copy updated to HDX in Vudu and HD in UV.

If you feel strongly, I recommend;

1. Ask Vudu where the 6/17 transaction came from and the details about it.
2. Ask Fox why the extended addition is no longer a UV title.

If you do not care to, I will lament the fact you seemingly lost a UV option from one of your Vudu titles with you. I agree, this would not be fair.

[kokomo]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

Images like that can be faked pretty easily. Concerning Meet the Parents, I remember reading that is was not UV soon after it was added to D2D in January. Here is proof. I guess it could have had it's UV status added, then taken away again, but I don't remember anyone mentioning that it had finally gone UV, and usually someone does.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bjh21nml17...rum%20post.jpg from 12-26-2012
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t0as9s2xt2...0mary%20EE.jpg

This is not about me I did not start this thread this is about movies being removed from UltraViolet accounts.Many people have reported this has happened to them recently and in the past.

By the way I have over 200 movies in my UltraViolet account and only 4 on itunes from DVD purchases.

[rdodolak]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

absolutly, I agree too and this matter sould be answered.

1. Vudu should be able to answer why there is a June 17 transaction
2. Fox should be able to answer the change in status on this title

The idea that kokomo is a troller from iTunes forums just trying to undermine UV/Vudu by digitally altering images I suppose can not be ruled out. Our UV High Priest should be able to answer for us if he ever saw this title appear on his hallowed lists subsequent to his weekly communes with the UV gods.

If not, kokomo can be dismissed as a troller and the presence of such trollers here speaks to the growing threat iTunes loyalist are feeling from UV/Vudu.

If Mr. FattyMBB did see that title, this is an anomalous blip which would be good to know what happened.

According to FMBB's list, TSAM (Extended Edition) was added to his list on 3/7/2013 which is when he initially created the list. TSAM (Theatrical) was added to his list on 6/15/2013. The spreadsheet shows both qualified for D2D via either DVD or Blu-ray. However, when searching the D2D list on the Vudu web site TSAM (Extended Edition) is no longer on the list.

[rdodolak]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

I did not make a transaction (https://www.dropbox.com/s/yvzwclvk5r...out%20Mary.jpg) on that day I already owned There's Something About Mary (Extended Edition) for over one year but that was the day it disappeared from my UltraViolet account.

I will not ask Vudu to explain because of my past experiences with Vudu customer service.

So you're saying they converted your extended edition to the theatrical edition. I'm assuming TSAM theatrical went UV somewhere around 6/17. Do you also have a pic showing the original purchase date for the extended edition?

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

Once added these titles should remain in the UV Collection, the only way they should be removed is if WE, the account holders, delete them, NOT the studios, not the service providers. Once a license is granted (including through D2D of an available title) it is irevokeable.

absolutly, I agree too and this matter sould be answered.

1. Vudu should be able to answer why there is a June 17 transaction
2. Fox should be able to answer the change in status on this title

The idea that kokomo is a troller from iTunes forums just trying to undermine UV/Vudu by digitally altering images I suppose can not be ruled out. Our UV High Priest should be able to answer for us if he ever saw this title appear on his hallowed lists subsequent to his weekly communes with the UV gods.

If not, kokomo can be dismissed as a troller and the presence of such trollers here speaks to the growing threat iTunes loyalist are feeling from UV/Vudu.

If Mr. FattyMBB did see that title, this is an anomalous blip which would be good to know what happened.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Some movies lost UV compatibility....

I don't think that Fox does anything on Vudu's servers, CinemaNow's servers, etc.

The retailers work with the studios and the retailers should know if our problem is on their end or something caused by a studio's decision. Whatever the problem, the retailers should be able to provide an answer.

If you are talking about a redemption code that doesn't work, then perhaps you go back to the studio (provided that something on the redemption code tells you who to contact). But when you purchase a UV movie from Vudu, or even purchase UV digital rights using Vudu's D2D service, and later the movie disappears from the UV website, or even "if" it were to disappear from My Vudu, then it's Vudu we need to deal with. This is where the money is exchanging hands and it will be Vudu who will be refunding our money (if it comes down to that).

Ahh, yes. I see now. It would be a bait-and-switch if a title was bought due to UV compatibility and subsequently the UV capability was removed. I can see how you feel Vudu should be held to account.

Vudu has this customer's money and as such you are right they should be able to provide an answer. However, they have provided an answer. The answer is pls take the matter up with Fox. Vudu just reflects the UV database.

If you think the studios do not do anything on the DECE servers, that is a flaw in understanding. Studios interact with DECE via an API. The e-Retailers then reflect this data. It is the studios who populate this data.