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CES 2014 News?

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    #16
    Re: CES 2014 News?

    Originally posted by BlakkMajik3000 View Post

    As far as setup, Plex was a snap. Download software to PC, install, configure folders, done. All that's left to do is download the app to your device and there you go. All media from that PC in your hands. I'm obviously more tech-savvy than the average user, but I can't see it being too much trouble for someone with a basic understanding of computers.

    Compatibility with home media server software is important, and it would be a big mistake for the DECE to not support such solutions when rolling out the CFF.
    I do disagree. I think three years ago, client server technology for in home media playback was important. The market has moved on. Consumers are streaming now. The numbers tell the story. How many Netflix users download and playback via in home client server media playback?

    Zero. 100% stream. Same for me with my UV movies. I have no desire to maintain and administer local copy playback. It would be a senseless waste of time for me. Three years ago, maybe. Not in 2014. I pay Vudu to do that for me. I just click my remote and enjoy.

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      #17
      Re: CES 2014 News?

      Originally posted by echopulse View Post
      I would much rather have the files locally on my network than stream them straight from vudu. For several reasons, One is, that I know that the aspect ratio, video quality, and sound mix will be the best available, because it is encoded by the studio's themselves, and not vudu. Vudu has a history of problems when it comes to quality. I will keep buying from them, but I prefer to get the master straight from the source. There is also the issue of bandwidth, file portability, and sorting.

      I tried putting Plex on my machine, in order to stream video's to my roku. Couldn't get it to work. It was too clunky, and there was no wizard to guide me through setup. And I work in the IT department. I can figure out most things when it comes to the internet. I would much rather it be compatible with DLNA hardware. Also, I hope XBMC will support it.
      So exactly how will the distribution of the CFF files be handled? I had always assumed we would still download them from places like Vudu. I also remember reading somewhere, might have been a post on here, that bitTorrent was in play as well.

      Out of curiosity, when did you last try Plex? I literally had the server (laptop) and all of our devices up and streaming in about half an hour, and I have never used Plex before (I have used PlayOn a few times in the past).

      FYI, Plex is a fork of XBMC, so I would be cautiously optimistic that if the CFF works with XBMC, it will also work with Plex.

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        #18
        Re: CES 2014 News?

        I have seen hundreds of complaints on places like apple's support forums, DVDTalk, the HomeTheaterForum, Blu-ray.com from people who won't use UV because you can't download the file and move it to another device. These people want a backup in case something happens to vudu, or their internet connection. Or they want to not have to download it multiple times to different devices taking even more bandwidth. Even if only 5% of movie buyers want to download, that's still several million people who will start using UV once the CFF is available.

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          #19
          Re: CES 2014 News?

          Originally posted by Walter-S_North_Carolina View Post
          I do disagree. I think three years ago, client server technology for in home media playback was important. The market has moved on. Consumers are streaming now. The numbers tell the story. How many Netflix users download and playback via in home client server media playback?

          Zero. 100% stream. Same for me with my UV movies. I have no desire to maintain and administer local copy playback. It would be a senseless waste of time for me. Three years ago, maybe. Not in 2014. I pay Vudu to do that for me. I just click my remote and enjoy.
          Netflix isn't the best example. You are correct that 100% of users stream, but it is disingenuous to present this as proof nobody wants local playback, as the option to download from Netflix does not exist. And the option doesn't exist not because Netflix doesn't want it to, it doesn't exist because the studios won't allow it. Well, the option to download is "technically" possible, but it's a big violation of the TOS, and likely illegal.

          Amazon allows you to download Prime video content, but the catch is you can only download (again, legally) using the Kindle Fire HDX (newest model), and that's it.

          If downloads weren't important, Vudu (among others) wouldn't offer them, and the DECE would not bother with the CFF.

          I maintain that it will be a big mistake if there is not a huge list of already compatible devices for the launch. IMO, any device that's allowed to download movies now should be compatible with the CFF. Many people do not want to bother with home media server software, but many don't mind and it would not be wise for the DECE to not provide an option for these users.

          Comment


            #20
            Re: CES 2014 News?

            Originally posted by BlakkMajik3000 View Post
            Netflix isn't the best example. You are correct that 100% of users stream, but it is disingenuous to present this as proof nobody wants local playback, as the option to download from Netflix does not exist. And the option doesn't exist not because Netflix doesn't want it to, it doesn't exist because the studios won't allow it. Well, the option to download is "technically" possible, but it's a big violation of the TOS, and likely illegal.

            Amazon allows you to download Prime video content, but the catch is you can only download (again, legally) using the Kindle Fire HDX (newest model), and that's it.

            If downloads weren't important, Vudu (among others) wouldn't offer them, and the DECE would not bother with the CFF.

            I maintain that it will be a big mistake if there is not a huge list of already compatible devices for the launch. IMO, any device that's allowed to download movies now should be compatible with the CFF. Many people do not want to bother with home media server software, but many don't mind and it would not be wise for the DECE to not provide an option for these users.
            I guess I did a poor job of communicating the point I was attempting to make.

            100% of Netflix users stream from "the cloud". This is without question a true statement.

            The popularity of Netflix is inextricably tided to consumer adoption of streaming as a method for media playback.

            My point is really simple, and I am sorry if i was unclear. The mass adoption of streaming as a method of media playback (known as OTT iVoD) has made the older client server method obsolete.

            Maintaining a client server application in a home LAN for media playback is not necessary and in my estimation an unneeded investment in time and money. My Roku consumes as much electricity as a night light. Why do I need to add a back end server application running on a computer in a closet somewhere that needs electricity, administration, and hdd storage in the terabyte range?

            OTT iVoD has now been established as an acceptable method for media playback, making the older client server method obsolete.

            At least that is my view. Jim Taylor, Head of Technology & Product Development, DECE / UV also mentioned this trend in this interview.

            LINK:
            https://forum.vudu.com/showthread.ph...ghlight=fringe

            Comment


              #21
              Re: CES 2014 News?

              Originally posted by Walter-S_North_Carolina View Post
              Maintaining a client server application in a home LAN for media playback is not necessary and in my estimation an unneeded investment in time and money. My Roku consumes as much electricity as a night light. Why do I need to add a back end server application running on a computer in a closet somewhere that needs electricity, administration, and hdd storage in the terabyte range?
              The only reason is if you want to add additional titles for playback that are not currently available in your UV locker. For example, if you wanted to create digital copies of all your Disney movies on your server for playback through your Roku devices or maybe television shows that you have DVDs for and you don't want to buy them again to have in the cloud.

              My view is that this model is valid, but probably only limited to the movies/shows that are not UV or not on Vudu.

              Comment


                #22
                Re: CES 2014 News?

                UltraViolet Enjoys Record Week

                UltraViolet topped off a year of major growth with its best week ever.

                The week of Christmas saw consumers add more than 2.3 million new movies and TV shows to their UltraViolet libraries, or about four every second during the week, according to Mark Teitell, GM of the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem, which manages implementation of the cloud-based digital storage platform.

                That capped off a year that saw UltraViolet grow to more than 15 million household accounts with an average of 4.5 users on those accounts. There were more than three times the number of UltraViolet transactions in 2013 compared to 2012.
                That's disapointing. They had accouned that there was 15 million accounts in Sept. If they haven't even added one million since then, maybe UV has hit a ceiling. I had hoped they would have had 20 million accounts by now.

                Comment


                  #23
                  Re: CES 2014 News?

                  Originally posted by echopulse View Post
                  UltraViolet Enjoys Record Week

                  That's disapointing. They had accouned that there was 15 million accounts in Sept. If they haven't even added one million since then, maybe UV has hit a ceiling. I had hoped they would have had 20 million accounts by now.
                  Thx for bringing this link to the forum.

                  I emailed the author, Mr. Tribbey, about the 15 million number. It does not seem right that in the fourth quarter the number of accounts plateaued. I suspect new account numbers were not available and the author just reported the last published number with the "more" condition.

                  However, I find it very encouraging that DECE is seeing activity spike. I personally feel that a better metric for UV success instead of number of accounts is activity in the ecosystem. I think the nightly high water mark for simultaneous playbacks is the best metric since it is an indication of the level of people incorporating the technology into their lives. Napster may still be able to claim 75 million accounts, but no one uses it anymore.

                  Four transactions a second 24 hours per day for seven continuous days? Geeze...

                  Using the number of transactions metric, DECE grew more then 300% in one year according to the article. Perhaps this is the start of the "critical mass" spoken about.

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                    #24
                    Re: CES 2014 News?

                    I hope you are right. They would probably hold back that info until CES anyways, to make a bigger splash and get more attention.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Re: CES 2014 News?

                      Originally posted by echopulse View Post
                      I hope you are right. They would probably hold back that info until CES anyways, to make a bigger splash and get more attention.
                      ...four days

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                        #26
                        Re: CES 2014 News?

                        Well CES 2014 is almost over, and we have barely heard anything about UV. There were three reports, but they were behind the scenes stuff. How about some news about the CFF rollout, or new retailers or new studio support? They are still stuck at 15 million members after 4 months! What a letdown! Here's what I did find.

                        http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/beh...d-train-669587

                        http://www.bloomberg.com/article/201...qO32QcjDQ.html

                        http://www.marketwatch.com/story/div...k=MW_news_stmp

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                          #27
                          Re: CES 2014 News?

                          I just found out that UltraViolet will have a common redemption site later this year. Not what I was expecting, but it is good news.

                          http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/9/529...ming-this-year

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