Smart Home Blog

Next to Netflix another US online content provider VUDU comes to the AV devices. Its Apps will be added to the HDTV by Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Sharp and Toshiba. Toshiba will also integrate Vudu Apps in to their line of internet-capable Blu-Ray players. A list of applications is huge. Except VUDU Streaming Movie Service, it includes Flickr, Picasa, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Diggnation HD and much much more.

This is a good tendency when online services are integrated directly to TV or player. The bad thing for non-US citizens is that the either VUDU or Netflix is not available outside US. Just wondering about availability of VUDU Apps in Europe.

After Netflix LG decided to add VUDU service to its LH50 HDTV line. The owners of the 47LH50, 50PS80, 60PS80 and 42LH50 will be able to buy or rent HD and HDX (1080p) films on demand through a refreshed user interface that promises no stutters or buffering waits. Additionally new VUDU interface will allow instant fast forward, rewind and start for all movie qualities.

That’s really good because consumers will get rid of one box and at least three wires in their A/V stands. Will wait for similar service for Europe.

VUDU subscribers recently got possibility to control their STB, browse move catalog, rent or purchase desire movie directly from iPhone or iPod Touch. It seems that support of Apple smartphone became a standard de-facto. Many producers of home automation systems such Crestron, Lutron, Control4 and etc provide iPhone App to control their systems. The VUDU iPhone App is good addition to that list.

BTW I like the VUDU approach to use pear-to pear technology to transfer rented or purchased movie to the customers. It makes the process of downloading faster and loading of VUDU servers less.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

I already wrote about VUDU – VOD provider from US. It offers approximately five thousand movies, HD films, and TV shows via broadband Internet connection. The movies can be rented or bought.

Actually VUDU does similar thing as AppleTV. But VUDU uses original approach to deliver content to the custom’s box. It something similar to BitTorrent. Requested movie is retrieved not from the central server as it’s done in case of AppleTV. But from the other VUDU boxes where it was already stored. As result the movie will come to your box much faster and network won’t be overladen.

Good approach! VUDU has only one big disadvantage for people who live outside USA. It works in US only. But AppleTV is available everywhere in the world (where high speed broadband exists of course).

See also

• VUDU web site
• VUDU review
• Vudu Caters to Channel with IPTV Products, Strategies

NetStreams presented its new multi-room solution which uses VUDU XL as a video server. Built-in 1Tb storage is quite enough for that purpose. NetStreams integrated VUDU XL with its IP-Based Distributed Audio, Video and Control system DigiLinX. So, media content (more than SD and HD 5000 movies) is streamed through the VUDU XL set top box, distributed throughout the home and controlled via DigiLinX. VUDU offers an efficient way to control its STB by IP. So, NetStreams just utilized it to build its new multi-room solution.

[via eHomeUpgrade]