Vudu on-demand video service for PS3

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[size=+1]Vudu on-demand video service for PS3[/size]

Vudu On-Demand HD video service for PS3

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+ Fast visual interface with plenty of eye-candy, detailed movie information, 1080p streaming with 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus sound, movies available same day as DVD, competitive prices (starting rental $3.99 for SD / $4.99 for HD).
– Pay as you go can add-up making competitors such as Netflix potentially more attractive depending on your buying behavior.Clint says: Yet one more reason to ditch your cable or satellite provider. 1080p streaming with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround and a slick interface seal the deal.""


So long Blu-Ray, it was nice knowing you. Comcast, Dish Network, and DIRECTV: time to look for a new industry.

Vudu, another in a growing list of streaming movie services to hit the PS3 is a hit (note: it’s also available in several dedicated DVD players as well as on your PC/Mac via Boxee). I hate to use the expression “game changer” because it alone is really not, but the collective movement — Hulu, Netflix, plus Roku, Apple TV and others — means 2010 will go down as the year we finally were able to toss out our exorbitant cable bills; the only catch being local news and sports… for now.

Currently, the service offers 3,000 on-demand HD movies, and a total catalog of 15,000 instantly available titles. New movies are made available the same day as their DVD counterparts. One surprise: that the Vudu app would even be approved by Sony, who already offers a built-in on-demand service via the PlayStation Network. Perhaps a licensing deal or some sort of per unit royalty is part of the contract, I’m not sure.

Vudu installs as an app on the PS3 in mere seconds. Once you click on the icon, you are in essence walking a virtual BlockBuster, sans the blue-shirted slackers (who now work at Best Buy).

The interface is quick, and heavy on graphics and eye candy, important features for mainstream consumers. Unlike Netflix and Hulu, Vudu (did they just give up and change two letters from a competitor’s name?) is an on-demand service. There are no monthly fees. You just pay for what you watch, just like the aforementioned corner video store of yesteryear.

Most films are available in three resolutions: HDX/1080p, HD/720p and SD/420p. Rental prices, respectively: $5.99, $4.99, $3.99. Quite reasonable in my opinion. No driving, no lineups and no greasy, stained blue carpets to contend with here. Another plus: most of the new titles offer Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound. So the net of it is you’re getting a cinematic experience without the hassles of a DVD or Blu-Ray disc.

I particularly like the detailed information that Vudu provides. When I clicked on Knight and Day (Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz), a film I had never heard of before, I could see it had a rating of 52% from Rotten Tomatoes and a 3.8 star community score. Also by scrolling down with the PlayStation controller, I could access more information including: cast & crew, reviews, summary, more info, and, even, Wikipedia. It’s significantly more in-depth than what Netflix offers.

http://www.starkinsider.com/2010/12/review-vudu-on-demand-movie-service-for-ps3-hulu-netflix-compared.html

So weeding through all the promotional talk, it\'s an on-demand service that surfaces reviews from rotten tomatoes and imdb? Cool if you\'re into that, I guess.