Vudu set-top box review round-up

We got to spend a bit of time with Vudu's eponymously named set-top box earlier this month at CEDIA, but those still trying to justify that $399 price tag now have a bit more info to help inform their decision, with a number of reviews of the device now cropping up online. Among the first to churn out a full review were the folks at Laptop Magazine, who seem to have found quite a bit to like in the device, despite some fairly serious limitations. They were especially impressed by the Vudu's "surprisingly good" video quality, which they say "makes you forget you're watching a movie downloaded over the Web." Leading those aforementioned limitations is the fact that those all those movies are "trapped on the Vudu box," meaning you can't offload them onto a portable media or stream them over a network connection. That also proved to be one CNET's big gripes with the device, who also lamented the lack of built-in WiFi, and the somewhat limited 24-hour viewing period for downloaded movies. Those also looking for an unboxing of the device can find that and more in Paul Stamatiou's review, which even goes so far as to rip the device apart for a peek inside. As for how the Vudu works, he too seems to have been fairly impressed by the general user experience, although the movie pricing structure proved to be a major stumbling block for him, as was the device's inability to export movies to a PC.

Read - Laptop Magazine (3.5 out of 5)
Read - CNET (7.7 out of 10)
Read - PaulStamatiou.com (7 out of 10)

[Photo courtesy of PaulStamatiou.com]

[David Smiley @ Oct 1st 2007 12:24PM]

Fine! make me look up "eponymously"...

[nd @ Oct 1st 2007 12:33PM]

I'm pretty sure it's a mis-use of the word anyway. I believe it to mean that the name was derived from something else, not that the name is the same exact name as something else.

[tenzintsewang @ Oct 1st 2007 12:30PM]

getting mine tomorrow

[charliekwin @ Oct 1st 2007 1:23PM]

I get to pay $400 to buy a box that *only* plays downloaded movies that cost the same as renting/buying a DVD, while delivering *almost* the same quality? Oh, and I get to pay in advance and can't view them anywhere else?

They could give the box away for free and this service STILL wouldn't be worth it.

Gosh, sign me up now.

[JeffnLA @ Oct 1st 2007 4:13PM]

I agree with you. I'm all for gadgets and HD tech, but $400 to start and then PAY for each near DVD quality video for a day. MMkay....

I will just wait for my HD cable to broadcast it and DVR it..

[John Gabel @ Nov 15th 2007 6:18PM]

your remark about vudu is understanable but you have to buy movies when you buy a dvd or any other device for that matter. With other things that thing could do, it is a great deal at 399.

[Jon O @ Oct 1st 2007 2:19PM]

Those who scoff at the Vudu don't understand it or just simply like to go on viewing movies via pieces of plastic.

I've had the privilege of being involved with the Vudu box for about 6 months now. I've seen this thing evolve and I am tremendously impressed. The video quality is truly AS GOOD OR BETTER than DVDs and is definitely better than cable or satellite. That said, I'll add a caveat: The video quality is as good as the source material received from the studios. Some movies have lousy source material. Others, like 300, which was a direct digital transfer are simply amazing on this box.

Where else can you go to rent or purchase 5000 movies instantaneously? And it IS instantaneous. It leaves all other OnDemand services in the dust. It will change the way you rent and possibly purchase movies.

Yes, it is a bummer that there is no content portability. And that will deter purchases of movies. However, it's not a fault of the box or Vudu. At present the studios have mandated that movies stay on the box and on the box only. Hopefully this will change over time and if content is licensed to be played on other devices, then I would expect this to be supported pretty quickly. The studios do a lot of strange things in regard to this box that hopefully will change (some movies can be purchased but not rented, others rented but not purchased, etc.). Still, it's worth purchasing the box if you like movies but hate going to the video store, hate your cable's on demand selection or hate waiting for mail from Netflix. I plan on using my box as my primary movie delivery service.

Vudu is a company that is very receptive to our requests and demands as customers. They want customer feedback and will take everything seriously. I know this because I have seen it happen with requests I have made. They are VERY responsive. So now, when this product is new, you have a chance to influence it. Come over and visit http://forum.vudu.com for more info.

And for the record, I am not a Vudu employee nor paid by them. I've just been involved with the box since last March.

Jon

[Mojo_Yugen @ Oct 1st 2007 2:58PM]

I think the price for the box is what would kill this for me. I understand that they are a small company that probably can't afford to lose money on the box and make it up on rentals. But $400?
I'm mostly worried that the company will be gone in a year or the movie companies will change their minds about letting anyone download them and I'll be stuck with a $400 boat anchor.

[tenzintsewang @ Oct 1st 2007 4:23PM]

you will have 250 gb s-ata drive :)