Tsutaya TV download HD to Blu-ray service tested
In the next step for the download-to-own movement, Tsutaya TV offers Japanese viewers the opportunity to download high definition (1080i) videos from Paramount, Warner, NBC Universal or Disney and burn them to a Blu-ray disc to keep permanently. In a trial run, AV Watch downloaded a full length 8.8Gb movie (No Country for Old Men) in 28 minutes over a fiber connection, compared to 120 minutes via ADSL. The magic of Google Translate reveals video quality that was only slightly outpaced by Blu-ray standards, unfortunately accompanied by only a stereo audio soundtrack. The biggest handicap? Equipment incompatibilities, with a burned disc that wouldn't play in a PlayStation 3, we're not sure if the acTVila-based service is ready for prime time, but at the moment we're at loss for a better option that serves both our need for instant gratification and packrat mentality at the same time.
