VideoDownloads -- Engadget

VideoDownloads posts

Apple hundreds short of 1,000 movie promise

by Ryan Block posted Mar 1st 2008 at 8:54PM

Ruh ruh, Macworld ran one last test as the month of February expired yesterday and found that contrary to Apple's claim that there would be over 1,000 movies for download by March, iTunes and the Apple TV have hundreds fewer flicks available than anticipated. The 91 (of 100 promised) HD movies and 399 total rental titles make up a fair chunk of the 770 some-odd rental and sale titles, which comparatively isn't all that bad a number when you look at the other download services, but Cupertino clearly has a ways to go before we all trade in our Netflix and Blockbuster memberships.

[Thanks, Jimi]

Zune survey points to video downloads

by Joshua Topolsky posted Feb 25th 2008 at 6:06PM

Apparently, video is all the rage these days. Just ask the folks who received a survey from Microsoft about services which may or may not be coming to the Zune. It's possible your heart might skip a beat when you read questions like, "I would rather download a movies from an online service than buy a DVD," or, "My friends and I regularly send each other links to online videos." Though the question, "I'm willing to carry a larger MP3 player if it improves the quality of the display," could just be suggesting a new Zune-XXXL is on the way. Regardless of what it you take away from these cryptic messages, remember one thing: just like that Netflix survey, this may not mean anything at all.

[Thanks, Ducttape38]

Apple TV (take 2), take two

by Ryan Block posted Feb 12th 2008 at 4:12PM

We got some good time in with Apple's take 2 (i.e. v2.0) software update at Macworld this year, but now that it's out we had to put the spurs to it. We'll be updating with more as we go, but for right now here's what you need to know:

The update itself is under 200MB and took us under five minutes to download, but over ten minutes to install. Our first try failed out. Also, get used to seeing that loading bar screen, it cycled through about five times for us.
Yep, that's a slick new video that it opens with.
Did someone say 1080p output? Oh yes, it's finally enabled!
Yep, it's officially software version 2.0.
Although manually inputting your Apple ID with the remote is a pain, renting movies is absolutely a snap.
Our HD movie was ready for playback within a minute of starting the download. Very nice.
Picture quality is pretty good. Not amazing, but pretty good.
Flickr integration works well (unlike on stage at Macworld), but there's no way to aggregate your contact lists's photos to your ATV. It's on a single contact basis only, meaning you can only look at your own or any one other user's photos at a time. Kind of a bummer in that regard.
Plenty more details to be found here and here, as well as an informative chart of how downloads works here.

Gallery: Apple TV (take 2), take two

iTunes and Apple TV rentals and purchases: what you can (and can't) do

by Ryan Block posted Jan 16th 2008 at 12:06PM

Oh dear lord is there a lot of confusion about iTunes movie rentals, and how they differ from movie and TV purchases -- and how the Apple TV and iTunes computer-driven downloads aren't the same either. Granted, real world scenario won't be too complicated for most people, but the nerds around these parts will probably want to check out our handy, aptly confusing chart to know exactly what's in store. Hey, don't look at us, we just parse the data.

Continue reading iTunes and Apple TV rentals and purchases: what you can (and can't) do

Wal-Mart shuts down video downloads after a year in service

by Ryan Block posted Dec 27th 2007 at 8:57PM

Sounds like the video download game isn't as easy as the biggies make it out to be. Wal-Mart, whose download store has been open all of a year and a couple of weeks is already shutting down, apparently abandoning the effort after its tech partner HP discontinued whatever technology it was running the thing. Bonus for (former) Wal-Mart Video Downloads though: according to the FAQ, all downloaded videos are users' to keep, and no one's bound to keep the Wal-Mart Video Download Manager on their machine anymore. Of course, it's still DRMed to hell, so short of stripping the copy protection, you'll only be able to play "your" purchased videos with the machine on which you bought it -- and nothing else.

[Via Reuters]

SanDisk Sansa TakeTV (and Fanfare) hands-on: TakeTWO

by Ryan Block posted Oct 22nd 2007 at 8:34PM

Ok, our new TakeTV arrived, and this time it works perfectly. (The first one we got was a pre-production unit with a bum remote.) Here are a few more things we noticed about the TakeTV and its accompanying Fanfare video download service:

The TakeTV interface still has a very unpolished, raw look and feel to it. It's also just the bare essentials, with only a few options for video settings (just aspect ratio, NTSC / PAL, and which video type you prefer: letterbox, pan and scan, fill, etc.).
On the upshot, being flash-based and light weight, the system boots near instantly and videos take just a couple of seconds to load.
It properly recognized our XviD and DivX files, but didn't like AVC1 encoded movies, and surprisingly enough, didn't like our standard encoded MPEG-4 Handbrake-ripped DVD. (It's supposed to play back MPEG-4 files, maybe we did something funny, who knows.)
On the other hand Fanfare looks very slick, but the interface -- done in Flash -- is way too busy, making it sometimes difficult to tell what's going on. It's definitely in need of some simplification and polish.
Downloaded DRMed videos are, surprisingly enough, in XviD. But they're wrapped SanDisk's proprietary TrustedFlash rights protection. Files are .smbt.
Downloaded videos are about 350MB per 30 minutes. That's 1.6Mbps (200KBps); given that high a bitrate you'd think these videos would look friggin' great, but the sad fact is they look more like 600-800Kbps, tops, so don't be too disappointed when your Fanfare downloads don't look all that amazing.

So our day one thoughts on TakeTV + Fanfare? Well, $99 or $150 for a device that plays all our favorite video formats is kind of a no brainer, especially considering the cost of entry for a lot of other devices in the same category is significantly higher (the $300 / $400 Apple TV comes to mind). We're not sure this whole system is ready for prime time just yet -- but neither is SanDisk, which is why Fanfare is launching in "beta". Maybe with the right hardware and software tweaks this could be a very compelling cheap-or-free download service paired with a very easy to use hardware solution, but for right now we think there are quite a few kinks to iron out.

Gallery: SanDisk Sansa TakeTV (and Fanfare) hands-on, take two

SanDisk announces Sansa TakeTV, Fanfare video download service

by Ryan Block posted Oct 22nd 2007 at 3:04AM

That SanDisk Sansa TakeTV we saw over the weekend? Well, it's officially announced: the USBTV is now the TakeTV, and will take advantage of a new video platform called Fanfare. The details:

Sansa TakeTV

4GB and 8GB sizes, $100 and $150 respectively
Supports DivX (including Home Theater profile), XVID, and MPEG-4
Up to 720 x 576 resolution
On sale immediately
Intended for use in downloading shows from one's computer to the TakeTV (which is then physically moved to the TV)

Fanfare online video service

Launching with content from CBS, Jaman, Showtime, Smithsonian Networks, The Weather Channel and TV Guide Broadband, including shows such as CSI, Survivor China, Dexter, and Sleeper Cell
Video downloads will be both ad-supported (free) and paid (not sure how much yet), depending on the wishes of the content creators
Fanfare video will also be playable on Sansa portable media devices
Yes, it's DRMed, and yes, it's proprietary: TrustedFlash, developed by SanDisk
Launching in beta today, officially launching in 2008

Gallery: SanDisk announces Sansa TakeTV, Fanfare video download service

Amazon's Unbox video downloads headed for your TiVo

by Paul Miller posted Feb 7th 2007 at 12:15AM

We heard rumblings of such a partnership last fall, and now it appears that those rumblings were indeed legit: Amazon and TiVo are teaming up to get Unbox video downloads into your living room. The two companies will be announcing a limited test run today for an unspecified number of customers, with a full rollout expected "later this year." This of course comes on the heels of Wal-Mart's big announcement of all 6 movie studios inside its new download store, and it appears Amazon is quite aware of its content shortage. "We have a strong relationship with Disney," says Amazon's Bill Carr, "It hasn't been worked out yet, but it will be." TiVo CEO Tom Rogers commented on Sony, saying they've "indicated they're looking to be part of this at time of launch." So nothing set in stone, but Wal-Mart won't be able to just sit back and rake in the dough, especially with Amazon and soon Apple delivering these shows to the TV. Of course, the Amazon / TiVo edge is that instead of users springing $300 for an Apple TV, they can just turn on that broadband-enabled TiVo of theirs -- 1.5 million of which are already in homes. Unfortunately, DirecTV and forthcoming Comcast TiVo customers will be SOL. No additional hardware is needed, and there won't be any sort of service fee, just the existing iTunes-esque Amazon prices. Oh, and that TiVo / Netflix dealio a while back? Rogers says they went with Amazon thanks to its large customer network and large catalog of distribution rights, something Netflix couldn't deliver.

Read - Los Angeles Times
Read - USA Today

[Thanks Nick and SebS]

Sony jumping into video downloads with PSP?

by Paul Miller posted Dec 18th 2006 at 10:50AM

It really wouldn't be the shock of the century, since Sony's been rumored to be at least be working on PSP music downloads for a while now, but Financial Times is reporting that Sony now has some sort of PSP video download service in the works, and they pretty certain about it. The best news -- if this rumor pans out, that is -- is that Sony is apparently doing this thing in conjunction with other services such as Amazon's Unbox, Movielink and CinemaNow, instead of taking its usual proprietary path. The not-so-best news is that Sony purportedly won't be releasing a fancy new memory-enhanced PSP with the service, but instead hopes consumers will spring for a new 4GB+ Memory Stick to store the video. With supposed room for 10 flicks and accessibility for all current PSP users, it might not be the worst move ever for Sony, but that doesn't mean an 8GB flash-based PSP still wouldn't be the hawterness. Supposedly we should be expecting these new downloading abilities to emerge in Q1 2007, and no, iTunes isn't invited.

[Via I4U]

Xbox Live Video Marketplace goes live

by Paul Miller posted Nov 22nd 2006 at 10:07AM

Surprise, surprise, it's November 22nd (happy birthday Xbox 360!), and Microsoft has taken its new Xbox Live Video Marketplace live. The biggest mystery at this point was price, which turns out to be $2 for SD TV shows, $3 for HD, while movie rentals will run you $3 for SD and $6 for HD. This is all converted from the various, confusing MS Points involved in each purchase (80 Points = $1), which we're sure we'll all be well sick of after a couple months of using the Marketplace -- if not already. The current word on selection is 48 movies and 50 TV shows available for download, and we're sure that'll be growing -- though V for Vendetta is already available as a HD rental... what more could you want?

[Thanks, TexRob]

UPDATE: Joystiq has some more info and pics galore of the service. They clarified the pricing scheme as well: movies are divided into "New" and "Classic" releases, and priced at $6/$4 for the former, $4.50/$3 for the latter.

TiVo adds PC-based video downloads, TiVo-to-TiVoCasting, CBS content

by Ryan Block posted Nov 13th 2006 at 10:26PM

After years of keeping us waiting with hollow promises and a bunk Netflix partnership, TiVo's finally rolling out video downloads. Kind of. It's actually just DRM-free web video downloads, a la video podcasts and user generated content (think: YouTube) which can be imported from the TiVo Desktop software -- which still costs $25 for the Plus upgrade codec pack (although this added functionality will be free, presumably for those customers). We don't know yet if TiVo Desktop will help aggregate said content, or why you'd want to spend so much time putting web content on your TiVo, but whatev. Also, TiVo will be adding a video sharing "channel" for other pals who also have TiVos, automatically sending video to boxes on their own TiVoCast network. (Details are still hazy here to -- does this include TV shows? We think not.) TiVo is also enabling CBS video downloads from CBS.com, CBSnews.com, and CBS SportsLine content, although we don't yet know if it's limited only to clips or if we're talking full eps of Survivor. Oh, and just in case the vague source article goes down, we grabbed a screen from the site that borked the embargoed release. More to come!

[Via ZatzNotFunny]

Continue reading TiVo adds PC-based video downloads, TiVo-to-TiVoCasting, CBS content

Xbox Live Video hands-on

by Ryan Block posted Nov 7th 2006 at 12:46AM

We snagged a few shots of Microsoft's new Xbox Live Video HDTV and HD movie download platform tonight. There isn't a whole lot to say since there was essentially zero mystery excepting seeing the actual XBL interface in person, but you should still click on to see a screen-by-screen of how you'll be wasting all those Microsoft Points this fall/winter.

Update: Microsoft called to let us know that the prices on the downloads (as photographed after the break) are actually not finalized, but are essentially placeholder values. We were told that the actual prices on these downloads would more than likely go down, so don't count on these figures being accurate at launch day.

Continue reading Xbox Live Video hands-on

Microsoft's Xbox Live Video: HDTV and HD movie downloads for your 360

by Ryan Block posted Nov 6th 2006 at 9:00PM

This may sound a bit familiar to those paying close attention, but on November 22nd -- the year anniversary for the Xbox 360 -- Microsoft is announcing something fairly momentus, not for the gaming community, but for the CE industry. The Xbox 360, along with Akimbo, will be among the first mass-market devices able to download high def television programs -- and the first we know of in the states able to download HD movies. The service is called Xbox Live Video, and the fall update enables customers to spend their Microsoft points on standard and HD television from CBS, MTV, Comedy Central, VH1, Turner, and UFC, as well as HD movies from Warner Bros., Paramount, and so on. We're still a little in shock, ourselves, that Microsoft was able to in one fell swoop hit TiVo, Apple, Netflix, and a handful of others, but looking at Live over the last year, the move isn't that massively surprising. Of course, not even the vision of on-demand HD movies and TV downloads in six million homes at the flick of a switch could be without its variety of niggling concerns; being that we all know the devil's in the details, click on to get the particulars of the service.

Continue reading Microsoft's Xbox Live Video: HDTV and HD movie downloads for your 360

Amazon's Unbox video download service goes live

by Paul Miller posted Sep 7th 2006 at 7:45PM

No surprises here, but Amazon has taken their fancy new Unbox video downloads store live, and it's looking... download-ey. Bad news first: prices are kind of xtreem, with our personal fav Rumor Has It going for $19.62, and the 1999 cult hit Office Space topping the download charts at $13.45. Luckily, the price fluctuations have an up-side, since you can catch boy wonder Elijah Wood in Everything Is Illuminated for a mere $8.99. TV prices, however, sit solidly at the $2 price predicted. As for download format, the full-length and preview videos are standard .wmv fare, but can only be played by the Unbox player. A third file is downloaded in a ".amzn" format for playback on mobile devices, but Amazon claims it's just a straight PlaysForSure DRM-scheme. They've tested the files out on the Zen Vision, Zen Vision: M, Gigabeat S, Archos AV 500/700 and the iRiver PMC, but we're guessing most devices shouldn't have much of a problem. As for the full quality flicks, we can't get an exact number, but we're just going to assume "DVD quality" means 720 x 480, and we did note that sound is 5.1 surround. With rights management, rentals allow you a 30 day window to start watching the movie, but once you've begun you have 24 hours to enjoy before the file gets deleted. Purchased movies can reside on up to two computers, with each computer being allowed to sync with one portable device, and it does seem that re-downloading will be allowed in case your HDD crashes. DVD burning is allowed for backup, but you can't burn playable DVDs, and the only way to get video to your TV is through a video out plug from your PC or media player. Now if you'll excuse us, we've just dropped a Jackson to see what crazy antics Jennifer Aniston has gotten herself into this time.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]