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Sonic acquires DivX to expand online movie delivery options, share of Kazaa downloads
Just because Sonic shifted its CinemaNow name into the care of Best Buy, don't think it's taking a break from working digital movie delivery options into every device it can. To that end it's purchased DivX, formerly a name you knew only as an illegal download enabling codec, but is now a legitimate enterprise that has agreements with major movie studios and more than 150 consumer electronics manufacturers. The cash and stock transaction should cause the two to get together and make the whole world believe them, with RoxioNow ending up in the millions of devices currently ready for DivX while increasing possibilities for DivX encoded movies going on sale in the United States. The DivX TV internet video frontend for set-top boxes and connected televisions should also get a boost from the deal, we'll see how it competes with widgets, TiVo and Google. There's a DivX TV trailer after the break for those interested plus the press release while related financial details, projections and promises can be found in the linked PDF.
Best Buy's internet movie store launches this month under the CinemaNow brand
That Best Buy is ready to launch its entry into the online video on-demand game is not at all a surprise, but we weren't expecting to see such a familiar name. The retail giant purchased the CinemaNow brand away from Sonic Solutions (explaining the latter's sudden switch to RoxioNow) and will start selling movies sans-disk to web connected devices later this month, starting with LG Blu-ray players (where buyers won't see the Best Buy logo at all) and home theater in a box systems, followed by Samsung's internet connected home theater equipment and of course the house Insignia brand. As planned, it will have "first run" movies for sale as soon as they arrive on DVD, with rentals for $2.99 - $3.99 per movie and purchases at $9.99 to $19.99, including HD titles and some available in 1080p. Apparently the name game is how Best Buy plans to sneak boxes with its store embedded through other retailers, we'll see how Wal-mart / VUDU, Amazon and the rest respond to the challenge.
CinemaNow switches to RoxioNow, we just want to watch our movies -- now
CinemaNow has been quietly serving up movies over the internet for under other brands like Blockbuster's video on-demand store, but now it's looking to grab a piece of the limelight by changing to RoxioNow. That means PCs, Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, phones and any other compatible devices will arrive stamped with the new logo (probably not our shoddy copy and paste job above) to "enable consumers to quickly identify products offering a more flexible entertainment experience." It does follow, that as online video hubs cross platforms customers would want to know what will play what and when, but you'd figure the blinking Best Buy / Blockbuster / Zip.ca logo on their screen would be a decent indicator.
VUDU comes to LG Blu-ray home theater systems
If you are the home theater in a box type, but also want Blu-ray and VUDU movies streamed to your HDTV, then your wait is over. The new BD975 doesn't have a price and we don't know when it'll be available, but what we do know is that when that day comes for you to part with your hard earned cash you'll get a all the great internet features those who prefer to buy stand-alone Blu-ray players have enjoyed for years. You know, like VUDU, YouTube, Pandora, Picasa, AccuWeather, Netflix and CinemaNow -- so yeah, just about everything. The DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD can be played back wirelessly to the speakers and there's even a iPod dock drawer for your iPhone.
Iomega ScreenPlay Director HD media player gets busy with CinemaNow
Iomega's making a Full HD play for the living room at CES with the introduction of its new ScreenPlay Director device. The 1TB HD media player brings a bevy of TV connectivity options including HDMI composite video, component, and more. It's also DLNA- and DivX-certificated in addition to boasting H.264, WMV, AVCHD and MKV format support at 1080p. A trio of USB ports give you room for external capacity growth while baked in 10/100 Ethernet (or optional 802.11n USB WiFi Adapter) gets the pup online where you can rent or buy movies from CinemaNow or browse content on Flickr, YouTube, Shoutcast radio, and RSS feeds. ScreenPlay Director HD lists for $250 when it goes on sale, well, today if you order through Dell.
CinemaNow 2.0: 3D, 1080p, Android & WinMo get a taste of online movie distribution
Thought digital delivery would get left behind in the jump to 3D? Roxio's CinemaNow 2.0 platform is ready to build on the success of its predecessor -- already embedded in many devices and powering the online stores for Blockbuster, Best Buy and Zip.ca -- and flip the switch bringing streamed or downloaded 1080p or 3D, plus the ability to add additional background info on each movie or previously disc-exclusive extras like multiple audio tracks, subtitles and more. Also new for 2.0 are plans for access on Android and Windows Mobile devices. We're still thinking a combo of lower prices, all you can eat subscriptions or a disc tie-in is the logical next step, but we'll wait for a CES demo to ask about that, and whether the new features will be backwards compatible on old hardware.
Best Buy partnering with CinemaNow to stream first-run DVDs to 'all web-connected devices sold'
Can you live without physical media? Are you ready to buy into owning a license without any physical property to show for your purchase? We hope so 'cause that's the future. Today Best Buy will announce confirmation of its rumored partnership with CinemaNow in a deal that will stream first-run DVDs directly to consumers. Better yet, according to an AP report, the software required to access CinemaNow's video library "will be included on all the Web-connected devices sold in Best Buy's more than 1,000 U.S. stores." If taken literally then wow, just wow... that's a lot of devices. However, since Best Buy sells Apple's iPhone and iPod touch, and there's no way that Apple's going to let a retailer tamper with its devices, we think the AP's wording is a bit ambitious. The idea here is simple: pay once for a DVD then eventually be able to play it on any device be it a television, Blu-ray player, PC, smartphone or some other connected device. The new Best Buy-branded service will launch "early next year" according to Chris Homeister (yes, that's his real surname), as Best Buy gets "into this business in a big way." Remember, Best Buy already announced a streaming Netflix deal and partnerships with TiVo and Napster that will be launching early next year as well. And we've already seen Sonic Solutions, CinemaNow's owner since last year, bunging its 1080p-capable CinemaNow service into every connected-device imaginable -- even 3D content for 3D Vision-ready displays. The whole concept sounds very much like Disney's Keychest which already sounded very much like the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (or DECE) consortium. Hopefully Best Buy will clear up the details later today when this gets really official. The future is now -- too bad US broadband is so yesterday. Update: It's official. The agreement will allow customers to "buy or rent" from CinemaNow's library of content on "connected consumer electronics" sold through Best Buy retail stores or BestBuy.com. New titles will "often" (note the qualification) be made available day and date of the DVD release. The service will also leverage digital copies to bridge the physical and digital stream worlds. See the full press release for all the detail. Show full PR text Best Buy Co., Inc (NYSE:BBY) and Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ:SNIC) today announced a strategic relationship that will result in a new Best Buy customer offering in its growing line-up of digital entertainment products. The new on-demand movie and entertainment service will be powered by Sonic's Roxio CinemaNow™ and will allow consumers to have access to buy or rent a vast library of premium content. To power this offering, Best Buy has entered into a multi-year agreement in which Best Buy plans to license and deploy Sonic's Roxio CinemaNow™ technology and services platform to make on-demand digital content delivery a standard feature on connected consumer electronics devices sold throughout U.S. Best Buy retail stores and BestBuy.com. Under the terms of the agreement, Best Buy acquired warrants enabling it to purchase shares of Sonic Solutions common stock. Best Buy, one of the largest consumer electronics retailers in the world, has a strong track record of bringing innovative technologies to a broad audience through its consumer-focused marketing, education, and Geek Squad services. To foster the consumer appetite for obtaining on-demand premium content electronically, Best Buy intends to embed the Roxio CinemaNow technology on a wide array of devices - web-connected television sets, portable media players, PCs, Blu-ray Disc players, set-top boxes, and mobile phones - from a variety of manufacturers. Best Buy expects to undertake a marketing program to educate consumers about the increased convenience, flexibility, and choice digital content delivery affords. With the new Best Buy service, consumers will have access to buy or rent an extensive library of premium content including new movies, TV shows, independent films, and older catalog movies, which they will be able to access on devices in the broad ecosystem. It is anticipated that new titles will often be available on the same day they become available on DVDs in retail outlets. Together with their Studio partners, Best Buy and Sonic plan to also collaborate on new service and content offerings, including those that leverage digital copies to bridge physical disc sales and electronic sell through. "Best Buy is in a great position to expand the market for on-demand home entertainment," said Thomas Gewecke, president, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. "The combination of Sonic's platform with Best Buy's expertise in selling consumer electronics, video content and technical services creates an opportunity for a wide variety of exciting new consumer offerings." "Our relationship with Sonic Solutions allows Best Buy to quickly establish a strong position in the digital delivery of video entertainment," said Brian Dunn, CEO of Best Buy. "It also enables us to make deeper and more meaningful connections with our customers and expand our relationships with content owners and hardware vendors to create compelling new home entertainment solutions." "With Best Buy's ability to drive in-store promotion and education, consumers will come to quickly understand and appreciate the convenience, flexibility, and control that digitally-delivered video entertainment affords them," said Dave Habiger, president and CEO, Sonic Solutions. "With Best Buy's focus, we expect on-demand entertainment to quickly grow into a mass market activity, with digital sell-through and rental becoming a significant new revenue stream for content owners." Roxio CinemaNow includes Hollywood-approved digital rights management, encoding and adaptive delivery technologies, and secure device-optimized playback of premium entertainment. Roxio CinemaNow's cloud-based media services power devices which consumers can use to seamlessly enjoy video entertainment anytime and anywhere across the broadest range of devices. The Roxio CinemaNow ecosystem includes PCs, connected TVs, set top DVRs, Blu-ray Disc and mobile media players from leading manufacturers such as Archos, Dell, HP, LG, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pioneer and TiVo and is powering internet movie delivery for Blockbuster. Read -- AP report Read -- New York Times
Funai, CinemaNow team up to include online video store access in devices worldwide
Expect various movie streaming services to pop up in every store brand TV, Blu-ray player and set-top box around shortly, now that Funai and CinemaNow have announced a business deal. The two companies have a lot in common, while you may see Sylvania, Magnavox, Philips and Emerson as the brand on the shelf, Funai puts together the lower end electronics that end up flying off the shelves of local Wal-marts, while CinemaNow 's movie store is behind the online efforts of giants like Blockbuster. Be prepared to notice on-device streaming as the next checkbox next to "3D digital comb filter" on every generic cardboard box in the electronics aisle, though until the experience improves we don't see too many customers taking advantage.
Sherwood's 700W R-904N NetBoxx AV receiver dabbles in online media
Not sure if you've noticed, but CEDIA has just kicked off down in the ATL. One of the first to introduce something genuinely fresh is Sherwood (of all companies), with its R-904N NetBoxx pulling double duty as a 7.1-channel AV receiver and an internet media portal. For starters, the compact set-top-box looks nothing like a typical AVR, but you'll still find 700 total watts of amplification, three HDMI 1.3 inputs, one Toslink input, a pair of coaxial audio inputs and support for Dolby Volume, Dolby TruHD and DTS-HD Master high-resolution audio formats. Once you're done hooking up your music makers, feel free to shove an Ethernet cable in there and witness its ability to pull down material from PlayOn (Hulu, Netflix, CBS, CNN, ESPN, Amazon, etc.), CinemaNow, YouTube and SHOUTcast. There's also a USB socket for loading up media locally, and at just 17- x 10- x 2.5-inches, it shouldn't take up too much room underneath your current HDTV. It'll set you back $649.95 when it ships later this month, and you can feel free to dig even deeper in the full release just past the break.
Netgear expands Digital Entertainer line with the EVA2000 Digital Entertainer Live
Netgear's Digital Entertainer media streamers have always been well-admired as capable and flexible home theater units, and it sounds like the new Digital Entertainer Live will keep that trend alive while bringing prices down -- the $150 box will play back just about any format you throw at it from just about any source, while offering YouTube, pay-per-view CinemaNow movies and VuNow and PlayOn support in the bargain. Seems like a pretty decent piece of kit, no outrageous claims here -- oh, except for this line about the Live's new video search tool that can "locate videos on the entire worldwide web" by searching "more than hundred thousand websites." That sounds... ominous. Way to go, guys -- first you add MKV support, then you try to blackmail the entire world. We always knew this would happen. Update: We just spoke with Netgear and learned a couple interesting tidbits. First, although remote bears a resemblance to the one used with the Western Digital WD TV HD, that's all -- the actual box itself is completely different hardware, and the remote has a totally different layout. Second, PlayOn will be offered at a 25 percent discount to DE Live buyers, making the whole thing seem like even more of a bargain.
Sonic upgrading CinemaNow movie streaming to 1080p
VUDU and Xbox Live, welcome your new competition in the 1080p movie streaming arena, now that Sonic Solutions has announced its CinemaNow service will offer "Blu-ray Disc resolution" (3D is already on the way) with buffer-free playback thanks to its new Cinevision Adaptive HD encoding and delivery system. Sonic claims to have a leg up since the system is already used for Blu-ray disc production, and it's teaming with Widevine for the adaptive streaming backend. As usual, even if you're not directly a CinemaNow user, its wide compatibility and position behind Blockbuster's store and upcoming ones from Best Buy and Zip.ca should mean 1080p streaming to an ethernet equipped home theater device will be available no matter where you are, whether you're ready to ditch the discs (and downloads) or not.
Verismo's VuNow set-top-box finally gets movie streaming
Verismo Networks may not boast the namesake of a Roku, Sony or LG, but its unassuming VuNow PoD just keeps getting more and more bonny. Priced at $99, this internet-to-TV media streamer makes it simple for simpletons to get web content onto their HDTV, and after snagging YouTube support last December, the box has finally nailed down a partnership that will bring bona fide films into households. Sonic Solutions, which has certainly been on a tear of late pushing its CinemaNow platform, has agreed to let VuNow users purchase CinemaNow programming, which includes material from over 250 content providers. We're also told that this deal is far from the last we'll see in the near future, though there's no word on whether Netflix is next. If so, consider the VuNow game officially "on." Full release is after the break.
VuNow streaming set-top boxes to get CinemaNow streaming movie access
Verismo's quest to bring its streaming media platform to more customers and OEMs has received a shot in the arm, now that the company announced support for CinemaNow. CinemaNow has already announced plans to come directly to flatscreens via widgets, so if the VuNow platform is adopted into more hardware as it was by Sherwood, expect to have one more internet movie-capable box sneaking into your living room disguised as a receiver, amplifier or cable DVR over the next few years. Word is this is just the first content announcement with more to come, while we anticipate who is next (CinemaNow-based providers like Blockbuster are an easy bet) check the full press release after the break.
Sonic brings CinemaNow films to flash drives, connected devices
We can only hope that the travesty that is slotMusic isn't coming over to the film side, but just days after Disney announced its intentions to offer up major motion pictures on microSD cards, Sonic Solutions has stepped in to bring CinemaNow flicks to USB flash drives. Unlike you'd probably think this would work, Sonic has actually developed these to function in more than one place. Each stick contains a movie along with an integrated media player and the necessary video codecs, but aside from enabling users to play back content locally, there's also the option of catching it remotely. Once connected to the 'net, owners can add the title to their Roxio CinemaNow Digital Locker to access it on network-connected Blu-ray players and HDTVs. If all goes well, the first drives will start showing up in Q4 of this year, just in time to puzzle your young ones when they unwrap their favorite film on something other than a round disc.[Via HotHardware]
Sonic brings 3D movies into the home via CinemaNow
Like it or not, 3D movies are coming to your house. If you're looking to be one of the first on the block to stream the third-dimension onto your computer monitor or 3D-ready HDTV, Sonic Solutions is making sure you have that option. Announced today, the company is utilizing Roxio's CinemaNow platform to provide users access to 3D films, and all of those files are optimized for use with NVIDIA's GeForce GPUs and its 3D Vision / 3D Vision-ready displays. Frankly, we're shocked to see CinemaNow involved in all of this, but this just might be the offering that makes the service at least marginally relevant again. Sadly, there's no hard data surrounding pricing and release, but needless to say, you should probably go ahead and don those funky goggles just in case it goes down sooner rather than later.
CinemaNow to offer flicks via a Yahoo! Widget this fall
Just in case you were wondering how Blockbuster was so easily sliding onto Samsung televisions, Sonic Solutions officially announced its plan to launch a Yahoo! Widget this fall, so we should expect to see the many CinemaNow powered online movie houses like Blockbuster, Lionsgate and Warner Bros. and upcoming efforts from Best Buy and Zip.ca popping up in menus for internet connected TVs and set-top boxes all over.
Blockbuster OnDemand en route to Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and home theater systems
Questionable longevity or no, Blockbuster's taking some strides to get itself firmly into the video on demand business, and this latest announcement will go a long way with that. The company announced that it's integrating its OnDemand service into Samsung HDTVs, home theater systems, and Blu-ray players starting Fall 2009. Better still, those with LED HDTVs series 7000 or above, LCD / Plasmas series 650 or above, and select 2009 Blu-ray players / theater systems can get the service later via firmware update. It's still got a ways to go if it wants to catch up to Netflix, but every little bit helps, right?
Zip.ca and CinemaNow prepping Canada's first movie download service
Finally, Canada is getting a legit digital download option, now that Zip.ca and Sonic Solutions have announced plans to team up on a movie service. Though short on details (according to the PR it is still "exploring a number of models," including a la carte and subscription) CEO Curt Millar's stated goal to become consumer's destination for online movie access should be bolstered by using CinemaNow, since its service is already supported on hardware from TiVo to PC to LG Blu-ray players and more, it shouldn't be too difficult to work with hardware already in customers homes or coming out in the future. Millar told Joystiq his company "would love" to follow Netflix's lead to console access, but don't run to your Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii just yet, Canucks, there's no partnerships to announce yet.[Via Joystiq]
CinemaNow launches Wii movie streaming service in Japan
CinemaNow, the company that's over the years brought streaming content (and often Frisbees) to such varied devices as the Samsung P2, various Dell PCs, and the Xbox 360, has announced that it's partnering with Fujisoft to deliver flicks to the Nintendo Wii. The service will initially launch in Japan, subjecting our friends to the East to such Paramount Pictures fare as Hotel For Dogs and Madagascar 2: Return of the Sassy Cartoon Animals, but we're fairly confident that a Stateside launch is in our future. In related news, cult film director Tommy Wiseau is reportedly negotiating with Chintendo to bring his inadvertent comedies to the Vii game platform.
Paramount movies streaming to Wiis via Minna no Theater
Sonic Solutions has just announced that it will begin offering movies from its catalog to Fujisoft's streaming Wii video service, Minna no Theater Wii. The Roxio CinemaNow service, as offered through Minna no Theater, will offer both new releases and older titles from the Paramount archives, to users of the downloadable WiiWare video streaming application, which is currently available only in Japan. Though Lionsgate content isn't specified in this agreement, it's worth noting that Cinemanow also distributes movies from that company, an executive of which predicted an agreement much like this.Minna no Theatre is one of two WiiWare-based streaming video offerings, the other being Nintendo's Wii no Ma Channel, which is currently focused on original programming. Fujisoft has indicated plans to release Minna no Theater in North America.
