Digital UltraViolet allows consumers to access digital copies of video content when they purchase hard-copy DVDs or Blu-ray discs showing an UltraViolet logo, meaning it can be viewed across a number of devices including smartphones or tablets.
DVD in hand, Appliance Retailer signed up to Digital UltraViolet to see what the system was like.
Digital UltraViolet enabled DVDs come with a purple strip across the top of the case and inside there is an UltraViolet redemption code.
Following the instructions on the purple ticket, consumers are given a URL to visit and a 12 digit code to enter. Here they also enter their email address and chose which retailer they want to redeem the voucher with — JB Hi-Fi, EzyFlix or Flixster.
I go with JB Hi-Fi NOW Video and am prompted to create a JB Hi-Fi NOW Video account and an UltraViolet account. So now it’s official. I’m in a “digital relationship” with JB Hi-Fi.
Once usernames are created and passwords entered and re-entered I can redeem my code, and voilà! I now have a digital version of The Great Gatsby in my brand new JB Hi-Fi NOW Video account and my Digital UltraViolet library.
I add a few more movies. This time I’ve got a film from Sony and I am given a 16 digit code to enter. There is something very low-tech about manually entering in such a long code from a piece of paper, but it works.
I also decide to redeem a film code using Flixster and have to sign up and create another account.
Digital UltraViolet is an industry standard across different studios for example Sony and Village Roadshow, but it means that there is variation depending on which studio the movie comes from and which retailer you chose to redeem it with.
For example my JB Hi-Fi NOW video library only displays movies which I redeemed with JB, not my complete UltraViolet library.
However, by clicking ‘My UltraViolet Collection’ I can see my entire collection. The main difference appears to be that I can download or stream my JB movies whereas I can only stream my Flixster movies if I am accessing them through the JB Hi-Fi NOW Video app.
After downloading the JB Hi-Fi NOW Video app on my tablet I can now access my UltraViolet library and view the films. It is fairly straightforward to navigate and I could see myself using it to watch movies now all the set-up is taken care of.
Digital UltraViolet definitely gives you a sense of added value to a physical DVD purchase and the freedom to watch it on different devices. However, as someone who tries to keep the amount of physical stuff I own to a minimum I would much prefer to only have a digital copy rather than a physical DVD.
Viewers have the choice of consuming media in a range of different ways, through apps on their Smart TVs or using Google Chromecast to send content from their tablet to the TV. Currently there are 160,000 UltraViolet accounts in Australia and New Zealand. Whether more Australians will invest in a method which involves typing in a 12 to 16 digit code by hand remains to be seen.
One feature, which is currently available in the US, that could have people jumping on the UltraViolet bandwagon if it was made available in Australia is the ‘disc to digital’ process. It allows you to take a DVD you already own, or have owned for some time, and get the UltraViolet rights enabled on it so it can be viewed on other devices.