UltraViolet Shutting Down on July 31, 2019

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Movies anywhere won’t be happening outside the U.S. it would have happened by now.

I doubt that. If anything, the demise of UV could inspire MA to expand outside the U.S., into TV, etc. In fact, with UV dying I suspect MA will have to reverse its rejection of STX as a studio partner to avoid a very nasty antitrust lawsuit, since MA is (a) owned by Disney and (b) the only license-sharing service left.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by RBBrittain

I doubt that. If anything, the demise of UV could inspire MA to expand outside the U.S., into TV, etc. In fact, with UV dying I suspect MA will have to reverse its rejection of STX as a studio partner to avoid a very nasty antitrust lawsuit, since MA is (a) owned by Disney and (b) the only license-sharing service left.

How many years has it been available? It’s been incredibly difficult just to stream digital copies to a tv in the U.K. it’s basically the old fashioned digital copy for your mobile (yuck). In comparison, MA is watch anywhere INCLUDING
The TV/HT. the U.K has been left in limbo for years and now with streaming subscriptions really taking off here (well, Netflix) and Disney+ and Apple’s new service coming, I don’t see them in a hurry to sort it out.

[Greyman]

Originally Posted by RBBrittain

.... In fact, with UV dying I suspect MA will have to reverse its rejection of STX as a studio partner to avoid a very nasty antitrust lawsuit, since MA is (a) owned by Disney and (b) the only license-sharing service left.

Highly doubt STX wants to waste their money on a lawsuit.
Disney owns MA but it is run a joint partnership.

[hazelwu]

Originally Posted by sea2000

It's the current recommendation from UV: "Linking your UltraViolet Library to additional retailers can maximize your access to your Library and help avoid potential disruption."

It would be nice if FandangoNow would release a statement -- any statement -- about the impact of UV shutting down.

If you search on their site, you can see that they have added some new Q&A:
https://fandangonow.custhelp.com/app...e/1/sort/2%2C2

[vwnut13]

After connecting my Ultraviolet account to FandangoNow I have noticed that three of my UV titles show up in FandangoNow, but are unavailable to watch on FN.

Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers 2
Early Man

All three of these titles are available to purchase on FandangoNow in alternate listings.

[Greyman]

Originally Posted by hazelwu

If you search on their site, you can see that they have added some new Q&A:
https://fandangonow.custhelp.com/app...e/1/sort/2%2C2

That statement does a poor job of clarifying things.

[Show spoiler]

How can FandangoNOW customers access existing movies and TV shows when UltraViolet shuts down?
Answer ID 1336 | Published 01/31/2019 10:45 AM | Updated 01/31/2019 10:45 AM

Movies you redeemed or purchased through FandangoNOW are not affected. They will remain in your FandangoNOW library and you can continue to watch and enjoy them on FandangoNOW. If you have redeemed or purchased movies and/or TV shows through other retailers, and these titles are linked to your UltraViolet account, you can either view them via the retailer that you redeemed or purchased them on or through FandangoNOW if your UltraViolet account is linked to your FandangoNOW account.

[Clark Kent]

What's going to happen to UV-only titles that never were enabled on VUDU?

I am specifically thinking of two Paramount TV properties - TUT: The Mini-Series and Shannara Chronicles: Season One.

Both had UV codes which were never really usable beyond Paramount's own site.

[sea2000]

Originally Posted by Greyman

That statement does a poor job of clarifying things.

Actually, I thought it covered all bases. What remains unanswered for you?

My main concern was addressed:

If you have redeemed or purchased movies and/or TV shows through other retailers, and these titles are linked to your UltraViolet account, you can either view them via the retailer that you redeemed or purchased them on or through FandangoNOW if your UltraViolet account is linked to your FandangoNOW account.

[AZBrowncoat]

Now would be a good time for providers to fix things like the Scream Collection (which although labeled as UV @Vudu only half the titles ported to UV) and I Spit On Your Grave Trilogy (which was labeled as UV on FandangoNow but only 1-2 were actually UV). ...but doubt that will happen so the customer get screwed because the retail storefronts listings are wrong.

[Chedwiggen]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

What's going to happen to UV-only titles that never were enabled on VUDU?

I am specifically thinking of two Paramount TV properties - TUT: The Mini-Series and Shannara Chronicles: Season One.

Both had UV codes which were never really usable beyond Paramount's own site.

Strike Back season 5 and Harley and the Davidsons both came with uv codes yet they're still not uv on vudu, I asked them several times but they just ignore me.

[p w]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

What's going to happen to UV-only titles that never were enabled on VUDU?

I am specifically thinking of two Paramount TV properties - TUT: The Mini-Series and Shannara Chronicles: Season One.

Both had UV codes which were never really usable beyond Paramount's own site.

anything that doesnt have an alid used by vudu or fandangonow is not going to import. perhaps they will fix some of those alids before uv ends. there are some alid mismatches between vudu and fandangonow even (such as buying tarzan the ape man 1981 on vudu gets you tarzan the ape man 1932 on fandangonow).

i've got 4 titles trapped in flixster because they never got usa alids, once uvvu is gone, they will be only available outside the usa with flixster - for however long that lasts. the paramount series will probably exist on paramount as long as that service is around (who knows how long after uvvu?).

you might open a support ticket with paramount/vudu/uvvu about getting those manually imported into vudu (if you actually own the physical media and slips). i did manage to get 3 codes for series ported into vudu that had mismatched alids back when flixster dropped usa support. it took a few weeks, but they did add the series to my vudu account even though vudu didnt support the uv code.

Originally Posted by AZBrowncoat

Now would be a good time for providers to fix things like the Scream Collection (which although labeled as UV @Vudu only half the titles ported to UV) and I Spit On Your Grave Trilogy (which was labeled as UV on FandangoNow but only 1-2 were actually UV). ...but doubt that will happen so the customer get screwed because the retail storefronts listings are wrong.

i dont know anyone that had gotten anything real fixed at fandangonow. if you need them to disconnect your uv account from fandangonow, they can handle that simple refresh. beyond that, any alid mismatches or errors on their part, remain unsolved. they send you a couple of generic emails telling you "your issue has been escalated" over the course of 90 days. then you hear nothing and they mark your issue resolved. been trying to get 8 episodes from 3 different uv tv series fixed on fandangonow since they joined MA - i've gained no ground with them in that entire time.

[Greyman]

Originally Posted by sea2000

Actually, I thought it covered all bases. What remains unanswered for you?

My main concern was addressed:

If you have redeemed or purchased movies and/or TV shows through other retailers, and these titles are linked to your UltraViolet account, you can either view them via the retailer that you redeemed or purchased them on or through FandangoNOW if your UltraViolet account is linked to your FandangoNOW account.

It says you can watch titles if your UV account is linked to FandangoNow. They used present tense. That’s the situation currently. Come the UV shutdown FandangoNow will no longer be linked to UV. This is where the vagueness is.
Notice how they explicitly spelled out that movies purchased on FandangoNow will not be affected. They could have used similar terminology and say all UV linked movies will remain in your FandangoNow account after the UV shutdown, but they didn’t.

Contrast that with Vudu’s statement which leaves no wiggle room.

You currently have an UltraViolet Library connected to your Vudu account, and all of the titles you have in your Vudu account today will continue to be accessible in your Vudu account up to and after UltraViolet shuts down.

[bru20]

I was going to quote a bunch of posts but whats the point. So much good comedy material in here.

I can only speak for myself. I have no interest in owning physical media anymore so digital has been perfect for me. I took advantage of the many opportunities that were available during what has been dubbed "the wild west era" of digital collecting to amass a decent library. That has come to an end but my library imo is not in danger, it will still be viewable in several different places.

[crackedknee]

As pointed out, it is speculation on my part that FN might be likely to do nothing and your UV titles could disappear from FN once UV is dissolved.

The statements put out by FN as noted above do make it (only) sort of kind of clear they might actually try to retain our UV only titles after shut-down. However those statements are, as pointed out, pretty vague in comparison to Vudu's more concrete statement. I hope it's merely poorly worded for now, and will be more clearly stated later.

I mean, however, that FN is the one I trust least, again if you've ever had to deal with them on any customer service issue of any sort, you know exactly why they might just allow your UV (only) titles to just disappear from their collection. That said, I would welcome them doing us the same courtesy (let alone service) that Vudu is doing.

Also, compare the transaction history in FN to the one in Vudu and MA. FN only lists those items purchased in FN directly. And again, if you disconnect FN from UV, all the UV only titles disappear, and only come back if you reconnect.

[sea2000]

Originally Posted by p w

i dont know anyone that had gotten anything real fixed at fandangonow. if you need them to disconnect your uv account from fandangonow, they can handle that simple refresh. beyond that, any alid mismatches or errors on their part, remain unsolved. they send you a couple of generic emails telling you "your issue has been escalated" over the course of 90 days. then you hear nothing and they mark your issue resolved. been trying to get 8 episodes from 3 different uv tv series fixed on fandangonow since they joined MA - i've gained no ground with them in that entire time.

Yeah, that's similar to my experience with FandangoNow. However, I do think their statement says that UV movies bought on Vudu will show up in the FandangoNow library after UV shuts down. Their use of the verb tense could have been better, but I think it's clear that's what they mean.

[dublinbluray108]

Anyone living in Ireland has the same options for UV retailer services as the UK. It has to be Flixster Video for me because I can't use the other options to have more digital titles. I do think Flixster Video is on it's last legs as we go through the year. If it closes with no options for my digital collection to go elsewhere; I will be completely stuffed for digital options other than Google Play/Youtube Movies.

I have bought physical titles before where the digital version was available via iTunes or were expired codes.

If I had paid for the disc to get them. I am still happy with my decision with hanging to the physical copy.

[bladerunner1]

I can totally see why people living outside of the US and those living with crappy internet providers wouldn't be too keen on digital. I hope there is a satisfying resolution for you soon.

I use to be anti digital myself. I also use to be a picture and sound quality freak to the point where it was seriously interrupting my enjoyment of movies. Always making micro adjustments even after calibration just to make sure it was perfect. It was a real disease

As i have gotten older and my eyes and ears have gotten worse, i have found it easier to just sit down and watch the movie and digital provides all the quality and convenience i need.

I also understand if it's not for you. I will never tell someone else what to buy or enjoy with their own money. Warnings are okay if they are done with good intention but sadly they are mostly done to keep physical alive for their own benefit/choice aka: trying to tell you how to spend your money so that they can have happiness.

[Joe Siegler]

Originally Posted by bladerunner1

I use to be anti digital myself. I also use to be a picture and sound quality freak to the point where it was seriously interrupting my enjoyment of movies. Always making micro adjustments even after calibration just to make sure it was perfect. It was a real disease

As i have gotten older and my eyes and ears have gotten worse, i have found it easier to just sit down and watch the movie and digital provides all the quality and convenience i need.

This!!

[sea2000]

Originally Posted by bladerunner1

I use to be anti digital myself. I also use to be a picture and sound quality freak to the point where it was seriously interrupting my enjoyment of movies.

Some of us have lived with physical media of one sort or another for decades. Going to used CD/DVD stores on weekends was part of my lifestyle. We collected with what I consider a "scarcity mindset," since entertainment wasn't readily available. Now the situation is quite the opposite.

I've made the mind shift and am in the process of converting my disc collection to digital. I might keep some discs, though, due to their superior sound, until digital catches up. I really don't miss the special features, which I'd usually view only once.

Although the dust hasn't settled in the industry (UV's demise being a case in point), I'm certain digital is here to stay. It needs to improve, though. Right now, it's too much work for the consumer. We shouldn't have to sample the prints at each provider to figure out which one has the best PQ/AQ and is in the right aspect ratio.

[sea2000]

My hope is that streaming subscription and purchased digital movies/shows will continue to co-exist. It doesn't have to be one or the other.