Recent Comments:
VUDU XL: $999 for a bit more space {Engadget HD}
Jan 9th 2008 8:44AM This is a forum user that has also noticed that posts and threads written by unhappy users are deleted or hidden by VUDU. He asks politely (as we all did), "Is VUDU LIVING UP to your EXPECTATIONS?"
"For some reason my original post was very popular but taken away and tucked into some sub-category that only can be seen by registered users, but this is not a dislike or complaint, it is a question/opinion of what other VUDU members have to say on the subject...
I bought VUDU because the 1st thing I read all over the site and in the Press Releases was how VUDU has partnerships with almost all the studios, how it's optimized for High-Definition, and no more driving to your video store just to find the movie you want is not available.
I'm betting almost everyone else who bought it early or now thought - "GREAT, WE CAN FINALLY THROW AWAY OUR BLOCKBUSTER CARDS AND CANCEL OUR NETFLIX SUBSCRIPTION, AND MAYBE NOT EVEN BUY THAT BLU-RAY PLAYER YET, CAUSE THIS SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT SAME LIBRARY OF NEW RELEASES OR POPULAR HIT MOVIE SELECTIONS THAT THEY HAVE AT OUR FINGERTIPS"!
Am I the only one with this view? I have searched everyday for movies we all know and love, and I'd have to say on average, any person looking will only find 1 out of 10 movies they search for." - paularino, VUDU Forum 01/09/08
So I ask you; should you trust a product or company that tries to hide bad press rather than face it head on? To me, it is especially unconscionable when it comes from customers who have risked a lot of money on their product. This sort of deceit is why I resigned from VUDU's beta test program. This is why RonV, a senior forum moderator, tried to hide the truth about the VUDU service and went after me.
But judging from the other posts here you all already get it!
VUDU XL: $999 for a bit more space {Engadget HD}
Jan 7th 2008 6:51PM If you bothered to read my post I DID specify that I was a beta tester for VUDU. So right away that makes me more honest than you were. But the program rules you mention involved deceiving people and not speaking out about VUDU's many issues. I would not lie nor would I sit on my hands for VUDU so I resigned the program. There was nothing to rent anyway. Vudu is mostly purchase only. But VUDU doesn't tell you that until after they have your $399.
As far as DirecTV's HD quality is concerned I disagree completely. I think it's great and in DD 5.1 unlike VUDU which is stereo only in many cases. Even the film 300 - stereo only. Besides, since you and your fellow VUDU moderators are prone to snake oil tactics, you have no power here so just move along.
But do tell the folks why VUDU deletes so many forum posts and threads from unhappy customers? Hmm, Ronny? If anyone is interested in the details of VUDUs many issues visit The Illustrated Conservative blog site along the sidebar. The truth shall set your wallet free!
VUDU XL: $999 for a bit more space {Engadget HD}
Jan 6th 2008 1:41PM Full disclosure: I have been a DirecTV customer for well over a decade. Not only do I think they have a great product so does JD Power & Associates annual customer-satisfaction survey. Something VUDU can't even sniff no matter how many VUDU moderators they send to load up review sites with false promises.
DirecTV's reputation for quality and service is well earned and they are much, much cheaper than VUDU.
VUDU XL: $999 for a bit more space {Engadget HD}
Jan 6th 2008 1:32PM RonV is a VUDU forum moderator. Take his biased payed for comments with a grain of salt. VUDU moderators have a habit of not being honest about their VUDU affiliation. Deceitful would be a good word for this. I was a VUDU beta tester, honesty is not what VUDU does best.
I have two DirecTV HDPlus systems and their HD selection far exceeds what VUDU offers or will ever offer (on VUDU it's just 3 lousy titles). It's laughable that he even said that. Plus, DirecTV is rolling out a VOD service.
With DirecTV you get hundreds of channels, PPV, VOD, great customer service - why bother will a company like VUDU that will likely go under before the year is up? Plus, DirecTV will often give the box and installation for free to sign up or upgrade.
VUDU XL: $999 for a bit more space {Engadget HD}
Jan 6th 2008 9:47AM P.S. DirecTV is doing this far cheaper in beta right now.
VUDU XL: $999 for a bit more space {Engadget HD}
Jan 6th 2008 9:44AM VUDU has officially jumped the shark with this lump of junk. With this xtra-large paper weight they have given up on ever being a competitive rental service. Which is good because there is little to rent and most of their selections are purchase only - in stereo (LOL). Not much in the way of DD 5.1. VUDU can't offer new release rentals titles for 3-4 weeks after they've hit the streets at Blockbuster or Netflix. Which, BTW, will be offering VOD for far cheaper. Perhaps even giving away the box.
But why can't VUDU allow a USB2 drive to be attached? It would be a tenth the cost of this silly, useless monster.
Vudu set-top box review round-up {Engadget HD}
Nov 29th 2007 9:04AM VUDU is Pointless & Disappointing
VUDU has some really serious content issues - of the 5,000 advertised titles there's little to rent. Their movie library if filled with titles one would find on a Hong Kong street corner or flea market. Laughable, amateurish, appalling movies that look like they're been shot in someone's basement. Much of the catalog is purchase only. New releases are not available to rent for 3-4 weeks, if ever. Quite a few older titles that have been staples at Blockbuster, or gathering dust at a the local supermarket, are purchase only.
VUDU moderators are blocking forum posts critical of the product.
"Vudu relies on a peer-to-peer network system for faster downloading. So, essentially, this company is using your bandwidth to help it save money it would have otherwise spent on its own servers and bandwidth." - Walt Mossberg, WSJ
"Plenty of the movies are pure filler. They range from no-name horror cheapies (San Franpsycho or Night Fangs, anyone?) to superniche flicks like The History of Texas Longhorns Football and Yoga for Depression and Gastro-Intestinal Disorders.
Another reason: Vudus catalog is a victim of what Hollywood calls distribution windows. After a movie leaves theaters, it becomes available through other channels in a strict order: (1) hotels and airlines; (2) DVD; (3) pay-per-view television; (4) movie channels like HBO and Starz; (5) TV and everywhere else." - David Pogue, NYTimes
"The average consumer, as long as he or she doesn't have true control over downloads thanks to technology such as digital rights management, is going to have a hard time justifying an expensive set-top box when it has neither the channel-surfing capabilities of a TiVo digital video recorder nor the low to nonexistent price of a DVR provided by a cable television company." - ZDNet
"That doesn't count for much when you can't get "the right movie, right now". The studios don't want to rent new releases, because they make more off sales... VUDU sucks and there is no reason to believe they will get better." - Keith Ohlfs, User Experience Architect, VUDU Inc. 11/24/07
My extended review: http://theillustratedconservative.blogspot.com/2007/11/vudu-pointless-disappointing.html
