It had been years since I actually bought a DVD or a Blu-ray copy of a movie. But over Christmas, I bought one. I really wanted those extra features that a physical disk provides. Why not get a Blu-ray with a digital copy, I thought, and have the best of both worlds?
Why not turned out to be because redeeming digital copies is a nightmare. Are you getting a copy for iTunes? Or for Amazon? Or whatever on earth UltraViolet is supposed to be, something that finally crashed into my awareness as a new Blu-ray owner?
The film in question? Pitch Perfect, which is aca-awesome. My kids loved it when we saw it the theater. When it became available for rental on Amazon and iTunes, I debated actually buying a digital copy, because I knew we'd probably watch it a couple of times more.
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Physical copies mean best of both worlds?
I thought getting a physical Blu-ray copy made more sense. After all, I could see that for about same price (at the time), I could get a digital copy plus the extras, including outtakes that might be funny:
In the end, I did both. We wanted to watch that film that night, so we rented it. But, I also ordered the disc-version so we'd have it for later (take note, Hollywood, for all your piracy worries, I'm someone who paid three times for one of your films).
The disc came just before Christmas, so on Christmas Day -- after all the presents had been unwrapped and everyone was having some downtime -- I decided to redeem my digital copy.
But where should we buy our digital movies and TV shows? In 2001, Apple released the iPod and unleashed digital music unto the world. So when the launched the iTunes Music Store two years later, it was an easy decision to go with Apple. How trapped are your digital movies and TV shows? Have you decided to ditch DVDs and Blu-rays to instead buy movies and TV shows only in a pure digital format? Sure, you could buy from. Before, digital cameras’ color format was within 8, 10 or 12 bit. Dalsa Origin camera records video on an off-site storage with the speed of 400 MByte/sec. In 2007, Red Digital Cinema Camera Company released a Red One camera.
In the past, this has been easy. While I haven't bought DVDs for ages, usually I get one each year as a gift. 'Avatar,' 'Star Trek,' 'The A-Team' -- all have made it my way as birthday or Christmas gifts. A coworker even gave me Katy Perry's movie this year (thanks, Michelle!).
- How trapped are your digital movies and TV shows? Have you decided to ditch DVDs and Blu-rays to instead buy movies and TV shows only in a pure digital format? Sure, you could buy from.
- But where should we buy our digital movies and TV shows? In 2001, Apple released the iPod and unleashed digital music unto the world. So when the launched the iTunes Music Store two years later, it was an easy decision to go with Apple.
The discs often came with a digital copy, and that usually involved iTunes or Windows Media player. I'd put the disc in my laptop, enter some code, and then I had a digital copy on my computer. When iTunes Match came out, things got even better. Most of my authorized digital downloads suddenly became available to me through the cloud.
The bureaucracy of digital redemption
Getting my digital copy of 'Pitch Perfect' turned into a nightmare. There was a little flier in the case, with a URL leading to the redemption area at Universal Studios, that provided multiple redemption choices:
By default, the site tries to get you to create a Universal account as part of the redemption process for your UltraViolet copy. It also positions getting a digital copy through iTunes or Amazon as an optional, secondary thing ('no thanks, maybe later' is the default choice made for you).
I figured I needed to have the Universal account in order to get the code I really wanted, one that would let me get an iTunes or Amazon copy. So, I tried to create a Universal account, over and over again. Nothing worked. Along the way, I was also prompted to create a completely separate UltraViolet account.
My best guess is that I was one of millions of people who had gotten new DVDs and Blu-rays around Christmas, all trying to redeem digital copies that day -- and Universal wasn't up to it. In the end, I could never get registered properly. I fired off a support request and hoped for the best.
Redeeming to get a code I already had
A few days later, Universal's support sent a new code to use. The good news is that it worked. The bad news is that it quickly became clear that Universal had sent me into a redemption hell that I didn't need.
There was no need for me to make a Universal account. As best I can tell, that was something Universal simply did because it feels it wants to get in on the process. The code I was sent, I could have (and did) enter into iTunes directly, to redeem my copy.
There was no need for me to register anything that day, if all I wanted was an iTunes digital copy. I could have taken the code printed on the disc flyer, put that into iTunes and had my digital copy enabled without any of the nonsense Universal put me (and others) through. But nothing on the flyer that came with my copy made this clear, nor did anything on the redemption web site explain this.
The process was easier with the aforementioned Katy Perry movie that I was given, through Paramount. The 'digital copy' provided was good for two digital copies -- one through the UltraViolet site and one through either iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, or Windows Media Player. That was nice. I originally feared that digital copy in this case would mean UltraViolet only.
But consider the redemption process at Paramount, to get your iTunes code:
You have to enter the code on the flyer that came with the disc, along with your email address and birthday. Supposedly.
As it turns out, I left the email and birthday choices blank, and I was still given my iTunes code -- which turned out to be exactly the same code that was already on the flier. So, what did going to the Paramount site do to aid my redemption process? Apparently, nothing more than helping Paramount ensure it had my email address and birthday, along with perhaps the ability to send me information.
The process was different for Amazon. Curious, I took my exact same redemption code and tried again at Paramount, after 'redeeming' for iTunes. That did require me to provide an e-mail and birthday. After submitting, I was given a unique code to use at Amazon, one different than on my flier.
Buy digital, save the headaches
All this hassle and for what? To get 'extras' from a DVD or Blu-ray disc that I'll probably watch once? No thanks.
And no thanks especially that in order to even watch those extras, as well as the feature film itself, I'm often forced to sit through previews and promotions that either can't be skipped or require hitting the next chapter button on your DVD or Blu-ray player repeatedly.
I went all digital on taking photos and buying music years ago; all digital on buying books last year. Now it's time to leave buying physical movies behind, especially as the digital options are more-and-more offering the same extras that a physical disc provides.
The downside, of course, is that potentially you lock your movies into one provider's platform. That's worrisome. That's also something I'll be looking at in a future column, as well as the new Vudu program that lets you convert DVDs and Blu-ray discs you have into digital copies all from home.
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Many of my friends joke with me that I don’t watch movies. I have not seen Jaws, any of the Star Wars, Harry Potter, or even Avatar. I enjoy watching documentaries and dumb comedies.
[quote]Analyzing the audiences at Cineplex movie theatres across Canada, watching movies is not going away anytime soon.[/quote]
The stock pays a nice 5.1% dividend yield at the moment but the Price/Earnings Ratio is at 29.60 at the moment. This is a little too pricey at those levels for myself.
With the price of admission to a movie close to $12 (depending where you live in Canada), I wanted to share some free resources to watch and download movies online in Canada legally.
[box type=”tick”]Several websites are available for free to Canadians that allow you to watch free feature-length movies online.[/box]
IndieMoviesOnline
This is a fully licensed video-on-demand site, packed full of free movies, documentaries and short films to watch online.
Buy Digital Copy Movies
Active since 2009, they support independent film and filmmakers, by acquiring new and classic indie movies for the site and making them available online for people to watch and enjoy.
Global TV
Global TV has a special section that lets you view several older movies but still great titles like, The Professional and All The Pretty Horses. The section changes every month.
YouTube Movies/Free Section
You can watch feature length movies, shorts, and trailers on YouTube. They are always adding new movies frequently including classics, documentaries, and independent films.
Rogers on Demand
Did you know that Rogers had FREE movies available in addition to their regular pay-per-view online movies. You do not have to be a Rogers customer either. They currently have Lovely & Amazing, Saw, and The Big Kahuna.
Crackle
Crackle is the place to experience free entertainment: full-length movies, TV shows, and original series from genres – all uncut, uncensored, and unbelievably free.
Crackle has a vast distribution network that ensures that you have access to Crackle everywhere: on your favorite video site, your television and your mobile device.
Some movies include: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Revolver, and Passengers (with Anne Hathaway).
Buy Digital Movies Cheap
Free Movies at the Internet Archive
The Internet Archive contains free movies, films, and videos. This library contains thousands of digital movies uploaded by Archive users which range from classic full-length films, to daily alternative news broadcasts, to cartoons and concerts.
National Film Board of Canada
NFB.ca is a website where you can watch films produced by the National Film Board of Canada. Enjoy documentaries, animations, alternative dramas. Free for personal use.
CTV Canada
Where To Buy Digital Movies For Download Windows 10
They have their made-for-tv movies available online to watch for free.