Walmart-owned video streaming platform Vudu has launched an intriguing new service that lets you watch films for free - so long as you don’t mind sitting through a few commercials.
Called Vudu Movies On Us, it skips Vudu’s usual rental or purchase requirements and includes access to thousands of catalog films, taking in the likes of Mad Max, True Grit, Abduction, and School Of Rock.
The service can be accessed via any of the usual Vudu gateways: web browsers, tablets, mobile phones or living room devices such as Vudu-compatible TVs, Blu-ray players, games consoles, Roku set-top boxes and the recently released Android Mi Box (details of which can be found in this earlier news story).
Film fans attracted to the Vudu platform by its support for native 4K, high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos content, however, should note that Vudu Movies On Us restricts playback to 1080p video and Dolby Digital sound. You also can't download any titles accessed through Vudu Movies On Us; it's a streaming-only option.
As for the commercials, I asked Vudu for details on how they would work, and its responses were that the ads can appear before and during the film; that the number of them will depend on the length of the film ‘as well as factors such as targeting and segmentation’; and that it won’t be possible to fast forward through them.
In other words, Vudu Movies On Us essentially delivers a commercial TV-like experience but with on-demand content. Only time will tell if this turns out to be an appealing enough combination to pull in the seemingly more casual audience Vudu is targeting with this new service.
To access Vudu Movies On Us, all you need to do is this:
1. Log on to Vudu through your web browser, mobile device or living room box
2. Click on the “New” tab on a computer, of the “Spotlight” tab on living room or mobile devices.
3. Click “Movies On Us”.
