Walmart Enters Hollywood with Disc-to-Digital Service
Top retailer Walmart is partnering with Hollywood to increase the value of movie ownership with anytime access to DVDs. It is giving physical DVD/Blu-ray collections across the country a second life by turning them into digital movies.
The leading home entertainment retailer claims to be the first to announce an exclusive in-store disc-to-digital service which gives movie lovers the freedom to watch their DVD/Blu-ray collections from Internet-connected devices, including televisions, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles and more. The service is powered by VUDU, a leading video streaming service.
Walmart, in partnership with the major Hollywood studios: Paramount Home Media Distribution, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, is increasing the value of movie ownership for its customers.
Starting April 16th, 2012 in more than 3,500 stores, Walmart customers will be able to bring their DVD and Blu-ray collections to Walmart and receive digital access to their favorite titles from the partnering studios. An equal conversion for standard DVDs and Blu-ray discs will be $2. Standard DVDs can be upgraded to High-Def (HD) for $5.
“Walmart is helping America get access to their DVD library,” said John Aden, executive vice president for general merchandising, Walmart U.S.
Walmart Entertainment supports UltraViolet, the movie industry’s initiative currently in its beta phase that allows consumers to put their purchased movies into a cloud-based digital library and keep track of them safely and securely. Walmart is able to offer customers the ability to watch and purchase UltraViolet-enabled titles directly from VUDU.
In the picture above: (L-R: Craig Kornblau, President, Universal Studios Home Entertainment; Ron Sanders, President, Warner Home Video; John Aden, Executive Vice President, General Merchandise, Walmart U.S.; David Bishop, President, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; Dennis Maguire, President, Worldwide Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures, Simon Swart, Executive Vice President, General Manager, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)
