It’s no secret, I love gadgets. Especially those that promise to make my life more convenient and entertaining — both of which the Vudu promises to deliver. The Vudu is an internet-based movies-on-demand system, currently offered by Hawaiian Telcom.
I’ve done the Netflix thing and I’m a card-carrying member of Blockbuster, but there’s nothing like being able to turn on your TV and have 5000 movies available for instant viewing at the scroll and click of a remote. Besides that, there’s the added benefit of not having to return the videos on time and avoiding those late fees.
The factor that differentiates the Vudu from other video-on-demand services is that you can own your favorite videos. No need to buy another rack to store your DVDs, it’s all stored electronically on your Vudu box. Buying a video will cost you between $4.99 to $19.99. A 24-hour rental will cost between $0.99 and $3.99, and you can replay the movie as many times as you wish during that period. No subscription or monthly fees apply, it’s pay as you go. The box normally costs $399, but Hawaiian Telcom is running a special: get 50% off and a $50 movie credit.
So, let’s talk about the equipment. The beauty is in its simplicity.
The “getting started” sheet is nicely illustrated and the instructions are concise and simple that anyone, no matter how low-tech, can follow. Even if you can’t set the time on your VCR, you can hook up the Vudu. Promise!
Inside the box, you get a power cord, ethernet cable, composite video cables, and an HDMI cable. If you’re like the droves of crazies who went out an bought a big-screen LCD HDTV to watch the Sugar Bowl (like me), you would use the HDMI cable. Non-HD folks, the composite cables work just as well. Other connection options also include component video and S-video.
Pukas galore!
Basic hook-up: 1) power, 2) video connection (HDMI, composite, component, or S-video), and 3) ethernet cable. How easy is that? As easy as 1, 2, 3. Literally. The hardest part was getting an ethernet connection to the television, and even that wasn’t too difficult. You just need to find a long enough cable — and borrow a staple gun, if you’re particular about that sort of thing.
The ergonomically-designed remote control is compact and only has 5 buttons and a scroll wheel. Again, sleek and simple. So zen, I love it.
The clickable scroll wheel is like the one on your computer mouse, except you use your thumb to fly through Vudu’s menus and movie listings. While you’re watching a movie, the scroll wheel is a variable-speed rewind/fast-forward shuttle control. It’s so intuitive and handy. Why every remote doesn’t utilize a scroll wheel is beyond me.
Within minutes, the Vudu was up and running. Take the short tutorial and follow the on-screen instructions as it takes you through the process of checking your network connections and downloading updates for the box.
With our high-speed connection (clocked at 4.5 Mbps), the videos are available for viewing immediately. If you’re running a slower connection (less than 2 Mbps), video delivery will be slightly delayed. Picture quality is good — and for HD folks, don’t worry, you’re covered!
My take on the Vudu? Convenient, simple to use, awesome movie selection (it’s Blockbuster in a box!), and cost-per-movie is reasonable. My nephew who works at Blockbuster may not be seeing us around the store much anymore. Now all the entertainment we crave can be found in that little black box.
