Did you know that UltraViolet, which was used to store and play digital versions of Blu-rays, closed down in July this year? I’ve taken a look at the alternatives.
Anyone who’s bought a Blu-ray should be familiar with the UltraViolet logo – often added as a sticker to the front cover of a film that participated in the service.
It basically acted as a cloud storage system for physical media you’d purchased. Your Blu-ray would provide you with a code to prove your purchase, which would then give you access to a digital version of the film.
But back in July, UltraViolet closed for good:
This led to one member getting in touch to ask ‘is it still worth buying Blu-rays?’
Is there still a market for physical media?
While UltraViolet was still active, you could have saved your online film collection by making an account with Flixster and linking it to your UltraViolet library.
Flixster is shutting down too, but Google has agreed a deal for your films to appear on the Google Play Movies app. Some won’t be available due to licensing issues, although many will be.
This is disappointing, but there are still reasons to buy your favourite films on Blu-ray.
While Samsung has stopped making players, we’ve tested six this year from other major manufacturers, such as Sony, Pansonic and LG, which shows that the curtain hasn’t come down on physical media just yet.
Blu-rays vs streaming
Watching Blu-rays can be a great way to make the most of a large screen HD TV and a soundbar or home entertainment system, with higher quality video and audio than a standard DVD player or streaming service can manage.
Unlike streaming services, they also don’t require a fast internet connection in your home.
If you do want to stream services as well as watching Blu-rays, you can often do it through your Blu-ray player itself.
Some come with smart TV apps such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix and Amazon Video.
Moving on to 4K
Some Blu-ray players can also help breathe new life into your old DVDs and Blu-ray discs. If you have a 4K TV, an upscaling player can enhance the picture.
For an even more enhanced setup, you could buy an Ultra HD Blu-ray player and enjoy a picture with four times the detail of Full HD.
They don’t have to cost the earth, either. You can pick up a Best Buy for less than £200, but the discs can be pricy.
Do you still buy Blu-rays? If so, will you miss the digital UltraViolet service? Or have you moved on to 4K? Let us know how you’re enjoying your home entertainment.