Vudu announced it will add HD movies to its Internet download service, and that Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Lionsgate will be the first studios to offer their titles in HD.
The HD films will be offered during the home video and video-on-demand windows from studios. The Vudu Internet-connected set-top box, which first went on sale to consumers last month, offers approximately 5000 SD titles from the major U.S. film studios and more than 22 independent and international film distributors.
The new service does not require a computer, software downloads, cable TV, or satellite subscription. It uses a peer-to-peer (P2P) service, which keeps the box continually updated with new content. Using P2P technology means films are downloaded from other Vudu users that already have the movie file on their set-top boxes. This method is faster than using a central server.
