HD Movies Have Arrived on PlayStation Network

2:30 PM - March 9, 2010 - By Kevin Parrish - Source : Tom's Guide US

SCEA loaded a handful of HD movies onto the PlayStation Network... finally.

SCEA announced this morning that it has signed a soul-selling deal with 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution to offer HD movies on the PlayStation Network (PSN).

Although the network was originally intended as a multimedia delivery platform for the PlayStation 3 console, the company plans to widen its load by delivering content to multiple Sony-based devices. It's also gearing up to tackle Apple's iTunes network this year.

Jennifer's Body, Star Trek, 2012, Inglorious Bastards, and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince are just a few HD movies now available on the service starting today. I haven't checked the pricing, however it's assumed that movies will cost around $20--similar to prices of HD movies on iTunes.

Read More

Comments

Read the comments on the forums
touchdowntexas13 03/09/2010 11:26 PM
Hide
-0+

full hd resolution? if so that's not bad, not bad at all...

cdillon 03/10/2010 12:03 PM
Hide
-7+

The pricing for these DRM-laden downloads is still way too high. You can buy new releases on Blu-Ray Disc from a store for between $15 and $25. The BD will have higher quality audio and video and isn't limited to being downloaded and played on just a few systems. BD will also continue to work, just like DVDs will, long after they have been replaced by something else. All of those DRM movie downloads are dead after they decide to shut down the DRM servers.

assmar 03/10/2010 12:06 PM
Hide
-3+

It will be the 1080p, but with terrible compression just like iTunes right? No thanks, I'd rather buy Blu-Ray.

touchdowntexas13 03/10/2010 12:16 PM
Hide
-0+

cdillon :
The pricing for these DRM-laden downloads is still way too high. You can buy new releases on Blu-Ray Disc from a store for between $15 and $25. The BD will have higher quality audio and video and isn't limited to being downloaded and played on just a few systems. BD will also continue to work, just like DVDs will, long after they have been replaced by something else. All of those DRM movie downloads are dead after they decide to shut down the DRM servers.



Agreed, but I think they are trying to reach people that cannot afford blue-ray players...

"sarcasm"

Can you really get BD's for that cheap? I guess it's been a while since I checked, but I assumed they were a good deal more expensive than that.

cdillon 03/10/2010 12:32 PM
Hide
-3+

touchdowntexas13 :
Agreed, but I think they are trying to reach people that cannot afford blue-ray players..."sarcasm"Can you really get BD's for that cheap? I guess it's been a while since I checked, but I assumed they were a good deal more expensive than that.



Not sure where the sarcasm was aimed, but just in case it wasn't about the lack of BD players... these HD movie downloads on PSN are for PS3 users, which means they have a Blu-Ray player.

The prices I mentioned were for Wal-Mart's BD selection. I couldn't find any title that wasn't part of a boxed-set or some kind of special-edition that was more than $25 and some change, and most were less than that. Same goes for Amazon.com who right now is advertising a bunch of Blu-Ray discs for $13, while the average price is about $20.

touchdowntexas13 03/10/2010 12:45 PM
Hide
-0+

cdillon :
Not sure where the sarcasm was aimed, but just in case it wasn't about the lack of BD players... these HD movie downloads on PSN are for PS3 users, which means they have a Blu-Ray player.The prices I mentioned were for Wal-Mart's BD selection. I couldn't find any title that wasn't part of a boxed-set or some kind of special-edition that was more than $25 and some change, and most were less than that. Same goes for Amazon.com who right now is advertising a bunch of Blu-Ray discs for $13, while the average price is about $20.



yes that's exactly where the sarcasm was aimed (regarding the fact they already have BD players)

it was a joke dude...

matt87_50 03/10/2010 1:00 AM
Hide
-1+

thats stupid, I don't want to buy digital movies that are so restricted and will die with the ps3, I want to RENT them!

tenor77 03/10/2010 1:04 AM
Hide
--1+

assmar :
It will be the 1080p, but with terrible compression just like iTunes right? No thanks, I'd rather buy Blu-Ray.



1080p on the xbox is full featured and is amazing.

The end for physical media is neigh. Repent sinners!

mauskau 03/10/2010 2:19 AM
Hide
-1+

The main reason I don't care about this is that the Playstation network is horrendously slow. I mean suuuuuper slow. I am on a 50Mbs connection and it took around 15 minutes to download a game update that was just over 100 MB in size. This is not the only time either. Those sorts of speeds are the norm. I have no problem downloading stuff for my XBox 360 at full speed though.

If Sony were to fix the PSN then I might be more interested. Until then I just don't care.

mauskau 03/10/2010 2:19 AM
Show
IFLATLINEI 03/10/2010 3:29 AM
Hide
-1+

Am I missing something? HD movies have been on the PSN store since day one so how is this news now? Where the F#%$ have you guys been? Now and then you might want to peak out of that hole your hiding in and take a look around

M-ManLA 03/10/2010 11:05 AM
Hide
-0+

WOOT! Lets go Sony!

Eccentric909 03/10/2010 2:46 PM
Hide
-0+

iflatlinei :
Am I missing something? HD movies have been on the PSN store since day one so how is this news now? Where the F#%$ have you guys been? Now and then you might want to peak out of that hole your hiding in and take a look around



Were they always available to own or just rent?

Submit my comment
Ads
Ads