MINNEAPOLIS, January 7, 2013 – Best Buy Co. Inc (NYSE: BBY), the global leader in consumer electronics, is making it easier than ever for consumers to enjoy their favorite movies anywhere and at any time with the launch of the first ever in-home disc-to-digital conversion service available now. Powered by Best Buy’s video streaming service- CinemaNow – and currently in beta, consumers now have the freedom to put UltraVioletTM copies of their favorite DVD titles in the cloud, giving them access to their DVD collections from any compatible Internet-connected device including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and more.
Best Buy has partnered with several major Hollywood studios including Warner Bros Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Lionsgate to bring the in-home disc-to-digital program to life. Beginning with the launch of the service late last year, and with several enhancements expected to follow later this year, consumers can now quickly and easily convert nearly 4,000 movie titles – with more to be added in the future.
“We’re always focused on providing added convenience and value for our customers and that is exactly what Best Buy’s disc-to-digital service does,” said Chris Koller, vice president of entertainment for Best Buy. “We know people are constantly on the go today and want to access information – whether music or movies – from a variety of sources. This first-to-market service gives movie lovers the opportunity to further enhance the value of their collections along with the freedom and flexibility to enjoy their movie collection with them, wherever they are.”
The process to convert previously purchased DVDs is fast and easy. Consumers will need to set up at CinemaNow.com account and download the free CinemaNow Player software (for PC or MAC). Once the DVD is inserted, CinemaNow will instantly recognize the movie’s title and give the consumer an option to convert the DVD to a digital version that is standard definition (SD) for $2 or high definition (HD) for $5. The movie will be added to the consumer’s UltraViolet digital library – giving them the ability to enjoy it across numerous devices such as iPads, iPhones, Android phones and tablets, and gaming consoles directly from their CinemaNow app.
CinemaNow has gone mobile with the recent launch of CinemaNow for Android and iOS devices and includes the addition of UltraViolet integration. UltraViolet is the home entertainment industry standard that allows consumers to download and stream movies and TV shows for viewing on a wide range of devices. Customers can now select from over 20,000 titles to buy or rent instantly at home and on the go and can easily link their CinemaNow account directly to their Ultraviolet account.
To learn more about CinemaNow and the in-home disc-to-digital beta program, visit www.cinemanow.com or www.bestbuy.com/cinemanow.
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