Tech Shout!

CinemaNow, the world’s topmost legal video download store, will now sell movies from Walt Disney studio online, on the day of their DVD release for approximately $20 ($10 for older films). The first movie to be made available is “Glory Road”, on June 6. So in other words you can now download the latest Walt Disney movie online, and watch it on your own PC.

The movies will be in Windows Media Video format, and can be transferred to up to three devices including laptop PCs and portable devices. However, downloads will be protected via Digital Rights Management software (DRM) which will not allow users to burn the downloads onto DVDs.

Movies initially offered on a download-to-own basis will include Flightplan, The Insider. Additional movies available the same day as their DVD release will include Eight Below on 20 June and Annapolis on 27 June. Customers can purchase and download a legal, permanent copy of a Buena Vista Home Entertainment movie for unlimited playback on the download device.

CinemaNow president Bruce Eisen said, “We are very proud to have been selected by Buena Vista Home Entertainment as an Internet company to distribute its movies on a download-to-own basis.”

Eisen added, “Buena Vista Home Entertainment not only produces and distributes some of the highest quality movies in the world, but they have also been a leading force in the adoption of new distribution platforms and we are excited that they recognize CinemaNow as a leader in this emerging space.”

The move by Disney to sell its content online comes at a time when most of its competitors have signed up electronic sell-through deals with MovieLink, a rival to CinemaNow. However a Disney spokesman said Wednesday’s pact with CinemaNow was non-exclusive, meaning Disney can make similar deals with other online services in the future.