UltraViolet downloads arrive just in time for the final Harry Potter release

By Mike Flacy November 10, 2011

harry-potter-2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

After the movie studios botched the initial launch of UltraViolet before the Blu-ray release of Horrible Bosses last month, the collective group of UltraViolet backers has finally enabled the ability to stream and download standard definition movies. With Universal Pictures, Lionsgate Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. all pushing the technology, the studios hope consumers will want to download copies of movies onto portable devices like smartphones or tablets. UltraViolet acts as a digital locker that enables users to download or stream a purchased film from the cloud.

This move is designed to curb efforts to rip high definition movies to other formats and ultimately slow piracy. It’s also considered an added feature for anyone that purchases a physical copy of a new film. Released films that support Ultraviolet include Horrible Bosses, Green Lantern and Crazy Stupid Love. After the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, future releases with Ultraviolet functionality include The Smurfs, Friends with Benefits, Cowboys & Aliens, The Hangover Part II, One Tree Hill: Season Eight, the Underworld Trilogy and Final Destination 5. To access the digital download of the film, consumers locate a redemption code within the packaging and redeem the code with the Flixster film service. Warner Brothers also owns the Flixster application as they purchased the company earlier this year.

In order to start some buzz around Ultraviolet, Warner Brothers is handing over advertising dollars to Twitter to turn the #UltraViolet hashtag into a promoted trending topic. Unfortunately, Twitter users are getting it confused with the critically panned, 2006 release of UltraViolet starring Milla Jovovich. Some Twitter users were hoping for a sequel to the film while others laughed at the mention of the movie. In addition, opponents of the UltraViolet that view the technology as restrictive DRM are leaving one-star reviews of the final Harry Potter movie on Amazon in an attempt to dissuade consumers from purchasing the Blu-ray copy of the film.

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Audio / Video

HD to 4K: these home theater projectors are up to $2,000 off

The Optoma UHD55 projector.

While TVs are great, if you want to have a large screen TV that goes over 80 inches, you're liable to spend thousands of dollars, and if you want to go over 100 inches, you may not even find any options at all, especially at the consumer level. Luckily, there are a lot of great projectors that can not only hit those targets but exceed them and do it at a much cheaper cost than a regular TV. Even better, there is quite a big sale right now at Crutchfield on home theater projectors, with everything from budget-friendly options to top-of-the-range stuff.

What you should buy in Crutchfield's projector sale
Not all projectors have to be incredibly expensive, and you can grab a great project for a good price with the Optoma HZ40HDR, which is , saving you a solid $450 in the process. It's an FHD projector, although it can handle 4k and HDR sources, and the bulb has a 30,000-hour life span, which is pretty great for a budget-oriented projector. On the other hand, if you want 4k, Optomo has a good budget option for that too, the Optoma UHD35STx, which is a 4k short-throw projector with HDR10 and HLG HDR going , which isn't a massive discount on the usual $1,549, but it's still pretty good.

Audio / Video

Best AirPods Max deals: New and refurbished for $440

A woman wearing the Apple AirPods Max.

Shopping the best headphone deals will turn up a number of options from a wide variety of headphone brands, but if you’re interested in what Apple has to offer in terms of premium audio, the Apple AirPods Max are where you’ll want to turn. The AirPods Max are Apple’s top-of-the-line headphones, and while they churn out some impressive audio experiences, they also churn out a hefty price point. With the rumors of AirPods Max 2 going on you’ll be able to find some decent AirPods Max deals out there. We’ve done that hefty lifting for you, however, and have laid out the best AirPods Max deals below. You’ll find deals on both new and refurbished AirPods Max, but click quickly if one of these deals works for you, as Apple deals can be unpredictable and we don’t know how long these will last.
AirPods Max -- $519, were $549

The AirPods Max are Apple's first attempt at a set of over-the-ear headphones. They got a lot of things right. We love these headphones, even when compared against some audiophile options that prioritize sound quality. The AirPods Max have awesome noise cancelling. Everything Apple learned with the earbud-style AirPods works even better with the cup style of the AirPods Max. Along with great ANC comes a great transparency mode. With a twist of the Max's massive knob, you'll go from complete silence to feeling like you're not wearing headphones at all. The audio on phone calls is great as well, and they pair better with the iPhone than any non-Apple headphones could ever hope to.

Audio / Video

Best AirPods Pro deals: Get Apple’s flagship earbuds for $122

The Apple Airpods Pro in their charging case.

Apple’s lineup of headphones has grown over the years. It currently makes a number of AirPods models that can be talked about among the best wireless earbuds. Among them are the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro are regularly in contention to be among the best headphones overall as well, and because of their popularity it can be difficult to track down AirPods Pro deals worth shopping. We’ve managed to find some out there, however, and below we’ve rounded up all of the best AirPods Pro deals you can shop right now. You’ll find discounts on both new and refurbished AirPods Pro models, as well as some information on why each model might be best for you.
Apple AirPods Pro (Refurbished) — $122, was $220

While there’s a newer model of AirPods Pro available, the first generation Apple AirPods Pro can still hold their own against some of the best wireless earbuds. Made for a slightly more premium user than something like the Apple AirPods 3, the AirPods Pro have higher end features, including active noise cancellation and a transparency mode, which allows you to hear and interact with the world around you while you have the headphones on. Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking is another impressive feature. This makes watching movies and other content a truly immersive experience. This refurbished model of the Apple AirPods Pro comes with free 30-day returns and a 1-year warranty.