The Voodoo is Weak for Vudu Movie Box

Downloading movies to your TV might seem convenient in theory, but in practice the Vudu is bad magic, the Wall Street Journal says. Sure, its setup and interface are easy, and the picture quality’s good. But sparse selection, high prices and slow downloads sink the device. Vudu’s 5,000-title selection pales before Netflix’s 85,000, and popular movies are in short supply.

Movies download instantly – if you have a 2 mbs connection. The millions who don’t will be waiting hours for downloads. Worse, Vudu’s peer-to-peer system uses your bandwidth to send movies to others. The box’s $399 price tag is bad, but the clunky pay-in-advance system for the movies is worse. Regular Vudu charges will quickly dwarf the initial investment. (More movie on demand stories.)