Movie lovers across the nation can now legally convert their existing DVD and Blu-ray collections into a digital entertainment library in the cloud, following the launch of Disc-2-Digital by EzyFlix.tv – the first retailer outside of the US to officially offer the innovative service.
In living rooms across Australia there are more than 50 Million DVD or Blu-ray copies of the movies that are eligible for conversion. The Disc-2-Digital initiative will ensure those customers no longer have to re-purchase the movies they already own in order to enjoy them across their digital devices, including smartphones and tablets, compatible Smart TVs, PCs, MACs and Google’s Chromecast.
Craig White, CEO of Access Digital Entertainment, the company behind EzyFlix.tv, said Disc-2-Digital represents a landmark moment for Australian viewers and will help close the digital divide for those yet to experience the benefits of owning and accessing digital content.
“When we transitioned from VHS tape to DVD and even from DVD to Blu-ray to enjoy HD, technology dictated that consumers had to essentially re-buy their collections to keep enjoying the films and programs they loved. With Disc-2-Digital, there is a small conversion fee but the result is endless enjoyment of your existing collection across any device, anytime, anywhere,” he said.
He said the Disc-2-Digital service is a modern day reinvention of a music industry initiative that helped bridge the divide between CDs and digital music.
“When the iPod launched in 2001, the phrase ‘rip and burn’ was used to encourage consumers to digitise their existing CD music collection and access it on other devices. This was the precursor to the launch of the iTunes store and the growth in digital music sales globally.
“Disc-2-Digital doesn't ‘rip and burn’ from DVD or Blu-ray disc. It uses the disc to verify a legitimate and eligible movie title, and then offers you an opportunity to store the movie in the cloud for $2 or upscale your standard definition DVD to a HD digital version for $5. The digital version is then added to your EzyFlix account.”
“There are currently 1000 films on DVD or Blu-ray that are eligible for Disc-2-Digital conversion. We expect this number to double in the coming months as more studios and titles come online and believe Disc-2-Digital will accelerate the adoption and growth of digital content.”
Once consumers have converted movies to their account, the movie is immediately available to stream or download and playback offline on up to five connected devices including an iPhone, iPad, Samsung and other smart phones and tablets, as well as PCs and MACs, plus Samsung’s Smart TV and Google’s Chromecast.
At launch, all of the eligible Disc-2-Digital movies will also be Digital UltraViolet compatible which means users can share their films with up to five other people and stream or download them to watch on any of their devices.
Mr White said his team has been working behind the scenes on the Disc-2-Digital project for the past 15 months and noted the technology has been developed from scratch in Australia.
EzyFlix.tv’s launch of Disc-2-Digital comes on top of a stack of ‘firsts’ claimed within the provider’s inaugural year, including its position as the only first Australian download-to-own service to be compatible with both iOS and Android devices plus its Digital HD, Digital UltraViolet and Disney’s Digital Copy Plus offerings.
“Ownership of movies and television programs on DVD or Blu-ray was a $1.17 billion market in Australia in 2013 and will become increasingly digital over time. EzyFlix.tv is well placed to capitalise on this shift by providing Australians with the best value way of accessing the films and TV programs they love,” he said