Vudu offers HD movie downloads

Vudu is slated to become the first video-on-demand service to sell high-definition movies as opposed to simply renting them, the company announced today.

Vudu will initially offer 50 HD movies starting later this week, and has agreements arranged with Magnolia Pictures, FirstLook Studios and Kino, with additional announcements expected later down the road.  "Man on Wire" will be the first film available, with "Transiberian" and "War, Inc." to be the next two films available for HD download through the service.

"Consumers are clamoring for the abillity to own digitally-delivered titles in high definition, especially in our HDX format, and we are excited to be the first in the industry to meet this consumer need," Vudu EVP of strategy and content Edward Lichty said.  "This is a watershed event for the industry as well, signaling the studios’ recognition of and confidence in digital delivery as an increasingly important part of their business.  We expect to see a continuing expansion of digital rights in the coming months."

Assuming sales of these independent films are decent, Vudu hopes larger studios will want to work with the company to offer more mainstream movies to consumers.

Vudu is no stranger to HD content, as it has more than 1,400 HD movies available for rental, and will offer 50 for sale in "standard HD" or the Vudu-created HDX format.

All purchased movies can be stored on the Vudu box or in the Vudu Vault, with movie prices ranging from $13.99 to $23.99.

Although Blu-ray and DVD manufacturers hope consumers will continue to go to the stores to purchase Blu-ray and DVD discs, there is a growing movement behind streaming content.  The ability to both view and download HD movies directly from a TV should help companies such as Vudu attract new users, analysts predict.