Walmart takes DVDs, Blu-rays to cloud

LOS ANGELES, USA: Walmart is giving physical DVD/Blu-ray collections across the country a second life by turning them into digital movies.

The home entertainment retailer is the first to announce an exclusive in-store disc-to-digital service which gives movie lovers the freedom to watch DVD/Blu-ray collections from Internet-connected devices, including televisions, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles and more. The service is powered by VUDU, a video streaming service.

Walmart, in partnership with Hollywood studios such as Paramount Home Media Distribution, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, is increasing the value of movie ownership for its customers.

Starting April 16, 2012 in more than 3,500 stores, Walmart customers will be able to bring DVD and Blu-ray collections to Walmart and receive digital access to titles from the partnering studios.

An equal conversion for standard DVDs and Blu-ray discs will be $2. Standard DVDs can be upgraded to High-Def (HD) for $5.

"Walmart is helping America get access to their DVD library," said John Aden, executive vice president for general merchandising, Walmart US. "Walmart Entertainment's new disc-to-digital service will allow our customers to reconnect with the movies they already own on a variety of new devices, while preserving the investments they've made in disc purchases over the years. We believe this revolutionary in-store service will unlock new value for already-owned DVDs, and will encourage consumers to continue building physical and digital movie libraries in the future."

Walmart Entertainment supports UltraViolet, the movie industry's initiative currently in its beta phase that allows consumers to put their purchased movies into a cloud-based digital library and keep track of them safely and securely.