Amazon Unbox
Encyclopedia
Amazon Instant Video is an Internet video on demand
service, only available in the United States, offered by Amazon.com
which offers television shows and films for rental and purchase. The service became available on September 7, 2006 as Amazon Unbox. On September 4, 2008, the service was rebranded as "Amazon Video on Demand." The Unbox name still refers to the locally-installed player, which is now optional.
plugin installed. This feature was launched in public beta July 17, 2008 and was released September 4, 2008. Using Flash should make AIV relatively portable (compared to, e.g., Netflix Watch Instantly). AIV has been reported to run well on Linux distribution
s.
Customers may also download videos to TiVo
Series 2 and Series 3 DVRs, except those made for use with DirecTV (DirecTiVo). Sony BRAVIA
TVs equipped with an Internet Video Link device, and Panasonic VIERA TVs equipped with Viera Cast
can also use Amazon VOD directly through the TV's menu system.
The optional Amazon Unbox player lets users download higher-quality copies of videos. The Unbox player is compatible only with the Windows XP
family of operating systems, Windows Vista
, and Windows 7. Downloaded films include a full-resolution video file and can include a lower-resolution copy for portable devices. The content can be viewed using the Amazon Unbox Video Player, Windows Media Player
, a Windows Media Center Extender
such as an Xbox 360
, a PlaysForSure
portable device. Downloaded videos may be burned to a DVD
for storage purposes, but the resulting DVD will not play on a DVD player.
It is not compatible with Playstation 3 or Apple TV.
s (2 GB) of storage space. In comparison, a typical DVD averages 5600 kbit/s, which makes a 2-hour movie about 4.7 GB. However, Amazon uses the VC-1
codec, a more modern codec
than MPEG-2
, which is used on DVDs. VC-1 achieves a higher quality picture at a smaller file size.
The quality for the TiVo files is advertised as being 2800 kbit/s and as being "of equal or better quality than videos recorded at the Best Quality setting on a TiVo Series2 DVR."
Due to the large size of the files being downloaded, the service requires a broadband
internet connection capable of sustaining transfer speeds of 800 kbit/s. A 2-hour movie may take 7 hours and 20 minutes to download using a 750 kbit/s DSL/cable
connection or 1 hour and 50 minutes with a 3.0 Mbit/s DSL/cable connection. Amazon asserts that for customers with an internet connection of 3 Mbit/s or more, any Unbox file will start playing within 5 minutes. In November 2007, TiVo enabled "progressive download" for Unbox content so that users may watch downloaded files before the download is complete.
While the download versions utilize VC-1 in a WMV container, the format used for streaming HD (both purchased content and Amazon Prime unlimited streaming) is AVC
with an average video bitrate of 2500 kbit/s. On a computer, this encode is streamed in a FLV
container.
For transfer to portable device, the service requires the installation of a client application which manages playback and the transfer of video to portable devices that bear the Microsoft PlaysForSure
certification, such as the Creative Zen
or a Portable Media Center
.
For use with a TiVo DVR, no client application is needed. The user only needs a broadband enabled (and connected) Series2 or Series3 DVR. DirecTiVo DVRs are not supported.
Sony BRAVIA TVs require an Internet Video Link to play Amazon VOD videos. Some models come equipped with this device; for other DMeX-capable models, a separate device must be purchased and installed.
Is also available on Panasonic TVs with VIERA CAST. http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/learn/Televisions/vieracast
Also available on Samsung 650 series(pre 2011 models; not available on new Samsungs) and above HDTVs, as well as newer Vizio and LG TVs.
Rented Unbox movies cannot be transferred to a portable device. They can only be viewed on the device to which they are downloaded.
TV Passes purchased in the middle of the television season require the purchase of the entire season, and there is no other way to pre-order all future episodes of a season. Further, there is no way to pre-order all future seasons of a television show.
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
service, only available in the United States, offered by Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
which offers television shows and films for rental and purchase. The service became available on September 7, 2006 as Amazon Unbox. On September 4, 2008, the service was rebranded as "Amazon Video on Demand." The Unbox name still refers to the locally-installed player, which is now optional.
Compatibility
By default, AIV uses Flash Video in all web browsers with the Adobe FlashAdobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
plugin installed. This feature was launched in public beta July 17, 2008 and was released September 4, 2008. Using Flash should make AIV relatively portable (compared to, e.g., Netflix Watch Instantly). AIV has been reported to run well on Linux distribution
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
s.
Customers may also download videos to TiVo
TiVo
TiVo is a digital video recorder developed and marketed by TiVo, Inc. and introduced in 1999. TiVo provides an on-screen guide of scheduled broadcast programming television programs, whose features include "Season Pass" schedules which record every new episode of a series, and "WishList"...
Series 2 and Series 3 DVRs, except those made for use with DirecTV (DirecTiVo). Sony BRAVIA
BRAVIA
BRAVIA is a Sony brand used to market its high-definition LCD televisions, projection TVs and front projectors and for the PlayStation 3 , along with its home cinema range under the sub-brand BRAVIA Theatre. The BRAVIA name is an acronym of "Best Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture"...
TVs equipped with an Internet Video Link device, and Panasonic VIERA TVs equipped with Viera Cast
Viera Cast
Viera Cast is a Smart TV platform by Panasonic that makes it possible to stream multimedia content from the Internet directly into select Viera HDTVs and Blu-ray disc players...
can also use Amazon VOD directly through the TV's menu system.
The optional Amazon Unbox player lets users download higher-quality copies of videos. The Unbox player is compatible only with the Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
family of operating systems, Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
, and Windows 7. Downloaded films include a full-resolution video file and can include a lower-resolution copy for portable devices. The content can be viewed using the Amazon Unbox Video Player, Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player is a media player and media library application developed by Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices...
, a Windows Media Center Extender
Windows Media Center Extender
Windows Media Center Extenders are devices that are configured to connect via a Network link to a computer running Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows Vista Home Premium/Ultimate or Windows 7 Home Premium or higher to stream the computer's media center functions to the Extender device...
such as an Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, a PlaysForSure
Microsoft PlaysForSure
Starting in 2004, Microsoft PlaysForSure was a certification given by Microsoft to portable devices and content services that had been tested against several hundred compatibility and performance requirements. These requirements include codec support, DRM support, UI responsiveness, device...
portable device. Downloaded videos may be burned to a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
for storage purposes, but the resulting DVD will not play on a DVD player.
It is not compatible with Playstation 3 or Apple TV.
Video quality
Amazon.com describes the content as "DVD quality". The average video bitrate of an Amazon Unbox download equals 2500 kbit/s; this means that a two hour movie consumes roughly two gigabyteGigabyte
The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is...
s (2 GB) of storage space. In comparison, a typical DVD averages 5600 kbit/s, which makes a 2-hour movie about 4.7 GB. However, Amazon uses the VC-1
VC-1
VC-1 is the informal name of the SMPTE 421M video codec standard, which was initially developed as a proprietary video format by Microsoft before it was released as a formal SMPTE standard video format on April 3, 2006...
codec, a more modern codec
Codec
A codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding or decoding a digital data stream or signal. The word codec is a portmanteau of "compressor-decompressor" or, more commonly, "coder-decoder"...
than MPEG-2
MPEG-2
MPEG-2 is a standard for "the generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information". It describes a combination of lossy video compression and lossy audio data compression methods which permit storage and transmission of movies using currently available storage media and transmission...
, which is used on DVDs. VC-1 achieves a higher quality picture at a smaller file size.
The quality for the TiVo files is advertised as being 2800 kbit/s and as being "of equal or better quality than videos recorded at the Best Quality setting on a TiVo Series2 DVR."
Due to the large size of the files being downloaded, the service requires a broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
internet connection capable of sustaining transfer speeds of 800 kbit/s. A 2-hour movie may take 7 hours and 20 minutes to download using a 750 kbit/s DSL/cable
Cable
A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...
connection or 1 hour and 50 minutes with a 3.0 Mbit/s DSL/cable connection. Amazon asserts that for customers with an internet connection of 3 Mbit/s or more, any Unbox file will start playing within 5 minutes. In November 2007, TiVo enabled "progressive download" for Unbox content so that users may watch downloaded files before the download is complete.
While the download versions utilize VC-1 in a WMV container, the format used for streaming HD (both purchased content and Amazon Prime unlimited streaming) is AVC
AVC
AVC may refer to:* H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, Advanced Video Coding, a digital video compression format* Access vector cache in implementations of Security-Enhanced Linux...
with an average video bitrate of 2500 kbit/s. On a computer, this encode is streamed in a FLV
FLV
Flash Video is a container file format used to deliver video over the Internet using Adobe Flash Player versions 6–11. Flash Video content may also be embedded within SWF files. There are two different video file formats known as Flash Video: FLV and F4V. The audio and video data within FLV files...
container.
Requirements
Users of the streaming video on demand service need only a web browser with the Adobe Flash plugin to stream videos.For transfer to portable device, the service requires the installation of a client application which manages playback and the transfer of video to portable devices that bear the Microsoft PlaysForSure
Microsoft PlaysForSure
Starting in 2004, Microsoft PlaysForSure was a certification given by Microsoft to portable devices and content services that had been tested against several hundred compatibility and performance requirements. These requirements include codec support, DRM support, UI responsiveness, device...
certification, such as the Creative Zen
Creative Zen
The Creative ZEN is a range of digital audio players and portable media players made by Creative Technology. The players evolved from the now-defunct NOMAD brand through the NOMAD Jukebox series...
or a Portable Media Center
Portable Media Center
Portable Media Center is a defunct hard drive-based portable media player platform developed by Microsoft. Announced at the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show , and released in early 2004, it was originally positioned as a competitor to Apple's iPod.The platform was conceived in line with Microsoft's...
.
For use with a TiVo DVR, no client application is needed. The user only needs a broadband enabled (and connected) Series2 or Series3 DVR. DirecTiVo DVRs are not supported.
Sony BRAVIA TVs require an Internet Video Link to play Amazon VOD videos. Some models come equipped with this device; for other DMeX-capable models, a separate device must be purchased and installed.
Is also available on Panasonic TVs with VIERA CAST. http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/learn/Televisions/vieracast
Also available on Samsung 650 series(pre 2011 models; not available on new Samsungs) and above HDTVs, as well as newer Vizio and LG TVs.
Points of Differentiation
- RemoteLoad allows customers to download to any Unbox-registered PC or TiVo from any Internet-connected computer. For example, a user can purchase an Unbox video from a work computer and request that it be downloaded on a home computer or TiVo DVR.
- Your Media Library allows people to delete most large video files from their local hard drive when finished and store them in Amazon's Media Library for later redownload. This allows people to download more movies than their hard drive could otherwise store, and it provides a backup in case of hard drive failure.
- Unbox on TiVo allows customers to send content directly to their DVR.
- As of March 26, 2008, Unbox offers over 5,000 movies to purchase This compares with about 800 movies on the iTunes Store.
- Many Unbox videos are also available for rental for $.99 to $3.99. Rented movies must be viewed within the first 30 days after purchase and they may only be viewed within 24 hours of the first time the user presses Play.
- In addition to shows from mainstream networks (CBS, NBC and FOX), Unbox sells television series from the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, MTV, BRAVO and the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). Unbox also sells more obscure television series such as Giant RoboGiant Robo (tokusatsu), is a manga and tokusatsu series created by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. It is similar to his famous Tetsujin 28-go , though Giant Robo has more fantastic elements....
(also known as Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot), a 1960s Japanese television show popular in the US in the early 1970s. - Beginning with the 2007–08 television season, Amazon Unbox became the exclusive provider of NBC content, replacing iTunes as the delivery mechanism for these shows. NBC Universal later signed a new distribution agreement with Apple starting with the 2008–09 season and started distributing some of its shows for free on HuluHuluHulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
.
Criticism
In the first version of Unbox, a background service would launch itself upon system startup to contact the Amazon server to see if there were any new videos to download. Also, the program would attempt to contact the Amazon server when uninstalled. This automatic behavior, which could not be disabled without uninstalling the Unbox application, drew negative reviews for its implicit permission to run arbitrary code as designated by Amazon.com personnel. This is also confirmed in the video player's license agreement. In an upgrade released shortly after launch, thought to be a response to these criticisms, Amazon made "launch on startup" optional, though disabling it necessarily disables the RemoteLoad feature, and makes the program impossible to run in non-administrator accounts.Rented Unbox movies cannot be transferred to a portable device. They can only be viewed on the device to which they are downloaded.
TV Passes purchased in the middle of the television season require the purchase of the entire season, and there is no other way to pre-order all future episodes of a season. Further, there is no way to pre-order all future seasons of a television show.