The UltraViolet system is an online digital rights management and licensing system built to allow consumers of movies and TV shows to buy their entertainment content once and be able to play it anywhere. Purchased UltraViolet movies and TV shows are added to an UltraViolet account and can then be streamed to TVs, computers, tablets, and smartphones or downloaded to DVDs or Blu-Ray discs for offline viewing.

The system is developed by the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE), a consortium of over 70 members including film studios, retailers, cable TV companies, internet providers, and technology companies. It is essentially the hollywood’s attempt of combating online piracy by offering a more convenient legal way of acquiring and viewing digital entertainment. While you have to pay for the movies and shows, the service itself is free.

How The UltraViolet System Works?

UltraViolet LogoAn UltraViolet account acts as an online “digital locker”, storing movies and TV shows you purchased in an UltraViolet collection. UltraViolet movies and shows can be purchased as Blu-Ray disks, DVDs or as digital downloads from an online retailer, and they are marked by a special UltraViolet logo. They can then be added to your UltraViolet collection for streaming or download to your devices.

Up to 12 devices can be registered to a single UltraViolet account, and they can include computers, TVs, smartphones, tablets, set top boxes, game consoles and other UltraViolet compatible devices. A single account can also have up to 6 members, all of whom can watch the content in that account’s UltraViolet collection. When streaming, up to three movies can be streamed at the same time.

The UltraViolet account doesn’t, however, store the actual content itself, only the access rights. The content is hosted by its respective provider instead, which offers streaming and download. For example if you bought a movie released by Warner Brothers you may be instructed to stream or download it from their Flixster.com movie service.

Some retailers may also provide an option for converting old movies into UltraViolet movies so they can be added to the UltraViolet collection.

The UltraViolet content comes in a Common File Format (CFF), which use Common Encryption technology compatible with five selected Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems. Regardless of which of these DRM systems are used the movie should play fine. All that is necessary is for both the movie and the device you want to play it on to be marked as UltraViolet compatible. In the case of computers, tablets, and smartphones it may be enough to install an appropriate app.

Movies are offered in two qualities; HD (High Definition) or SD (Standard Definition). Devices which support HD playback can play both HD and SD movies, while those which don’t support HD can play only SD content.

If you want more information about how to play UltraViolet movies see the UltraViolet Player web site.

Competition

The only major movie studio not behind the UltraViolet system is Disney, which is developing its own Keychest system for a similar purpose, and with similar capabilities.