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Vudu's 1,100-plus HD movie library bests Apple TV, Netflix, and Xbox Live--for now

The set-top box offers more HD movies than the competition--including Apple TV and Netflix.

John Falcone Senior Editorial Director, Shopping
John P. Falcone is the senior director of commerce content at CNET, where he coordinates coverage of the site's buying recommendations alongside the CNET Advice team (where he previously headed the consumer electronics reviews section). He's been a CNET editor since 2003.
Expertise Over 20 years experience in electronics and gadget reviews and analysis, and consumer shopping advice Credentials
  • Self-taught tinkerer, informal IT and gadget consultant to friends and family (with several self-built gaming PCs under his belt)
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John Falcone
Vudu BX100
Vudu

Vudu is now offering more than 1,100 movies in high-def, making it No. 1 in on-demand HD. The company says that it blew past the 1,000-title milestone by adding more than 150 HD flicks per week in October, and it's pledging to continue its HD focus in the weeks and months ahead. (The HD selections represent about 11 percent of Vudu's total library of on-demand movies.)

Indeed, a quick examination of competing services seems to bear out Vudu's claim. We counted more than 1,100 HD movies available through Vudu's box (including about 200 that are also offered in Vudu's Blu-rayesque HDX format), compared to 391 on Xbox Live Marketplace, and something south of 700 on Apple iTunes. (Netflix will be kicking off its own HD streaming service later this month with a mere 300 titles.) By comparison, Amazon's Blu-ray inventory--i.e. the total number of Blu-rays available--shows a total of close to 2,000 titles, though that includes TV shows and prerelease discs.

The Vudu BX100 retails for $300, but a limited-time promotion includes a $200 movie credit for those who purchase the unit at Best Buy, lowering the effective cost to just $100. Vudu HD and HDX movie rentals cost $4 to $6 each.

So: is this a big enough HD movie library for you to take the plunge on Vudu? Or are you sticking with Blu-ray?