From Microsoft via email:
CinemaNow’s library of over 3,400 feature-length movies is now available through Windows Media Center. This means that you can download and watch “Sweeney Todd” or “Juno” tonight, without a cable TV subscription. All you need is Windows Media Center, which you may already have if you’ve recently purchased or upgraded your computer with Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate. These movies are available right now through a new Online Media channel in Windows Media Center that provides access to CinemaNow, an online service that offers downloadable movies, TV shows and music videos.
CinemaNow has a library of over 3,400 feature-length movies, including major Hollywood studio and independent movies, and even HD-quality movies. The library includes Pay-Per-View and Download-to-Own movies, new release and catalog favorites, with titles available day-and-date of retail DVD release. Additionally, the library contains more than 3,000 TV episodes and over 2,900 music videos. Windows Media Center offers an easy way to browse CinemaNow’s library; in addition, it gives you the ability to watch CinemaNow content on your television via an Extender for Windows Media Center.
Windows Media Center is included in Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate, which make up the majority of the 140 million Windows Vista-based computers licensed worldwide. Windows Media Center turns your PC into a home entertainment system by providing easy access to all of your digital media, including your home movies, music, and photos. If you have TV tuner for your PC, you can also watch live and recorded TV using Windows Media Center’s electronic program guide. Extenders for Windows Media Center can stream this digital media to your television, offering a great way to watch downloaded TV and movies from CinemaNow on your television.
In addition to CinemaNow, Windows Media Center offers a variety of video content available on-demand. For more information, check out www.WindowsMediaCenter.com and www.CinemaNow.com.
More information:
CinemaNow offers a variety of services now available through Windows Media Center:
· Download-to-own: Hollywood movies, popular TV shows, and music videos are available for purchase, providing an unlimited viewing period on up to 3 devices. Download-to-own movies are priced from $9.99 to $19.99; TV shows and music videos are priced at $1.99. Download-to-Own movies are available day-and-date of retail DVD release.
· Pay-Per-View: Hollywood movies are available for purchase, providing customers a 24 hour window to watch the video. As with all CinemaNow downloads, customers can start watching in minutes or download the file and watch it anytime, anywhere. Pay-Per-View movies are priced between $2.99 and $3.99. Select Pay-Per-View titles are available day-and-date of retail DVD release.
· Burn-to-DVD: Enables customers to legally download a DVD, play it back on their PC, and burn a copy to a blank DVD disc. The disc can then be played in virtually any DVD player with full remote control navigation and access to all of the special features. Burn-to-DVD movies are priced from $8.99 to $14.99.
In addition to CinemaNow, Windows Media Center delivers a variety of TV and video content to millions of consumers:
· TV – Consumers can watch both live and recorded TV in Windows Media Center. A variety of TV options are supported, including broadcast over-the-air NTSC and ATSC, analog digital cable and satellite, all with a no-charge Program Guide.
· Internet TV Beta– Internet TV Beta is a U.S. offering within Windows Media Center that allows consumers to choose from more than 100 hours of TV entertainment, music concerts, movie trailers, news, and sports content, and you don’t even need a TV Tuner to watch it. Consumers can watch Internet TV Beta full-screen on their Windows Media Center PC or use Extenders for Windows Media Center to watch it on their TV.
· Online Media – Online Media gives users access to a variety of digital media, including sports news and statistics from Fox Sports, XM Radio, HSN Vision, and Showtime TV. Online Media also provides the ability to browse through top stories from NPR, Reuters and other news outlets, allowing users to quickly catch up on the day’s top stories. There are also several Windows Media Center add-ons available from the providers, which allow you to watch NetFlix, YouTube videos or check the weather, to mention just a few of the services available from Online Media services partners.
· Movies – In addition to CinemaNow, Windows Media Center provides access to Starz Entertainment’s VONGO and MovieLink, which are additional premium movie and TV downloading services. Digital home movies can also be easily accessed through Windows Media Center and watched on a television via an Extender for Windows Media Center.