Rovi Lands DivX Plus Streaming Agreements with Dixons, Media Markt

DivX Plus adaptive bit-rate streaming broadens a technology first developed for file-based video playback and redesigned with support for H.264, MKV, DTS Audio, 1080p HD, subtitles and multiple audio tracks. In addition to Dixons and Media Markt, Rovi secured DivX Plus streaming pacts with Hisense, which was an early supporter of DivX Plus HD for TVs, and chip supplier MediaTek, which joins Broadcom, Mstar, Panasonic and Renesas in backing the format.

DivX Plus steaming will launch in Europe where the format has greater recognition, but will also be available as part of the Rovi Entertainment Store platform that Rovi has built from its acquisition of Sonic Solutions last year. DivX also has a download service that’s available through Media Markt and had also been offered by ERG in Belgium, the U.K.’s FilmOn, Play4Film in Italy and Filmfresh.com (CED June 3/10 p3). Media Markt is expected to field DivX streaming and download services, a Rovi spokesman said. DivX Plus has the movie studio backing of Disney, Lionsgate, Momentum, Universal and Warner Bros.

Rovi will market the Rovi Entertainment Store alongside DivX Plus streaming in a bid to cover a range of consumer preferences for viewing content, the spokesman said. “We see them as complementary so that you have the streaming capability for connected devices, but there also is a consumer who wants the offline experience” offered by a download option, the spokesman said.

Although Rovi Entertainment Store struggled earlier this year, it has gotten agreements recently with Toys ‘R’ Us and the U.K.-based supermarket chain Sainsbury’s, which is expected to introduce a video download service this fall. The platform is part of Dixon’s new Knowhow Movie service that is included LG Electronics and Samsung products sold through the chain’s Currys and PC World stores in the U.K. and Ireland. Rovi also provides the streaming/download platform for Best Buy’s CinemaNow, Blockbuster on Demand, Cineplex Entertainment’s Cineplex Odeon, Lionsgate, Research in Motion and Warner Bros., the spokesman said. Rovi also previously supplied it for Sears/Kmart’s Alphaline Entertainment before the service was shut down in 20111 after less than a year in service.

While Rovi had planned to build DivX Plus streaming and the Rovi Entertainment Store into its TotalGuide interactive program guide (CED Nov 15 p1), it appears to be pulling back from that strategy. “I think it’s more along the lines of being theoretically possible than a solid launch date,” the Rovi spokesman said. Rovi also is weighing adding DivX TV to TotalGuide, but nothing has been finalized, the spokesman said. DivX debuted as a 70-channel service in LG Electronics’ Blu-ray players (CED Jan 11/10 p3), but was adopted by other suppliers.

TotalGuide, which can include Rovi’s ad network, has been built into Panasonic and Toshiba TVs and Blu-ray players, while Alco Electronics, which sells products under the RCA brand, is expected to add it to a streaming device, the spokesman said. Sharp also has an agreement field products with an embedded version of TotalGuide. Samsung and Sony built portions of TotalGuide, including cloud services and the video streaming, into products.

Rovi also expects to sign an agreement with one “major” U.S. retailer by year-end for a disc-to-digital in-store conversion service that ties into the UltraViolet cloud-based digital locker system, the spokesman said. The digital copy system will combine Rovi’s recognition and authentication technology with Rovi Entertainment Store components. Walmart developed and introduced its own UltraViolet-based disc-to-digital service earlier this year, but it requires information regarding the titles being copied be manually entered into the system. Rovi’s technology will enable them to be recognized and authenticated “on the fly,” the Rovi spokesman said.

"There is some opportunity for retailers to improve upon the model,” the spokesman said. “It’s fantastic what Walmart did and any bridging technology that gets people on board is good. But once retailers start launching” Rovi’s service “there will be an opportunity to make it their own and improve it.”