People buying certain Sharp TVs can receive a Vudu box for free, the latter company has announced. As part of a bundle running through January 5th, people who buy an AQUOS LCD can also get the Vudu set-top system, which is further tied to a $50 movie credit. Vudu estimates that the deal is worth approximately $449, but there are some catches: the TV must be 42 inches or larger, and 1080p-capable.
The Vudu is similar in concept to a pay-per-view set-top, or Amazon’s Unbox on TiVo service, but comes in the form of dedicated hardware specifically meant to air HD movies the same day as titles appear in stores. Certain TV shows are being sold under a per-episode pricing scheme. Some content is only available in SD format, but the Vudu upscales to a quality "comparable" with 1080i/1080p24.
