Media streaming hardware manufacturer Vudu has begun offering a limited selection of downloadable movies in full 1080p resolution, reportedly making it the first content provider -- satellite, cable, and internet services included -- to give consumers this option. These so-called "HDX" films, of which there are 65 at launch, employ the company's proprietary TruFilm encoding to achieve an acceptable balance between resolution and bit-rate; although the format is said to produce a better picture than the 720p options from Apple's iTunes store or Microsoft's Xbox Marketplace, bandwidth restrictions make it impossible to match the quality of Blu-ray discs. Vudu plans to charge the same amount for HDX titles as it does for regular HD titles purchased on its VBX100 internet movie player, however, while previous films could be watched immediately, the new, higher-quality format requires a reported four-hour download time -- a hindrance that will be somewhat lessened when the company institutes browser-based, remotely-triggered purchases, as planned.

[Via cnet, image courtesy of cnet]