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How to safeguard your UltraViolet library

How to safeguard your UltraViolet library

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Don’t lose your videos

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The UltraViolet digital locker service is going away, but if you currently have a library of videos and TV shows on the service, there’s no need to panic. As long as your account is linked to at least one retailer, your library should be safe.

We say “should be” because, as this is being written, it looks like UltraViolet hasn’t quite finalized all the details yet. Currently, if you live in the US and are linked to at least one of five retailers — Fandango Now, Kaleidescape, Paramount, Verizon FiOS, or Vudu — then you will still have full access to your library after UltraViolet shuts down on July 31st.

UltraViolet retailers

There may still be issues, though. According to its FAQ, “Most, and perhaps all, existing rights in UltraViolet Libraries currently available through your linked retailers that are still operating should continue to be available from those retailers.” In other words, whether you will still have access to all of the titles in your library could depend on how the copyrights have been handled. That is another argument for adding more than one retailer, if possible: if one company doesn’t have the rights to a specific production, a different company might.

We should hear more from UltraViolet and the participating retailers as things proceed. Meanwhile, here are some steps you can take now.

  • If you’re not sure if your account is linked to one of those retailers, go to the UltraViolet user page, log in, and click on the “Retailer Services” link at the top right.
  • If your account is not yet linked to at least one of these retailers, or if you want to link to a second one just in case, it’s not a bad idea to do that as soon as possible. Go to this page, and choose the retailer that makes the most sense to you. (If you’re not in the US, the same page should list the retailers that are available to you.)
  • Keep an eye on your email and check in at the UltraViolet FAQ every few weeks to check on the status of retailers and your library.

July is still six months away, but do this now so you won’t find yourself suddenly surprised by the shutdown during your summer vacation.