Samsung's 2012 Blu-ray Disc players will include a new Disc-to-Digital feature, developed by Rovi and Flixster, that will allow consumers to add their existing Blu-ray Disc and DVD libraries from participating studios to their UltraViolet digital library, making them viewable on a wide range of devices.

Rovi Digital Copy Solution allows the devices to recognise a movie on physical disc, authenticate its origin, and then trigger access to a copy from the UltraViolet Digital Library.

Rovi Digital Copy Solution incorporates Rovi Media Recognition and Media Authentication Services and can be incorporated as a component of Rovi Entertainment Store, the company's end-to-end, white-label solution for digital storefront creation and management.

When consumers insert an eligible physical disc into a 2012 Samsung Blu-ray player and select the Disc-to-Digital icon, they will launch the Flixster application and can easily add the movie to their UltraViolet locker for a nominal amount. If high definition versions are available, they will have the option to upgrade their standard definition movies for an additional fee.

Once digital copies have been created and added to the consumer's UltraViolet collection, the content will be made available through the Flixster application on Samsung's Smart Hub, as well as on a broad range of connected devices such as smart phones, tablet, PCs and Smart TVs.

It would appear to be the first legal tool to convert consumers' BD and DVD collections into digital files that can be played from on online library.

Rovi's service looks like filling a gap in the UltraViolet system, which encourages people to buy Blu-ray discs by including access to a digital copy of that movie in the cloud. So far, however, UltraViolet only works for selected new Blu-ray releases.

Regarding other innovative BD player features, Samsung's flagship 3D Blu-ray player (BD-E6500) will includes dual HDMI inputs and built-in WiFi together with a web browser. The manufacturer claims that, regardless of the source material's original resolution, the 2012 3D Blu-ray line's powerful video processor can up-convert DVDs, older non-HD content and even low-resolution streaming video to "pristine Full HD 1080p."?

The South Korean maker is also introducing a new remote control app that can be downloaded onto an Android or Apple smartphone. Previously only available for Samsung TVs, the 2012 remote control app enhances how users control and search for content on their Blu-ray players. The app's MovieNote feature also offers instant access to detailed information on movies they are currently watching, including plot synopsis, actor and director biography information.

Samsung must be commercialising the smallest 3D BD player to date - BD-ES6000 (pictured) - only slightly larger than a Blu-ray disc.

Story filed 12.01.12