Audio Video News

Cloud-based content access is coming to consumers under the name of UltraViolet.

UltraViolet is a brand devised by the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem. The consortium has 55 members including movie studios, TV makers, cable systems, retailers, surround technology developers, and streaming video providers.

Their technology will let consumers access entertainment content across multiple platforms including TVs, PCs, gaming consoles, smart phones, and tablet computers. Through your UltraViolet account, which is created free of charge, you'd store content you've paid for in a Digital Rights Locker. Once it's there, you can access it from any of the devices listed above. Purchased content might include Blu-ray or DVD, which UltraViolet would extend beyond the hard copy.

While specs and licensing have yet to be fully worked out, this awesome scheme will take tangible form in the form of content, services, and devices in 2011. One possible cloud, to so speak, on the horizon: Apple is not involved.

See official site and press release and news page (many linked press releases are PDF).