Want to learn more about how to get your playback device certified as GreenPlay-compliant?

What is the GreenPlay format?

GreenPlay is a new, high-quality digital video format that enables consumers to quickly download movies and TV programs to small, portable Secure Digital (SD) memory cards from self-service kiosks and play them on a wide range of PCs and consumer electronics devices. It’s the underlying format for digital video content downloaded from a kiosk directly to portable Secure Digital (SD) memory cards, just as MP3 is the format for digital music downloaded to devices.

Why do I need it?

The GreenPlay format provides faster, easier, and more flexible options for playing entertainment choices while you are on the go. It enables the movie/TV content you rent or purchase to be detached or separated from the playback device. You don’t have to be connected to the Internet for playback so you can take the video content on the SD card and enjoy it wherever you go--on whatever device is convenient.

Where can I find content in GreenPlay format?

We’re just starting our nationwide rollout, so there are only a few kiosk locations today, primarily in airports. Our plan is to place digital download kiosks in high traffic retail stores and public places such as transportation hubs, bookstores, and coffee shops. You will soon be able to find the locations of the kiosks (as well as the titles available on each kiosk) here on the website.

Do I buy it or rent the GreenPlay content?

You can rent or buy movies in GreenPlay format. The rental terms are displayed on details page on the kiosk screen for each title, so you’ll know the terms before you rent. The digital files “expire” automatically, so there’s no need to return the content to the store when you’re done watching. When you’re done viewing your rented movies, GreenPlay Media Player and the kiosks make it easy to remove them from your SD card to free up space for new content. When you buy the digital files, they are yours to keep.

How do the GreenPlay rental terms work?

With rentals, you have 30 days from purchase to watch the movie. Once you start the movie, you can watch it as many times as you like for 48 hours for most titles, though you cannot extend beyond the 30 day limit. Some titles are limited to 24 hours to watch – similar to cable VOD systems and Internet services like iTunes. Put another way, for most titles your rental expires 30 days after purchase or 48 hours after you begin watching, whichever comes first.

How much does it cost to rent or buy a movie in GreenPlay format?

Movie rental and purchase prices from the digital download kiosks are consistent with online digital downloads and in-store rentals today. For instance, new release rentals are typically $3.99, and older titles $2.99. New release purchases are typically $19.99, and older titles $12.99. However, you may find some variance in the prices and titles available at each kiosk location.

What type of content is in GreenPlay format?

There are thousands of video titles in the GreenPlay format, with new titles added every day. The catalog contains new release movies as well as older and harder to find movies and television episodes from major and independent studios. Currently, GreenPlay is only available for video content, but will include video games in the future.

What if I lose the SD card containing my movies and TV programs?

For content you rent from the kiosk – don’t worry. Since you don’t have to return the movies (they simply expire) you won’t incur any penalty fees for lost content. For movies or TV programs you purchase and own, you’ll want to keep your SD card safe. To store all of your media purchases and play them whenever you want, simply transfer them to an external USB hard drive to create a convenient home media library. Soon you’ll be able to save your content to an online locker solution when you buy them, making it extremely convenient to access and play your selections.

How does GreenPlay format handle DRM?

With the GreenPlay format, movies and TV programs are encrypted with a standards-based Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection known as CPRM for SD-SD Video from the Secure Digital Association (SDA) and the 4C Entity, both of which were co-founded by Toshiba. When the content is downloaded to the SD card at the kiosk, it puts the keys to unlock the video files in the secure area of the card giving you the flexibility to play the content anywhere – no Internet connection required.

How is the quality of the video in GreenPlay format?

The quality of video (movies or TV programs) in GreenPlay format is as good as, or better than, DVD quality. It provides vivid, full-screen playback and is a far superior viewing experience to watching streaming content over the Internet. With GreenPlay, your movies and TV shows are played directly from the SD card, so there are no buffering pauses or worries about slow Internet connections.

What is included with the movie/TV video? Is there HD or 3D content in GreenPlay format?

The downloaded video file includes complete movie/TV show details so you can review the cover art, plot summary, actors, director, the run time, and the rating before you watch. Currently, there are no HD or 3D movies in GreenPlay format. HD and 3D digital files are significantly larger than standard-definition movies. Not only would the download time be significantly longer at the kiosk, but it would also require a higher capacity SD card making these large format files impractical. As technology evolves and transfer speeds and capacity on SD cards increase, this will become feasible.

Where are the kiosks located?

You will find digital download kiosks where you already shop and visit, such as retail stores, airports, convenience stores, train stations, college unions, bookstores, and coffee shops, making it convenient and hassle-free to purchase digital entertainment content.

How do I know if a kiosk offers GreenPlay content?

To ensure you’re getting the high-quality content in the GreenPlay format, look for self-service kiosks with a GreenPlay logo. These kiosks are the only ones that allow you to purchase or rent movies and TV programs on Secure Digital (SD) memory cards.

Do I need a special SD card? Can I use the SD card from my digital camera?

You can download movies and TV programs in GreenPlay format to any SD flash memory card, including the one used in your digital camera, provided it has enough available capacity to hold the content – typically about 2GB for a 2-hour movie, 1GB for a 1-hour TV program and 512MB for a 30-minute TV program. However for the fastest download times and adequate capacity, we recommend a minimum of a 4GB, Class 4 SDHC card.

How long does it take to download a GreenPlay-compatible movie?

At digital download self-service kiosks, video files load to SD cards very quickly. Full-length movies typically download in about 2 minutes, a half-hour TV program in 30 seconds. This is in stark contrast to typical Internet download times of 60-90 minutes or more for a full-length movie due to limited bandwidth.

How many movies in GreenPlay format can fit on an SD card?

SD card capacity can be very large, allowing you to fit several movies on one card, making it even more convenient to load and go. For example: if you have a 8GB card, you can typically fit at least 3 full-length movies on it. Remember, SD flash memory cards are reusable and can be refilled so they’re extremely economical, and ecological.

How do I pay? Debit card, cash, PayPal account?

Using a Download2Go digital download kiosk is just like using any other kind of self-service kiosk. You simply swipe your credit card. You can also request the receipt be forwarded to your email account so it’s fast, streamlined and paperless.

What devices can I play GreenPlay content on?

GreenPlay formatted content can play on consumer electronics devices that have a secure SD memory card reader and related player software, including a growing number of TVs, mobile devices, computers, digital media players, game consoles, DVD players and so on. Today it can play on any Windows PC when used with a GreenPlay SD Card Reader or on any TV with an attached GreenPlay Digital Media Player – both of which are available for sale by the kiosks. There are also some PCs that can play the content using the built-in SD reader; these devices will have a GreenPlay-compatible logo. You will find the complete list of all compatible devices here on the site. (You may want to bookmark the site, as many more devices will be made GreenPlay-compatible in the future.)

My computer/game console/netbook/phone has an SD slot. Will it work?

First, not all SD card slots can read “secure” SD files. In order to view GreenPlay content, your device’s SD card slot must be able to read secure SD card files and the device will need custom firmware from the manufacturer. More devices are becoming GreenPlay-compatible every month. Be sure to check the compatibility list here on the site for the most up to date list of compatible devices.

Where can I see if my device is compatible?

Visit our compatibility list to find the most current list of devices that have been tested and certified to play video content in GreenPlay format. Devices are being added weekly so check back often. You will also find products displaying the GreenPlay-compatible logo (on the box, data sheet, or website).

How can I make my PC compatible to play GreenPlay content today?

If your built-in SD card slot is not able to read secure files, you can play your GreenPlay content by simply plugging a GreenPlay SD Card Reader into your PC’s USB port. The GreenPlay SD Card Reader enables instant, high-quality playback on any Windows PC running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, and is available for purchase wherever the kiosks are located.

Do I need an Internet connection to play the movies?

No! The video file and content keys required for playback are stored on the SD card so your device doesn’t have to be connected to the Internet in order to play – you have the freedom to play your content in more locations, on more devices. Since the video plays directly from an SD card, there are no frustrating buffering pauses often associated with streaming video.

Can I move or copy the movies from my SD card to another card or my PC’s hard drive and play it from there?

At this time, you can’t move or copy GreenPlay content from your SD card to another SD card or your PC’s hard drive. The content must remain on the same SD card used to load the content at the kiosk. We plan to enable this functionality in a future release.

I build consumer electronics devices. How can I make my device GreenPlay-compatible?

MOD Systems has developed a Software Development Kit (SDK) which allows consumer electronics companies to build software to play GreenPlay content into devices, including PCs, digital media players, TVs, Blu-ray players and more. The GreenPlay SDK is based on open SD standards, making it easy for consumer electronics device manufacturers to support the secure playback of premium content in the GreenPlay format. Details on how to obtain the SDK and begin an implementation are located in the SDK section on this site.