Best Buy enters disc-to-digital race with CinemaNow, lets you convert DVDs from home

Walmart is facing new competition in the disc-to-digital conversion market from rival big-boxer Best Buy. Engadget reports that the company’s CinemaNow service will give users the added convenience of converting DVDs from home. Currently in beta, the CinemaNow software will let you insert a DVD into your Mac or Windows PC’s optical drive (assuming you have one) and, after linking an UltraViolet account, grab an SD or HD digital copy to watch either on- or offline. The prices are on par with Walmart’s (although the list of titles isn’t exactly the same), so if you’ve been thinking of converting your discs, CinemaNow could save you a trip, and save your DVDs an unfortunate tattoo. Unfortunately, though, international readers are out of luck — CinemaNow is only available in the USA and Canada.