There was no need for me to register anything that day, if all I wanted was an iTunes digital copy. I could have taken the code printed on the disc flyer, put that into iTunes and had my digital copy enabled without any of the nonsense Universal put me (and others) through. But nothing on the flyer that came with my copy made this clear, nor did anything on the redemption web site explain this.

The film in question? Pitch Perfect, which is aca-awesome. My kids loved it when we saw it the theater. When it became available for rental on Amazon and iTunes, I debated actually buying a digital copy, because I knew wed probably watch it a couple of times more.

By deult, the site tries to get you to create a Universal account as part of the redemption process for your UltraViolet copy. It also positions getting a digital copy through iTunes or Amazon as an optional, secondary thing (no thanks, maybe later is the deult choice made for you).

The process was different for Amazon. Curious, I took my exact same redemption code and tried again at Paramount, after redeeming for iTunes. That did require me to provide an e-mail and birthday. After submitting, I was given a unique code to use at Amazon, one different than on my flier.

A few days later, Universals support sent a new code to use. The good news is that it worked. The bad news is that it quickly became clear that Universal had sent me into a redemption hell that I didnt need.

The process was easier with the aforementioned Katy Perry movie that I was given, through Paramount. The digital copy provided was good for two digital copies -- one through the UltraViolet site and one through either iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, or Windows Media Player. That was nice. I originally feared that digital copy in this case would mean UltraViolet only.

Redeeming to get a code I already had

Buy digital, Wedding Gifts, save the headaches

I went all digital on taking photos and buying music years ago; all digital on buying books last year. Now its time to leave buying physical movies behind, especially as the digital options are more-and-more offering the same extras that a physical disc provides.

My best guess is that I was one of millions of people who had gotten new DVDs and Blu-rays around Christmas, all trying to redeem digital copies that day -- and Universal wasnt up to it. In the end, I could never get registered properly. I fired off a support request and hoped for the best.

And no thanks especially that in order to even watch those extras, as well as the feature film itself, Im often forced to sit through previews and promotions that either cant be skipped or require hitting the next chapter button on your DVD or Blu-ray player repeatedly.

All this hassle and for what? To get extras from a DVD or Blu-ray disc that Ill probably watch once? No thanks.

Danny SullivanDanny Sullivan is a journalist who has covered the search and internet marketing space for over 15 years. Hes editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land and Marketing Land, writes a personal blog called Daggle (and maintains his disclosures page there).

As it turns out, I left the email and birthday choices blank, and I was still given my iTunes code -- which turned out to be exactly the same code that was already on the flier. So, what did going to the Paramount site do to aid my redemption process? Apparently, nothing more than helping Paramount ensure it had my email address and birthday, along with perhaps the ability to send me information.

I figured I needed to have the Universal account in order to get the code I really wanted, one that would let me get an iTunes or Amazon copy. So, I tried to create a Universal account, over and over again. Nothing worked. Along the way, I was also prompted to create a completely separate UltraViolet account.

There was no need for me to make a Universal account. As best I can tell,new york asian escort that was something Universal simply did because it feels it wants to get in on the process. The code I was sent, I could have (and did) enter into iTunes directly, to redeem my copy.

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Getting my digital copy of Pitch Perfect turned into a nightmare. There was a little flier in the case, with a URL leading to the redemption area at Universal Studios, that provided multiple redemption choices:

It had been years since I actually bought a DVD or a Blu-ray copy of a movie. But over Christmas, I bought one. I really wanted those extra features that a physical disk provides. Why not get a Blu-ray with a digital copy, I thought, and have the best of both worlds?

Buying physical copies of movies seems to make little sense these days, even if they provide digital versions with the purchase, given the frustration involved.

Physical copies mean best of both worlds?

Pitch Perfect for sale on Amazon

In the past, this has been easy. While I havent bought DVDs for ages, usually I get one each year as a gift. Avatar, Star Trek, The A-Team -- all have made it my way as birthday or Christmas gifts. A coworker even gave me Katy Perrys movie this year (thanks, Michelle!).

The bureaucracy of diKeep your Blu-rays and DVDs Hollywood -- Ive gone digital Wedding Giftsgital redemption

I thought getting a physical Blu-ray copy made more sense. After all, I could see that for about same price (at the time), I could get a digital copy plus the extras, including outtakes that might be funny:

In the end, I did both. We wanted to watch that film that night, so we rented it. But, I also ordered the disc-version so wed have it for later (take note, Hollywood, for all your piracy worries, Im someone who paid three times for one of your films).

You have to enter the code on the flyer that came with the disc, along with your email address and birthday. Supposedly.

Why not turned out to be because redeeming digital copies is a nightmare. Are you getting a copy for iTunes? Or for Amazon? Or whatever on earth UltraViolet is supposed to be, something that finally crashed into my awareness as a new Blu-ray owner?

The discs often came with a digital copy, and that usually involved iTunes or Windows Media player. Id put the disc in my laptop, enter some code, and then I had a digital copy on my computer. When iTunes Match came out, things got even better. Most of my authorized digital downloads suddenly became available to me through the cloud.

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The downside, of course, is that potentially you lock your movies into one providers platform. Thats worrisome. Thats also something Ill be looking at in a future column, as well as the new Vudu program that lets you convert DVDs and Blu-ray discs you have into digital copies all from home.

But consider the redemption process at Paramount, to get your iTunes code:

The disc came just before Christmas, so on Christmas Day -- after all the presents had been unwrapped and everyone was having some downtime -- I decided to redeem my digital copy.