Video Download Help > FAQ

Please note: These Frequently Asked Questions pertain to Amazon Unbox only as related to Unbox titles listed through CreateSpace. For Unbox technical issues, please visit Unbox Support at Amazon.com.

Contents

  1. What is Amazon Unbox?
  2. How does Unbox work for CreateSpace Members? What do I need to do to make my title(s) available on Unbox?
  3. Are there limits to my content? (What's allowed/what's not?)
  4. How long will it take for my title to be listed on Unbox?
  5. What artwork do I need to provide for my Unbox title(s)?
  6. Can I proof my Unbox title prior to it going live?
  7. What is the difference between Download to Rent and Download to Own?
  8. How is the Download to Own / Download to Rent price set for my title?
  9. How do royalties work for Unbox sales?
  10. How do I view my sales report?
  11. How and when will royalties for sales on Unbox be paid?
  12. How do I make changes to my Unbox listing? Why do changes in my CreateSpace Member Account not appear on my Unbox listing?
  13. How do I remove my title from the Unbox listing?
  14. What are the system requirements for downloading Unbox titles?
  15. Is my title protected from piracy?
  16. What is your policy on Copyrights?


What is Amazon Unbox?

Unbox is a digital video download service offered by Amazon.com that allows customers to rent or buy high-quality digital videos (movies, TV shows, sports events, etc.) via a download to a PC running the Windows XP operating system or to a compatible TiVo DVR, and to transfer those videos to portable digital video players and other devices. Customers must install the Unbox Video Player in order to download and view Unbox titles on their personal computers.

For detailed information, please visit Amazon.com.


How does Unbox work for CreateSpace Members? What do I need to do to make my title(s) available on Unbox?

CreateSpace Members may offer a title through Unbox, CreateSpace DVD on Demand, or both at the same time. Once a title is set up on either DVD on Demand or Unbox, there's no additional cost to add the other option. To set up a title on Unbox, simply use your CreateSpace Member Account to add a new title by choosing the Unbox option, or to turn on the Unbox option for an existing title. (If you do not yet have a CreateSpace Member Account, you may create one here).


Are there limits to my content? (What's allowed/what's not?)

  • We do not currently accept Public Domain materials for Unbox.
  • Download to Own titles must be at least 20 minutes long.
  • Content must otherwise meet our Content Guidelines
  • We do not accept any adult content or unrated erotic videos for Unbox regardless of whether the content has been accepted for DVD on Demand.


How long will it take for my title to be listed on Unbox?

If we accept your title for distribution through Unbox, it will take up to 30 days for DVD content to be available as a video download through the Unbox store.


What artwork do I need to provide for my Unbox title(s)?

To ensure that customers don't mistakenly think they're ordering a physical item, such as a DVD or tape, artwork supplied for Unbox must be format-neutral, meaning that it should not look like a product shot of an actual DVD or tape (i.e., you should not be able to see that it's a picture of a DVD or tape case), and your image must not have the DVD logo on it. The image should be a JPEG, up to 1200x1600 pixels.


Can I proof my Unbox title prior to it going live?

No. Your title will be uploaded to the Unbox service exactly as you provided in your master materials. You may, of course, purchase a copy from Amazon.com to view the final file if desired.


What is the difference between Download to Rent and Download to Own?

When a customer chooses to rent an Unbox video, their access to view the file is limited by the rental license agreement in the Unbox Terms of Use. After they rent and download an Unbox video to their computer, they will have a 30-day time limit to begin viewing it, unless otherwise specified on the product detail page for the Unbox Video rental. After they begin playing an Unbox video, they will have a limited period of time to complete viewing it. After their viewing period has expired, the Unbox video will automatically be deleted from their computer and their Unbox Media Library.

If a customer purchases an Unbox video, their right to view the file does not expire except to the extent provided in the Unbox Terms of Use.


How is the Download to Own / Download to Rent price set for my title?

As a CreateSpace Member, you may suggest a list price for titles you want made available via Unbox Download to Own. Please note, however, that Amazon.com will make the final determination as to the retail price of the title, for both Download to Own and Download to Rent, as provided in the CreateSpace Member Agreement.


How do royalties work for Unbox sales?

As a CreateSpace Member, you will earn a 50% royalty of the purchase price (net of bad debt, any sales taxes, shipping charges, and refunds, rebates, promotions, and credits) when Unbox customers rent or buy your Download to Own or Download to Rent titles. For example, if your title was Downloaded to Own at a price of $14.99, you would earn a royalty of $7.49. Or if your title was Downloaded to Rent at a price of $3.99, you would earn a royalty of $1.99.


How do I view my sales report?

As with titles offered as DVD on Demand, your sales report for Unbox sales may be viewed by logging into your CreateSpace Member Account. However, unlike DVD sales, your Unbox sales reports are updated on a monthly basis, so you'll only see account activity for previous months.


How and when will royalties for sales on Unbox be paid?

CreateSpace will pay your royalty for a given month's Unbox sales in approximately 60 days after the end of the month in which the sales were made. For example, you will receive your royalty payment at the end of April for all Unbox sales made in February. This 60-day period allows for any sales revenue collections, customer returns, and payment processing.

Members living inside the United States will receive their royalty payment via direct deposit into their bank account for no additional charge. You must enter bank account information by the 20th of the month to begin direct deposits in that same month. Information entered after the 20th will be used for the following month. By request, members may choose to be paid by check, but an $8 dollar handling fee per check applies.

For members residing outside the United States, royalty payment checks will be mailed for no additional fee. By request, a member may choose to be paid via wire transfer directly into their foreign bank account, for which a $25 dollar service fee per transfer applies.

Note: Before we can send any content license royalties, you will need to provide your tax identification number, social security number, employer identification number, or individual tax identification number.


How do I make changes to my Unbox listing? Why do changes in my CreateSpace Member Account not appear on my Unbox listing?

To make changes to your Unbox listing, please contact us with the details . (Alternately, you may first make the desired changes to your title through your CreateSpace Member Account, and then contact us to notify us that changes have been made). However, it is important to note that these changes DO NOT occur automatically. You must contact us so that we can make the changes to your Unbox listing.


How do I remove my title from the Unbox listing?

If you wish to remove a title from further distribution via Unbox, please turn off that feature in your Member Account and contact us with a notification that you would like it removed. It may take us up to 30 days from when we receive the email notification to remove your title from further distribution through the Unbox service. Please note that titles may continue to appear in the service after notification for certain purposes, such as re-downloads by previous Download to Own purchasers, and to complete the rental period for Download to Rent customers.


What are the system requirements for downloading Unbox titles?

Currently, the Amazon Unbox Video Player only works on PCs running the Windows XP operating system (see all Unbox System Requirements) and is only available to Amazon customers located in the United States (see all Unbox Terms of Use).


Is my title protected from piracy?

The Unbox Video Service works in conjunction with Microsoft's Windows Media Player and Microsoft's digital rights management (DRM) software. Unbox customers may make a back-up copy of the Purchased Digital Content on removable media (e.g. recordable DVD) in the same format as the original downloaded file to play on their permitted Authorized Devices. Microsoft's DRM software is intended to prevent any back-up copy of the Purchased Digital Content from being playable on a traditional DVD player.

In addition, the Unbox user agreement requires that a customer allow Microsoft's DRM software to monitor their hard drive and report activity to Amazon. Please see the Unbox Terms of Use for further details.

Please Note: Neither CreateSpace nor Amazon.com has any ability to control the DRM, and is not responsible for its failure. See the CreateSpace Member Agreement for more details about DRM software for Unbox.

What is your policy on Copyrights?

Our member agreement requires that you own or have obtained all rights to any content you deliver to us. Please see our Copyright Guidelines and Content Guidelines for more details. If you feel that any content offered through CreateSpace violates your intellectual property rights, please see Notice and Procedure for Making Claims of Copyright Infringement.