MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

Uh, couldn't movie fans already buy and rent films in HD via iTunes Store on Mac or PC??

Mar 19, 09 - 04:23 pm Comment from: Romeodawg

Why does no one seem to talk about the DVD extras that are missing from all these ATV downloads? I love my Apple TV - it's an almost perfect solution. But I really like watching the director's commentary and occasional outtake reels, etc. that come on the DVD. I don't understand why those aren't just made part of the download. Also with series TV, you can buy a whole season as a download, but why don't they just add the extras as part of the season? Right now that's the only barrier to my downloading a bunch of HD TV and movies on iTunes.

I think you could only rent on HD and not purchase

No:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/03/19itunes.html

I don't think they are in the habit of putting out press releases to announce new features that aren't actually new. Before, you could get them on Apple TV only.

Romeodawg; people don't complain because most people don't care. I very rarely watch any of the extras. I have a friend that can't do without them. However, I do think that the vast majority of people don't miss the extras.

Mar 19, 09 - 04:32 pm Comment from: Escaport

@NYRules

Nope, they could just rent HD, not purchase. TV shows in HD yes, movies no.

Don't think my TiPB G4 1Ghz can handle that!

I hope they offer an upgrade your library option a la itunes plus.

Any word on when this is coming to Canada?

Is this new? I am lost. I swear I have been downloading HD films for some time now.

19.99! HOLY CRAP!

Mar 19, 09 - 05:30 pm Comment from: mike_in_helsinki

So, here we are again. $20 for a downloadable HD movie. Who cares ... I am not spending $20, and few others will. Fire up the peer to peer sites again.

Mar 19, 09 - 05:34 pm Comment from: Jubei

A little pricey. SJ needs to talk the cartels to lower the price a bit.

Mar 19, 09 - 05:39 pm Comment from: CourtJester

$20! OK for AIG exces I suppose.

Ah, download HD thru iTunes. I guess it was only available thru Apple TV before.

never noticed.

Mar 19, 09 - 05:45 pm Comment from: Hentercenter

So are we talking 1080p HD or 720p HD?

Mar 19, 09 - 06:08 pm Comment from: Willie G

@ Hentercenter,

More likely than not, 720p. That is what HD offerings in iTunes have been to this point anyway. 1080p is simply to large for a download service at this point, not to mention the increased file-size. These trade-offs for what is arguably only slightly better quality just don't make it practical at this time.

Mar 19, 09 - 06:33 pm Comment from: R

I can see it now...

Setting: My living room, sick day from work. Dorito crumbs strewn across my t-shirt. On my tv via my mini, a movie, downloading at impressive wireless N speeds. One byt one, I pick the crumbs from my t-shirt and eat them without a care.

For a moment, I forget I am sick. Thank you, Apple. Thank you.

until they get the quality better..... I won't be spending money on renting or purchasing HD content from iTunes.

The quality is way less than a Blu-Ray disc.

I just don't see how they expect this to succeed. Anyone who's seen Blu-Ray on a HD TV won't be satisfied with the image quality from iTunes.

Mar 19, 09 - 08:02 pm Comment from: jbooo

The dimensions of a HD movie are 1280x544 so 720p format I suppose... anyone want to do the math?
Good enough for most 50" or less plasma or LCD screens...

Mar 19, 09 - 08:42 pm Comment from: steve32465

I thought it was funny to see this on Facebook first and then I remembered, you can't "own" a HD movie in HD from iTunes Store. Just rent. Then I go to the iTunes and sure enough there it is! It took a little longer than I thought it would to be able to make a HD Movie purchase thru Apple, but at $20 it's okay for now. The problem is that Blu-Ray is going to start dropping like a rock in price this year because of the re-negotiated royalties and then Blu-Ray will seem like a bargain!

Mar 19, 09 - 08:53 pm Comment from: ken1w

I don't watch movies over and over again, like I listen to songs. If it's a good movie, I might watch it for a second time at a later time. It would have to be a masterpiece to get a third viewing.

So I've never seen the value in owning a movie, whether it's on disc or by download. I do rent movies, so if I wanted to see one for a repeat viewing, I would just rent it again. Renting a movie twice (usually) costs a lot less then owning it once, especially if you use a service like NetFlix.

I wish you could buy and rent movies through front row

Blu-Ray is dead. I can see little difference between a 720p and 1080p movie on my 52" HDTV. I'll have to seriously consider dumping my Blu-Ray player and upgrading my AppleTV.

Mar 19, 09 - 10:33 pm Comment from: Mac4lfe

Thank you Steve. I refused to buy SD movies on Apple TV but the rented HD looks better than cable and is in full 5.1 surround. Now I can own the few movies I want in HD with surround and not waste processor cycles ripping them with handbrake.

Blu-Ray's superiority is not just 1080p video -- it's sound. NOTHING comes close to uncompressed (lossless) 7.1 audio on a really good home theater system. Sound is as important as video, if not more in some aspects.

Mar 19, 09 - 11:33 pm Comment from: G4Dualie

@ken1w

So you say you're a renter, huh? Well good for you. Listen son, I wouldn't take any crap from any of the buyers in the store, k?

You can be proud of your rental heritage and your receipts stand as a testament of your commitment to your kind. So you just jump in there whenever you feel renters are not gettin' their props, k?

You know, that kind of dedication works well over at match.com.

Screw the price, a few bucks shy of the shelf price is still good if you wanna pay for it. But how many gigs are these movies nobody seems concerned with how much monthly dload limit get chewed up.

Mar 20, 09 - 05:59 am Comment from: HMCIV

@CourtJester

$10 of those dollars actually goes to AIG execs. MGM made a couple bad investments. It's a long story.

720p looks good to me. Good by tivo. Hello Mac mini & Eye TV!

720P cause TV wont play 1080. Is Quantum of Solace really the amazing awesome offering that will get the masses scrambling to part with $20? A movie about a hotel full of hydrogen that (shock) blows up? 1280 by 544 is the wider 2.35 aspect ratio.

Mar 20, 09 - 09:38 am Comment from: cogitoergomac

About damn time. I've been wanting to buy in HD since HD rental was offered.

Mar 21, 09 - 02:47 am Comment from: LeftCoastDude

I know that MDN thinks that anything Apple does should be considered as critical as say curing genetic diseases, but I'm going to have to say...NO.

I have AppleTV. I have two BluRay disc players. Each has its purpose. If I want to rent a movie that I haven't seen, and I'm not sure I want to own, Apple TV is my choice. I always rent HD versions. I'll purchase a few TV shows that interest me (or when my power goes out, and TiVo didn't record my favorite 24 episode). AppleTV is an appliance that's less useful than TiVo right now, but does sync with my MBP, so I use it.

But if I really want my movie to be the best experience possible, it's going to be BluRay. First, I almost always get 1080p video, which is a significant improvement over 720p. Second, I get all of the extras (commentary, alternate endings, everything), and on BRD, that's a lot. I enjoy the extras for the better movies, and though I keep hoping, iTunes does not offer the other stuff. Third, I usually get Dolby 7.1 on BRD, and the sound difference between 7.1 and 5.1 is remarkable on a good system. Fourth, there appear to be fewer compression artifacts with video and audio on BRD than I get with AppleTV. I usually pay about $20-25 for BRD's, about the same as an AppleTV HD movie.

AppleTV and iTunes is a great combination for casual viewing and renting. BluRay Disc is still the better video experience.

I want Quantum of Solace on the highest possible quality media, and that's BRD for now and the foreseeable future.

IT's THE BIT RATE, STUPID !!!!!!!!!

It's not just the resolution ! ! ! ! ! ! !

What is the BIT RATE of these downloads?
I doubt if it is anywhere near the full bit rate video AND audio of Blu Ray or even OTA.

Apple [ re Apple TV specs ] has seemed content to call 720 P at around 3 Mbps [ combined video and audio bandwidth ] as HIGH DEFINITION . . .

THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES HERE,
that is NOT really HIGH definition . . . . it is only high-ER definition . . . and barely that.

. . . . and as such it is not appropriate to be labeled and sold, especially at a premium, as true high definition.

Hey, I'm a Mac guy from Day One but
Apple deserves to be called-out on this.

I'd love to be demonstrated wrong . . . but I don't think I am.