For the sake of my family, convince me to buy from itunes!

bluewooster · May 18, 2012

First off, thanks to all the informative posts on this site and especially those who helped me with the subtitle difficulties.

I've now nearly completely converted my DVDs and Blurays for our Apple TV using MakeMKV then Handbrake then adding metadata and soft subtitles to each file. I've had two older computers working full time around the clock for several weeks - much to the annoyance of my wife (our 16 month points at the corner of usb external drives, computers, and wires and says "dada"!). It became a bit of an obsession (and was oddly satisfying for some reason)

Anyways, I've vowed that from now on, we are just buying everything thru itunes and I'll dismantle this ugly workstation.

But.....

When we are out shopping, I cant help but notice the price is often better for the discs AND I'm guaranteed to have subtitles (which is more often not the case with itunes)

On the one hand, itunes quality is quite good and may be futureproofed?(ie as technology improves, maybe I'll continue to have access to the best version?). And, possibly, they will continue to obtain more subtitled material? Plus, i don't need a computer on somewhere to stream my stuff.

What do you think? Keep buying and ripping or go totally to the itunes cloud?

CylonGlitch · May 18, 2012

I'm moving to all iTunes because of the same reasons you mentioned plus I don't have to deal with ripping them myself, storage of the media and just having to deal with the crap. Basically; it simplifies my life, and that, to me, is worth the extra cost.

TheNewDude · May 18, 2012

I like having the actual Blu-Ray or DVD whatever you are buying.
I can always go back to it no matter what. Don't need a internet connection or anything like that. Plus I pick up a lot of that content from Bargin Bins when they are on heavy discounts. You never see that on iTunes.

And I kinda feel that iTunes content should be much cheaper when it comes to movies. Like they aren't providing me with any physical item. There are no storage costs associated to physical inventory etc. So the price should be less whereas it always comes out to be about the same as that of a physical Blu-Ray.

It's also easier to take a Blu-Ray with you where as a movie isn't always easy. Like i can put it on my iPad, but how do I watch it at a friend's place?
If he/she has apple TV, then great, but none of my friends do.

ravenvii · May 18, 2012

bluewooster said:
When we are out shopping, I cant help but notice the price is often better for the discs AND I'm guaranteed to have subtitles (which is more often not the case with itunes)

This perfectly sums the reasons why I couldn't in good conscience recommend buying movies on iTunes.

Maybe someday Apple/the studios will wake up. Maybe.

TrackZ · May 18, 2012

Im facing the same question as I debate between buying iTunes, reencoding for ATV, or keeping the 1:1 rips and getting a Dune. Its a very layered trade off of price, quality, and convenience. Buying iTunes is so simple but I wish the offerings were better, cheaper, and had better audio than normal DD, especially if it's not even 640 Kbps DD.

E.Lizardo · May 18, 2012

bluewooster said:
First off, thanks to all the informative posts on this site and especially those who helped me with the subtitle difficulties.

I've now nearly completely converted my DVDs and Blurays for our Apple TV using MakeMKV then Handbrake then adding metadata and soft subtitles to each file. I've had two older computers working full time around the clock for several weeks - much to the annoyance of my wife (our 16 month points at the corner of usb external drives, computers, and wires and says "dada"!). It became a bit of an obsession (and was oddly satisfying for some reason)

Anyways, I've vowed that from now on, we are just buying everything thru itunes and I'll dismantle this ugly workstation.

But.....

When we are out shopping, I cant help but notice the price is often better for the discs AND I'm guaranteed to have subtitles (which is more often not the case with itunes)

On the one hand, itunes quality is quite good and may be futureproofed?(ie as technology improves, maybe I'll continue to have access to the best version?). And, possibly, they will continue to obtain more subtitled material? Plus, i don't need a computer on somewhere to stream my stuff.

What do you think? Keep buying and ripping or go totally to the itunes cloud?

Whatever is cheaper wins for me.Can't stand the idea of paying more for a simple download when physical media is cheaper.And that goes for music too.Downloads must be cheaper for me to bite.
But I'm old school.

maturola · May 18, 2012

E.Lizardo said:
Whatever is cheaper wins for me.

This is where I stand as well...very simple.

HobeSoundDarryl · May 18, 2012

The phrase "for the sake of my family" might offer another point of view on this topic: when your time comes, how do you leave your iTunes-purchased media to someone(s) else in your family? Look into it.

A physical media collection offers easy ways to transfer ownership to anyone you like (will it to someone else, sell it to someone else, etc). A virtual (iTunes) movie collection does not.

maturola · May 18, 2012

HobeSoundDarryl said:
The phrase "for the sake of my family" might offer another point of view on this topic: when your time comes, how do you leave your iTunes-purchased media to someone(s) else in your family? Look into it.

A physical media collection offers easy ways to transfer ownership to anyone you like (will it to someone else, sell it to someone else, etc). A virtual (iTunes) movie collection does not.

LOL
All you need to do is to give them the hard drive and the AppleID password...DONE!

bluewooster · May 18, 2012

That's a very interesting question. I imagine that 20 years from now, i could have thousands of dollars invested in the itunes universe if it continues to expand at its current rate. Could i then pass this on to my children if I pass away (I assume they will have their own itunes accounts and wouldn't want to simply use mine). Can you transfer ownership to a different user account?

I'm sure the world will be a very different place at that time anyway but it is an interesting thing to ponder.

Milfin · May 18, 2012

maturola said:
This is where I stand as well...very simple.

+1,

In the days before the cloud if you downloaded a Music/TV Show/Movie you were screwed if you didn't have a backup.
At that time I decided to buy media and rip them all on external drives.

Now with the cloud Apple is saving your downloads and will let you download them on new device. Really good but they don't automatically upgrade you to HD quality videos. I think out of the 30 movies that I bought from Itunes "The Cove" was the only video that they gave me a free bump to HD.

One more thing that you should also know and if your itunes account is ever a victim of fraud. Apple / Itunes they act like they're two seperate companies when you call them for help.. but whatever.

Itunes has two options.. one they can make you validate your existence and true ownership of the account and they reactivate your account.

Second Option. They activate your account but they say you will no longer be able to purchase anything from that account again. Fine and dandy but let's say apple offers HD bumps, new updates to apps desktop and ipad versions, your simply SOL. This took me nearly three weeks to get resolved. I know its not a big deal to startup a new account but when it comes to expensive apps such as tom tom, aperture, and iworks, you don't want to pay for the app again.

Sorry I drifted but the Itunes Account thing is still not so fool proof. Like everyone else I like the ease of itunes and all that meta data looks cool but at the end of the day I trust myself. my only downloads from itunes now is free digital downloads when you buy a combo package.

HobeSoundDarryl · May 18, 2012

maturola said:
LOL
All you need to do is to give them the hard drive and the AppleID password...DONE!

And if you want to split your collection to multiple people? Maybe sell some of it off and give others to various people?

Set that aside though. How does even say- ONE- recipient merge your gift with their own collection? If my child has a bunch of BDs and I have a bunch of BDs, I give them mine and they have one whole collection. If I've ripped my Discs and they've ripped their Discs, a simple copy of my files to their iTunes and they've got a whole collection... all under their ONE Apple ID.

Now how does it work if I simply give them my Apple ID & Password? For example, how do they sync a few of the movies I leave them with a few of their own on their iDevice? Hint: you don't really "own" your iTunes purchases like you "own" physical media.

----------

bluewooster said:
That's a very interesting question. I imagine that 20 years from now, i could have thousands of dollars invested in the itunes universe if it continues to expand at its current rate. Could i then pass this on to my children if I pass away (I assume they will have their own itunes accounts and wouldn't want to simply use mine). Can you transfer ownership to a different user account?

No. That's why I posted my comment (in a thread with "for the sake of my family" in the title). Apple & the Studios might change this 20 years from now... or perhaps they'll just leave it "as is" (so that your children would have to buy the same stuff again if they want ready access in their own Apple accounts).

maturola · May 18, 2012

HobeSoundDarryl said:
And if you want to split your collection to multiple people? Maybe sell some of it off and give others to various people?

Set that aside though. How does even say- ONE- recipient merge your gift with their own collection? If my child has a bunch of BDs and I have a bunch of BDs, I give them mine and they have one whole collection. If I've ripped my Discs and they've ripped their Discs, a simple copy of my files to their iTunes and they've got a whole collection... all under their ONE Apple ID.

Now how does it work if I simply give them my Apple ID & Password? For example, how do they sync a few of the movies I leave them with a few of their own on their iDevice? Hint: you don't really "own" your iTunes purchases like you "own" physical media.

By the time that happen they won't have where to play that media, Do you have any 8tacks, cassette or LP from your father? if you do? where do you play them?

it is just a moo point to think about that stuff at this point, In mi very personal opinion

Besides, you can authorized up to 5 computers with one ID, and as many as you want, and you can pick which movies to sync and which one don't, pretty much covering all your scenarios.

omni · May 18, 2012

You've already done your personal collection which is the bulk of this whole thing.

So now just rent some stuff on Netflix if you can find it - if not, just buy a movie/tv season here or there on iTunes.

Seems pretty easy in the grand scheme of things.

HobeSoundDarryl · May 18, 2012

maturola said:
By the time that happen they won't have where to play that media, Do you have any 8tacks, cassette or LP from your father?.

Actually, I do. He had some long out-of-print stuff. Some of it has become pretty valuable. I can sell those old albums to anyone. For instance, I could put one of those classic albums on ebay today. Someone could buy it. I could deliver it to the buyer. Can you sell any one of your iTunes purchases to anyone? No you can't.

I can buy the idea that in 20 years it may not matter. Some other format might have long replaced iTunes and BD (and probably will). However, the difference is that between now and then, I could sell (or give) my physical media to anyone at any time. And they could then possess it and own it just like they had bought it new. My iTunes purchases are pretty much locked to me (more of a lifetime lease instead of a similar level of ownership). I can't sell my iTunes media to anyone.

I know some want to pretend it's no big deal (whatever Apple endorses is clearly the best and only way to go), but it is certainly a different level of ownership. To be able to sell something means it has tangible value. To not be able to sell something means it has no tangible value. I- or the OP- could spend the next few years buying- as he said- "thousands of dollars" worth of either physical or iTunes media. But we could then subsequently sell only one form of those purchases.

maturola · May 18, 2012

HobeSoundDarryl said:
Actually, I do. He had some long out-of-print stuff. Some of it has become pretty valuable. I can sell those old albums to anyone. For instance, I could put one of those classic albums on ebay today. Someone could buy it. I could deliver it to the buyer. Can you sell any one of your iTunes purchases to anyone? No you can't.

Actually yes you can, there is a company that do that....

(they are being sue right now, but point being, yes there is a way)

here is the link if you want to sell your digital music: https://www.redigi.com/

Also yes some people had them and my guess was that you were one of them, but that is a very limited amount of people. most records store are going out of business (sad but true), point being at this time,,, no worth it.

and by the way, it had nothing to do with the way "apple" does it, personally i buy my music from Amazon on mp3 format, it is about digital or hard copy no who the distributor is.

wxman2003 · May 18, 2012

I can't justify buying from iTunes when video quality is less than blu ray. No sense paying more to get less.

WebHead · May 19, 2012

DRM and price are dealbreakers for me with iTunes.

radiogoober · May 19, 2012

I buy music from iTunes because there is no DRM. I absolutely do not buy TV shows or Movies from them because of the DRM. The few movies I've bought from iTunes I've actually ended up renting it elsewhere, ripping it, and deleting my iTunes version. It's complete BS to buy it from iTunes and only be able to play it in iTunes.

mslide · May 19, 2012

I never buy TV shows or movies through iTunes. DRM + $$$ = Netflix + buying disks is a much better option.

lifeinabox · May 19, 2012

E.Lizardo said:
Whatever is cheaper wins for me.Can't stand the idea of paying more for a simple download when physical media is cheaper.And that goes for music too.Downloads must be cheaper for me to bite.
But I'm old school.

Most sensible answer in this thread. I'm not sure why it has to be mutually exclusive for th OP unless his family is pointing a gun to his head.

animatedude · May 19, 2012

as a DVD/Blu Ray collector, physical media is a must especially if we are talking about special features and packaging.

i rarely download movies because it's either i watch movies in cinema or collect them on DVD.However, i'm willing to consider paying to rent from iTunes but i find the "24 hours to finish the movie" just annoying.

For the sake of my family, convince me to buy from itunes!

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