Buy Option!

[BoulderBum]

So the good news is that there are TONS of brand spanking new movies like "Juno", "Cloverfield", "Walk Hard" that popped up on Apple TV all of a sudden, and the even better news is that the mysterious option to buy instead of rent a movie popped up all of a sudden, but the bad news is that all these super-new releases only have the "Buy" option, you can't rent them yet.

Weak!

I wonder if this is a marketing strategy on Apple's part, where the people who really want the movie have the option to buy for the first 30 days (because buying has a higher profit margin) then everyone else has the opportunity to rent only afterwards.

Not a bad or unworkable idea, but I think it would be annoying to have to keep checking back to see if you can rent a given video yet.

What do y'all think?

[mallbritton]

I think we can't rent these new releases yet because the studios and other copyright holders are still trying to protect their profits by staying with the "rental 30 days after DVD release" strategy.

I do think it is an improvement that we can now buy a digital copy on the same day as the DVD is released.

Regards,
Michael

[BoulderBum]

Hmmm. It appears that most of the new movies ("Walk Hard", "Juno", "Cloverfield") disappeared from the featured section, but I see now that there's a top rentals/top purchased section! Fantastic!

That takes care of my concern about having to check back to see when the rental is available.

Apple TV went up yet another launch in the quality scale today (and I already consider it one of the greatest pieces of technology out there).

[longofest]

This was added today, and Apple made a press release about it. We have a news story.

[BoulderBum]

Sweet! I always go directly to the Apple TV forum (it's the most active Apple TV forum on the internet, even though it's associated with the rest of Mac rumors), so I didn't catch the story.

It looks like Cloverfield/Juno/etc. are available in the interface again, too!

[uva25]

What can you do with purchased movies. Can I legally burn a copy for use in my car? Will I be able to download them onto my Tivo so I can play them there?

[zedsdead]

Anyone buy one yet...I want to know about the resolution to see if it was changed or not.

[chuckles:)]

Originally Posted by uva25

What can you do with purchased movies. Can I legally burn a copy for use in my car? Will I be able to download them onto my Tivo so I can play them there?

No, ipod to video in for the car, and ipod or apple tv for the tv.

[slate1]

Man - why the hell can't they just put a "new to rentals" section on the damn thing?!?!? Now I've got to filter through a bunch of stuff that's "buy only" to find something new to rent.

They're so close on this - yet they're making it so hard!

[BoulderBum]

Originally Posted by zedsdead

Anyone buy one yet...I want to know about the resolution to see if it was changed or not.

I assume they're just providing an Apple TV interface to buying movies through the iTunes store (which you've been able to do through iTunes for a year or two).

I have "Monsters Inc.", and a couple of other videos and I think they're probably comparable to an SD rental.

Originally Posted by slate1

Man - why the hell can't they just put a "new to rentals" section on the damn thing?!?!? Now I've got to filter through a bunch of stuff that's "buy only" to find something new to rent.

They're so close on this - yet they're making it so hard!

Hey, I'm just glad they have a "Top Rentals" and separate "Top Sellers" section. I usually just browse the "Top Rentals" and the special categories anyway.

While I'm thinking about it, does anyone know why there's no "Sweeny Todd" in iTunes yet? I'd think it would at least be available for purchase.

[MacFly123]

I checked it out and I noticed that some movies are ONLY buy with no option to rent now. What is up with this? It is turning a bit complicated now.

But this is a great step forward. I wonder how long till they add BUY HD???

[stephenli]

international release, please.

[fastbite]

Yes, we want movies in the UK!

[jonnyblobby]

Originally Posted by fastbite

Yes, we want movies in the UK!

Easy done. Setup your bank account or credit card with paypal.com and just find gift cards on ebay (US) have been doing this since launch and now buy from a seller directly (with a very small service charge of coarse) but well worth it. AppleTV works a treat in australia for me, SD movies can start playback almost instantly while HD movies take about 5 mins before there playable.

[Sir Cecil]

Let's say copying is legal. And let's say I have a newly-released, deluxe edition DVD movie you'd also like to buy. I tell you not to buy one yourself and instead pay me the full price (or thereabouts) of my DVD, and I'll send you a download or DVD-R of it.

Does that sound enticing?

I won't give you the original disc, or any packaging, or anything you can put on a home library shelf, and if ever you want to sell it on Amazon or eBay (say, when the next "Director's Cut" version comes out) you can't, because I've got it and all you've got is... well, nothing. But you've paid for it anyway. And if you try hard enough, you can even delude yourself into thinking you "own" it.

Fantastic. Thanks Apple. Great ruse. Looks like many here will be more than happy to play your game.

[asdavis10]

Good news. But the best part about Apple TV is that any new features that need to be added will come through a software update. So as one person mention how there isn't a new rental section, that will probably be added later if Apple sees that people want this feature. One thing is certain, the 40GB model won't be around much longer. I know my iTunes library almost takes up that much space.

[MagicWok]

If there were the option to buy a HD copy, and if there were an option to burn it a disc, then I'd be interested.

In the end, for the same price or cheaper I'd rather buy the DVD and have a physical copy, that won't magically disappear if my hdd were to fail.

Though that's all a mute point as I live in London lol.

[SvenSvenson]

Originally Posted by Sir Cecil

Let's say copying is legal. And let's say I have a newly-released, deluxe edition DVD movie you'd also like to buy. I tell you not to buy one yourself and instead pay me the full price (or thereabouts) of my DVD, and I'll send you a download or DVD-R of it.

Does that sound enticing?

I won't give you the original disc, or any packaging, or anything you can put on a home library shelf, and if ever you want to sell it on Amazon or eBay (say, when the next "Director's Cut" version comes out) you can't, because I've got it and all you've got is... well, nothing. But you've paid for it anyway. .

So don't buy it - is that hard to understand? Go down to the shop and buy the DVD. Ok, you'll only be able to watching it at home on your DVD player, which is fine if your get time (which some people don't). If you want to watch it on your iPod on the train into work you can't. If you buy a kids film and they both want to watch it in their rooms, they can't.

It's a personal decision - you do what you want to do. If Apple didn't offer this service and removed the choice, no-one's better off. Some people like the iTunes buy/rent model - they're not being screwed (as you imply), they know what they're doing.

Steve

[raggedjimmi]

This makes me want an Apple TV oh-so much more. I bounce between XP and OSX all the time so I'd rather have an Apple TV work without a constant iTunes connection. Sounds like its getting it.

Now give us TV shows and movies on the iPhone

Originally Posted by MagicWok

If there were the option to buy a HD copy, and if there were an option to burn it a disc, then I'd be interested.

In the end, for the same price or cheaper I'd rather buy the DVD and have a physical copy, that won't magically disappear if my hdd were to fail.

Though that's all a mute point as I live in London lol.

I'm not familiar with the iTunes store - can't you redownload what you've already purchased?

[waldo99]

I bought my apple TV about 9 months ago and there it sits gathering dust, In the U.K. I can rent or buy British TV series that I have already paid the license fee, or I can get LOST or some other american TV series that I have already watched on SKY. Talk about money for old rope. Its really fussy about what it will play as well, so I can't even enjoy my own film library, without re-encoding everything.

[statler]

Originally Posted by waldo99

I bought my apple TV about 9 months ago and there it sits gathering dust, In the U.K. I can rent or buy British TV series that I have already paid the license fee, or I can get LOST or some other american TV series that I have already watched on SKY. Talk about money for old rope. Its really fussy about what it will play as well, so I can't even enjoy my own film library, without re-encoding everything.

My AppleTV is also collecting dust, mainly because I can't get it to sync with my Mac. It used to work then one day, after Apple updated iTunes, the Apple TV stopped appearing in my iTunes devices list. Some upgrade. Lots of other people have this problem too. I wish they'd just make the thing more reliable.

[I WAS the one]

you know what... if Apple give me the option to also see free regular TV and store my paid movies in the Apple TV, I will get rid of my cable tv contract right away. In fact with free content and rent and buying options I will only use Apple TV. honest. There's nothing great about Cable today days...

[frdmfghtr]

Originally Posted by zedsdead

Anyone buy one yet...I want to know about the resolution to see if it was changed or not.

Good question...after giving it a try recently, I've decided to hold off on iTMS movie purchases. The quality just doesn't match what you can get when yu buy the DVD and re-encode it with Handbrake. It may take longer to get it on AppleTV and take up more storage space, but the picture/sound quality is better and I have a physical disk in case of data loss.

Occasionally the physical copy is cheaper than the download, making it even more enticing to buy the actual media.

[k2spitfire88]

Originally Posted by SvenSvenson

So don't buy it - is that hard to understand? Go down to the shop and buy the DVD. Ok, you'll only be able to watching it at home on your DVD player, which is fine if your get time (which some people don't). If you want to watch it on your iPod on the train into work you can't. If you buy a kids film and they both want to watch it in their rooms, they can't.

It's a personal decision - you do what you want to do. If Apple didn't offer this service and removed the choice, no-one's better off. Some people like the iTunes buy/rent model - they're not being screwed (as you imply), they know what they're doing.

Steve

Actually, you can get DVD's that you have onto your iPod. There are a few freeware programs online that allow you to do that, so now, with the ability to buy movies on itunes, I have the best of both worlds. I have all my tv show's and movies on my iPod that I want, and I can buy new ones online. Sounds pretty good to me.

[amac4me]

I'll be more likely to purchase movies from iTunes now that I'll be able to get them the same day as the DVD release.