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Apple Announces Release of HD Movie Sales and Rentals via iTunes
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Yes.
From the linked image:
"Every HD film purchase also comes with ... a standard definition version of the movie..."
Yeah, if I like a movie enough to own it I will pay the extra $5-10 and get it in bluray, but the convenience for renting is really nice. I've actually rented some nonHD movies so I have something to watch on my MacBook for flights.
Oh yeah. BTW, blu-ray, you have just now become antiquated!!! It's just a matter of time before you're truly obsolete
Even though most people probably call you dumb for making this statement it is true, but your "matter of time" is a lot longer than you think. 2 things need to happen first...
1) Storage space
It keeps getting cheaper and cheaper, but until we have 100TB as the norm hard drive size bluray won't go away.
2) Internet speed
My 6mbit DSL ain't going to cut it for true 1080p content. Yes, I know there is FIOS and all that, but basically it's like the transition for dial up to broadband. It won't happen overnight. I would think more than 50% of the public would need to be connected on 50mbit/s++ lines for this to happen.
I know I've seen VOD 1080P "bluray quality" on dish network, but it's not bluray quality. Something can be in 1920 x 1080p resolution, but doesn't mean it's bluray.
From wiki:
"BD-Video movies have a maximum data transfer rate of 54 Mbit/s, a maximum AV bitrate of 48 Mbit/s (for both audio and video data), and a maximum video bitrate of 40 Mbit/s."
I think dish only pushes like half of that bitrate so the files have to be more compressed.
So this move is surely interesting as Apple cited the studio concerns about HD movies on iTunes when it was initially rolled out HD movies. Apple then tied it to Apple TV.
So this gets me thinking ... either the studios have backed off their initial demands, Apple has gained some bargaining power, or a major Apple TV revision is on it's way. Perhaps is a combination of all three.
From a product differentiation perspective, HD content only available on Apple TV was an incentive for people to buy an Apple TV. By now removing the HD-Apple TV bundle, Apple must have something in the works for the new Apple TV model(s) that will encourage buyers to make the purchase.
No longer will the differentiator be HD movies on Apple TV. Apple clearly has something for the next Apple TV in that it can now offer HD movies on iTunes.
I've been eagerly waiting for the "next" Apple TV revision. I hope it is released in the near future.
So this gets me thinking ... either the studios have backed off their initial demands, Apple has gained some bargaining power, or a major Apple TV revision is on it's way. Perhaps is a combination of all three.
From a product differentiation perspective, HD content only available on Apple TV was an incentive for people to buy an Apple TV. By now removing the HD-Apple TV bundle, Apple must have something in the works for the new Apple TV model(s) that will encourage buyers to make the purchase.
No longer will the differentiator be HD movies on Apple TV. Apple clearly has something for the next Apple TV in that it can now offer HD movies on iTunes.
I've been eagerly waiting for the "next" Apple TV revision. I hope it is released in the near future.
So how does this download work? If you get both versions, does it store two files on your computer in iTunes? Or do you only see the one movie and on playback it picks up the HD and when you sync to iPhone it syncs the SD version?
EDIT: I don't want to see two versions in iTunes, that would get annoying.
EDIT: I don't want to see two versions in iTunes, that would get annoying.
Do people use amazon? Yes. You don't have to go anywhere. You just have to WALK to your mailbox. Has America really gotten that lazy?
Hopefully they have a tiered pricing model. As most movies I would never spend $20 on especially with no box and disc. Especially since some bluray titles sell for $10 at Walmart. That is what I just bought Total Recall for.
If these are 720P I have zero interest then. Especially since I carefully chose my screens to be 1080 native.
If I can watch all of Lost in HD on ABC.com for free, probably 720p. Then Apple should be able to deliver 1080p movies for download especially at $20. Bandwidth is a lot cheaper than Blu Ray discs, boxes and shipping.
Sure people on most DSL lines would have trouble with 720p but some people can handle full 1080p so give them a choice, Comcast gives me 12mbps.
My argument is merely hypothetical as I would not spend more than $8 for a movie that I do not own the physical disc to.
If these are 720P I have zero interest then. Especially since I carefully chose my screens to be 1080 native.
If I can watch all of Lost in HD on ABC.com for free, probably 720p. Then Apple should be able to deliver 1080p movies for download especially at $20. Bandwidth is a lot cheaper than Blu Ray discs, boxes and shipping.
Sure people on most DSL lines would have trouble with 720p but some people can handle full 1080p so give them a choice, Comcast gives me 12mbps.
My argument is merely hypothetical as I would not spend more than $8 for a movie that I do not own the physical disc to.
That was hilarious.
2 files. Both are playable on the computer (it lists them both in itunes). I suppose you could sync the HD version to an iPhone, but it won't play and it will take up a lot of space, so it's better to choose the SD Version
2 files. Both are playable on the computer (it lists them both in itunes). I suppose you could sync the HD version to an iPhone, but it won't play and it will take up a lot of space, so it's better to choose the SD Version
That is crap, Apple should come up with a way around two files in iTunes.
Right!
It's actually more expensive to download the $19.99 HD version than buying the $24.00 blu-ray version. Between the harddrive space you need to have a significant library, and the backup harddrives for when they crash, and potentially the physical media required to eventually remove the content to make room for other stuff... combine that with your time to transfer/backup these large files, etc....
The "renting" makes more sense, just a little pricy.
They show up as a single item in iTunes itself - you can set whether it plays the sd or hd version in preferences.
Again, with this having been made a reality, Apple will not offer Blu-ray until movies are distributed in Super Hi-Vision on disks.
At $20.00 a download I'd much rather add to my Blu-ray collection. Why would I want to feed my 1080p HDTV lower quality 720p material that has to be up-converted by the TV? Why would I want to go back to old fashioned lossy Dolby Digital when Blu-ray gives me Lossless Dolby True HD, DTS HD Master Audio and PCM audio feeds?
Sorry this is a poor value and sticking the Apple branding on it doesn't make it better. Enjoy your 720p highly compressed HD movie, while I enjoy my 1080p high bit rate movie with lossless audio.
Sorry this is a poor value and sticking the Apple branding on it doesn't make it better. Enjoy your 720p highly compressed HD movie, while I enjoy my 1080p high bit rate movie with lossless audio.
This is how they show up in iTunes
There are 2 different files on your computer, 1 for HD and 1 for SD, but there's only one entry on iTunes and you can pick if you want to watch HD or SD, if you sync the movie with an iPod or iPhone it automatically syncs the SD version
1080p over the internet is not ready yet, bandwidth isn't there. A couple more years and maybe we will get it. Want 1080p? Get a PS3 and rent at Blockbuster.
720p is more than enough on anything less than 50''.