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Downloading 4k iTUnes movies (USB)

flakk-jakket

flakk-jakket

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 2, 2019
27
37
AZ
Making the move to Blu-Ray. I want to download all the iTunes movies I've bought so I have them locally and want to know how to connect the external to the pc that will drive that machine.

Essentially, it'll be a cheap Win PC with iTunes installed connected to an external 1tb (maybe larger) to stream across the local network to an ATV 4K.

Is USB 3 fast enough? Ideally a Mac Mini w/HDMI would be great but not at the price they are asking. IS Synology an option without having to have a PC front end?
 
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What exactly do you want to do?
It is not possible to download 4K versions of movies from iTunes. Only 1080p max.
Speed of USB 2.0 is plenty (480Mbps) for even 4K movies at UHD Bluray bitrate, let alone for fullHD.
iTunes 4K movies are currently streamed at 30Mbps bitrate.
Can not comment on Synology, never owned one.
A second-hand Mac Mini (just avoid the C2D models) could clock in cheaper than Syno, depending on which one you are looking at.
iTunes media server does not need much CPU power as it will be only copying bytes from disk to network.
Plex server might do, if it needs to transcode the video on the fly.
 
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Do you know which 4k iTunes movie has a stream rate around 30 Mbps. I tried a Alien Covenant and Gladiator which hovered around 18 Mbps. I have a 500 Mbps internet connection at home.

Thanks.
 
A 'cheap' Windows PC with iTunes streaming to Apple TV. That's asking for a life of problems. At the very very very least buy a basic MacBook Air or MacBook.

Either stick to playing discs from a dedicated quality separate player from Oppo, Pioneer or Panasonic OR continue playing 4K iTunes films from the iCloud using Apple TV 4K.

I find streaming from Apple's servers to be 100% reliable - no buffering. I CAN NOT say the same with playing an iTunes film download in 1080p from my MacBook using Apple Homesharing. It will pause/buffer at least ONCE during the movie and sometimes 5, 6, 7, 20 times depending. I would not say that it's a pleasant experience and personally, I don't think that it's really intended for that now that Apple regards iCloud as a 'now' thing.
Maybe HomeSharing is better when connected via Ethernet but that's not possible with my MacBooks and locations. I guess with WiFi, the film is going from your MacBook to the router and then from the router to the ATV. Sadly something can drop en route!

Going the cheap PC route is pure insanity and will result in a very poor experience (and you'll probably blame your Apple TV).
[doublepost=1548202601][/doublepost]
priitv8 said:
What exactly do you want to do?
It is not possible to download 4K versions of movies from iTunes. Only 1080p max.
Speed of USB 2.0 is plenty (480Mbps) for even 4K movies at UHD Bluray bitrate, let alone for fullHD.
iTunes 4K movies are currently streamed at 30Mbps bitrate.
Can not comment on Synology, never owned one.
A second-hand Mac Mini (just avoid the C2D models) could clock in cheaper than Syno, depending on which one you are looking at.
iTunes media server does not need much CPU power as it will be only copying bytes from disk to network.
Plex server might do, if it needs to transcode the video on the fly.
Click to expand...
PS Prilitv8 Have you been able to work out the size in GB of a 2 hour film in 4K Dolby Vision from iTunes? I'm guessing that they are averaging 20GB????????? I ask as I've checked my Internet account and Christmas Day & Boxing Day burnt through 70+GB in two days. Luckily most of the UK Broadband providers offer unlimited when it comes to data :)
 
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Audit13 said:
Do you know which 4k iTunes movie has a stream rate around 30 Mbps. I tried a Alien Covenant and Gladiator which hovered around 18 Mbps. I have a 500 Mbps internet connection at home.
Click to expand...
I should have said "seem to be capped at 30Mbps". But this guy seems to showcase Deadpool in this post: #65
[doublepost=1548223912][/doublepost]
BODYBUILDERPAUL said:
PS Prilitv8 Have you been able to work out the size in GB of a 2 hour film in 4K Dolby Vision from iTunes? I'm guessing that they are averaging 20GB????????? I ask as I've checked my Internet account and Christmas Day & Boxing Day burnt through 70+GB in two days. Luckily most of the UK Broadband providers offer unlimited when it comes to data :)
Click to expand...
Let's do simple math. Assuming that the bitrate of full stream is 30Mbps (allowing for audio, subtitles etc as well), then a 2 hour (7200 second) long movie would occupy:

(2 * 60 * 60) * 30 / 8 / 1024 = 26,37GB of storage.

Sounds about right. UHD blurays play at north of 60Mbps and weigh in anywhere between 50 and 90GB on disc.
 
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priitv8 said:
I should have said "seem to be capped at 30Mbps". But this guy seems to showcase Deadpool in this post: #65
[doublepost=1548223912][/doublepost]Let's do simple math. Assuming that the bitrate of full stream is 30Mbps (allowing for audio, subtitles etc as well), then a 2 hour (7200 second) long movie would occupy:

(2 * 60 * 60) * 30 / 8 / 1024 = 26,37GB of storage.

Sounds about right. UHD blurays play at north of 60Mbps and weigh in anywhere between 50 and 90GB on disc.
Click to expand...

WOW! I can fully understand why Apple doesn't want people to download files that size! I can see the messages to Apple 'My download stopped half way' 'My download takes 15 hours to download' 'My storage is full'
Thank you Priltv8 :)
 
BODYBUILDERPAUL said:
WOW! I can fully understand why Apple doesn't want people to download files that size! I can see the messages to Apple 'My download stopped half way' 'My download takes 15 hours to download' 'My storage is full'
Thank you Priltv8 :)
Click to expand...
I personally think, that the lack of 4K movie downloads is not because of the size limit (original iTunes downloads also took hours over slow ADSL line), but because of the licensing restrictions.
Maybe as counterweight to the very good sale price compared to physical UHD bluray disc.
 
priitv8 said:
I personally think, that the lack of 4K movie downloads is not because of the size limit (original iTunes downloads also took hours over slow ADSL line), but because of the licensing restrictions.
Maybe as counterweight to the very good sale price compared to physical UHD bluray disc.
Click to expand...

I agree AND I believe it's because Apple sees the future or even now as 'streaming' which is true. Best of both worlds - download a very very decent 1080p to keep and watch on your iPhone when travelling etc and stream in 4K with Dolby Vision and Atmos on the Apple TV :)

Also regarding price, here in the UK, we have many new releases on iTunes for £2.99 this week!!!!!!!! Now compare that price to the 4K BluRay at £25-30.
 
BODYBUILDERPAUL said:
I agree AND I believe it's because Apple sees the future or even now as 'streaming' which is true. Best of both worlds - download a very very decent 1080p to keep and watch on your iPhone when travelling etc and stream in 4K with Dolby Vision and Atmos on the Apple TV :)

Also regarding price, here in the UK, we have many new releases on iTunes for £2.99 this week!!!!!!!! Now compare that price to the 4K BluRay at £25-30.
Click to expand...


And they wonder why HMV are struggling to survive as a shop. Stupid prices for HDR BR discs.
 
570934 said:
And they wonder why HMV are struggling to survive as a shop. Stupid prices for HDR BR discs.
Click to expand...
I think it's also not in people's culture of 2019 to even use discs. If you walk on the streets of the UK, you'll see people glued to their smartphones - heck, even some of the teenagers take them into the sauna at my gym and use Instagram whilst their prized iPhone slowly melts!!!
I was thinking this the other week, we all have iPhones that do everything and we use them, why would people then spend money on a disc player that is left in the corner of a room that only plays a disc? And then they have to buy a disc which won't fit in their MacBook or iPad or iPhone? That's how I look at it!

I visit friend's when i'm in the UK and their 5 year olds hand me their iPads and say 'Pick a song' (Off YouTube) and the little child will AirPlay is to their Apple TV and start dancing. That's their culture. They wouldn't even know what a disc was. For me, discs are pre year 200 - something that I used as a child in the 1990s! They were fragile, jumped, scratched and wouldn't play if you had a finger print on them.

We played a DVD last night NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU - I had to go into the loft to get my old BANG&OLUFSEN DVD1 player. It had copyright notices everywhere plus 5-7 minutes of trailers that I couldn't skip. We'd finished eating our meal by the time the film started AND I could hear the disc spinning throughout the entire film. It wasn't for me, it was like taking a H U G E step backwards to 1999 and my life has changed so much since then and i've accomplished so much that I really don't want to go backwards :)

Same with HMV, God those shops are depressing - they feel like the 1980s. I see 2 people in them on a Saturday afternoon at the most - not good!
 
BODYBUILDERPAUL said:
A 'cheap' Windows PC with iTunes streaming to Apple TV. That's asking for a life of problems. At the very very very least buy a basic MacBook Air or MacBook.
Click to expand...

You buying?

BODYBUILDERPAUL said:
Either stick to playing discs from a dedicated quality separate player from Oppo, Pioneer or Panasonic OR continue playing 4K iTunes films from the iCloud using Apple TV 4K.
Click to expand...

I want copies of the movies I bought so I know they won't get messed with. Plain and simple. Keep physical files on a drive to stream locally. Movies on disc will be played from disc. iTunes movies will eventually be replaced over time.
 
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The problem is that people have been conditioned to think that CD's or DVD's are worthless thanks to the supermarkets and tax dodging online retailers. Supermarkets sometimes sell the key blockbusters at a loss to get footfall in their store and hopefully do their big shop with them.

How can HMV compete when super markets are selling at a loss and onliners are selling cheaper than them due to tax loopholes. Then factor in the sky high rates and rent that HMV have to pay.
 
Macs are expensive. And for what I would use it for...a waste of money. That was my point. PC's are cheap and as I said, this one would have a single function.
 
Audit13 said:
Do you know which 4k iTunes movie has a stream rate around 30 Mbps. I tried a Alien Covenant and Gladiator which hovered around 18 Mbps. I have a 500 Mbps internet connection at home.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yeah, 18 Mbps is the standard. Though it'll give you faster if it has the bandwidth.
 
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