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Is it worth buying movies on iTunes???

E

eidrunner247

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 4, 2006
310
5
Sure, 9.99 for most movies isn't bad, but for many of the movies, you can buy them cheaper on half.com, and buying on half.com, you actually have the case, insert and everything else.

iTunes is I guess somewhat more convenient if you plan on watching movies on your computer, but for everything else, it seems like actually buying the movies online, (half, amazon, ebay) is a cheaper and valid alternative. Anyone else have any thoughts about that?
 
No. Not worth it. Unless you are too lazy to leave the house or start a NetFlix account. I don't see *any* benefit of slowly downloading crap quality movies. Just don't get it.
 
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hayduke said:
No. Not worth it. Unless you are too lazy to leave the house or start a NetFlix account. I don't see *any* benefit of slowly downloading crap quality movies. Just don't get it.
Click to expand...


Gets them on your iPod fast..or on you computer, and for people who are not to good with ripping DVDs, its a nice feature I guess. Also good for Kids who can't always get to the movie store.

Or people who don't buy many movies and just want one quickly, or they see it can think it would be fun to watch so they get an impuse buy.
 
hayduke said:
No. Not worth it. Unless you are too lazy to leave the house or start a NetFlix account. I don't see *any* benefit of slowly downloading crap quality movies. Just don't get it.
Click to expand...

Actually, the movies are quite a bit better. The resolution has been bumped since the update from itunes 6 to itunes 7. And no, not until they give us the right to burn it to DVD am I going to buy movies.
 
I bought a movie from iTunes yesterday and the quality was just as good as a DVD as far as I'm concerned.

I bought FlightPlan for $10 and it was worth it. Sure, I didn't get a case, but I saved at least $5. :)
 
I am intrigued...when they have all the studios, I think I will be hooked. I hate netflix (don't ask) and since I live 35 miles from a decent rental place, then this is a good option for me...
 
If Apple added the option to burn to a DVD, I would start buying movies on iTunes.

I don't like DRM. I can accept the iTunes music DRM, because it doesn't restrict me from doing anything legal- I can still burn a CD and copy the music on all my computers registered to my iTunes account, I just can't send them to others which is illegal anyway.


But the movie DRM...I'm limited to watching it on my computer and iPod. I want to burn it to a DVD and watch it on my TV without paying $299 for an iTV!
 
Here's how I see it...

DVD buying -> iPod procedure:

1. Buy DVD ($30)
2. Buy 5G iPod ($380 - $499)
3. Rip to iPod with Handbrake (~10 to 12 hours)
4. Copy ripped movie to iTunes -> iPod (a few minutes)

So, it would cost me $410 - $529 to get a DVD movie onto a 5G iPod and take around 13 hours.

iTunes Movie -> iPod procedure:

1. Buy return ticket to USA ($800 Business Class - I love staff travel, ~28 hours total travel time.)
2. Buy 5G iPod ($331 - $464 plus tax)
3. Buy iTunes gift card ($66 - may as well get a big one)
4. Download movie from somewhere with fast connection (30 mins - 1 hour)
5. Copy movie across to iPod (minutes)

So it would cost me $1200 - $1330 plus tax to download an iTunes movie to a 5G iPod and take me ~30 hours.

So yeah, buying a DVD is much better than downloading an iTunes movie.
 
Chundles said:
Here's how I see it...

DVD buying -> iPod procedure:

1. Buy DVD ($30)
2. Buy 5G iPod ($380 - $499)
3. Rip to iPod with Handbrake (~10 to 12 hours)
4. Copy ripped movie to iTunes -> iPod (a few minutes)

So, it would cost me $410 - $529 to get a DVD movie onto a 5G iPod and take around 13 hours.

iTunes Movie -> iPod procedure:

1. Buy return ticket to USA ($800 Business Class - I love staff travel, ~28 hours total travel time.)
2. Buy 5G iPod ($331 - $464 plus tax)
3. Buy iTunes gift card ($66 - may as well get a big one)
4. Download movie from somewhere with fast connection (30 mins - 1 hour)
5. Copy movie across to iPod (minutes)

So it would cost me $1200 - $1330 plus tax to download an iTunes movie to a 5G iPod and take me ~30 hours.

So yeah, buying a DVD is much better than downloading an iTunes movie.
Click to expand...

Looks like the iTunes Movie Store is doomed :rolleyes:
 
OllyW said:
It's a good job the Americans are still asleep.

They are bound to knock holes in your cost analysis ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah I know - I love this time of day.
 
it's depend on how you think. if you like DVD, don't rush to get it from ITS. today I downloaded the first movie ever from ITS. it's the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. downloaning time was 66 minutes. not bad. I was impressed the quality movie provided. it's almost DVD one. sound is also great, too. there is no menu like DVD when you play. it will be grown every week. I am very excited. it's not just you're too lazy to go out for getting one but gives you new platform, different experience. we're living in 21st century, duh!

oh, actually I don't like idea to watch movie on my ipod. it's small, hurts my eyes. it's almost average two hours! it's better with my mac, or TV screen. TV shows? yeah you can watch on ipod. it's only 40 minutes. it's fine. it's TV. movie is different.
 
What kind of internet connections do you have in the USA?

If you can download a movie in half an hour, what connection do you need?

The fastest we have in South Africa is 1MBPS:(

I have a 512kbps connection, with a 6GB cap, and pay the equivalent of $130 per month for it:( So it is definitely not worth it for me to buy movies off the ITMS, seen as it costs me $20 per extra GB...
 
dextertangocci said:
What kind of internet connections do you have in the USA?

If you can download a movie in half an hour, what connection do you need?

The fastest we have in South Africa is 1MBPS:(

I have a 512kbps connection, with a 6GB cap, and pay the equivalent of $130 per month for it:( So it is definitely not worth it for me to buy movies off the ITMS, seen as it costs me $20 per extra GB...
Click to expand...

Here in Aus we have ADSL2+ up to 24mbps but there are very few people on those plans. The majority of our population is on dial-up internet because of the prohibitive cost of regular ADSL.

A 24 month plan, 512kbps, 200MB monthly download limit is $29.95 per month. There are better plans out there from smaller ISPs (I was looking into a 512kbps, 40GB monthly quota, $40 per month plan before I was told that broadband was not available to my address) but most people don't know about them and sign on with the big telcos and in the process get ripped off.

Those I do know on broadband, most are on 512kbps or 1mbps.
 
dextertangocci said:
What kind of internet connections do you have in the USA?

If you can download a movie in half an hour, what connection do you need?

The fastest we have in South Africa is 1MBPS:(

I have a 512kbps connection, with a 6GB cap, and pay the equivalent of $130 per month for it:( So it is definitely not worth it for me to buy movies off the ITMS, seen as it costs me $20 per extra GB...
Click to expand...

I'm on 4MBPS cable internet in the UK, costs £25 per month with no cap. The fastest available from my provider is 10MBPS at £35 per month.

There are faster conections available and cheaper conections, but my package with a phone line and free cable TV suits me fine.
 
OllyW said:
I'm on 4MBPS cable internet in the UK, costs £25 per month with no cap. The fastest available from my provider is 10MBPS at £35 per month.

There are faster conections available and cheaper conections, but my package with a phone line and free cable TV suits me fine.
Click to expand...

Which provider is that? My sister is moving to Brigthon for a year in two weeks and she was look into some ISP thats:
cheap
unlimited download
doesn't have to be that fast, 1mbps is plenty

Do you always need a BT line?

Thanks
 
Mydriasis said:
Which provider is that? My sister is moving to Brigthon for a year in two weeks and she was look into some ISP thats:
cheap
unlimited download
doesn't have to be that fast, 1mbps is plenty

Do you always need a BT line?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I'm with Telewest. I think NTL do similar deals, they merged earlier this year.

http://www.telewest.co.uk/websales/service.do?id=2

You don't need a BT line, it uses a cable modem not ADSL.
 
hayduke said:
No. Not worth it. Unless you are too lazy to leave the house or start a NetFlix account. I don't see *any* benefit of slowly downloading crap quality movies. Just don't get it.
Click to expand...

You don't travel internationally much.

Remember, different strokes for different folks.
 
OllyW said:
I'm with Telewest. I think NTL do similar deals, they merged earlier this year.

http://www.telewest.co.uk/websales/service.do?id=2

You don't need a BT line, it uses a cable modem not ADSL.
Click to expand...

Im with Telewest too (4mb). There are cheaper deals out there but they are ALL capped and you need a BT phoneline. 2 things i dont agree with. :D Also Telewest have good mac support too, people actually know what you are talking about. Not that I have had to use them much at all, infact a council worker had drilled through a cable around the block and my connection went down so it wasnt even Telewests fault. :p
 
I purchased/DL'ed one movie to check out the system.

It was right after the show. I got disconnected a couple of times. Easy to reconnect which was nice.

It's only the movie. No extras.

For many folks, I think they would prefer the DVD with all the extras and to rip to an iPod movie themselves. Wal-Mart and other places have older DVDs for the same or cheaper than the iTMS.

One thing that I will say, it was darn convenient to select and DL. Apple definitely has made that very easy to do.

I wonder if Apple will eventually add a rent to own model? Something along the lines being able to rent the movie for x amount. Then if you like it after you watch it, you can purchase for y amount.
 
sushi said:
I purchased/DL'ed one movie to check out the system.

It was right after the show. I got disconnected a couple of times. Easy to reconnect which was nice.

It's only the movie. No extras.

For many folks, I think they would prefer the DVD with all the extras and to rip to an iPod movie themselves. Wal-Mart and other places have older DVDs for the same or cheaper than the iTMS.

One thing that I will say, it was darn convenient to select and DL. Apple definitely has made that very easy to do.

I wonder if Apple will eventually add a rent to own model? Something along the lines being able to rent the movie for x amount. Then if you like it after you watch it, you can purchase for y amount.
Click to expand...

I like the sound of that, 5$ maybe to rent for 5 days, 2$ for 24 hours or something like that, like trial software, after your time is up you have the chance to delete the file or to purchase it altogether.
 
EricNau said:
I bought a movie from iTunes yesterday and the quality was just as good as a DVD as far as I'm concerned.

I bought FlightPlan for $10 and it was worth it. Sure, I didn't get a case, but I saved at least $5. :)
Click to expand...

Check on half.com. You can pick up flightplan for well under $10 from multiple sellers.

As far as I'm concerned, buying movies just isn't that great. I bought the movie "Prefontaine" (a running movie) from Wal-Mart last year in the cheap bin fro 5.50. iTunes wants $10. Not worth it at all. If prices were close to what sale price is, then I'd get buy with iTunes, but as it stands, you're missing features, burning to DVD, inserts, packaging and the whole nine yards that goes into producing a DVD.

I don't have a big DVD collection, but I would rather not see my movies in blank cases off cheap-o DVDs - especially when virtually I can get any other movie cheaper and shipped to my door.
 
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