iTunes Music Store Selling Videos

[dan_]

I'm not an av expert, but it seems to me that if my G4 can't play H.264 then there is no way the iPod will be able to for some time. If video does get on the iPod it won't be H.264.

Your G4 can play H.264, just not HD. I'm in the same boat, but I can still watch and export normal H.264 files in Quicktime 7 Pro.

 

[elevenpower]

Sounds interesting, i'm downloading 4.8 as I type this. I also wonder why it wasn't available via System Update.

Also, does this mean that Apple is going to stop having the music videos for free in the music store?

 

[darkmatter05]

Sounds interesting, i'm downloading 4.8 as I type this. I also wonder why it wasn't available via System Update.

Also, does this mean that Apple is going to stop having the music videos for free in the music store?

Doubt it, it would be cool however to DL an album with all the videos for it . erm, if they did make u pay for the music video page, then id die..

 

[nate]

Perhaps thats the Sony - Apple partnership thats been hinted about (MWSF '05) Sony starts using iTMS, and the future iTVS... featuring PSP and PS3 compatability.....

This is what I found on the PSP site:

http://www.us.playstation.com/consoles.aspx?id=4


The display is 480 x 272 pixels.

Installed codecs:

H.264/MPEG-4 AVC
MPEG-4 SP
AAC
linear PCM
Atrack3plus
MP3


I don't know if AAC and H.264 support means you can import iTunes stuff onto the PSP, but it could be a possibility. I also noticed there was no WMA support.


--nate


PS

When I ran iTunes 4.7 this morning, a popup appeared asking if I want the new 4.8 version; I clicked yes.

 

[MontyZ]

I don't care about video. I'd much rather the ability to download ALL the liner artwork, lyrics and credits for a CD that you don't get now when buying stuff from iTunes. Surely this shouldn't be difficult to do. I like knowing the lyrics and the names of all artists and producers related to a song or CD.

 

[guifa]

Morcheeba has a new album?? I just looked at their website yesterday and saw no mention of it.

Just checked their website, STILL no mention of it... and they have an EP out too! WTF? Someone better remind the band that they're still on the web.

Are you sure you're going to the official site? They've been advertising it for quite some time. Morcheeba has a new singer, though fear not, she handles the position well.

 

[Doctor Q]

Some brave volunteer should create an "iTunes with video" iMix, for iTMS songs that have accompanying videos, and keep it up to date while there are only a small number of such songs. Once such tunes become the norm, with hundreds or thousands of them, such a list won't be as important.

 

[d.perel]

Can the videos be sent to iMovie? (I don't think this was mentioned earlier in the thread, but I may have missed it )

 

[Bonte]

the rest

Wasn't there in the early days an option in osX to buy stock photo's?

I want to see photo's, books in PDF and comics. In principe they can sell all that is downloadable, not to big in size and typically costs between 0,99 and 9,99 $.

iPhoto for Windows? They sell beautiful photoalbums so it makes sense, especially in combination with iTunes selling photo's and stuff.

 

[asif786]

Wasn't there in the early days an option in osX to buy stock photo's?

I want to see photo's, books in PDF and comics. In principe they can sell all that is downloadable, not to big in size and typically costs between 0,99 and 9,99 $.

iPhoto for Windows? They sell beautiful photoalbums so it makes sense, especially in combination with iTunes selling photo's and stuff.

personally, i would *hate* to see iphoto ported to pc. we mac users pay apple's high prices so that the money can go to research & development. i dont want to pay frikkin' £1000+ for a computer so that apple can go and develop the same software on windows..it sorta defeats the object of having a mac.

besides, apple hardly make any money on iphoto books. most of it goes to kodak.

p.s. sorry if it sounded like i was personally attacking you; i wasnt.

 

[pubwvj]

Do you know what i am thinking. If apple would say start a sort of cinema.. You go to the iTunes Music/Movie Store and you go to movies then you buy a movie ticket...ok. Movies only show at certain times just like in the cinemas.. The advantage of this is that now you can watch movies at home and you dont have to go all the way down to the cinema to watch it. Most people nowadays have home cinema systems anyway so this would be great. I for one would be really interested. The video quality would also be really good since it will be streaming in H.264.
Well this is my thought...take as you wish..but it would be an awesome idea..me thinks

Wow! That is the WORST idea I have ever heard of. The beauty of DVDs/VHS/DownloadableMovies is you can watch them when you want to, rewind, fast forward and do it on _YOUR_ schedule. Cinemas are aweful - an attrocity who's time has past.

 

[Bonte]

personally, i would *hate* to see iphoto ported to pc. we mac users pay apple's high prices so that the money can go to research & development. i dont want to pay frikkin' £1000+ for a computer so that apple can go and develop the same software on windows..it sorta defeats the object of having a mac.

besides, apple hardly make any money on iphoto books. most of it goes to kodak.

p.s. sorry if it sounded like i was personally attacking you; i wasnt.

Its creating revenue just like iTunes and the iPod photo edition, it makes sense to me. That doesn't mean i want to see all the good apps go to windows but i think it helps the halo effect were having now. Or they'll keep it mac only to lure more switchers. There is definitely something coming and Apple must be feeling good these days so ...

 

[GregA]

A few questions....

... firstly, doesn't iTunes convert songs to AAC-128 for the iPod Shuffle?
If so, does it sync film clips - converted to AAC-128 music-only?

... secondly, someone asked if iPod photo has an error when you sync movies. It did not for me. But I couldn't find my new video playlist at all. I decided to run the 3/23 firmware update and now since I don't have my AC powerpack with me I can't restart my iPod.... will update later. Anyone else know if the iPod Photo has any special features with this update?

and...

personally, i would *hate* to see iphoto ported to pc. we mac users pay apple's high prices so that the money can go to research & development. i dont want to pay frikkin' £1000+ for a computer so that apple can go and develop the same software on windows..it sorta defeats the object of having a mac.

What's wrong with the PC users helping to pay for our research and development? If they're helping fund Apple innovation (and choose to use a PC, while I choose to use a Mac), so much the better for Apple.

 

[doogle]

the small screen

Are we entering an age of music videos purely made for handhelds and their small format screens? I already make specific content for mobile phones (cellphones) and maybe the iPod is next?!
For content makers like me I sure hope so - this could be a whole new market for music video makers...

 

[herbalizer]

h.264 question

question:

Is h.264 an apple/quicktime only thing or will other companies be able to use it?

I'd be happy if more apple apps were for windows. I have to use windows at work so I'm stuck with crap other than itunes.

 

[nate]

Movie Trailers on the Apple site are starting to come out in full screen veiw using iTunes.

Visit the Harry Potter (The Goblet of Fire) trailer and click on "full screen" -- up comes iTunes.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/harry_potter/thegobletoffire/


--nate

 

[asif786]

and...
What's wrong with the PC users helping to pay for our research and development? If they're helping fund Apple innovation (and choose to use a PC, while I choose to use a Mac), so much the better for Apple.

that's the whole point - they wouldn't be contributing, what i'm trying to say is:

porting iphoto to the pc (when there's already picasa from google) is pointless. the revenue that the iphoto book printing service makes is minute. apple wouldn't be able to charge for it, because people would just use picasa.

making 'ivideo' (an app for the video store) and porting it to pc would of course be great. it would be silly for apple not to do that. because something like the video store would actually generate revenue. unlike iphoto book printing.

and remember, apple is a hardware company. they dont charge much for their software (ilife) because you *have* to buy their hardware to use it. and that's where they make the real bucks..

 

[GregA]

Is h.264 an apple/quicktime only thing or will other companies be able to use it?

Apple is intimately involved with h264 afaik, but it is an open standard.

h264 will be used as 1 of 3 standards on the next generation DVDs (also Microsoft's VC-1/"WMV-HD", and standard MPEG2), and is also being picked up by payTV companies for HDTV.

The general trend is that companies with an investment in MPEG2 are finding MPEG4-10 more familiar and easier to move to, so they're leaning towards using it. Telephone companies offering TV for the first time down ADSL are evaluating VC1 vs h264 more openly and seem to be finding very little difference in them from a cost/benefit analysis.

So yeah there's be plenty of other companies using h264.
Greg

 

[GregA]

porting iphoto to the pc (when there's already picasa from google) is pointless.

If iPhoto is no different to the competition, I would argue that Apple should be making it AT ALL. But the integration with iPod is enough reason for me to want iPhoto. Anyway, Apple shouldn't port iPhoto unless it's profitable for them - either by selling the product or selling more devices that connect to it.

and remember, apple is a hardware company. they dont charge much for their software (ilife) because you *have* to buy their hardware to use it. and that's where they make the real bucks..

Bah, apple is a hardware AND software company. They don't charge much for their software because you have *already* paid for it in the overall Mac package (including hardware and software). The 20% margins "on hardware" pay for the software - which has historically meant that although Apple presents it's figures as a higher markup than other hardware manufacturers, it has a lower profitability (historically 0% or so). So they could also say it's 0% margins on hardware (no matter how much they sell) and 0% margins on software (at the current rate of sales).

The good thing is that Apple increased it's share of computer sales recently, and their software costs are reasonably fixed (not linked to amount of hardware sold) - so the 20% on extra 'hardware' sales becomes largely profit.

 

[Trowaman]

Just wanted to say i got the Gorillaz videos, quality is pretty good and they are all (well except Tibet) pretty funny. If they keep us being able to watch the music videos for free, but add in special making of videos or shorts like with the Gorillaz it would be a great new feature and would seriously start getting rid of the "I'd rather buy a full CD" instead of an album on iTunes. I currently prefer iTunes for singles but not for CDs, however if this keeps going like this i may switch over soon.

 

[GregA]

Anyone notice that when you watch a trailer in iTunes with Quicktime, you now have the option to save the trailer to your hard disk?

I used to have Quicktime 6 Pro (Now Quicktime 7 Std), so maybe that was already offered in iTunes - but I thought saving was only for the Pro users.???

 

[Bonte]

that's the whole point - they wouldn't be contributing, what i'm trying to say is:

porting iphoto to the pc (when there's already picasa from google) is pointless. the revenue that the iphoto book printing service makes is minute. apple wouldn't be able to charge for it, because people would just use picasa.

Not if they sell stock photography, pdf books and comics via iTunes/iPhoto.

 

[stephenli]

I used to have Quicktime 6 Pro (Now Quicktime 7 Std), so maybe that was already offered in iTunes - but I thought saving was only for the Pro users.???

yes. pro users only. Apple did mentioned it on its website.

right....it seems that download a whole movie really take time.
e.g. an hour for 1GB. is it practically feasible to provide this service??
However, music video is seems to be a good idea closer to reality - though it still take time, but in a level that could be tolerate.
Then, Apple. Why not iPod Extreme(?!) for Music Video and movie trailer


btw, does anybody know if any format of video could embed DRM?

 

[stephenli]

well actually.
Japanese CD album always comes with a DVD of music video recently with several dollars in addition.
so Apple right now is doing sth equivalent to what you could enjoy while purchasing a CD.
good.

 

[1macker1]

I wonder did the update to iTunes kill off hte iTunes Extractor utility that someone came up with a while back. If not, why would anyone buy a video.