Filed under: Apple TV
Buy movies with your Apple TV
As we posted earlier today, Apple announced that several movie studios will now be releasing digital versions of their movies for sale on the same day as the DVD. Even Apple TV users can get in on the fun. You now have the option of buying movies directly on your Apple TV, whereas before today you could only rent movies from Apple TV. Sure, it's not groundbreaking considering you could buy the movie on your Mac and transfer it to your Apple TV, but it's nice to see the added layer of convenience.
Apple TV owners will also note a new "Top Sellers" category in the "Top Movies" page, an additional option for those times when you want to crowdsource your movie selection.
Thanks, Kevin!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
David V. said 3:32PM on 5-01-2008
But will we be able to buy the HD version? And what if we rent it first, can we get a discount?
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Jonathan Wise said 3:42PM on 5-01-2008
Stop asking reasonable questions. There's nothing reasonable about getting movies this way!
Its been said before, but: low quality, DRM, no special features... why would anyone want to pay money for this?
We're not going to beat Bluray this way...
mark said 6:33PM on 5-01-2008
@Jonathan
HD space saving, Do you own a theater? They got to start somewhere...i did:)
metroid87706 said 3:40PM on 5-01-2008
Will it sync back to the computer its synced with?
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robogobo said 3:54PM on 5-01-2008
Can we burn it to DVD? If not, Why would I want this over buying the DVD? When iTunes treats movies the same way it does music, then we'll talk.
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bob said 4:15PM on 5-01-2008
your missing the point, this bypasses the need for a dvd
robogobo said 4:26PM on 5-01-2008
no, you're missing the point. really, you and the studios really are missing the point. If I can't back it up to DVD, then no go.
mrsteveman1 said 5:20PM on 5-01-2008
No one said you couldn't back it up to a DVD, you just can't play it on a DVD player.
You know what that would require? Transcoding, which is a poor solution to this problem.
Go buy a DVD with the digital copy on it if these things are important to you, sooner or later DVD players aren't going to be relevant anymore, and for some people they already aren't. There are a number of significant things you can't do with a DVD, like transfer it to a portable device without transcoding and breaking CSS.
robogobo said 5:26PM on 5-01-2008
"There are a number of significant things you can't do with a DVD, like transfer it to a portable device without transcoding and breaking CSS."
There are a number of things you can't do with a car, such as driving it without getting in and starting it up.
What's your point? I'll say it again, when iTunes treats movies the way it does music, then we'll talk. Can I be any clearer than that? All you people buying into this DRM crap are scaring me. DVDs will not become irrelevant just because you say so. They're still the only universal format. Once codecs and DRMs are out of the way, then they'll be irrelevant.
Bloobie said 5:05AM on 5-02-2008
robo: There's a significant difference between the two standard, "universal" mediums for music and movies. Most music is not copy-protected on the physical disc, whereas most DVDs are. The movie industry would never have allowed DVDs to exist had it not been for the CSS encryption that is on them. It is their decision to not allow the burning of purchased videos to disc and not Apple's, and it's not going to change anytime soon. They simply do not want people producing their own home-grown DVDs, which is where most pirating actually occurs (through your friendly local bootleg vendors).
If you're so hateful of codecs and DRM, then I suppose that you have never purchased a DVD, either. You need to purchase and install a codec to play them in Windows Media Player, and you would need to crack and remove the encryption using software should you decide that you wanted to burn a copy for your friend down the street.
And, please, try and separate the two things that you are discussing in regards to making a backup. If by making a "backup" you mean transcoding the video to MPEG-2 and then burning it to a blank DVD for backup, I mean, playback in a DVD player, then please say so. If you meant making a backup for the purpose of safeguarding your data, then that's something you can already do, since iTunes allows you to backup you purchased videos to disc.
robogobo said 5:40AM on 5-02-2008
I love you people who live in a world where you pretend something doesn't exist because someone calls it "Illegal" or "unethical", even when final judgement on those issues in still (and always will be) pending. I come from the (totally legit) side of "if I buy something, I own it and shouldn't be restricted as to where/when I watch it".
Bloobie, your if a=b then b=z logic that gets you to my never having bought a DVD is cute. But my collection of 200 DVDs and their ripped counterparts (even MtR says I can rip what I own) proves otherwise. I have never pirated any of them, but I treat the DVD as a master. If watch them on my tv, my friends' tv, my ipod, or anywhere I'm not charging admission, then you and Apple and Big Bob's Movie Studio can stick it. Shit, how many times do you guys need to hear this line: "Owning and using technology that can otherwise be used illegally for legal purposes is not illegal".
AND, naturally as a downloaded film is a file, I know I can back up the data. SO, naturally I'm not asking for that ability. Just go back to my opening argument. Why would I want to dl a movie and its stupid restrictions when I can buy a universal (*my dvd player plays PAL ad NTSC and whatever else you throw at it) portable disc that I don't have to humbly beg for permission to transfer from one machine to another for the same price?
Luddites, good little citizenbots, please save your myopic judgement for the Sunday confessional. All your "he has a gun so he must be a criminal" bs is quite cloudy and boring.
david said 4:32PM on 5-01-2008
Plus, what if you want to take a movie to your friend's house? That being said, the reasons for not allowing DVD backup are obvious: they don't want people making illegal copies of the movies. Like it or not, this is how it's going to be unless there's significant consumer backlash.
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robogobo said 5:43AM on 5-02-2008
I for one am backlashing. Insignificantly, no doubt, considering the general puritanical showing on this thread.
michaelgcohen said 4:44PM on 5-01-2008
You have been able to purchase movies directly to the Apple TV since 2.0 came out. Yes they do sync back to the computer through iTunes. It would indeed be nice if you got a discount on movies you had rented but I won't hold my breath.
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mattyohe said 5:05PM on 5-01-2008
"You have been able to purchase movies directly to the Apple TV since 2.0 came out."
Actually no... The Take 2 release only let you purchase Music or TV Shows.
Kit said 4:06AM on 5-02-2008
I agree; I'm sure this functionality was available on the software before today, since I've seen it and I haven't been home to use my Apple TV yet today.
RobK said 5:05PM on 5-01-2008
Boycott! Boycott!! Boycott!
Apple and the movie industry could allow iTunes to make one and only one copy on a DVD for backup purposes.
Since they won't allow even that, I will not be buying. I encourage others to boycott Apple when it comes to buying movies as well.
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robogobo said 5:49PM on 5-01-2008
here here.
Zak said 6:09PM on 5-01-2008
Sigh. When are people going to learn that it's not Apple who is insisting on DRM? It's the MOVIE STUDIOS. The MOVIE STUDIOS are the ones who won't let you make a backup copy. Boycotting Apple will do NOTHING, since Apple is not the one who made the decision to put DRM on the content.
RobK said 5:17PM on 5-01-2008
Oh yes, I just saw this article in the NY Times.
People Can't Tell Diff b/t Blu-Ray and DVD, Blu-Ray Sales Plummeting
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/blu-ray-the-future-has-been-delayed/
In other words, if you are going to buy a movie, just buy a DVD!!
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