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Buying movies from Apple vs buying Dvd's
- Thread starter rm2092
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If iTunes offers widescreen and 5.1, I'll typically just buy it from iTunes for convenience. However, if it is something I really want and is available on Bluray (i.e. I'm willing to pay the additional cost for it), I'll pick it up at the store and encode an AppleTV-compatible file from it.
Up to this point I've been using my own DVDs, but that's because I'm working through DVDs I already own. I'm nearing the end of that so it will be interesting to see what happens.
I've tried out that MakeMKV app (or something like that, makemymkv? I can't remember off the top of my head, there's a long thread in this forum) with some blurays and they look REALLY good after converting with Handbrake.
I would LOVE to be able to get the movies/tv shows from iTunes because then they download automatically and add the information that I have to do manually.
I've done that a few times (purchased the BluRay, ripped it and then put in the pile with the DVDs.. but I don't even have a BluRay player). I think that it defeats the purpose of having everything on the AppleTV if you're still buying the discs and then storing them.
I think it's just going to take a change of mindset to get over NOT buying a physical copy. It's like, for me at least, a big mental barrier.
I've tried out that MakeMKV app (or something like that, makemymkv? I can't remember off the top of my head, there's a long thread in this forum) with some blurays and they look REALLY good after converting with Handbrake.
I would LOVE to be able to get the movies/tv shows from iTunes because then they download automatically and add the information that I have to do manually.
I've done that a few times (purchased the BluRay, ripped it and then put in the pile with the DVDs.. but I don't even have a BluRay player). I think that it defeats the purpose of having everything on the AppleTV if you're still buying the discs and then storing them.
I think it's just going to take a change of mindset to get over NOT buying a physical copy. It's like, for me at least, a big mental barrier.
I much prefer (now) having "soft" copies of my movie collection on my Mac and thus available through numerous ATVs. Apart from anything else, it means that I don't have to have DVDs to hand, and those are now all boxed up.
Lately though, I have been buying movies through iTunes, and this works fine, especially as they give you a lower-res version for your iPhone/Touch too. The iTunes store remembers your purchases, so you can always recover purchased content if you lose it. iTunes content also comes pre-tagged, and much of the library is available in HD, which avoids the rather tedious process of ripping BluRay movies and is better quality than DVD.
The only downside of purchasing through the iTunes Store, as I see it, is that HD content is limited to 720p, whereas Blu Ray is full 1080p. Movies that I feel benefit from the full Blu Ray treatment I have purchased on disk, and I'll rip those to my Mac at some point in the future, if and when ATV can handle 1080p content.
Lately though, I have been buying movies through iTunes, and this works fine, especially as they give you a lower-res version for your iPhone/Touch too. The iTunes store remembers your purchases, so you can always recover purchased content if you lose it. iTunes content also comes pre-tagged, and much of the library is available in HD, which avoids the rather tedious process of ripping BluRay movies and is better quality than DVD.
The only downside of purchasing through the iTunes Store, as I see it, is that HD content is limited to 720p, whereas Blu Ray is full 1080p. Movies that I feel benefit from the full Blu Ray treatment I have purchased on disk, and I'll rip those to my Mac at some point in the future, if and when ATV can handle 1080p content.
If you download, the movie gets copied up to your iTunes library, and is available then for use elsewhere, other than on your TV. Automatically, you get a low-res version for your iPhone too, which sits hidden in your iTunes library as iTunes will distribute the appropriate version to the appropriate device.
To do that with a DVD, you'll have to rip it twice, and you'll have two separate entries in your library.
I have one Question i lost a bunch of purchased movies off of itunes. When my harddrive failed on my windows machine how do i recover them as i just see basicly buy or rent. I just read the policy on the video you do have to repurchase the content if u lost it if you dont have a backup
I *think* I will too - at least for video. The whole point of ripping my DVDs was so that I could watch the content on any of my devices whenever I wanted without having to find the disc. Of course this has lead me to rip two copies of everything, which is annoying.
For the time being the "full" quality stuff is iTunes and the iPod/iPhone copy is just in folders. I have a separate library for my music (until I'm done all my ripping, then I'll merge them). Apparently there is a script to merge the files (like you would have if you bought it from iTunes) but I've yet to venture down that road... for now if there is content I want on my iPhone I just stream it from my home computer with something like Telekinesis or load the specific file into my music library and sync.
It's tough and I completely understand people wanting the physical copy/full quality copy. I still purchase CDs for that reason and even if I go digital for video, it will be even tougher to go that way with music.
Back-ups are so KEY! I've had to restart after I lost about 800gbs of video files on my NAS (I kicked it when it was temporarily on the ground - stupid).
Ideally I will keep my NAS (DNS-323) at 2TB and buy the 2TB Apple Time Capsule. Then I'll use a 500GB USB drive plugged into the Time Capsule for Time Machine and keep the iTunes library on 2TB Time Capsule Drive in sync (*nsync?) with my NAS using something like Chronosync... even though the NAS has cost me about the same, I can't quite stomach the $500 price tag of the Time Capsule to act as a mirror... totally worth it though. If I lost everything now I think I would completely abandon the digital solution (despite it being because I didn't buy a back-up).
What profile are you using in Handbrake to convert the 1080 mkv file to? I would imagine Apple TV, then do you just adjust the rest to 1280x whatever?
I think I trie one once and on my Core Duo took like 5 hours to encode, whats your average time?
It not true that you can recover items you've past purchased, if it were I'd buy more store from the store. Amazon allows you to redownload purchases not Itunes.
You do know that the iPhone can play the maximum resolution you can get from a DVD (no matter what the official specs say on the Apple website), therefore you only need one copy.
For example I am in the UK and I can get the maximum resolution of 720 x 576 (Anamorphic 1024 x 576) on my iPhone. Therefore I only need 1 "Handbrake'd" copy for both my ATV & iPhone. I even have movies that hit bit-rates of 3,500 copying over to the phone, sufficient for both devices. Admittedly, in terms of an iPod, this would only work for a touch and not a click wheel variant (i believe)
In fact, the iPhone 3GS handles CABAC encoded files better than the ATV.
Now, Blu-Ray rips are a different beast altogether. Here I have 2 copies, however they only show as 1 entry in iTunes (just like a purchased HD Movie / TV Show) and iTunes dishes out the correct 1 to each device.
I'd love to buy more movies off the iTunes Store, but almost all the movies I want to buy do not have closed captioning, so there's no point.
Nowadays I buy my DVDs and BluRay discs used. Used BluRays are 2 for $30 at Blockbuster, and used DVDs cost me between $4 and $10 each depending on which sale I hit.
Only very occasionally do I buy a new movie. For example, in 2 weeks when Star Trek comes out, I'll probably pick it up right away instead of waiting for it to show up used. I also like to browse the $5 bin at Wal-Mart (picked up a lot of Star Trek movies in there -- they're even 2-disc special editions!)
For TV seasons, I wait for sales at stores like Wal-Mart. For example I picked up all my seasons of Stargate for $20 each.
Having set these precedents for what I'm willing to pay for movies, I don't find value in a $15-20 digital download with no disc, no subtitles, and no extras.
I am, however, finding myself buying CD albums online more than I thought I would.
Only very occasionally do I buy a new movie. For example, in 2 weeks when Star Trek comes out, I'll probably pick it up right away instead of waiting for it to show up used. I also like to browse the $5 bin at Wal-Mart (picked up a lot of Star Trek movies in there -- they're even 2-disc special editions!)
For TV seasons, I wait for sales at stores like Wal-Mart. For example I picked up all my seasons of Stargate for $20 each.
Having set these precedents for what I'm willing to pay for movies, I don't find value in a $15-20 digital download with no disc, no subtitles, and no extras.
I am, however, finding myself buying CD albums online more than I thought I would.
I'd love to go digital - DVDs take up so much space (if you have a big collection) and a file can actually be used in more places (phones, computers/laptops etc). Also, the itunes versions should be higher quality than DVD rips as they can encode from the master copy straight to H264 rather than going through MPEG2. Unfortunately DVDs offer multiple soundtracks, subtitles/trivia tracks, DTS audio and extras. Apple seem to be catching up with extras, but so far no multiple audio (ie English/Japanese/Commentary), no standard for DTS-in-m4v yet, no soft subtitles and not all the extras (surely there could be a link to the HD trailers that Apple typically hosts)?
With HD, I'll stick with BluRay for now.
Likewise for music, when iTunes starts selling iTunes LP with ALAC files I'll start buying digital.
With HD, I'll stick with BluRay for now.
Likewise for music, when iTunes starts selling iTunes LP with ALAC files I'll start buying digital.
There have been a handful of titles released to the iTunes Store that have multiple soundtracks (main/commentary). There are also titles that have soft subtitles included. It really is out of Apple's control; they offer whatever the studio gives them.
I use the AppleTV present and bump up the constant quality setting to like 65 I think. I've also tried limiting the file size so that the average bit-rate is around 4000kbps and that works too. The resolution is set to whatever x 720 (I think you're right with 1280)
I don't mind buying movies through iTunes but the selection leaves a lot to be desired. Not to mention, there are movies in iTunes Store that I didn't even know they had, you have to dig down deep to find stuff.
I think the convenience of being able to sync movies to iPhone, stream to MacBooks and Apple TV is just fantastic. Hopefully Apple will really grow the Movie offerings, though, as I am bored and tired of having to encode stuff.
I think the convenience of being able to sync movies to iPhone, stream to MacBooks and Apple TV is just fantastic. Hopefully Apple will really grow the Movie offerings, though, as I am bored and tired of having to encode stuff.
For me, I can't justify the price of either renting or purchasing movies on iTunes. I'm not sure if these are national or not, but I rent all of my movies from movie rental kiosks called "Redbox." They always have ample copies of the latest movies, all for $1.
Though I don't condone this, one could easily rip the DVD as an ISO, and convert the ISO via MPEGSTREAMCLIP to any format of their choosing, and play it back on their Apple TV, Mac Mini, iPod Touch or iPhone very easily.
If I were more budget-conscious and less moral, I would definitely choose this route, which is what I think a lot of other people are doing, unfortunately.
And even for those who have higher standards, why not just buy the physical media for $13 the day it comes out, and rip it? It's legal since you own it, and you can convert it to any format of your choosing...
I just don't see the logic in iTunes downloads. At least for movies.
Again, I'm not for pirating or ripping movies. There just are a lot of people who don't mind it. And frankly, it is a relatively tempting notion.
Think about this... if you purchase one new movie a month, for $15. Over the course of a year, you'll spend $180. There are many people that buy multiple movies each month. For that $180, you could rent 180 movies from Redbox. And if you were into that sort of thing, you could rip them, burn them to physical media or convert them for a fraction of the cost of retail. For many people, that temptation is too easy to give in to. Until rental and purchase prices fall on digital downloads, there is little reason to waste money like that.
Though I don't condone this, one could easily rip the DVD as an ISO, and convert the ISO via MPEGSTREAMCLIP to any format of their choosing, and play it back on their Apple TV, Mac Mini, iPod Touch or iPhone very easily.
If I were more budget-conscious and less moral, I would definitely choose this route, which is what I think a lot of other people are doing, unfortunately.
And even for those who have higher standards, why not just buy the physical media for $13 the day it comes out, and rip it? It's legal since you own it, and you can convert it to any format of your choosing...
I just don't see the logic in iTunes downloads. At least for movies.
Again, I'm not for pirating or ripping movies. There just are a lot of people who don't mind it. And frankly, it is a relatively tempting notion.
Think about this... if you purchase one new movie a month, for $15. Over the course of a year, you'll spend $180. There are many people that buy multiple movies each month. For that $180, you could rent 180 movies from Redbox. And if you were into that sort of thing, you could rip them, burn them to physical media or convert them for a fraction of the cost of retail. For many people, that temptation is too easy to give in to. Until rental and purchase prices fall on digital downloads, there is little reason to waste money like that.