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iTunes TV Rentals UK?

J

jamied95

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 14, 2009
449
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On the UK site, it doesn't say anything about TV rentals in the UK, is it available then?

Also, if you rent a movie/tv programme, does it stream, or do you download it onto your computer and then stream? How good internet would you need?
 
I don't think we in the UK will get TV rentals straight away, especially since our channels pay a lot of money to buy american programs. Eventually a deal may be struck allowing it but not right away.
 
So for U users, it's basically useless/not particularly useful/relevent etc...

I was talking to a woman on Apple Store chat earlier an she was convinced that there was TV rentals, and that you couldn't rent directly from the Apple TV, and you had to download everything to your PC and then stream that, is that right?
 
I actually think there is a bigger chance of iPlayer coming to the :apple:TV.

And that isn't a doubt comment, I actually think it's probably more likely for Apple to introduce iPlayer integration like what they're doing for Netflix if they strike a deal with the BBC. At least, that's what i'm hoping for.

If Apple can get iPlayer on the Apple TV, it will probably be worth the increased UK price. I'm still a little shocked they introduce a less-featured but higher-priced device in the UK. iPlayer would change this dramatically.
 
I'm not from the UK but even I think you're spot on. iPlayer has a very good chance at becoming available for tv. It's just a matter of cutting the deals.

Here in Canada though, we're living in the dark ages. :(
 
Netflix is supposedly returning to the UK later this year (2010) on a streaming only basis (no DVD's).

If this happens, I wouldn't be surprised if Apple gets a deal with them to stream to the AppleTV over here too.

And if Apple actually did some freaking work and got them to stream iPlayer and ITV-Player through the AppleTV, it would be freaking amazing.
 
Well LoveFilm do streaming nowadays, so they should at least do a deal with them! BBC iPlayer would be awesome, but having Sky Player on there would be pretty great, because at least then you could have Sky1 stuff like Modern Family etc, potentially removing the need for TV Rentals (for the time being...)!

Does anyone know the minimum speed you would need to stream on the Apple TV?
 
What about 4OD as well thats available on youtube but only in Flash so maybe they'll have to try and convince them to convert their shows for apple tv
 
For the UK the new Apple TV seems to be a big 'meh' at the moment, especially if you have a relatively new TV. For example I helped buy my sister a new Sony Freeview HD set earlier this year, which has an Ethernet port and built-in software for accessing Lovefilm, YouTube, 5 On Demand etc. They are rolling out BBC iPlayer and Facebook access too. The TV can also stream content from a PC (not sure about the Mac at the moment).
 
drlunanerd said:
For the UK the new Apple TV seems to be a big 'meh' at the moment, especially if you have a relatively new TV. For example I helped buy my sister a new Sony Freeview HD set earlier this year, which has an Ethernet port and built-in software for accessing Lovefilm, YouTube, 5 On Demand etc. They are rolling out BBC iPlayer and Facebook access too. The TV can also stream content from a PC (not sure about the Mac at the moment).
Click to expand...

Yes but those TV's aren't affordable for everyone.
 
TheBritishBloke said:
Yes but those TV's aren't affordable for everyone.
Click to expand...

£400-£500? You need a recent TV with HDMI to use an Apple TV anyway. I'm just saying it appears to offer limited features, especially for the UK audience and especially if you have a newish telly.
 
I've gone with Apple TV for the first time as I think I'd rather rent HD movies and watch them like that, then have to buy into BluRay discs. For the moment anyway - DVDs are decent price these days but their HD equivalent is back to DVD prices of yore.

With any luck, LoveFilm may head the way of NetFlix and we'll get a UK equivalent of that option - I also like the idea of all of the standard channel's archive players showing up on AppleTV. Nintendo Wii manages to stream the iPlayer, so there's no reason they can't make a deal with Apple - the quality will be better, no doubt.

It's a shame that, in this global digital age, we can't just do away with channels buying in overseas programming and that the US networks can't just buy their own UK digital channels and broadcast here. Feh.
 
drlunanerd said:
£400-£500? You need a recent TV with HDMI to use an Apple TV anyway. I'm just saying it appears to offer limited features, especially for the UK audience and especially if you have a newish telly.
Click to expand...

Internet capable TV's are currently the high end models, which mainly cost over £800... I'm going to be using my AppleTV in the bedroom, I spent £300 on this TV.. Not £800+
 
TheBritishBloke said:
Internet capable TV's are currently the high end models, which mainly cost over £800... I'm going to be using my AppleTV in the bedroom, I spent £300 on this TV.. Not £800+
Click to expand...

Well we paid between £400 - £500 for ours. Fair enough if you already have a TV of course. BBC iPlayer went live on Sony tellies last week by the way, seems to work fine and in HD too.
 
flamingkitties said:
I've gone with Apple TV for the first time as I think I'd rather rent HD movies and watch them like that, then have to buy into BluRay discs. For the moment anyway - DVDs are decent price these days but their HD equivalent is back to DVD prices of yore.

With any luck, LoveFilm may head the way of NetFlix and we'll get a UK equivalent of that option - I also like the idea of all of the standard channel's archive players showing up on AppleTV. Nintendo Wii manages to stream the iPlayer, so there's no reason they can't make a deal with Apple - the quality will be better, no doubt.

It's a shame that, in this global digital age, we can't just do away with channels buying in overseas programming and that the US networks can't just buy their own UK digital channels and broadcast here. Feh.
Click to expand...



I agree but its a pity they aren't actually HD though.... :(


iPlayer is available on so many bits of hardware (iOS, XB360, PS3 and Wii) now putting it on iTV is pointless
 
I bought apple tv to stream TV programmes....of course apple will have deals in place at launch. id imagine it will be a direct $ to £ translation. HD episodes will be £.99 and HD films £3.50 (although might be £4.50 or £4.99). No way apple would launch without rentals being ready, they wont want to have another PR nightmare. 100% guaranteed.
 
You can already watch iPlayer on an iPhone/iPod/iPad - my hope is that AirPlay will allow you to redirect that output to the new Apple TV. The iPhone/iPod/iPad then makes a great remote control for iPlayer whilst you watch it on a big TV.

My fear though is that Apple won't support that because it may harm their potential revenue from iTunes rentals. Which would be a shame.

If they enable AirPlay support for Apps, then hopefully someone can release an iOS app for iPlayer/ITV/4OD that sends it output to the Apple TV. Combined with movie rentals from iTunes there'd then be no real need for a Sky/cable subscription, or even a TV aerial.
 
R1PPER said:
I bought apple tv to stream TV programmes....of course apple will have deals in place at launch. id imagine it will be a direct $ to £ translation. HD episodes will be £.99 and HD films £3.50 (although might be £4.50 or £4.99). No way apple would launch without rentals being ready, they wont want to have another PR nightmare. 100% guaranteed.
Click to expand...

Imagine away - there still are no tv show rentals in the Uk, or even promises of. 100% guaranteed.
 
You can and pay for them that way, but its not particularly legal. If you're going to break the law, you may as well just download a torrent or something. Paying for the privilege of breaking the law is just ludicrous.

I don't want to break the law, I want to give Apple/the TV studios my money, but they seem to make it so difficult to do so sometimes.
 
Same as all the people who thought the Final design for the iphone 4 was a fake. I mean do lobotomies come free on this forum.
 
R1PPER said:
Same as all the people who thought the Final design for the iphone 4 was a fake. I mean do lobotomies come free on this forum.
Click to expand...

Hey, r1pper: AFAIK the Apple TV has launched (you can buy it on the Apple UK store). Can't seem to find the TV rentals in the iTunes store though, can you point me towards them?

Oh, hang on, you can't - because they don't exist. That might also be why the Apple TV pages on the Apple UK site, er, don't mention TV rentals at all, only films. Now who looks a bit lobotomised? :rolleyes:
 
Maybe your all right...but i doubt it :p
We will see. Ill eat my apple TV if your right.
Lets just hope that they don't delay release until they have some rentals in place.
 
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