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Let's get something clear: transferring iTunes purchases - LEGAL or ILLEGAL?

A

Amnesiac7

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 4, 2009
64
0
I posted this earlier today, in a thread that is now locked for some reason:

Here is the scenario:

I have a few TV episodes I want to transfer from my iMac to another person's MacBook (I'm using Lion, she's using Leopard). How can I do this? We're not currently in the same city, but I will be visiting her city soon. Can I put the TV show episodes onto a USB disc and drop them into her iTunes folder when I see her? Can I transfer them to her over the internet in advance of our meeting? What is the best solution?
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I received this reply, as to why this might be illegal:

Small White Car said:
Well, if it worked the way you wanted what's to stop you from doing the same thing with 10,000 other 'friends' on the internet?


You CAN do what you want, but you'll have to use up one of your iTunes device authorizations. (This is what will prevent you from doing this to everyone you know.)

On your friend's Mac go into the computer's settings and make a whole new user profile and switch to that. In that into the iTunes store with your name and passowrd. Then, you can re-download the episode for free within iTunes. I don't know where that is on the Mac, but I've been doing it on my iPad recently (re-downloading shows that were already bought and downloaded on my iPhone) and it works great there. So you should be able to do the same on her computer.

The drawback is that her computer now counts as one of your authorized computers, and you only get so many. You should probably de-authorize her machine within iTunes before you leave to re-claim that spot.
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This is an odd response, no? This person is essentially saying it could be illegal if I decided to distribute it online to 10,000 other 'friends' -- BUT this is CLEARLY something that I have no interest in doing and would obviously never do. The original post is asking about how I can continue to watch MAD MEN with my girlfriend using my purchased copies of the episodes (this is comparable to bringing a DVD set of Mad Men to my girlfriend's house, no?). The original post has nothing to do with mass distributing the episodes on the internet or something awful like that. Why would it, given the fact that I'm obviously not at all interested in doing something that stupid and awful?

This is why the response is weird -- it's like, the person said "WHAT YOU ARE WANTING TO DO IS NOT ILLEGAL BECAUSE APPLE ALLOWS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED COMPUTERS TO SHARE CONTENT. BUT, IF YOU DID IT ANOTHER WAY, IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL -- AND BY 'ANOTHER WAY', I MEAN TRYING TO UPLOAD IT ONLINE TO 10,000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU CLEARLY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN DOING BUT I'LL MENTION IT ANYWAY EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR ORIGINAL POST!".

So, seriously, what gives? What I am wanting to do is clearly not illegal, right?

If I make my girlfriend's MacBook an 'authorized' computer that is allowed to share my iTunes content, then we can continue our MAD MEN watching in a totally legal fashion, right? When I bring a USB stick with my LEGALLY PURCHASED MAD MEN episodes on it and try to play it on her computer, which I would then authorize.... this is perfectly legal, right?

Someone please clarify this for me, thanks.
 
matbook101 said:
Ahh, because it was closed because you already posted this and it got closed. This will be closed soon as well.
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Will it? Why? If so, that's unfortunate. I'm sorry about breaking the rules, but this is a question that I think warrants attention (and since it is no longer a duplicate thread, I am assuming it is therefore no longer in violation of the forum rules -- especially since it is NOT an exact regurgitation of the first thread that got locked, but asks a slightly different question in relation to the same general topic).
 
It's illegal friend, You are not only violating copyright, but also Apple TOS.

You are also breaking this forums rules, discussions about that are NOT allow, and trying to reopen a thread that was already close is also against the rules.
 
maturola said:
It's illegal friend, You are not only violating copyright, but also Apple TOS.

You are also breaking this forums rules, discussions about that are NOT allow, and trying to reopen a thread that was already close is also against the rules.
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How is it illegal if Apple allows it through their system of authorized computers?

Can someone point me toward what legal options I have? If I own a laptop, for instance, I can obviously transfer my purchases from my iMac to that laptop and then bring it to my girlfriend's place and watch the iTunes content that way. Is this the only legal option I have?

I think I'll call AppleCare about this and try to get a clear answer before I do anything.
 
Amnesiac7 said:
Will it? Why? If so, that's unfortunate. I'm sorry about breaking the rules, but this is a question that I think warrants attention (and since it is no longer a duplicate thread, I am assuming it is therefore no longer in violation of the forum rules -- especially since it is NOT an exact regurgitation of the first thread that got locked, but asks a slightly different question in relation to the same general topic).
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Nope, you still posted it after it got locked. Against forum rules.

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Amnesiac7 said:
How is it illegal if Apple allows it through their system of authorized computers?
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Their system is for your use if you have more than one computer. Not for you to share copyrighted content with people.
 
Amnesiac7 said:
When I bring a USB stick with my LEGALLY PURCHASED MAD MEN episodes on it and try to play it on her computer, which I would then authorize.... this is perfectly legal, right?

Someone please clarify this for me, thanks.
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Let me google the iTunes Store terms of service for you. Hold on.

USE OF PURCHASED OR RENTED CONTENT

You agree that the iTunes Service and certain iTunes Products include security technology that limits your use of iTunes Products and that, whether or not iTunes Products are limited by security technology, you shall use iTunes Products in compliance with the applicable usage rules established by Apple and its licensors (“Usage Rules”), and that any other use of the iTunes Products may constitute a copyright infringement. Any security technology is an inseparable part of the iTunes Products. Apple reserves the right to modify the Usage Rules at any time. You agree not to violate, circumvent, reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise tamper with any of the security technology related to such Usage Rules for any reason—or to attempt or assist another person to do so. Usage Rules may be controlled and monitored by Apple for compliance purposes, and Apple reserves the right to enforce the Usage Rules without notice to you. You agree not to access the iTunes Service by any means other than through software that is provided by Apple for accessing the iTunes Service. You shall not access or attempt to access an Account that you are not authorized to access. You agree not to modify the software in any manner or form, or to use modified versions of the software, for any purposes including obtaining unauthorized access to the iTunes Service. Violations of system or network security may result in civil or criminal liability.

USAGE RULES

(i) You shall be authorized to use iTunes Products only for personal, noncommercial use.

(ii) You shall be authorized to use iTunes Products on five iTunes-authorized devices at any time, except for Content Rentals (see below).

(iii) You shall be able to store iTunes Products from up to five different Accounts at a time on compatible devices, provided that each iPhone may sync tone iTunes Products with only a single iTunes-authorized device at a time, and syncing an iPhone with a different iTunes-authorized device will cause tone iTunes Products stored on that iPhone to be erased.

(iv) You shall be authorized to burn an audio playlist up to seven times.

(v) You shall not be entitled to burn video iTunes Products or tone iTunes Products.

(vi) iTunes Plus Products do not contain security technology that limits your usage of such products, and Usage Rules (ii) – (v) do not apply to iTunes Plus Products. You may copy, store, and burn iTunes Plus Products as reasonably necessary for personal, noncommercial use.

(vii) You shall be able to manually sync a movie from at least one iTunes-authorized device to devices that have manual sync mode, provided that the movie is associated with an Account on the primary iTunes-authorized device, where the primary iTunes-authorized device is the one that was first synced with the device or the one that you subsequently designate as primary using iTunes.

(viii) An HDCP connection is required to view content transmitted over HDMI.

(ix) Content Rentals

(a) Content rentals are viewable on only one device at a time. You must be connected to the iTunes Service when moving rentals, and you may do so only between your computer and other compatible devices. Content rented using your Apple TV, iPad, iPhone 4, or iPod touch (4th generation) may not be moved. If you move a rental to a compatible device and then use the iTunes Service to restore that device, or choose Settings > Reset > Erase all content and settings on that device, the rental will be permanently deleted.

(b) You have thirty (30) days after downloading a rental to begin viewing. Once you begin viewing, you have twenty-four (24) hours to finish viewing a movie. Stopping, pausing, or restarting a rental does not extend the available time for viewing.

Some iTunes Products, including but not limited to Content rentals, may be downloaded only once and cannot be replaced if lost for any reason. It is your responsibility not to lose, destroy, or damage iTunes Products once downloaded, and you may wish to back them up.

The delivery of iTunes Products does not transfer to you any commercial or promotional use rights in the iTunes Products. Any burning or exporting capabilities are solely an accommodation to you and shall not constitute a grant, waiver, or other limitation of any rights of the copyright owners in any content embodied in any iTunes Product.

You acknowledge that, because some aspects of the iTunes Service, iTunes Products, and administration of the Usage Rules entails the ongoing involvement of Apple, if Apple changes any part of or discontinues the iTunes Service, which Apple may do at its election, you may not be able to use iTunes Products to the same extent as prior to such change or discontinuation, and that Apple shall have no liability to you in such case.
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http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html#SERVICE
 
Amnesiac7 said:
BUT, IF YOU DID IT ANOTHER WAY, IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL -- AND BY 'ANOTHER WAY', I MEAN TRYING TO UPLOAD IT ONLINE TO 10,000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU CLEARLY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN DOING BUT I'LL MENTION IT ANYWAY EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR ORIGINAL POST!".
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Well, look, this is a public forum. We can't tell just you how to get around DRM restrictions without the entire internet seeing the answer. I was not accusing you of piracy, I was saying that any answer we give you would also be of use to pirates.

And I'm guessing that's why they closed the last thread. Macrumors doesn't want posts on defeating DRM even if you personally happen to be a decent person. It's still up there for everyone else in the world to see.

As for a 'real' answer to your problem, something I honestly suggest is buying an Apple TV and keeping it and an HDMI cable in your bag. Put any videos you buy on an iOS device and then plug the Apple TV in wherever you go. This lets you play stuff anywhere with no problems whatsoever.

Perfect? No. Is what you want reasonable? For sure. I wish it DID work the way you want it to work. But it doesn't work that way, and to get exactly what you want requires breaking Apple's DRM, so there's no way for a post like that to exist on Macrumors.
 
matbook101 said:
Nope, you still posted it after it got locked. Against forum rules.

----------



Their system is for your use if you have more than one computer. Not for you to share copyrighted content with people.
Click to expand...

But if my girlfriend comes over, sits down, and watches MAD MEN with me, that's OK? It's not like I'm giving her the files to KEEP. It was meant as a solution to a problem: she lives in another city, we want to keep watching this show, I purchased it, now I need to get it to her so when I visit her, we can keep watching.

If it's illegal, though, then I have to find a legal method.

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Small White Car said:
Well, look, this is a public forum. We can't tell just you how to get around DRM restrictions without the entire internet seeing the answer. I was not accusing you of piracy, I was saying that any answer we give you would also be of use to pirates.
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I see. OK, I didn't consider that, sorry. I can see how that would be problematic, obviously.

Small White Car said:
As for a 'real' answer to your problem, something I honestly suggest is buying an Apple TV and keeping it and an HDMI cable in your bag. Put any videos you buy on an iOS device and then plug the Apple TV in wherever you go. This lets you play stuff anywhere with no problems whatsoever.

Perfect? No. Is what you want reasonable? For sure. I wish it DID work the way you want it to work. But it doesn't work that way, and to get exactly what you want requires breaking Apple's DRM, so there's no way for a post like that to exist on Macrumors.
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I see. Thank you. Sorry if my reply offended you in any way, I just wanted clarification. Apple TV seems like a good idea. I can use my iPhone to store my iTunes purchases (i.e., sync my iMac's iTunes content with my iPhone) and then stream them from the iPhone to my girlfriend's television, if I am spending the weekend with her, for instance? And this would be perfectly legal?

If so, I'm wondering if the iPhone would actually store the 1080p Mad Men files. Since they're in 1080p, I'm wondering... if I sync the iTunes content on my iMac to my iPhone (and then later to my girlfriend's TV via Apple TV), would it sync the 1080p files or just sync a lower resolution/iPhone 'friendly' version of the files?
 
Amnesiac7 said:
I see. Thank you. Sorry if my reply offended you in any way
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Not me. I just don't want you thinking the forum was being mean to you for no reason.


Amnesiac7 said:
If so, I'm wondering if the iPhone would actually store the 1080p Mad Men files. Since they're in 1080p, I'm wondering... if I sync the iTunes content my iMac to my iPhone, would it sync the 1080p files or just sync a lower resolution version of the files?
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I'm not sure, and it probably depends on which iPhone you have. But I CAN tell you that it won't convert the video without your knowledge. It will either copy it intact or it will say it couldn't copy that version. So if it works it works, you won't be surprised later.

I'm nearly positive that the 4S will take it. I THINK the 4 will take it, but I'm kind of guessing here.
 
What was suggested to the OP is no different than what many families around the world among the apple community do, with their apps.

They create one family apple account, and then share all the purchases. This method provides them the ease of being able to only buy an app once, and share it among their family members (most likely kids) so they don't have to rebuy those expensive games, over and over again.

This method can be applied to any other media file that has DRM in the iTunes store. You get a computer, you authorize it, and you can redownload or backup your files into that computer and enjoy them. This is no different than a husband sharing with his wife, or a parent sharing the episodes with their kids. I see nothing wrong here.

Music on the other hand, is a different matter. Although it is DRM-Free, it has the potential to be spreaded around torrent sites, and that is definitely illegal. Since the files don't need you to authorize a computer, I would be very careful with sharing your music files.

OP, as long as you're not breaking the DRM off the files itself, and staying within the authorization restrictions. I see no problem with sharing with your girlfriend, just make sure that you type that password yourself. Do not give it away.

Just my .02 cents.

Edit: Also, the iPhone 4S can take 1080p iTunes files. I've done it myself. Handbrake encoded files on the other hand, are a different matter depending on the settings that you used.
 
Los said:
What was suggested to the OP is no different than what many families around the world among the apple community do, with their apps.

They create one family apple account, and then share all the purchases. This method provides them the ease of being able to only buy an app once, and share it among their family members (most likely kids) so they don't have to rebuy those expensive games, over and over again.

This method can be applied to any other media file that has DRM in the iTunes store. You get a computer, you authorize it, and you can redownload or backup your files into that computer and enjoy them. This is no different than a husband sharing with his wife, or a parent sharing the episodes with their kids. I see nothing wrong here.
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He can do the same but he needs an apple device to share it, people don't manually copy those games and app to the other device they download it from apple servers using the same Apple ID, the apps get encrypted with that ID. You cannot share it otherwise.
 
matbook101 said:
What? You mean 2 cents right? Good.
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Haha yeah. Oops. :D

maturola said:
He can do the same but he needs an apple device to share it, people don't manually copy those games and app to the other device they download it from apple servers using the same Apple ID, the apps get encrypted with that ID. You cannot share it otherwise.
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What do you mean by manually? For example before I had my mac, I had all my junk on my external hard drive running Windows. So, once I switched to a Mac, I just opened up iTunes as a new library, transferred everything. Authorized my computer, and presto. Everything worked just fine. This included apps, movies, and music (probably books too).

Can't remember if I had to authorize my iPhone at the time though.

This is of course, me assuming that he wants to her to watch the episodes on the computer. I believe synching to an iDevice requires yet another authorization to copy it over. I know apps do that for sure.
 
Los said:
What was suggested to the OP is no different than what many families around the world among the apple community do, with their apps.

They create one family apple account, and then share all the purchases. This method provides them the ease of being able to only buy an app once, and share it among their family members (most likely kids) so they don't have to rebuy those expensive games, over and over again.
Click to expand...

Which incidentally can also be shown to violate the iTunes TOS....
 
sphinx99 said:
Which incidentally can also be shown to violate the iTunes TOS....
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Please show. According to the section that the OP provided of the ToS, as long as it's within the 5 limit authorized computers/iDevices, and for personal noncommercial use. It's fine.

However, I re-read the OP's post and noticed the mentioned sharing over the internet before he got to his girlfriend's house. That's not a good thing to do.
 
TOS specifically refers to the agreement being with an individual, not a group of individuals, and specifically accords that individual with several responsibilities such as not sharing account information or data. It would not be hard for Apple to claim your suggestion as a violation of TOS and grounds for account cancellation. Just saying...
 
Small White Car said:
As for a 'real' answer to your problem, something I honestly suggest is buying an Apple TV and keeping it and an HDMI cable in your bag. Put any videos you buy on an iOS device and then plug the Apple TV in wherever you go. This lets you play stuff anywhere with no problems whatsoever.
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If he did buy the ATV couldn't he just skip the iOS device and watch them directly from the cloud?
I thought all previously purchased TV shows were now available for streaming from Apple.
 
This is precisely why people pirate audio and video. If I *buy* the ****** content, then it's MINE to do with AS I PLEASE. Don't treat me like a criminal AFTER I've already bought it. If you make it difficult for me to do WHAT I WANT with something THAT I BOUGHT, then I'll happily not contribute to your bottom line.
 
Los said:
However, I re-read the OP's post and noticed the mentioned sharing over the internet before he got to his girlfriend's house. That's not a good thing to do.
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To be clear, I was talking about using an Apple approved method and/or some obviously LEGAL method -- something comparable to Home Sharing, for instance -- to get the TV episode files to her.

All this boils down to is that we want to watch some episodes of a TV show that I bought and downloaded. Since we currently live in separate cities, the logistics are a bit difficult. If she's here, fine, we'll watch it on my iMac, but if I'm visiting her, it becomes a more difficult situation.
 
so basicly i buy a movie that my mom and me like and i put the file on her computer and authorize her itunes to play the movie i bought as we are in the same house and her apple tv plays it then its wrong
 
I am confused.

You can authorize up to 5 computers on an account. So bring your files with you and authorize her computer when you are there. Watch, and when you leave deauthorize.

Or get an ipad.

You can share content across multiple computers at home as long a everyone is using the same itunes account. Families do it all the time. I think its called "Home Sharing"

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ljonesj said:
so basicly i buy a movie that my mom and me like and i put the file on her computer and authorize her itunes to play the movie i bought as we are in the same house and her apple tv plays it then its wrong
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No its not wrong.

The ATV is only accessing one account at a time. So, if you wanted to watch content from your account...you'd have to log out on the ATV and log in with your ID.
 
actually i authorized her computer to play that movie in itunes so she can play it with out having me authrize it for her from her apple tv but everything else is still running under her itunes account
 
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