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Movie pulled from iTunes - can no longer download

N

nathanlukewong

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 10, 2009
29
1
Hi there

I was wondering if this is common practice?

I purchased Robots a few years ago and I show it every year to my robotics class for a bit of fun.

This year I went to stream it in iTunes but could not. After an hour of talking to people from Apple Care I was told that the movie was pulled from the iTunes store and could not be redownloaded - despite me already having paid for it.

Whilst I can understand that Apple cant store everything forever, there is a 'new/rebundled' version of the movie. I was told I could not get credited to purchase the new version because my purchase was so long ago.

They did offer me 2x free rentals though (a small gesture considering I wanted to buy the movie).

Seems like a joke and extremely unfair, especially since they are pushing this whole 'cloud' viewing experience.

Has this happened to anyone else. Whilst I only lost $10 I am still not happy about it!!! Should have just bought the DVD!
 
You didn't buy the movie. You bought a license to view it, and Apples terms state that the license provider can at any time remove the content without telling you.

So you are out of luck. So yes, buy physical media in the future. But the problem is not the cloud - The problem is stupid licensing regulations.
 
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I had it happen to me once before, but I was told to always download it and have a backup copy of it. Every movie I buy I just make sure I always download it and move it to and external hard drive.
 
I have Robots in my library (also purchased years ago) and can still download and stream it from the "Purchased" section in the iTunes store. Where in iTunes did you look?
 
Rigby said:
I have Robots in my library (also purchased years ago) and can still download and stream it from the "Purchased" section in the iTunes store. Where in iTunes did you look?
Click to expand...
Just in the My Movies Tab - strange. Maybe you have a different version (eg region specific)
 
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nathanlukewong said:
Just in the My Movies Tab - strange. Maybe you have a different version (eg region specific)
Click to expand...
I purchased it from the US store.

Try looking in the Purchased section (right-hand menu on the iTunes store frontpage). If you don't see it, you can also check in the iTunes Account Info if the movie has been "hidden" (iTunes in the Cloud/Hidden Purchases); in the past I had a case where some TV episodes got hidden without me actually doing it, probably caused by a bug on the server side.
 
Blujelly said:
news to me! Guess that's what I get for not reading the small print!
Click to expand...
Apple also tells you to make sure that yo have a copy downloaded because there are no guarantees that the movie will always be available to download.

Even with me knowing this, I still keep all my movie purchases in the cloud because I just no longer want to have 6 hard drives handing off my Mac like I have in the past. I'm willing to take the chance that I will lose something eventually in the cloud.
 
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nathanlukewong said:
I purchased Robots a few years ago and I show it every year to my robotics class for a bit of fun.
Click to expand...
I hope the institution you're teaching for has a public performance license for your use of the material otherwise you're violating copyright & performance laws and could be subject to fines...
 
This is one of the things that absolutely sucks about purchasing through the cloud. Even if the movie is still online but in a slightly different edit you are not licensed for the new version.
 
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steve23094 said:
Even if the movie is still online but in a slightly different edit you are not licensed for the new version.
Click to expand...

While this is a possibility, I have always been able to download my movies from the 'Purchased' tab, even when new versions are available.

A.
 
nathanlukewong said:
Hi there

I was wondering if this is common practice?

I purchased Robots a few years ago and I show it every year to my robotics class for a bit of fun.

This year I went to stream it in iTunes but could not. After an hour of talking to people from Apple Care I was told that the movie was pulled from the iTunes store and could not be redownloaded - despite me already having paid for it.

Whilst I can understand that Apple cant store everything forever, there is a 'new/rebundled' version of the movie. I was told I could not get credited to purchase the new version because my purchase was so long ago.

They did offer me 2x free rentals though (a small gesture considering I wanted to buy the movie).

Seems like a joke and extremely unfair, especially since they are pushing this whole 'cloud' viewing experience. I can play ball as hard as copyright holders can.

Has this happened to anyone else. Whilst I only lost $10 I am still not happy about it!!! Should have just bought the DVD!
Click to expand...

Welcome to the nature of steaming. They are in control, we are just the viewers. seems unfair as a "purchased ' movie, as its noting like retail outlets. You telling me u charge $19.95 to purchase a license, that doesn't not gaunentee me able to watch it even when its no longer available on the store? Sounds like a rip off to me. which is why i pirate.. :D I can play ball as hard as the copyright holders can.
 
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Julien said:
You know the old saying is true: 2 wrongs don't make a right.;)


Best course is to download and save a backup or buy the BD.
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That's all fine and good, downloading a copy but when you soon have 7 drives hanging off a laptop, you have to draw a line somewhere.

After several of my HDs died over the last year, I gave up storing most of my TV shows and I keep all my movies purchases in the cloud. I only have my most watched TV shows on two drives now and the rest I stream on my ATV2.

I'm willing to take that chance that a movie or TV show will be eventually pulled.
 
JackieInCo said:
That's all fine and good, downloading a copy but when you soon have 7 drives hanging off a laptop, you have to draw a line somewhere.

After several of my HDs died over the last year, I gave up storing most of my TV shows and I keep all my movies purchases in the cloud. I only have my most watched TV shows on two drives now and the rest I stream on my ATV2.

I'm willing to take that chance that a movie or TV show will be eventually pulled.
Click to expand...
Understand but for reference you can buy a 128GB flash for $30 that will hold about 25 (about $300> worth of) iTunes HD movies.
 
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