Apple today released all new software for Apple TV that allows movie fans to rent movies on the iTunes Store directly from their widescreen TV.
With iTunes Movie Rentals and Apple TV, users can just click a button on their remote to rent movies from a catalog of over 1,000 titles by the end of February, including over 100 titles in stunning high definition video with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound, with no computer required.
From our updated Apple TV, there are currently 75 HD movies available for download. AirTunes is now active for Apple TV! (Choose you Apple TV from the list and your iTunes output will play out of your Apple TV).
DVD-quality iTunes Movie Rentals are $2.99 for library titles and $3.99 for new releases, and HD versions are just one dollar more with library titles at $3.99 and new releases at $4.99.
Apple’s new Apple TV software is free of charge to existing Apple TV owners. In addition all new Apple TV units (starting at US$229) ship with the new software.
Once a movie is rented, it starts downloading from the iTunes Store directly to Apple TV, and users with a fast Internet connection can start viewing the movie in seconds. Customers have up to 30 days to start watching it, and once a movie has been started customers have 24 hours to finish it—or watch it multiple times.
MacDailyNews Note: Please see related article: Apple allows for extending iTunes Movie rental period past 24-hours – January 24, 2008
Apple TV users can also view photos from their computers, Flickr, and .Mac Web Galleries on their widescreen TV as slideshows or screen savers, and any time photos are updated on Flickr or .Mac, they are automatically updated on Apple TV. Apple TV users can now browse and enjoy the iTunes Store podcast directory of over 125,000 video and audio podcasts, view over 50 million originally created videos from YouTube or choose from a selection of six million songs, over 600 TV shows and 10,000 music videos to purchase directly from their Apple TV. Purchases downloaded to Apple TV are automatically synced back to iTunes on the user’s computer for enjoyment on their computer, all current generation iPods or iPhone.
Apple TV easily connects to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports. Using high-speed AirPort 802.11 wireless networking, Apple TV now automatically plays all of your iTunes content without setup or management.
Apple TV is compatible with enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen TVs capable of 1080p/1080i 60/50Hz, 720p 60/50Hz, 576p 50Hz (PAL format), or 480p 60Hz.
Go get your new Apple TV software now: Apple TV > Settings > Software Update…
After a festival of progress bars, Apple logo flashes, and restarts, you will have a brand new Apple TV!
MacDailyNews Take: 800,000-1.2 million Apple TV units are suddenly ready to begin renting movies via iTunes. We expect Apple to rent a heck of a lot of movies starting now.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Mike in Helsinki” and “bbtylrv” for the heads up.]
just saw that AirTunes now works for the AppleTV…sweet! I love it! I don’t recall this feature being promised…but I’m sure glad it’s there.
So here is my question- if I use component cables to input into our HDTV, will I or won’t I notice a difference between HD and normal quality?
got mine installed!
That’s alright, I’ll save my money for the real thing on a REAL disc I can watch over and over again. For the cost of just a couple of those “rentals” someone could easily do a PPV or add a Premium channel to their Cable or Satellite setup. Yawn… Of Course when I can stream ANY video from my MacPro to the ATV and my Sony 46 XBR4 or 120″ Projector at full res then I might get one.
tv Take Two update supports 1080p tvs.
@effwerd…. jumping in on your question. I’m using it with an analog TV, previous posting about getting the component cables is accurate. Works fine.
OMG! Just a few minutes with the HD podcast assortment alone is a cable killa! Wow.
People do not understand how disruptive this is. They have already bagged all the higher learning and government institution for their HD content ages ago. Plus all the usual suspects (DiscoveryNetworks) have content there too.
This fully leverages the ITMS content for people with no computer skils.
Ready. To. Go.
Next up: plug your iPod into the USB port in back!
Mark your calendars today, because everything changes from now on.
(Hobby. . .indeed!)
(^_^)
Has Apple said officially that it will phase out BUYING movies. I don’t rent houses or movies- I buy them. Most of the new stuff is Rent Only and iTunes does not offer a way to filter when looking at content on iTunes.
Renting always made more sense for movies on the iTunes Store. Having to store (and backup) huge files that you will probably only watch once or twice in your lifetime made no sense. For music, it fine because the files are relatively small and you are likely to listen to songs hundreds or even thousands of times. But I don’t think Apple actually changed it’s strategy. Selling movies was just an interim step while the software technology, hardware, and studio contracts for rental were put in place.
@Captain
I guess we could get into the whole “what is real HD” argument all over again for the “n-th” time, but why bother. I suppose you’re right that anything less than 1080 P is not “full HD”, but you can’t just stop there. The only thing that meets that definition right now is blu-ray or HD DVD. That HD signal you’re getting from cable is certainly not. Not to mention the fact that unless you have a screen that’s 50+ inches wide you can’t even tell the difference. Plus bandwidth makes 1080 P prohibitive right now anyway. You’ve bought into the 1080 P marketing hype.
So what’s your point? You’re too much of a purest to touch an Apple TV? Spin your plastic discs then, who cares.
The HD PodCast as simply amazing. For the idiot who posted 720p or 1080i is not HD, go back playing with your X-BOX to watch your HD. You know that one that had HD-DVD support. haha…
@ macbones
There is a difference, although which one is the better one is a question that is up for debate…..
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/34579/122868.html
We use ours with a component big screen, but with HD content, we are looking at HD TV, if our content will be Atv, and possible DirecTV in the future, what is better, 720 or 1080, (if we do not have access to 1080)
Why doesn’t it mention the Take 2 update anywhere on Apple’s website?
O – mah – gah!
We rented Ratatouille and streamed in HD. The fur on the rats is visible down to the individual hairs for criss-sakes! This is on a 1080p HDTV. So what if its “only” 720p? Its still jaw dropping gorgeous. I just want to say gah….
What I’d like most to see is appleTV software that can be run on a Mac mini (think about it – everything the aTV does plus everything that a mac is), and now with Leopard, you can back-to-my-Mac to your other home computer (iMac or greater), and for some people even access your work computer (if it’s a Mac) from the couch.
Now add picture-in-picture on a big-screen HD TV, and you can watch TV or movies while chatting or emailing, etc.
And then bring back the iSight camera for sharing video chats with your family/friends across the world (Superbowl parties with your buddies on the other side of the country?) or watching favorite shows ‘with’ friends who aren’t there (home-people doing soaps together, or keeping an eye on the babysitter from your iPhone) and, and, and – gosh, it’s mind-boggling!
I better go play in the snow for awhile.
But think about it – seriously. Any comments?
I just noticed that you can now transfer rented movies from your Mac to your tv. While I’ll most likely rent via the ATV from now on, it is nice to get this rental off the computer and on the big screen.
MDN word: standard — tv, the new standard in movie rentals.
Did the download…..took a good while so it must be pretty big….the update went perfectly as usual. I immeditatly rented a standard def version of 28 Weeks (hadn’t seen it). The rental looked great and worked flawlessly. Wooohoo! It’s funny I bought this Apple TV (1/2 price open box at C.C.) just for the purpose of getting music to my home stereo/entertainment system from my Mac. But now with this rental service I can see using it for much more. I don’t buy much video content….but love to rent. This is probably going to be a good move for Jobs and Co.
@Jay
I agree with your comments on the new user interface – U G L Y!
I love the new features, but can we have the old menu screens back, please? The new “pop up box” sitting on top of whatever was on the screen before just looks cluttered, and the split column menus are confusing. Not at all nice to look at nor easy to use. Not very Apple-like at all. And your own music / movies etc (which makes up the majority of the material on most people’s Apple TVs) now relegated to the bottom of the list.
Sadly, no such candy outside of US, anywhere. Why o why can’t the friggin’ Euro iTM Stores not carry any significant movies and tvseries to buy OR rent ??
I would buy one today (appleTV is for sale here), but no content = no deal!