“This year we got to watch our rented nominated films in our living room on our high definition set thanks to Apple’s newly enhanced Apple TV. With Apple TV you don’t have to use your computer to buy or rent movies, music or download free podcasts to your TV. You can do it from the comfort of your easy chair using only the small Apple remote control. The process is incredibly simple,” Larry Magid reports for CBS News.
“Even though movie files can be large, you don’t have to wait for them to download before you can watch them. Even larger high-definition movies are available for viewing within a minute or two after you order them,” Magid reports.
“I watched one movie in standard definition which looked pretty much like a standard DVD, but when it came to the Oscar nominees, I sprang for the extra dollar which was worth it for the higher, though not highest, quality. High definition movies are in 720p which is basically the same as some TV networks high-def programs. Blu-ray and HD-DVD high-definition DVDs are in the higher 1080p format. To my eyes, the difference between 720p and 1080p isn’t dramatic but it could be for some videophiles,” Magid reports.
“My biggest complaint about Apple TV is that movies disappear 24 hours after you start watching them… To be fair to Apple, this restriction is imposed by the studios and it’s the same with [other services],” Magid reports.
Full article here.
…until Apple gets the studio’s to change the 24hrs governed time limit to 48hrs, then 72hrs.
72hrs seems reasonable to most whom I’ve talked with. No one agrees 24 hours is the right way to do this, but it probably isn’t slowing down Apple TV adoption rates dramatically. Early adopters will keep it selling well. Come the fall, look for a few changes in the Apple TV Service:
– Longer viewing time frame (48 – 72 hrs)
– Ability to purchase HD movies, then download to iTunes (still no HD movies directly available in iTunes. The paranoia continues…)
– Lower Pricing on Apple TV; $199 and $299 respectively
And the advantages to Blu-Ray are:
– Higher entry price by nearly double (for most decent players)
– Limited Blu-Ray tiles
– Trips to video store and back
– Netflix-like, plan in advance, mail back and forth game
– No ability to tie into iTunes content, Flikr, or home video’s, etc…
Oh, I’m sorry these are Blu-Ray dis-advantages, my bad.
Blu-Ray Advantages Take II:
– For the Joe, a slightly better image quality that isn’t worth the price, nor the other dis-advantages that Blu-Ray has vs. Apple TV – and even image quality will be eventually be moot.
What’s this? Fair objective reporting that tells it like it is? I don’t suppose the rest of CBS news is like that – are they? It’s getting to the point where you’ve got to be a member of a political party to watch the various network news feeds so that they can tell you what you think and believe.
As for tech news, it seems that if it’s got to do with Apple it’s almost automatically going to brow-beat Apple and Apple users. It’s nice to experience a simple down-to-Earth report that simply states the users real-world experience. Any chance Larry M. can be replicated and syndicated to all news networks?
I think Apple TV 3 maybe very interesting.
I’d like a connection to a wireless keyboard/mouse
even more web site accessibility via apple tv
Flash? or alterative.
when, oh when is Canada gonna get the movie downloads???
I rented “The Hours” for .99 last weekend and captured it (including sound) on my MacPro using Snapz Pro. Now I have a DRM-free copy in my iTunes library which won’t expire until I choose to delete the file. Consumer freedom.
yes! when? when will we be able to download the movies in Canada? sigh
You go, Peach Picker! I just got back from the grocery, where I snuck a cartload of food out the back door, but I left a $5 bill by the dumpster so it’s all good. Hurrah, Consumer Choice!!
Seriously, people like you are exactly what the music labels and movie studios are worried about, and YOU’re what’s holding up adoption of these technologies that would be a so good for the majority of consumers who believe in paying for what they get.
@peach picker
Why would you do that? All that work for .99 cents and really how many times are you going to watch it? Are you kidding me, I figure you spent the .99 cents, 4+ hours of capture, compress and clean to get a movie you might watch twice.
You must really like that show because my time is worth much more than .25 cents an hour.
While I agree that its officially not legal to copy a movie that one downloaded, I really do not think that is what is killing the industry.
Peach Picker PAID for his download. As long as he is not making copies for everyone, left and right, the industry really is not suffering.
There are thousands of people that copy and make copies of DVDs illegally. They sell them at flea markets etc as original copies. Those people are actually doing the stealing as someone who buys a pirated copy will not buy a legal copy.
First we need to understand that the music industry and the movie industry is full of big wigs who have NO IDEA what they are doing. There are models for selling movies and music that make sense and make money, the problem is that it just may not make money for these quickly becoming useless mogals.
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JS = BS
The most unfunny man on television just led the show to an all time low. Bring back Billy Crystal, or what about Robin Williams. Anyone but that guy, pleease.
Homestar Runner is twice as inventive and amusing.
Go Trogdor!!
Hey therre Nathan,
You did a great jorrrrrrb with that therrre analysis thingumy.
.99 for The Hours is about .97 more than it’s worth….
The CBS guy didn’t fully do his homework, for those that have paid attention, the Apple TV movies allow you to finish watching, and don’t just ‘disappear’ after 24 hours. That’s an important point.
The Oscar nominated movies are on iTunes? I didn’t see’em. Maybe I have to look again…