Rented movies on your ipod

[moyer777]

I found this pretty interesting!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/biztech/12/28/apple.movies.ap/index.html

[davekill]

Cool!
A step in the right direction for digital rentals.
I considered installing a CD player in my old Toyota commuter car for about 2 seconds, till I realized I'd never use it either - as long as I have my iPod.

[Bryancd]

Also a good way to boost Apple TV sales. I am curious to see what the cost is and how long you can keep the content.

[Dan M]

Right now, I have no interest in rental downloads.  It'll happen someday, no doubt there, but I think we're many years away from it being widely adopted.

With Netflix VOD, I can watch 10+ movies a month on my computer, and still I almost never use it.

More and more people are moving to widescreen TVs over 40 inches; do these people really want to watch movies on their 2" iPods?

Until we have the equipment and bandwidth to watch these movies on our big-screen TVs and in high-res, I don't see digital downloads and rentals catching on.

[Bryancd]

I agree and that's why I think devices like Apple TV which can steam movie content from your computer to a TV in another room have great potential.

[Rico]

Until they can stream at least DVD quality I will pass.  I have no problem waiting for my Netflix DVD's to show up.  And I also never use the view on demand from Netflix.  I want to watch a movie on my 60" screen and for that you need at least DVD quality for it to look good.

[davekill]

My "bottom of the line" Toshiba-A3 HD player is ethernet enabled for online enhanced content.
HD digital pipeline tech must be right around the corner for '08.
Must be more to the writer's strike than we know.

[Bryancd]

Right now Apple TV can broadcast at 640x480, encoded in H-264 used in Quicktime. Is it DVD quality? Almost. Will it get a lot better? You bet.

Here's the latest rumor:

New report claims 24-hour, variable price iTunes rentals
By Aidan Malley
Published: 08:45 PM EST
Adding to the media frenzy surrounding possible iTunes movie rentals, a Hollywood magazine alleges that Apple's rentals will only last for short stretches of time and will use a flexible price structure.
Variety refers to supposed studio contacts which say that rented movie downloads from iTunes will last for just 24 hours before becoming unplayable. The report did not say how many plays would be allowed during the period.
However, Apple may rely on price and not longevity to lure in customers, according to the magazine. While some rentals will cost $5 each -- placing their rental prices close to those of new releases at retail outlets -- some will cost as little as $2.
No mention is made of the reasoning for the price system, though it may parallel Apple's variable price system for purchased movies, which discounts older titles.
The claimed sources also mirror information reported previously which suggests that Disney and Fox are the only two studios known to be pledging support for rentals. Other studios friendly to Apple's video efforts, such as Lionsgate, MGM, and Paramount, are described as candidates. Conversely, studios such as Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros. have "various competitive reasons" to keep their videos out of the service, Variety adds.
The latter may allude to Apple's spat with NBC-Universal, which has seen NBC TV shows pulled from iTunes. Universal Music Group has also opted out of long-term iTunes music contracts and excluded Apple from its protection-free music offerings.
Like all reports so far, however, the trade publication is certain about the date: its purported insiders state that Apple will announce movie rentals at next month's Macworld San Francisco expo.