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[bryant]

A note regarding Apple's new iTunes video content:

It's cool to be able to download a TV episode for $1.99. Might even be the magic price point. However, what Apple has for some reason not promoted is the cost of old seasons -- e.g., season one of Lost will run you around thirty-five bucks. This is somewhat cheaper than the DVDs, although quality is also lower. But from reports so far, they look just fine on -- say -- the new media center-oriented iMac.

Comments

[editswlonghair.livejournal.com]

I was wondering about that myself- since the stuff is encoded at 320x240, even the H.264 codec isn't going to save you when you up res it to standard def NTSC 640x480. I'd imagine it must look pretty soft, and the artifacting must be compunded by the LCD.

I'm hoping they'll start doing video on demand thru the iTunes portal or something... I'd pay 99¢ to watch a half res. stream. But if I'm buying it/downloading it to watch on a computer, I want at least standard def resolution. And as pipes get bigger (why do we lag behind Asia so badly?!? 3 Mbs broadband...whatever) it can do HD VOD.

Man, that H.264 codec HD stuff is amazing.

And as far as watching it on an iPod, thta doens't appeal to me at all. Screen is too small. I'd need at least a screen the size of the PSP to make it worthwhile.

[head58.livejournal.com]

Wow. Didn't understand a word of it. And that was all English too, I'm pretty sure.

[bryant]

Yeah, I neeeeed the HD. Verizon's offering 10 Mbps broadband these days. Hm.

[editswlonghair.livejournal.com]

I was pleasantly surprised the other night when I ran CNet's connection check and discovered my cable connection was 4.7 Mbps!

[skylion.livejournal.com]

This is because these companies aren't interested in selling us what we want, or what we need, or what we even bloody well ask for.
They sell us what they convince us too want, need, ask for.
They sell lifestyle. Not product.
This is, or course, a very broad statement. It is our choice to buy, or not, these luxury products. But, at the very least, someone should come up with a product where an insult to the consumer isn't a "value-added" part of the package...DRM....

[bryant]

I do in fact want the first season of Lost. :)

I'd love DRM-free content. Also higher def. On the other hand, the comparison is apples to apples -- the DVDs have DRM, and so do the downloads.

[head58.livejournal.com]

Actually, at $1.99 per episode, 24 episodes in season 1 (and we're only through episode 9!!!), Lost would run you about $48, which is actually more than the dvds.

And what format are the files in? I'm assuming there's no way to then burn them to a dvd-r and watch them on your teevee?

[bryant]

Nah, but that's my point -- if you buy the first season in one chunk, it's just $35.

I'm not sure about the burning.