minnietre

Q: Can you watch a rented movie without internet connection?

I was planning to download movie rentals for a long plane flight.

ipad, Windows Vista

Posted on Jan 2, 2011 6:53 PM

Close

Q: Can you watch a rented movie without internet connection?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Philly_Phan,

    Philly_Phan Philly_Phan Jan 2, 2011 7:00 PM in response to minnietre
    Level 6 (13,571 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 2, 2011 7:00 PM in response to minnietre
    I never thought about it but I don't see why not. After all, with a DSL connection, it takes longer to download it than to watch it so you wouldn't be able to view it streaming.
  • by Michael Morgan1,

    Michael Morgan1 Michael Morgan1 Jan 2, 2011 7:33 PM in response to minnietre
    Level 7 (23,830 points)
    Jan 2, 2011 7:33 PM in response to minnietre
    Well, yes, thats how it works. You choose the content to rent, or to buy, in iTunes. It then downloads to your iPad. You have to watch a rental within 30 days; what you buy is yours forever.
  • by minnietre,

    minnietre minnietre Jan 2, 2011 10:53 PM in response to minnietre
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2011 10:53 PM in response to minnietre
    Thanks. I thought so but I kept hearing you needed streaming video.
  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Jan 3, 2011 6:30 AM in response to minnietre
    Level 10 (188,002 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 3, 2011 6:30 AM in response to minnietre
    Just note that you have to have an internet connection to transfer rentals between a device and a computer.
  • by PogoPossum,

    PogoPossum PogoPossum Jan 3, 2011 10:47 AM in response to minnietre
    Level 4 (2,505 points)
    Jan 3, 2011 10:47 AM in response to minnietre
    That's true for netflix and some other apps (hulu, I'd imagine) but not for movies already rented and loaded from iTunes.
  • by WDHDlive,

    WDHDlive WDHDlive Jan 6, 2011 8:46 AM in response to minnietre
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 6, 2011 8:46 AM in response to minnietre
    Been there done that - I have contacted iTunes about this, and am told NO - one must have the internet connection
  • by Michael Morgan1,

    Michael Morgan1 Michael Morgan1 Jan 6, 2011 9:30 AM in response to WDHDlive
    Level 7 (23,830 points)
    Jan 6, 2011 9:30 AM in response to WDHDlive
    WDHDlive wrote:
    Been there done that - I have contacted iTunes about this, and am told NO - one must have the internet connection

    Been where and done what? Must have the net connection to do what? Asked iTunes what, exactly?

    Need a net connection to wirelessly download to your iPad? Well, duhhh.

    Need a net connection to watch your rental? Absolutely not. Never have in the past, and still don't.
  • by Richard Montclair,

    Richard Montclair Richard Montclair Dec 31, 2011 6:04 AM in response to minnietre
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 31, 2011 6:04 AM in response to minnietre

    I have had difficulties watching rented movies while traveling.  In each case, I was taking connecting flights.  Had downloaded two movies, started watching the first one on the first segment.  On the second leg tried to resume the movie, got the message "cannot open."  Then tried the second movie, which I had not yet started.  Same "cannot open" message. 

    Returned home, internet connection on, returned to the fist movie and it was as if starting from the beginning, with the "you will have 24 hours to watch" message, as though I had never started.

    Frustrating, in-flight is the time I am most likely to rent movies on my ipad.

  • by ClayG,

    ClayG ClayG Jan 18, 2012 8:10 PM in response to Michael Morgan1
    Level 4 (1,415 points)
    Jan 18, 2012 8:10 PM in response to Michael Morgan1

    Movies rented on the iPad DO require an Internet connection the first time you play them, though only for a short time. Authentication for the 24 hour time-limit is done through Apple's servers. I just tried putting my iPad 2 on airplane mode and both of my rented movies displayed "expired." They were rented today. As soon as I turned airplane mode back off, they worked again and showed the appropriate number of days left to view.

     

    Apple states this (though it could be more clear):

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4095

     

    You'll have to click on the triangle next to "Movie rentals in iPad."

  • by seamgreen,

    seamgreen seamgreen Jun 27, 2013 9:15 AM in response to ClayG
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 27, 2013 9:15 AM in response to ClayG

    I know this is an old thread, but it's still a common issue. The statement by Apple (on http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4095) that "An Internet connection to the iTunes Store is required to authorize playback of movie rentals" is what really tells us that you need the internet connection to at least BEGIN the playback, which of course is not the most convenient thing - especially when travelling.

  • by sastanford,

    sastanford sastanford Apr 28, 2014 2:11 PM in response to seamgreen
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 28, 2014 2:11 PM in response to seamgreen

    What if you start the rental while still at an airport via a wi-fi connection, pause just after the iTunes authentication completes, and shut your laptop.   Will the movie continue to play once you are in the air and the wi-fi connection is broken?

  • by Philly_Phan,

    Philly_Phan Philly_Phan Apr 28, 2014 2:14 PM in response to sastanford
    Level 6 (13,571 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 28, 2014 2:14 PM in response to sastanford

    sastanford wrote:

     

    What if you start the rental while still at an airport via a wi-fi connection, pause just after the iTunes authentication completes, and shut your laptop.   Will the movie continue to play once you are in the air and the wi-fi connection is broken?

     

    I have been told that that will work but I never tried it myself.  You could do an experiment at home.  Rent a movie and do what you described.  Then, break the WiFi connection by invoking "airplane mode."