Why can't you rent some movies?

Question

Level 1

10 points

Why can't you rent some movies?

Hi there i am a new Apple TV user and i am more of a rental person than a buy person as i very rarely watch a movie more than once. My question is why are some of the latest movies available on Itunes only available to buy? I really wanted to watch KungFu Panda but its not available as a rental? i then started to notice quite a few of the latest films are the same.

Is there a reason for this? or maybe they only become available for rent after a few weeks of being on same? or maybe is something to do with the movie companies?

Can anyone let me know?

Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Dec 9, 2008 5:00 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 9, 2008 5:22 AM in response to tuxs

tuxs wrote:
Is there a reason for this? or maybe they only become available for rent after a few weeks of being on same? or maybe is something to do with the movie companies?

Apple can only sell or rent what the movie companies will license them to. Some movies are available for sale, some for rent and some both. These status change. Movies become unavailble, go from sale to rental. Some movies that are destined to become available for rental don't start out that way. For example, the latest X-Files movie had a notation in the description that it will be available for rental on <some specific later date I don't remember>.

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Answer 2

tuxs Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 9, 2008 5:27 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

ok can you tell me will 'The Dark Knight' be available to rent as well as buy?

Also is there anywhere i can get a release schdule foe apple movies?

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Answer 3

Dec 9, 2008 6:26 AM in response to tuxs

tuxs wrote:
ok can you tell me will 'The Dark Knight' be available to rent as well as buy?

I don't work for Apple or the movie companies so I'm not privy to that information.

Also is there anywhere i can get a release schdule foe apple movies?

I've never seen one but googling for it couldn't hurt.

Best of luck.

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Answer 4

Dec 9, 2008 7:58 PM in response to tuxs

According to the info on my Apple TV, the Dark Knight will be available for rent on 12/26.

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Answer 5

capaho

Level 4

3,673 points

Dec 10, 2008 4:21 PM in response to tuxs

According to a story on cnet, TV broadcast schedules for movies affect the availability of content on iTunes and Netflix:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10119509-93.html

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Answer 6

Dec 28, 2008 3:28 PM in response to capaho

Good articles. Thanks.

I foresee this as becoming more usual...

"Digital definitely has enormous amount of buzz right now and the studios understand that if you don't get control of the Internet consumers will rip the content and share it."

I don't think that the industry understands and they spend too much money in the past and in DRM systems.
One does not need to "rip" the movie from a digital file. One only needs to rent it from blockbuster and record it to propagate the movie. This will work until they DRM the eyes and ears of the people 🙂

I've seen pirate video from direct recordings at the movie theater or at media previews released even before they are shown on major theater chains. The future will come slowly but it will get here...

Message was edited by: MaurizioSebastian

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