Can we get the SD video bitrates increased for iTunes?

Hello. I have a request for the relevant departments in charge of encoding the video content for iTunes and Apple TV. Can we please get an increase in bitrate for Standard Definition (480p) video content (e.g. TV shows and movies)?

From my personal viewing experiences the current 1.5 mbps video bitrate used for the iTunes SD encodes is barely enough since I’ve been noticing some macroblocking and color banding artifacts on certain iTunes SD downloads (e.g. Disney Channel’s Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century and some Lizzie McGuire episodes).

Before you ask “why not buy them in HD?”, the reason is that there are no HD options given for these programs on iTunes due to the fact that they were produced in an era before HDTV was a commonplace standard. Some other streaming services have high enough SD video bitrates to the point where their 480p encodes look nearly indistinguishable from a good retail DVD. With the TV and movie studios slowly throwing in the towel for physical media as a result of the declining market share, digital distribution is becoming the only available option for legally obtaining such content.

I’d say a video bitrate of 2.5 mbps or 3 mbps should be a good upgrade from the current bitrate.

What do you think? Would upgrading the SD bitrates be a possibility or do you think it’s too much to ask for?