Q: Error (-50) appeared when downloading video

Still getting -50 errors, but not near as much as I was; at least I have a pretty good chance now of getting a complete episode before it tanks.  What's disappointing is the iTunes way of watching shows and getting music is so convenient.  I hope Apple fixes their issues eventually.  If there was an alternative, I'd be inclined to use it.

Ok, I've tried downloading an episode 20 times now.  This is ridiculous.

Yep, same here, with certain items.  I actually like the system, but it just dioesn't seem to work as well as it should.  It actually seemed much better about a year or two ago.  Also, it prompted me to switch to Amazon Instant Video.

I am having exactly the same problem. On my Imac i get a continously error 50 but in my laptop the downloads go very smooth.  I haven't upgraded my laptop's ITunes to the latest version yet but in the Imac a have the latest version and is since getting such version that I have been getting error 50 with almost all my video downloads.

Any explenations or solutions?   Thanks

Finally... download successful. I am amazed at the number of people who are willing to take the time to write suggestions and what worked for them. So here goes my experience in the spirit of sharing experience to the community.

I bought 2nd season of Downton Abbey - 9 episodes. All downloaded well except 3 and 9. I repeated got the -50 error. I bought this from iTunes to save time - Ha! to that with all the time it takes to learn what is really going on and finally find this forum. Deleting cache, tmp files, resetting messages, all that did not work.  I am on Time Warner Cable wifi for the record.

So what worked is taking my laptop to Taco Bueno with a free (slow) wifi and then again to local coffee shop with free somewhat slow wife. I downloaded #3 and part of #9 episodes over a period of two hours. Episode #9 was at about 40% download when I left. NO errors - yea!  Then had to return home. I resumed download of #9 and it finished download with no errors in a few minutes. So I feel somewhat triumphal but that is diminished by the amount of time to get there.  I decided to go to a slow wifi after reading the tech experiences of folks far more advanced than me with wifi. So many thanks to you.

This is my last purchase of video on iTunes for a long time - until Apple gets this fixed. There is something sadly, badly wrong with their end of the digital streaming when 7 of 9 episodes download perfectly and 2 do not in the same evening, on the same wifi, etc. If accelerators caused the issue with #3 and 9, then why not the others?? I am forced to spend more time solving the resulting issues than it will take to watch many episodes.

Again, many thanks to those who've shared their experiences and helpful insights.

Yeah, it kinda worked that way for me as well.  Lots of problems (already outlined in some of my previous posts), then the most success in a hotel in Bermuda, of all places.

This is why, as "magical" as Apple is percieved as (and as it probably once was), it always pays to embrace the competition.

And yes, my thanks as well to all the posters out there.  They helped me, too!  It's a good thing there are so many  willing to help, especialy since, in this insance anyway, Apple seems to be headed in the direction of the Facebook model of having the users be tech support. 

So does anyone have a fix when none of the things listed in this thread works? I've cleared the cache, I've reset the warnings, I've attached my laptop to the modem directly going around the router, I've tried using my iPad, nothing works. I downloaded 2 things. Episode 3 and 4 of the first season of Game of Thrones. Episode 3 never downloaded. Four downloaded with no issues.

I am completely baffled at what else to do! We're on a slower connectoin, only 7mbps, so that shouldn't be the issue.....

I would really love to watch the third episode I've paid for, and of course, Apple Support isn't open now and even if they were, you always have to wait a week to talk to someone.

I would add that after you delete it, you need to go back to the Video listing and click DOWNLOAD.  It may still have some problems, but if you persist, it will get through.

If you haven't tried it yet, right click I Tunes and hit "run as administrator". It fixed my problem.

Tried everything else but didn't work. Then tried polopopoo's solution of right clicking iTunes and choosing "Run as administrator" and it worked! Thank you!

I use Time Warner at my home and since moving in 6 mos ago, have been unable to download movies or TV shows via iTunes. GEt the (-50) errror.  I've reported the problem each time and their solution is to reset the download trigger to automatically push it to me.  If I am persisent, I can keep logging in and out of itunes and sometimes after 6 or 7 tries, it will download completely.  Funny thing is I can download with zero problem and the same Mac PowerBook from any other WiFi source and have NO problems. 

Yet apple keeps telling me it's not their fault and points me to Time Warner.  TW was at least gracious enough to stay on the phone and trouble shoot with me, but to no avail.

I just got a Mac Mini so I could try out Apple as a PC alternative.  What I've found is iTunes downloads videos flawlessly most of the time, on the same connection I was using for the PC, but will occasionally kick out a -8008 error, which simply allows you to resume the download.  I haven't gotten a -50 error yet on the Apple.  My guess... a bug in iTunes or a compatability issue between iTunes and Windows PC that Apple has yet to fix.  I also found that server pushing of videos gets out of sync on the PC and it goes into -50 error.  The problem is with Apple, either its iTunes software or its software.  Now I have the best of both OS's, no more trouble for me since I'm using my Mac Mini for iTunes.

Sorry that I can't point you to the source, but I have read that there can be a problem with ISP's that offer 'accelerated' download speeds. Not saying this is your problem, but it might be...

I have Bright House as my ISP with their optional 'Lightning' service (higher speed option).  I get the -50 error very frequently on large iTunes downloads and can almost never download large s/w updates through the App Store (I go to the dedicated Apple download site and have much more success, although still get checksum errors from time to time).

Doing downloads at low traffic times (e.g. 3.00am, early in the week) seems to help.

That's interesting.  I don't remember having any problems when I was using a Mac Mini about 2 years ago. I ditched it when I got a "smart TV".  Maybe I shouldn't have...

That's for providing another clue in this mystery-that-we-shouldn't-be-having-to-solve...

Hi, the error is primarily caused by connection timeout between the iTunes and internet, i suggest you Configure Internet Options, visit for more: How To Fix iTunes Error 50

Hope this information is helpful for you.

Regards,

Edward