Sharing an Apple ID for movies/tv shows only?

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Sharing an Apple ID for movies/tv shows only?

My husband and I are currently both running iPhones (4 for him, 4S for me) and two brand new iPads. We have separate iCloud accounts and apple IDs because we both had older iPhones before we met.

The only thing we really wish to share is movies/tv shows, as we don't really use the same apps and listen to different music mostly (I rarely download music from iTunes to begin with). I have never downloaded any movies, so in that regard I'm starting fresh, but now that we have the iPads I would like to watch our growing movie collection which is all under his apple ID. I don't mind using his apple ID for everything from the app store/iTunes from now on if it makes things easier, but how can I keep the apps I have already downloaded to my iPad? I don't plan to download any movies to my iPhone and no music will go on the iPad, so I don't mind continuing to purchase music from my own apple ID and using that on my iPhone, and using my husbands apple ID for my iPad, but I have already paid for several apps and I'd rather not lose them, nor do I want his app purchases syncing to my iPad. (I do, however, want app purchases to sync from my iPhone to my iPad.) Is there a way for me to get our movies to my iPad with a computer? Really, what is the simplest way for me to watch our movies without having to use the same apple ID? What do you all recommend for us?

Sub question- is there a way to combine ALL previous purchases (music, apps, movies, tv) on our shared desktop and then select manually what syncs to each device?

This whole not being able to sync more than one Apple ID to a device for 90 days is really killing me. That does apply to apps as well, right?

iPad Wi-Fi + 4G, iOS 5.1

Posted on Mar 27, 2012 9:52 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 27, 2012 10:00 AM in response to lizzyespy

not sure how this would work. but I'm curious to see what others can come up with.

I do know that if you go to the icloud settings, you can chose not to automatically sync apps and music and books. the same might go for movies (though i dont remember there being a settings for movies). That way you keep your apps, keep your music/pix/vix whatever on your phone. and still be using his ID for other things.

you are limited to 5 devices per ID, if i remember correctly.

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Answer 2

Mar 27, 2012 10:02 AM in response to lizzyespy

Unfortunately you cannot combine Apple IDs. What you can do is log on to your husband's Apple ID on your iPad temporarily when you wish to watch the movies he purchased. Make sure you turn off iCloud and automatic downloads before you do that or else all your stuff will be messed up. You will still keep the apps that are installed on your iPad. They will not delete them when you log on to your husbands Apple ID. But you will have to log back on to your own ID when you want to update those apps you purchased on your own Apple ID.

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Answer 3

lizzyespy Author

Level 1

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Mar 27, 2012 10:13 AM in response to kevinfromsk

The problem with this is, when I attempted to download one of our movies from iCloud I got an alert saying that I would not be able to sync purchases from another apple ID for 90 days - no bueno if I am going to download any apps I purchased from my phone. Or does this 90 days not count for apps (I'm making the assumption that as far as the iTunes store is concerned there is no difference between purchcasing apps and movies)?

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Answer 4

Mar 27, 2012 10:19 AM in response to lizzyespy

I'm afraid that's they way Apple keep people from downloading movies their friends have purchased unfortunately. I believe the 90 day policy applies to everything from App Store to iTunes Store purchases. You can always just watch those movies on your laptop computer as every Apple ID can authorize up to 5 computers to access purchases.

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Answer 5

L.R.S.

Level 1

25 points

Aug 23, 2012 12:31 PM in response to lizzyespy

See my post here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4123956?answerId=19360576022#19360576022

There are so many variables that come into play here, it's absurd, and I'm sure there are tons of other possibliities and options that work, but this is what is working for me. Hope it helps you sort out yours! 🙂

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Answer 6

lizzyespy Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 23, 2012 12:44 PM in response to L.R.S.

That actually has very little to do with my original question.

For anyone with the same problem I had, I did eventually make the leap and it turned out to be an easy solution for us. Since I had never bought any movies and rarely buy music (which is oodles more transferrable than movies and tv anyhow) I just started using my husband's account for everything. The issue I was worried I would have- not being able to update apps and such- turned out to be moot, since the updater just prompts me for the password to whichever account the app was originally downloaded under. So never fear, if you decide to use one out of two accounts you will still be able to update apps and not worry about that 90-day switch.

This will become an issue someday when we upgrade our stuff, but at that point I'll probably just bite the bullet and re-purchase any apps I hadn't bought under his ID.

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