How do I check that a rental is fully downloaded?

Question

How do I check that a rental is fully downloaded?

My broadband connection is a bit slow and not too reliable. Sometimes, when my ATV3 says that I can start playing a rented film, I watch most of the film and then it stops because it is not fully downloaded yet. I have to catch up with the end of the film later.

This is not good.

To avoid this problem I always start downloading the film several hours or days in advance, so that it will be fully downloaded when I start watching it. As far as I am aware, the only way of checking that the film is fully downloaded is to start to play it. (I can then check that the white progress bar stretches all the way across the bottom of the screen).

The problem with this is that I then have to watch the film within 48 hours because it thinks I have started watching the film. Does anybody know of a way that I can check the download progress without starting to play the film?

Thanks, Jim

Posted on May 6, 2012 5:13 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,548 points

May 6, 2012 5:22 AM in response to Lord Sumptuous

This is an issue with ATV2 and 3 which have limited memory and do not store the rental on a drive, meaning it can easily be erased by doing other things.

In theory if it says it is ready to play, it should be calculated on your average internet speed to that point - this of course assumes you have a stable steady internet speed even if slow, and also that AppleTV is not competing for internet bandwidth with other devices.

I would suggest you might want to explore renting in iTunes instead as the movie will then play from the LAN under Computers > itunes library on AppleTV under a new Rentals row which appears when it has fully downloaded. iTunes must be running to feed the AppleTV the stream but it's more robust on slow connections.

AC

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Answer 2

May 6, 2012 5:45 AM in response to Alley_Cat

Alley Cat,

Thanks. That's an interesting idea. I just went to try it, but I notice that the film I wanted to rent was not available in HD on iTunes eventhough it is available in HD on the ATV.

Is that controlled by some setting that I need to change?

Thanks, Jim

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Answer 3

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,548 points

May 6, 2012 5:49 AM in response to Lord Sumptuous

Lord Sumptuous wrote:

Alley Cat,

Thanks. That's an interesting idea. I just went to try it, but I notice that the film I wanted to rent was not available in HD on iTunes eventhough it is available in HD on the ATV.

Is that controlled by some setting that I need to change?

Thanks, Jim

Unfortunately that's the stupidity of the iTunes Store environment - certain things are only available in HD on AppleTV and iPad. Sorry - forgot to mention that. Another thing - if you start to rent on AppleTV bewarre of using it for ANYTHING else even viewing trailers otherwise the partially downloaded movie can get flushed and you have to start again from scratch.

SD requires 2.5Mbps on average to view near instantly on AppleTV, 720p HD needs 6 Mbps and 1080p around 8 Mbps.

There are other differences too - if you rent in itunes you can transfer to portable devices or view on AppleTV - rent on AppleTV or portable and there it stays.

AC

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Answer 4

May 6, 2012 6:00 AM in response to Alley_Cat

Thanks for the information and the warning.

I get around 2.5 Mbs most of the time, so your download rates show why I need to start my HD rentals well in advance of watching.

Jim

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Answer 5

May 7, 2012 2:17 PM in response to Alley_Cat

Your warning was very timely.

I checked that the film was fully downloaded an hour before I wanted to watch it...and it had fully downloaded. But, when I went to watch it, the download started all over again. I had to wait 20 minutes before I could start watching and then it stopped about half way through and wouldn't seem to download at all, so I abandoned it.

I then downloaded it on iTunes, as you suggested, and watched it on my ATV. Perfect!

Thanks again. I now have a way of renting films and knowing that I'm going to be able to watch them all the way through without interruption. (Even if I can't watch them in 1080p)

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Answer 6

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,548 points

May 7, 2012 3:14 PM in response to Lord Sumptuous

If you rented the same item twice contact itunes store support and see if you can get a refund on the problematic download on the AppleTV.

You can also on AppleTV force SD rentals on AppleTV under the Setting for itunes store.

AC

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Answer 7

May 7, 2012 10:54 PM in response to Alley_Cat

My refund has been agreed.

Thanks again.

Jim

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