Is there any way for me to convert the shows that I have bought on itunes to .avi so that I can play them on my divx/avi compatible dvd player? I hate watching tv shows on my computer. I would much rather watch them on my tv.
No. The videos contain DRM that prevents such operations. The movies can only be viewed through iTunes, QuickTime, or on an iPod. Watching them on a TV requires connecting either the computer or a video iPod to a TV. In the future, however, it is expected that Apple’s upcoming iTV device will provide another means of TV-based viewing.
I don’t think so.
Welcome to the world of DRM, or “Digital Rights Management,” in which you can expect to pay again for every different form you want to use your content in. This isn’t unique to iTunes–pretty much every commercial download source protects their files these days.
I tried QuickTime Pro, which will let me convert files between various Mac formats, but the “Export” command wasn’t even enabled for protected files. I can export “shows” ones I created myself, though.
There may be apps that can break iTunes copy protection, but they aren’t legal in the US (where this board is located), so we can’t talk about them. I’ll stretch the mod’s patience a little and say that I don’t know of any such apps.
Thank you…I don’t intend to use any illegal applications, but it does suck that I cannot watch the shows I bought on my tv. I guess I have to buy a video ipod LOL.
For what it’s worth, on the new (higher resolution) video iPods + video cable, the television quality isn’t bad. It’s not as good as DVD, not even as good as broadcast, but just shy. Perfectly watchable.
I commandeered a video projector at work to play a couple DVD ripped movies with my iPod, and collected a fine assortment of engineer gawkers in just a few minutes. Apple: you can send me my commission check now; I probably sold 4-5 iPods with that demo alone.
Now if Tivo would just update their TivoToGo to support the higher resolution on the new iPods, I’d be happy. The current one makes Alton Brown look like Pat O’Reilly.
What about video capture? I’ve never had Camtasia fail to record anything playing on my screen. Haven’t tried it with itunes, or quicktime, but you could try the free evaluation copy.
This is yet another case where pirated content is more useful than purchased content.
Sure, there’s none of that pesky “paying for it.”
In much the same way, money robbed from a bank is more useful than money earned – it doesn’t take so much time and effort.
I (try to) make a living from software, and pirates stealing my stuff “because it’s really good for the developer – gets them more exposure” have effectively ruined my business, to the point where I can no longer make my living off it. Anything I produce is on the warez sites in hours, serial numbers are floating around the web before my announcements are, and despite thousands of people downloading and using my software, I’m not making any money, even though my software only costs a few bucks.
This makes me grumpy.
Do I smell straw? That’s not what Mr2001 was talking about.
Indeed. Money stolen from a bank is the same as any other money, but pirated video isn’t encrypted and it uses easily available codecs, so it’s more portable than the DRM crap Apple sells, and it’s often higher quality, too. You can buy DVD players at Walmart for $60 that’ll play any AVI file you download from a torrent site, but the only device that’ll play iTunes video is an iPod.
The same goes for MP3 files vs. the encrypted files you’d get from iTunes or other online stores. Many car stereos, many DVD players, and every portable digital music player ever made (except for one Sony model) all support MP3s, but Apple’s music files only play on iPods. By buying the files, you get the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting the artist and you avoid a slight legal risk, but you also get a less useful product.
The same also goes for computer games, where a purchased copy makes you keep the CD in the drive or look up words in the manual to play it, but cracked versions have those copy protection measures removed. This is known as the BTO vulnerability: an illicit copy is Better Than Original. Some people will buy a game and then immediately download the cracked version just to avoid that inconvenience.