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16 Mar 2006
Apple has started selling the first full-length movie through its iTunes media store. The Disney television movie High School Musical is offered at $9.99, after being briefly available for $1.99.
The movie was a hit when first broadcast on the Disney Channel, attracting an audience of 7.7 million viewers. But iTunes users have complained about the movie's relatively high price and limited resolution.
Further reading
While the download costs as much as a regular DVD, it offers only a limited resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and none of the bonus features typically found on a DVD.
The resolution is sufficient for watching the movie on a video iPod, but a regular television offers a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels and most computer monitors run at 1024 x 768.
"Talk about a rip-off," a user by the name of 'Eel' ranted in the review section for the download. "I'm sorry, but $1.99 is perfect for an iPod format. When you get to $10, you're basically paying for a DVD without getting the DVD extras or quality."
Another user, 'Sparrow15', added in reference to the lack of bonus features: "Love the movie, but the price should be lowered if this is all I'm getting."
A DVD of the movie is scheduled for release later this year. Apple had not responded at press time to numerous calls from vnunet.com journalists seeking comment.
High School Musical can be found on the iTunes website (link requires iTunes software).
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Do you agree?
Not just the price
I noticed that the DVD is going to be released later this year, I wonder whether all movies on ITunes will benefit from stagered release dates. When the studios stopped this system for the Rental industry it saw a massive downturn in buisness. Is this is going to be a permenant thing or just a hook for the first few months? As to the cost I can't help feeling that both Apple and the various studios will be watching the sales carefully if only to see how much more cash they can covince you to part with.
Posted by: Kit 01 Apr 2006
Hmm Interesting!
Well I lied. Yes I lied outright when I said "Hmm Interesting!". I mean, "Who cares?"
Posted by: Rex Alfie Lee 17 Mar 2006
Resoultion OK, but my time is valuable to me.
320 by 240 non-interlaced is the same thing as 640 by 480. It looks just fine on a tv, often times the image and sound qulity is better than broadcast TV. However, it might not match the quality of a DVD. I suppose it depends on your situation, it might be cheaper to download a DVD than get in the car and spend $5.00 in gas and an hour of your time to drive, get the DVD (if it is available) and drive back home only to have to return the DVD to the video store. Granted, if one is able to purchase the DVD and make one rip, it would still cots about the same, but what is your time worth?
Posted by: Tem 16 Mar 2006
One day after free movie debuts?
So, Apple and Disney decide to put a full-length film for a paid downlaod, at a limited resolution, one day after the guys at cactusesmovie.com put their movie on-line at 720x384 resolution for free. (and still legal) Are they trying to beat the free movies out because they know that has the potential to hurt them in the long run? Or is it just coincidence. I kind of doubt that.
Posted by: Jeremy Hannon 16 Mar 2006
Not exactly the same...
640x480 interlaced means that every time the TV "repaints" the screen (say, 60 times a second), it only redraws every other line. So, 240 horizontal lines (640 pixels wide) would get drawn 30 times in one second, and the other 240 lines get redrawn the other 30 times per second. However, there are still a total of 480 lines of resolution. If this file is 320x240, it's the equivalent of an image that only fills one-quarter of your television screen, and is significantly lower resolution than a 640x480 interlaced picture. Basically, sounds like folks are paying $10 for something the size of a picture-in-picture image. If you want to address the value of your time, consider the 2 hours lost watching an inferior movie, compared to the time needed to go buy or rent a DVD (once it's available).
Posted by: Steve S 16 Mar 2006
MPAA-- Wake Up
Your greed knows no bounds. Even though you do not have to manufacture, transport, warehouse and retail this like a DVD-- you want $10 (US). For a crappy 320 resolution with no legal ability to burn to a DVD? No way. What would be fair for $10? 720HD QuickTime with the ability to burn to a DVD. For what's being offered? $2-3 max.
Posted by: David Gregory 16 Mar 2006