iPad, Movies and Apple TV?

[mtngal]

I just got an iPad, and got to thinking. My home internet service is both slow and has a limit to how much you can download. So I have never researched any type of movies on-line. However, I have access to unlimited, high speed Internet elsewhere and thought about using the iPad to download movies there, then getting Apple TV to stream them from the 'pad to the TV. I'm interested in renting the movies for a short time, not purchasing them forever. It doesn't look like I can do that with Netflix (it seems to do streaming only?) - is there any site that will lot me do that? I think I could do it with iTunes, but got confused when reading all the fine print.

[rhonda]

iTunes on the iPad will allow you to rent movies. I believe they are stored on your iPad for up to 30 days or 24-hours after first viewing.

We've sorta been considering a similar arrangement. We are on Satellite Internet at the house with no TV. For now, we watch movies via our laptops (or on a wall using a recently acquired projector). It is a hassle to setup and knock down just to watch a DVD or iTunes rental ... but it makes for entertainment.

[mtngal]

Rhonda, I have the opposite set-up, we have satellite TV but a local Internet service. That's why I'm interested in being able to watch a movie previously downloaded, when I don't have Internet service. I saw an Apple TV demo last weekend, which sure started me thinking about all kinds of possibilities.

[zinger1457]

Typically the sites that allow you to download instead of stream require that you buy the video instead of rent. I'm not an iPad owner but couldn't you connect the iPad directly to your TV with an adapter cable without using Apple TV?

[rhonda]

I've been poking around iTunes from my iPad. Yes, you can rent movies. They will be downloaded and stored on the iPad for up to 30 days or 24-hours from "first launch."

New movies rent for $4.99 for High Def or $3.99 for Std Def of same movie. Older movies rent for less ... starting at $0.99 per rental.

[rhonda]

Originally Posted by zinger1457

I'm not an iPad owner but couldn't you connect the iPad directly to your TV with an adapter cable without using Apple TV?

The advantage of using Apple TV is that the signal is carried wirelessly. Just "easier" than using a dongle from the iPad.

[rhonda]

Thanks, mtngal ... now I've gone too far in poking about with iTunes on my iPad. Now I've rented two movies and both are downloading now.

[mtngal]

Oh, very cool! That's what I wanted to hear. I'm definitely interested now! I didn't want to tie up a lot of memory with movies I'll never watch again, I already have more than one external hard drive tied up with stuff. Let me know how it goes.

Apple was smart to have their bricks and mortar stores, otherwise I would have never thought about the apple TV - I'm happy with my regular monitor and computer. But watching someone manipulate what's on the TV from an iPad was very cool. It wouldn't work for my sight-impaired Mom (reason for the demo) but it sure got me thinking about other uses. Wireless and iPad seem to go together.

[RX8]

Originally Posted by mtngal

I just got an iPad, and got to thinking. My home internet service is both slow and has a limit to how much you can download. So I have never researched any type of movies on-line. However, I have access to unlimited, high speed Internet elsewhere and thought about using the iPad to download movies there, then getting Apple TV to stream them from the 'pad to the TV. I'm interested in renting the movies for a short time, not purchasing them forever. It doesn't look like I can do that with Netflix (it seems to do streaming only?) - is there any site that will lot me do that? I think I could do it with iTunes, but got confused when reading all the fine print.

A free app with a bunch of movies and TV shows is Crackle. No charge at all but there are occasional ads, not enough to be bothersome.

[nalismom]

Anything you purchase from iTunes store and downloaded to your iPad can be deleted from your iPad after watching but it will always be available to you for re-download through iTunes store under Purchases. I just went through this last week with 3 seasons of a tv series. I take them off my device after watching but because I actually purchased them and not rented they are available to me should I want to watch them again.

[rhonda]

Originally Posted by RX8

A free app with a bunch of movies and TV shows is Crackle. No charge at all but there are occasional ads, not enough to be bothersome.

Hmmm. I've been using Crackle on/off but always through streaming. I just went in to see if downloading was permitted and found reference to maintaining an account online with a queue and viewing history. Does Crackle permit offline viewing of local content if I had an account? If not, I'd think that it, along with the ABC Player and similar others, would likely be incompatible with mtngal's environment of limited Internet at home?

Originally Posted by mtngal

My home internet service is both slow and has a limit to how much you can download.

[Elan]

What about Amazon VOD? From Amazon.com:

Rentals start at $2.99. If you rent, you'll have 30 days from when you rent to start watching, and once you start watching, most movies have a 24-hour window to finish watching. Once the rental is over, the movie will automatically disappear from Your Video Library.

[rhonda]

Elan,

Best I can determine, Amazon Instant Video doesn't support iPad/iOS devices?Yeah/Nay?

If either Amazon Instant Video or Prime Instant Video supported download/playback from iPad, it would be cool. They had both great titles and pricing.

Thx!

[Transit]

I use Eyetv .it connects your computer to your cable box and you can record like a DVD. The movies/show can go into iTunes and on your devices.Its easy to set up and works well .

[Elan]

Originally Posted by rhonda

Elan,

Best I can determine, Amazon Instant Video doesn't support iPad/iOS devices?Yeah/Nay?

If either Amazon Instant Video or Prime Instant Video supported download/playback from iPad, it would be cool. They had both great titles and pricing.

Thx!

I don't know. I don't do Apple stuff.

[mtngal]

That would be interesting, but I don't want to have to drag my laptop to work whenever I want to rent a movie - I do that if I want to download a program update or new program (otherwise it takes all night to download most things). My iPad fits in my purse and so isn't a big deal to take it with me on a semi-regular basis.

Rhonda, I gather that it did work for you?

[rhonda]

Originally Posted by mtngal

Rhonda, I gather that it did work for you?

Yes! I downloaded "Reign Supreme" as a rental direct from iTunes to my iPad while connected to fast Internet on Thurs. I watched it at home on Saturday evening. It will auto-erase in the next few hours (24-hours from when I launched it yesterday).

[mtngal]

Very cool! I think we'll stop at a Best Buy this week and pick up an Apple TV unit (have a $15 coupon). Got to look at my audio system to make sure I can hook it into it. Then to choose a movie to rent. Thanks SO MUCH!

[rhonda]

A coupon, hmm ... ? No, no, no -- please stop me from drooling over the product info page for AirPlay! I'm supposed to be the one "going along" with the purchase of a TV for the home ... not driving the purchase!

[SmithOp]

Works great on iPad, and if you connect to TV using HDMI cable you select movie on iPad screen and it plays on TV.

[SunSand]

I am a television "dinosaur", but don't count us out yet.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...alS_story.html

[SmithOp]

Originally Posted by SunSand

I am a television "dinosaur", but don't count us out yet.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...alS_story.html

That's using the 4g cell service, not the same as unlimited home wifi.

I think the OP should fix the problem, crappy home Internet service. Downloading at work, always deleting movies, buying expensive airplay device, seems like a lot of bother. Streaming movies takes a lot less bandwidth than waiting 60 min to download a full movie, what happens at work when everyone complains that Internet is slow? It happened where I worked and they blocked all the sites, even YouTube, too many people watching at work instead of working.

[rhonda]

Originally Posted by liulu

Watching DVDs on your ipad is a exciting thing. Doyou want have a try? [Original quoted post and possible spam have been deleted]

Ah, thanks for that reminder! I do own video conversion software that I use for work and have tried on several occasions to rip different types of video content to iTunes for syncing with the iPad. After much work, I'm generally not impressed with the results in terms of time required to covert the content, disk space consumed and poor quality of finished product. In all, not worth the time and trouble!

I haven't clicked on your links but ran a quick search for warnings about that site. The warnings suggest the software offered on the site could be troublesome to the consumer having risks of spyware and other malware. I offer this as a caution both to you (be safe!) and our community participating in this thread.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[rhonda]

Originally Posted by SmithOp

I think the OP should fix the problem, crappy home Internet service. Downloading at work, always deleting movies, buying expensive airplay device, seems like a lot of bother. Streaming movies takes a lot less bandwidth than waiting 60 min to download a full movie, what happens at work when everyone complains that Internet is slow? It happened where I worked and they blocked all the sites, even YouTube, too many people watching at work instead of working.

I hear you ... but in my situation, satellite internet (slow, metered and often expensive) is the best I'm going to get up at the house for now. We are far too remote for cable, fios, dsl, etc. If it gives your mind peace, I'm taking advantage of cable internet at my condo during the workweek for my large downloads - I'm not doing these at the office.

[pwrshift]

I have an AppleTV and enjoy it. About the size of a hockey puck it does make the process easy and gives you access to Netflix, You Tube, Vimeo, and more. I have an iPad too but don't think you can run a cord from it...you can use apple AirPlay though.

Many of the features of the AppleTV are free on some new HD TV's but perhaps no access to iTunes.

I have a SlingBox which you hook into your cable (or dish I assume) and you can watch anything you get on your home TV anywhere in the world on your laptop as long as you can get online. Nice when you're in a location that doesn't have much English on tv.

Options a-plenty.

Brian