Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Movies

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) FOR MOVIES

* Last Modified on: January 30, 2008

* Article: 304277

For information about iTunes Store movie rentals, read the iTunes Store Movie Rental FAQ.

* What regions are movies available for purchase?
* What are the minimum hardware and software requirements to purchase and play a movie?
* What iPod models will play movies?
* How much does a movie cost?
* How large is the average movie?
* How long will it take to download?
* Are previews available?
* What are the usage rights with movies?
* How does that backup experience work with movies?
* What is the scope of MPAA rating offerings?
* Will iTunes parental controls filter for this?
* What is the aspect ratio? Is there widescreen vs fullscreen? Can you choose?
* Will I notice a difference when I play a higher-resolution video on an iPod?
* Is there a limit to the number of movies I can store to an iPod or Apple TV?
* Are there chapter markers in the movies? Are they supported on iPod and/or iTunes?
* Can I watch downloaded movies on TV? How?
* Is the movie file size listed on the iTunes Store?
* Can you begin playback while the movie is downloading?
* Can I watch the movie in QuickTime Player?
* Do movies support surround sound?
* Can I listen to the audio of a movie through AirTunes technology with an AirPort Express?
* Can I use my iTunes Gift Card for purchasing a movie?

* If I buy a new iPod with video capability or an Apple TV, will I have to purchase the movie again?

What regions are movies available for purchase?

U.S. only.

What are the minimum hardware and software requirements to purchase and play a movie?

MAC

* iTunes 7.6 or later
* QuickTime 7.4 or later
* Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later
* Macintosh with a 1GHz PowerPC G4 processor or better
* At least 256MB of RAM
* At least 16MB of Video RAM
* Broadband Internet connection (DSL/Cable/LAN)

PC

* iTunes 7.6 or later
* QuickTime 7.4 or later (included with iTunes 7.6 for Windows)
* 32-bit editions of Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Vista
* 64-bit editions of Windows Vista
* 2GHz Pentium class Windows-compatible PC
* At least 512MB of RAM
* At least 32MB of video RAM
* Broadband Internet connection (DSL/Cable/LAN)

What iPod models will play movies?

Movies can be played on iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano (3rd generation), or iPod (5th generation).

Note: Rented movies are not supported on iPod (5th generation).

How much does a movie cost?

Movies typically range from $14.99 for new releases to $9.99 for most other movies.

How large is the average movie?

A 2-hour movie is about 1.5 GB.

How long will it take to download?

Depending on connection speeds, a standard movie could take anywhere between 20 minutes and 3 hours to download.

Are previews available?

The iTunes Store offers the ability to view a trailer for each movie.

What are the usage rights with movies?

You can transfer to five computers, sync with all the iPods you own, and burn to DVD for data archiving purposes only (not for DVD playback). You can also sync to up to five Apple TVs which don't count as one of your five computers.

How does that backup experience work with movies?

You can back up a movie with a DVD or hard drive. If you back up to a DVD, you can use the iTunes Backup feature, that will lead you through the backup process (choose FILE > BACKUP to Disc). To back up to an external hard drive, you simply drag the source movie files to the hard drive icon on your desktop or in My Computer.

What is the scope of MPAA rating offerings?

The iTunes Store uses the MPAA film rating system instituted by the Motion Picture Association of America. Movies from Rated G to Rated R are offered. There is also unrated content. No NC-17 rated movies are offered on the iTunes Store.

Will iTunes parental controls filter for this?

Parental controls set with the iTunes Store can be used to limit the purchase and preview of store content to a specified MPAA rating (example PG-13 and below).

What is the aspect ratio? Is there widescreen vs fullscreen? Can you choose?

The aspect ratio will vary.

Will I notice a difference when I play a higher-resolution video on an iPod?

Because iPod screens are smaller, you may not see a difference when viewing a higher resolution video on an iPod. However, you generally will notice a difference when viewing in iTunes on a larger monitor or when displaying video on TV.

Is there a limit to the number of movies I can store to an iPod or Apple TV?

The number of movies is limited by the available space on the iPod or Apple TV, and will vary by use.

Are there chapter markers in the movies? Are they supported on iPod and/or iTunes?

Chapters are supported on both the iPod and on iTunes, given that the file has chapter markers. The iTunes client has a new Chapters menu when the currently selected movie has chapters. On the iPod, the Next/Fast-forward and Previous/Rewind buttons will move you between chapters.

Can I watch downloaded movies on TV? How?

Yes, if you have a widescreen enhanced definition or high definition TV and a network with broadband Internet access, you can use Apple TV to easily view movies from your Mac or PC's iTunes library.

You can also connect your computer to your TV via audio and video cables. To connect audio, you simply get a Miniplug-to-RCA stereo audio cable and connect your headphone jack on your computer to the audio input on your TV or stereo (red for left and white for right audio channels). For video, if you have an S-video connection on your computer, you use an S-video cable to connect to the RCA jacks on your TV. If you have a VGA or DVI connection on your TV and your computer, you may be able to connect the display like a monitor. Check the TV and computer documentation for more information.

You can also display the movie on TV using the iPod and either the Apple iPod AV cable or the Universal Dock with an S-video and audio cable (see iPod: TV Out support for more information).

Is the movie file size listed on the iTunes Store?

Yes

Can you begin playback while the movie is downloading?

Yes. How quickly playback begins depends on the on the speed of your Internet connection.

Can I watch the movie in QuickTime Player?

Yes.

Do movies support surround sound?

Yes. Movies include audio which is encoded using Dolby Surround which delivers multichannel audio when played using Dolby Pro Logic systems.

Can I listen to the audio of a movie through AirTunes technology with an AirPort Express?

No.

Can I use my iTunes Gift Card for purchasing a movie?

Yes.

If I buy a new iPod with video capability or an Apple TV, will I have to purchase the movie again?

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