Lukas Gregor In the official Jobs biography, in the sections devoted to the birth of the music business, we come across several reasons why the founder of Apple went to the music iTunes Store. Steve Jobs proposed the simplest possible sales strategy, or purchase of songs to suppress illegal downloads as much as possible. He argued that a person who cares about his karma will want to pay for his music.
It didn't take long and in connection with the iTunes store, sales of applications, periodicals and books, as well as movies, began to decline. And I will focus on the last mentioned segment in more detail in my article.
Why pay for movies
For the past two years, I have been deeply interested in the issue of legal acquisition of audiovisual works. Several reasons led me to this. First of all, a crucial role was played by the decision when I (more or less figuratively) did not want to further damage my karma – mentioned by Jobs. We can also call it simpler. After comfortable years of unscrupulously sucking up movies from all sorts of dark corners of the internet, I suddenly (and intensely) realized that I was being unethical.
Maybe not illegally under Czech law, but still unethical. De facto, it should be self-evident to always pay for goods, unless the owner has decided to donate/give them to us for free. And the goods also include a file with a song or a movie.
I defended my actions at the time (and I still encounter such arguments) as follows, for example:
- Why pay for the product of a gigantic movie studio that is already full of rich people? And besides, this little theft of mine can't hurt him in any way.
- Why pay for something that is on the internet?
- Why pay for something that I can easily delete. I'll just look at it once.
- Everyone does it.
The above defense falters on every point. It's not even worth bothering with. A much more meaningful point in the polemic with (non)downloading is related to the offer of legal ways to get to movies.
If paying, then to whom?
The download, which involved searching for video files and their subtitles, took quite a bit of time. On the other hand, after deciding to only pay for movies, there was no significant time saving either. I researched all the possibilities that such a willing buyer has in the country. And disillusionment began to haunt me...
At that time, I wanted the fastest and most convenient shopping possible. Given its entrenchment in the Apple ecosystem, the iTunes Store was logically the first place to go. But as soon as I started going through his offer, I couldn't help but wonder. At that time, the Czech apple store was still in its infancy and only provided a very small number of films with Czech support. And that's with the strategy that if he has one, then dubbing. Not the combination of original sound and Czech subtitles, or the option to turn on Czech dubbing. In short, either only the original soundtrack, or the Czech overdubbing.
I browsed, browsed, then found a few pieces where the Czech subtitles appeared. But Apple does not offer any search option according to this menu. In short, it's about the fact that you have a taste for a specific film and you have to hope that a) Apple sells it in the Czech Store, b) it sells it with Czech support. (I am now intentionally leaving the option to buy films in the original version regardless of Czech support.)
So I started to deal with buying movies differently. Almost no one here offers such convenient access to them. If you want to outright own a movie, not just rent it, the increasingly archaic way to buy boxes of pancakes wins. I decided on Blu-Ray, both because of the picture and sound quality, and because BDs usually offer more bonus material as well. (By the way, playing BD on a Mac is sometimes an "experience"!)
Alternatives that would come a little closer to Apple are only Aerovod.cz, where there is an interesting offer, but limited to one local distribution company. Or Dafilms.cz, where, however, it focuses exclusively on documentary production.
Although I still prefer buying Blu-Ray discs, I find the iTunes Store the most attractive. It is not only about the possibility of quickly buying (and owning) a film, but also about the fact that I can start playing it at any time from my devices, I don't have to store anything at home, or worry that my disc will get scratched.
iTunes Store and menu
After two years, the situation with the apple business of films in the Czech Republic has also improved. When I follow the offer of newly "arriving" titles, they are practically already equipped as standard with the option to choose the original sound with Czech subtitles or Czech dubbing. It is not necessarily only about films that have been shown in our cinemas. Even some older titles have acquired this "feature".
Nevertheless, there still remains one big BUT. If, while browsing the iTunes store, you become optimistic that the offer is large enough, try to look at the details. It's still no surprise that even Indiana Jones movies aren't localized. Even the director's editions of current blockbusters are not so lucky. Nevertheless, I remain an optimist, and I see great potential in the iTunes Store as far as the offer is concerned.
(Incidentally, Apple also sells to a certain extent independent and so-called art work or short films. However, you can practically forget about Czech support for these categories.)
iTunes Store and Money
But we come to the second BUT. To finance…
I understand that one can/must pay extra for the comfort of convenience. On the other hand, comparing the prices of movies in the iTunes Store with the prices for Blu-Rays means gaining more doubts about whether to buy movies through Apple. The novelty (and the price is kept for quite a long time) released in the iTunes Store will cost you EUR 16,99, or roughly CZK 470. Such prices practically do not reach Blu-Ray discs even as news, they would have to be in special/limited editions or in versions for 3D televisions to attack five hundred.
With Apple, it is therefore worthwhile to buy the film in advance, when it usually costs EUR 3 less. (However, when I now look at the current titles in this category, for example the new Mad Max, it costs €16,99 in pre-order - so one can imagine whether it will then cost almost €20, or in short Apple for some titles with a price at all does not count moving.)
You can also wait until the movie gets cheaper. Some are for 13,99 EUR or 11,99 EUR. You will practically not get an amount lower than CZK 328 in the iTunes Store. Only in special events does Apple put a few titles on sale for, say, EUR 8 (CZK 220).
It should be added that there are no major price miracles in the sale of Blu-Ray discs either. Probably the most interesting e-shop, Filmarena.cz, constantly sells discs in so-called multi-buy events, where you can reach a price of 250 CZK per BD, or it goes even further and sells some older titles for just under 200 CZK.
Therefore, if we compare the prices for buying movies, the iTunes Store can be accepted as an inexpensive store, considering the fact that the movie can be downloaded even in 1080p resolution. (Still, you won't get the sound quality of BD from it.) However, the Czech version of the iTunes Store is lagging behind the American version in terms of bonus materials. While you will find a number of them on practically every Blu-Ray disc, it is almost a barren plain in iTunes. For example such Gravity. Now it can be bought for 250 CZK and contains 3 hours of absolutely famous bonuses. iTunes is more than 200 CZK more expensive and you won't get the bonuses.
In addition, the American store sometimes also sells movies in discounted packages. I bought a set of Star Wars one movie at a time (and I don't have the bonuses), while an American could buy them much cheaper and has so-called extras.
If you only want to rent movies
However, there are people who don't want to own movies. All you have to do is rent them a movie from the comfort of your home for a limited time. Apple rents the movie for EUR 4,99 (in HD quality), or €3,99 (in SD quality). So while with Apple we are in the range of 110-140 CZK, a service such as Videotéka from O2 lends for 55 CZK. But with O2 and similar alternatives, of which there are more than sellers (non-rental companies) in our country, you can practically always find only original sound or Czech dubbing, you can forget about subtitles.
The second option for renting is hidden in a flat-rate payment for the service, where I will not be limited by how many movies I can watch. In the Czech Republic, unlike the music industry, we can despair a little. There are services like ivio.cz or topfun.cz, but the offer is quite weak (and in terms of localization the same as with O2). The only interesting way is HBO GO, which, however, can still be used in our country only by those who have a broadcasting provider – UPC, O2, Skylink – and a paid service.
And what to take from it?
This long-winded text can have the following starting point: In terms of quality-offer-price ratio, discs still lead (I'm only talking about Blu-Ray). However, if you also prefer values such as speed, flexibility (both when purchasing and when playing), the plus points of the iTunes Store begin to prevail. Personally, even because of the popularity of the bonus material and a certain still alive desire to collect movies and watch them on the shelf, I still prefer BD, but I do not stop watching what happens in the iTunes Store. And I'm glad for that happening. It's getting better and I believe that after a year my text would be much happier, at least in terms of the offer (I don't believe that the pricing policy).
Either way, it seems to me that whether you believe in karma or not, buying movies (as well as apps, music, books) shouldn't be something we brag about, but a completely natural behavior.
And as an afterword, I will present a call for discussion. Not only about how you personally perceive what is decisive for you when buying, where films are and how you buy them, but also about whether you would be interested in reviews of films (whether new or older) from the iTunes Store, which would be Apple growers could explore.
Those prices are pretty overpriced there. approx. 140 for renting a movie in HD when a ticket to a new movie costs 200? If the rental cost about 60, - then I would be more willing to pay for it.
For me, the rental fee for 140 CZK is also enough, on the other hand, compared to the cinema... for 140 CZK you can watch the film several times and perhaps with the whole family.
As already mentioned by Lukáš, you have to take into account that several people can watch it for one price, whereas in the cinema you have to pay for each person. This is probably the best argument to justify the high price, even for me.
So they could create some alternative to lending. Maybe it could only be played once. I would like it if it were cheaper, because maybe I don't watch movies more than once.
That price will be largely made up of how much of it the publisher wants. And he wants to somehow minimize the fact that if you went to the cinema with your girlfriend, you would have to buy 2 tickets = 400 CZK. If you download the movie for just one viewing, you pay for 2 people the same as for 1 or 3, i.e. "only" CZK 160.
Yeah, but I won't "tread on the carpet" for them either. Although I have no idea how the studios license the broadcast rights to the multiplex chains, I dare say that the director for the theater etc. will do more than the price for broadcasting rights.. i.e. easily less than the 160,- Otherwise, the costs of hosting those "few" servers and a bunch of Indians who are pigs are negligible compared to what it costs to build one multi-cinema.
Thanks to the author for the article, it is well written and I basically agree with everything. I myself expect that Netflix will arrive in the Czech Republic next year, which may mix with the current prices and the iTunes offer.
I'm quite curious about Netflix myself, but at the same time I'm a little bored. The content of Netflix is also not great - it varies in different countries and it can be assumed that the Czech one will be poor. (Definitely in support of "localized" films). Somehow, I don't even think that it would have anything to do with Apple's prices, it's still somehow wayward :) Rather, it may affect the offer of online rental companies.
And a small – very personal – impression of such services. On the one hand, I am very grateful for them, on the other hand, services such as Spotify or Netflix in a way strengthen the "consumerism" of music and films. It's a complete lonesome where we can walk on it, bite into this or that, let it be, it doesn't bother us because we're paying for the entrance, not the goods. Average is next to high-quality, on the contrary, it can be downright overwhelmed by ballast...
Hmm I don't know I've been using netflix for a few months via VPN and no great fame. Apart from House of cards, not much worth it. HBO Go seems to me to be a much better alternative (which, by the way, is available in the Czech Republic).
it works, but it also has its limitations and costs about 10e per month, on the other hand, it also has all its advantages
It can also be shared with a friend, because the account can run on up to 5 devices.
yes, but I don't know if you've tried it, but the point is that I, for example, have to get a film package through antiques for about 10e, and I pay 2e extra for HBO Go, which is almost free, but let me explain to my friends, half of 2e , because I also need a film package for another 10, it's a bit stupid and especially it would be unfair to him. Anyway, I'm going to try it :)
Ah, well I was more referring to how HBO plans to make HBO Go a standalone service. It should be paid separately without the need to have a satellite subscription. I don't know if it's possible or not. A friend left me HBO Go because he doesn't use the service.
So far, this version of HBO GO only works in the US. Anyway, it's a step in the right direction on the part of HBO and I'm looking forward to the service being available in our country as well. It has quality content.
I definitely don't understand why movie reviews should appear on Jablíčkář. I already find the selection of some topics for articles here quite strange. Why would I want to read movie reviews on a site that says in the title that it's aimed at iphone, ipad and mac os x? then what is the matching value? If I want to read a movie review, I'd rather visit a movie portal than this one.
We certainly do not impose this idea - I personally understand the focus on the iPhone, iPad, Mac OS not only as machines, but also on the content that "feeds" them - and this includes, in addition to applications, multimedia, or those movies too.
Nicely written, I personally like it so that I go to the cinema to see a movie and if I'm interested, I buy a pancake in the store, just because of the sound quality or the 3D option. I would rather welcome an internet rental where there will be an offer like iTunes, but at a reasonable price, I remember the days when I rented a VHS for 50 for the whole weekend, then as news DVDs for the same price and all at once??? rental companies are crap and my neighborhood is snarling at piracy on servers like save and others... :-/ Film crews are also people who have to eat something, and only showing in a cinema is useless forever.
I don't understand why there should be movie reviews here, I think IMDB is enough for that, or not CSFD for the Czechs??
Well, I don't know, but if I look at an average movie (As it is not a predetermined box office hit like Fast and Furious or Avatar) for example Birdman, which had a net profit of over 80 million dollars, it doesn't seem to me that the filmmakers have nothing to eat: ) And if he then looks at FaF 7, which earned over a billion dollars? If it doesn't pay off for them, don't worry about it, but they will always complain about pirates.
That's how I wrote it recently in a discussion. I'm exactly the same. I would just add that you can usually buy a movie on DVD for the price of an iTunes rental. So I buy pancakes too. Well, about songs, I buy them on Google Play and iTunes only occasionally during promotions. I usually buy a new CD at least half cheaper on Google Play! And then also, for things that are really worth it to me and I want to listen to them not only with headphones, I buy a CD.
Well, I agree with the "don't steal" opinion. Unfortunately, movies on any medium such as DVD, BD are nonsense for me, storing plastics that take up space and I'm not talking about the phthalates that the packaging is made of. Another thing is that there are few CZ movies with CZ dubbing in iTunes, even the older ones. Personally, I would prefer sales on an intangible carrier. Unfortunately, nobody does this perfectly.
nicely written, but you forgot to say something very important for me personally, that I watched movies with cz/sk locations, so maybe they all have only stereo sound and since I made a home theater at home, it's a big minus for me. it is true that the situation is improving, but it will still take a lot of catching up in our area. I personally would like to buy movies that are worth it, but the situation would have to look like this: a movie with original dubbing and our Czech/Sk or both, subtitles as well, sound at least 5.1 and prices at least half around €7-9€ and + would there was definitely a 3D option as well. As a connoisseur of movies and serials, I am not willing to pay for movies either with one or the other variation of the language, especially without 5.1 sound and not to mention 3D. so far it's all bad, the films are spreading and I'm glad for that, but until I have at least the basic things done, I won't even think about it. know that the film is multilingual and the subtitles for it are standard, as well as surround sound. I understand that 3D Apple TV doesn't even support the store, and I wouldn't mind that, but these basic things bother me a lot, and as for the prices, it's overpriced here, because it's more expensive than in America, and you also have to take into account the salaries are there and ake here. the reason why people download illegally is not always just because it would be better, but also because a person is trying to survive financially and many times he can't even think about such things because he just doesn't have the time.
Good point with that sound. I mentioned it only marginally in comparison to BD, where the quality of the soundtrack clearly wins. I take this as an argument why iTunes may not be a good choice/the best choice, or the price in it is therefore inadequate, when the much better "output" actually costs less on BD.
(On the other hand, the downloaded movie probably isn't very good either, isn't it?)
The second part of the comment is more about the approach. I don't think "poverty" should be an excuse for taking (I don't want to directly use the word steal, but it could be used) goods without payment.
well, if you download it and you know where it's from, the quality is fine, if you download a regular movie, you download it in approx. 2 GB size, where you can watch it even on a full HD projector, but of course the quality is not amazing, but the movies that are worth it are worth it download in full HD 3D quality, where the quality is the same as on blue ray, and I'm talking about rips about 10 GB in size, but blue ray is also available, but that's not the point. I also agree with you as far as the principles are concerned, but with the high prices for our conditions, this is not an excuse, but a fact. and I personally don't believe in disc media, before I had CDs and DVDs and there was only a problem with that, so I prefer everything on HDD if not in the cloud.
ad poverty don't forget that downloading movies is legal
Yes, in the Czech Republic it does not contradict the legislation - which I also stated in the article, but with the postscript that not everything that can be legal is also ethical.
Once again, the downloading of audiovisual works for personal use not only cannot be considered an illegal act in the Czech Republic, but can be considered an act fully in accordance with the Czech legal system, which includes the payment of concessionaire fees, as well as a fee to collective rights administrators from legal and natural persons and as well as the mentioned copyright fees, which are paid on the principle of reciprocity by everyone who buys a CD medium, printer, player, etc.
It is the principle of reciprocity that completely excludes the possibility of committing an illegal act when downloading AV works from the Internet. Sharing is a different category (but even for sharing according to the established interpretation and jurisprudence of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court, a citizen cannot be required to be able to recognize 100% whether the work being shared is protected by copyright). In this way, the ÚS and NS also indirectly legalizes the sharing of audiovisual works in accordance with the established interpretation of the law.
This is the reason why no one has been convicted or prosecuted for using torrents, popcorn time, etc.
In order for the conduct to fulfill the characteristics of a criminal offense, it is necessary that the subject at the same time tries to enrich himself.
Therefore, it is not okay if you run a server with links to movies and at the same time run advertising on it, which can bring you financial benefit.
Ergo, when downloading audiovisual works from publicly available sources (P2P, web, torrent, etc.), you cannot commit unethical behavior just because you have indirectly paid dues to copyright unions for the content. There is no one-sided or unjustified enrichment.
Such behavior cannot also be in conflict with what is considered moral/ethical behavior by the majority of citizens of the Czech Republic.
with that 3d sound it's no wonder
I bought a 5.1 set at home, connected it, configured the codecs so that everything worked, tested the connection and rented two 5.1 movies
I played them and no expected miracle happened, in addition, most of the time the movies played dialogues from the center speaker, the resulting quality and enjoyment of the movie worse than for a classic stereo
configured, I had everything correct, that there is no fault with me, I also checked on a high-quality Yamaha home cinema, which in combination with my movies (original on DVD) suffered from the same ailments
so I pulled out all the connectors from the pc, connected the 5.1 setup to the downmix and the subjective effect was much better, because the dialogues started to play from the front stereo speakers
I tweaked the front and rear speaker faders a bit and it plays much better on the downmix than on the 5.1 within the scope of the cheaper set-up options
since then, I've been downloading movies with standard stereo on 5.1 and when I play them on a 5.1 set, I leave the mixing from the stereo track to 5.1 on the receiver "analog", actually not real surround and the result is better, the spatial effect created by the receiver itself, that extra stereo it really has a spatial effect and I have dialogues from the front satellites as well
that is a subjective opinion. I can't praise 5.1 and I wouldn't change it, personally stereo bothers me because there is no space effect. and when you remux it, it works for you. it's true that half of the film is interviews and they come from the central station, but when it comes, let's give it a helicopter and you don't have 5.1 sound, you don't know where it's coming from, if you have surround sound, you know it
Don't do movie reviews. It's pointless and you'd rather go to csfd.cz anyway. I don't think there are many people who buy movies anyway.
I prefer to download movies, it's much cheaper and faster and more accessible. Either for reasons (which are said to be lame), but also for OSA reasons, which we all pay for when buying a laptop, flash drive, DVD and other things that keep the memory without power.
The only thing that can be considered to buy is Netflix, but movies are not released on it as fast as warez. The prices on iTunes are outrageous.
What to say about this?
on the one hand, yes, but on the other hand, it's true that those who make those movies from your peripherals have nothing and deserve something... on the other hand, I made a file index of movies and serials and it took me hours and days of work, and yes, it's a good feeling when a person works hard to do something, on the other hand, having a filing cabinet, e.g. on iTunes, where everything is ready and ready will save a lot of time and effort, but you won't understand until you try it
that's not true, the films I make are paid according to the contract, usually by the rights holder
the holder of the rights to the film receives very decent royalties from the collective administrator every year, both from the Czech production and also from abroad
everything is more than fair, I will give two examples
the director Troška makes films and waives the right to royalties in the contract, collects CZK 3 for one film and never more (except fees for various events that are outside the scope of the contract)
director Adamec films various serials, telenovelas and similar things, on the one hand he receives a salary during the filming eg. 30 CZK per day of filming plus royalties, which at first glance do not seem high, because Adamec films a lot of similar pieces and they are repeated on TV a lot, so every year he lands 000-4 million crowns in his account from royalties for the rights to everything that for the whole life filmed
Very nice article, something that has been missing on the Czech internet for a long time - your own work. Lately, most of the articles are just regurgitation of what is rumored. That's why I almost don't read Czech servers anymore - I've always read them in English, they're usually more comprehensive and also contain the author's point of view. But this forced me to open the article, read it and thank the author.
And I thank you for your comment.
Apple's ecosystem, I don't see this connection at all. Mr. Author, try to Google the word ecosystem. Its meaning is completely different. The fact that it is slavishly accepted does not mean that it is right and good. Apple definitely didn't have, doesn't have, and won't have any back ecosystem.
why do you want to get caught up in the vocabulary? the meaning of the article was completely different and everyone understood what it was about, even if it was not named completely correctly
Because of my relationship with nature (and ecology), I know what an ecosystem means. And I think the usage we see in connection with Apple fits its figurative meaning (function) very well.
Well, while we're at it, it's only suitable for a very rich imagination. That's just a side note
On the one hand, I agree that it is necessary to pay for someone's work, even if it is not tangible. On the other hand, as someone already wrote here, we already pay for it when we buy the storage space and that was not mentioned. The fact that the producer/author will see something/nothing from it is something that may or may not bother me. I'm not saying that if I didn't pay media royalties, I wouldn't download, but let's face it, I'd be less reluctant to pay. I pay for an iOS app even though I don't have to and sometimes I even pay more, e.g. when the app costs something and also includes the option to donate and I'm just very satisfied thanks to the prices. I already perceive large applications for Windows differently, because the prices are different, although I also pay for some that I really use. But I haven't worked on it yet for audio/video, although Hans Zimmer tempts me every day to pay :-)
Another thing that is not mentioned here is the very quality of the film, the plot, the execution, …. . If I buy a new product, I often don't know if it's worth it, there are no reviews yet. The trailer entices me, but often the film is a tragedy. Few people know that in the cinema it is possible to leave the theater within 15 minutes (about how long) of the start and ask for a refund. However, you often find out after a long time that the film is about nothing, because the beginnings are sometimes slow and it doesn't take until maybe 2/3 or 3/3 of the film to start moving, if the film is good. But at least some possibility of complaint. But what about online purchase/rental?
As for HBO GO, I just recently thought I'd get it for a test run. In the Centrio network, you can buy HBO GO for CZK 149 per month, even if I don't have HBO a
nor other TV programs. For the first 6 months, it is even CZK 79. That's the price
very decent both boot and standard. But I'm missing a proper app to be able to use HBO GO like for example KODI for PC with a remote control. There is no plugin for KODI yet.
Hopefully, over time, the prices will reach a reasonable level and the technical solution will be more pleasant, and then I will also reach the point where it is not worth it for me to download unethically, even if within the law, and it will be better to buy. However, I don't see it that way yet, so I pay for all possible storage.
I use HBO Go and Netflix with success and after 2 months I'm starting to think about Hulu Plus as well. It's true that you have to wait for the news (apart from the HBO and Netflix productions, which are great in themselves) or find a way to them. But as it is said in the article - for 200,- a month both your wallet and karma are satisfied. I've kept movie downloads to an absolute minimum. Everything is faster and easier.
I don't want to defend downloads here, but in the "I defended my actions at the time" section, I'm missing the item that I usually download everything I want in very good quality, with the sound I want (mostly original) and get subtitles when I need them.
I'm not opposed to renting a movie online for one look, or having a purchased subscription, but I want a service where I can get at least 90 (more) percent of the movies I want to watch, in high quality, with the sound of my choice and subtitles. I don't know if I missed something, but at the moment I don't know of a service that offers something like this.
You are right that such a service does not exist. Since I don't focus so much on new releases, but look for older or more festival films, my "sadness" at the current offer is all the more palpable.
Of course, the film companies/distributors make a lot of their own money from the piracy problem, but the question still remains, can I buy it "uncleanly" because I like movie A, but it can't be bought legally? I have another argument for this, but it still doesn't change the problem of the ethics of such behavior.
Of course, I'm not condoning this behavior. However, from my point of view, the main problem is that the end user often gets a better service when he downloads the movies instead of buying them.
I would see exactly the main problem in the same thing. In most cases, I can get to a 1080p movie with original sound and cz subtitles much more easily through a torrent than through the legal way, and that, in my opinion, is the main stumbling block. I know plenty of people who would be willing to put up with iTunes' pricing policy (which could at least match BD) and wish for bonuses, but iTunes just doesn't offer the version of the movie they want. This repeats the situation before the arrival of the iTunes music store, namely that I have very few (very complicated) options to obtain the desired product legally and digitally. Thus, a person takes an easier and cheaper route, even if at the expense of ethics. Personally, I think it would be great if Apple managed to come up with a team that would stream movies and series and have great support in countries like the Czech Republic. I think that's where the future lies and I'd be happy to pay for this freedom.
Thanks for the nice article. I myself am in the same situation where I use a Mac mini / Apple TV + Full HD projector + Onkyo 5.1 at home and the problem is where to get legal content to use the full picture and sound. I would like to buy movies via iTunes, but in most cases I miss Czech subtitles and the impossibility of buying series.
Misunderstood, incompetence and laziness!
The whole world wants SIMPLE SEARCH, QUALITY PICTURE, QUALITY SOUND, SUBTITLES/DUBBING, SIMPLE, CHEAP PAYMENT AND THE SAME FOR ALL. If this is not offered by the manufacturer or the supplier, then the world is looking for alternatives. Why does no one understand this? Why can't I click on warnerbros.com/archive and SIMPLY see what the brothers have filmed, the complete archive, the possibility to filter by year, by rating, entire films in low resolution, the possibility to buy fulhadecko for a buck and choose subtitles directly from them ? Why can't such megacolossuses do SIMPLE SEARCH, QUALITY PICTURE, QUALITY SOUND, SUBTITLES/DUBBING, SIMPLE AND CHEAP PAYMENT FOR ALL THE SAME? Why can torrents do this for free? Until the world's film publishers understand this triviality, then torrents will die out like dinosaurs.
Why buy elsewhere? I can play anytime, anywhere and I don't have to limit myself to Apple HW.
If the system is robbing us of fees for each purchased memory medium, then I see no reason why people in our country should not be able to download movies wherever they want (for these fees) within the framework of legal regulations. Sure - both are wrong, but why should I pay someone such fees when I myself am the author and sole owner of the digital content on those media? (e.g. a backup of one's own photo album, family video library from the childhood of our children, etc.) This is simply public and considered completely normal theft.
But well, when it comes to where I get movies from, I'm kind of mixed. I buy something on iTunes, something on BD (if it's on sale) and I download something somewhere - in cases where it's mainly easier or I'm not sure that I'll get what I really want, i.e. decent quality and sound, correct audio or subtitles, the possibility of watching in the situation when it would be convenient for me (and I only need to see it once), etc.
Any "justification" and talk of ordinary theft is meaningless. It only speaks of the pathetic level of the given individual. But if anyone had access to something he created himself, it would be a roar.... Personally, I don't have a single stolen song on my computer, nor a movie or program that is normally paid for. Not because I can't, the internet is full of everything, but I just want to look in the mirror with a clear conscience and I'm proud of the fact that I'm not even stealing those songs. Just as I am proud of the fact that I raised my two children to do the same. They also don't steal, they don't need it. I have respect for people who can do something, for their talent and work, and I like to pay for their work if I like it. Just like I'm happy to pay for anything else I want or need.
I can agree with that and have the same attitude myself. But it would be nice if the other party (i.e. in our case OSA) stopped "stealing" as well, by collecting a fee for something that does not belong to this organization, i.e. downloading and potentially also morally "legalizes" theft - if I buy a computer, an external drive , a camera with a memory card, some blank media, a copier, a printer, some toner and paper and I will pay a "burning fee" from it, so I can understand it as a kind of "subscription" or maybe a punishment for something I haven't done yet. So I'd be more careful with the "any justification".
Otherwise, I personally switched to the "legal model" primarily for convenience (rather than looking for it somewhere and downloading it, solving the quality issue, etc., so I'd rather buy it in iTunes or the App store) and also due to reduced "consumption" - it's been a long time since like at the studio, when we were competing to see who had more movies on the disc - I practically don't watch them anymore, and when I do, it's mainly in the cinema. I take legal applications for granted - using illegal software at work would be a crime.
Well, according to the law, it is not theft. One way or another, it is not right to steal, but in this situation, when there are not many alternatives on our market, and in this situation, we are looking for the best solution that suits us the most. I'm not saying that stealing is right, but as someone already wrote here, there are certain things that we expect and want, and until there is a legal possibility to achieve it, there is no other possibility. and the truth is that the best and easiest way to download movies is from torrents. if the things I want for a reasonable price were on the itunes store, I would definitely buy the movies that are worth it, unfortunately I still don't meet the conditions I require as I wrote about it below
Very nice article, but I'm afraid it's throwing peas at the wall.
I don't see a problem paying for the movie. I see the problem that no one will refund my money if I don't like the movie, it will be full of mistakes, etc. Most of the time, Flick movies are created just so that you can see as much as possible on them. I have nothing to do with quality production. It invests in advertising and then waits to see how many people will catch on. It happened to me several times that I left the cinema. I pay for Netflix and that's enough. If iTunes introduces a streaming service at a reasonable price, I will definitely go for it.
I can't really imagine a claim in practice - not only for a film, but also for a music album, a book... I understand if you buy a file that is damaged. But write "the movie disappointed me" and want a refund?
if you don't like the album from itunes, you can return the money without any problem.
when I accidentally bought a blue-ray that only contained (a violet disc), I was sent to hell. No one will buy movies, only a service like Netflix will. TV nova, CT1 will only be online.
If it works with refunds on iTunes the same way as on the AppStore, then it can easily happen that after several refunds in a row you will be marked as an abusive user, and with every other purchase you will have to agree that by purchasing you agree to the fact that you will not be able to refund during those 14 days, verified on the helpline, this 'label' is said to be limited in time without further details... but I shook my head and remembered Android (15-minute refund window without asking, does it still work?)
Hmm, I also watched a couple of movies via iTunes and would buy more of them. Just the subtitles...
Blu-ray is not the way for me because the last drive I had at home was MBP 2009, so it just hums and does nothing :P
I would very much like to pay the few € it won't kill me to watch a movie here and there, but for now I will have to look for other alternatives until the dinosaurs hatch from their eggs...
Every time I turn on Kodi, I think about the karma of those incredibly sleazy individuals who, in almost twenty years of disgustingly laboriously stealing most movies, have not come up with a comfortable and reasonably priced model. They'd rather cry for the next ten years that people are thieves. At the same time, a bunch of enthusiasts are able to develop convenient SW for each platform practically "on their knees".
I missed the information in the article that some movies cannot be rented but can only be bought, typically movies that I would like to watch with my family one day, but I wouldn't pay 16.99 EUR for them even by chance
for me - films from iTunes convenience alone, but unfortunately they can't compete with other films on Bluray - i.e. sound, image and price
You're right. And I came across a movie that could only be rented, not bought. Rather, both apply.
Nice article. Unfortunately, the issue of films and their sound/subtitles is the fault(?) of the distributor. iTunes is just a market, the content is delivered there by a specific distributor (or several) in a specific country. I checked with Apple multiple times and through multiple layers of support and minor management. I came to this because I was dealing with the presence of a certain work in two versions, where I would like an ENG soundtrack and my daughter would like a CZE soundtrack. It seemed to me like brutal stupidity, or the greed of Apple to introduce the title 2x for 2x a separate price, of course. I was corrected that it is always a question for the distributor, how and especially why he will provide it there in one format or another. Otherwise, I'm glad that there are more people who consider buying a digital work to be normal :-)