iTunes 10.6 now available with support for 1080p video

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014


Support for 1080p video came with the new Apple TV announced on Wednesday, and Apple's iTunes software has also been updated accordingly with version 10.6.



iTunes 10.6 is now available for download direct from Apple or via Software Update, giving users access to 1080p high-definition movies and TV shows. That content can then be streamed to the Apple TV and played back in its native resolution on an HDTV.



The new iTunes also features a number of improvements for the $24.99-per-year iTunes Match service, including improved song matching, as well as improved album artwork handling, downloading and display. iTunes 10.6 also address an issue where songs may skip when playing from iCloud.



The release of iTunes 10.6 came on Wednesday alongside the iOS 5.1 software update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The new Apple TV with 1080p video playback will be available for $99 starting next week.



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 29
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Of note is that iTunes shows up in the Mac App Store in Mountain Lion, but as a "OS X Update". Interesting.



    Also, the "HD" symbol next to the names of video content is broken. The left side is clipped.
  • Reply 2 of 29
    starbirdstarbird Posts: 42member
    So, I buy a movie that is 1080p. I have an iPhone 4. What happens? Do I now have to sync the SD version? Or is there now an SD/720p/1080p version/option? Same for the Apple TV2. Will I be forced to watch the SD versions? If so, not cool.
  • Reply 3 of 29
    dagamer34dagamer34 Posts: 494member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by starbird View Post


    So, I buy a movie that is 1080p. I have an iPhone 4. What happens? Do I now have to sync the SD version? Or is there now an SD/720p/1080p version/option? Same for the Apple TV2. Will I be forced to watch the SD versions? If so, not cool.



    Whenever you bought a movie before, iTunes always downloaded multiple versions, and you had an option of syncing whatever you thought was best.
  • Reply 4 of 29
    nkingmannkingman Posts: 44member
    Just to clarify, if you want to down load 1080p movies, go to Preferences in iTunes, then go to the Store tab and under When downloading High Definition videos, select: 1080p.
  • Reply 5 of 29
    mrstepmrstep Posts: 513member
    iTunes 10.6? Sounds like it should have skipped to iTunes 10.80



    Damn, I slay me.



    OK, what I actually want to know is whether this means it's now iPad2 level hardware or iPad3 level. I mean... new iPad, but newer than new iPad2.
  • Reply 6 of 29
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    1) You have to set whether you want 720p or 1080p in your iTunes Preferences.



    2) As predicted since there is no additional fee the file size isn't that much larger than 720p despite the pixel size difference being over 2x as much for a 16:9 video. It appears to only be about a 15% increase in bit rate. Perfectly sound decision since even those n tech sites keep calling for 1080p without ever mentioning the other characteristics involved in picture quality.
  • Reply 7 of 29
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Of note is that iTunes shows up in the Mac App Store in Mountain Lion, but as a "OS X Update". Interesting.



    Also, the "HD" symbol next to the names of video content is broken. The left side is clipped.



    That is one of the changes I was hoping for with Lion: merging Software Updater with the Update section of App Store. ML really does add all the things I had hoped for in Lion.
  • Reply 8 of 29
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mrstep View Post


    OK, what I actually want to know is whether this means it's now iPad2 level hardware or iPad3 level. I mean... new iPad, but newer than new iPad2.



    What does this mean?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    That is one of the changes I was hoping for with Lion: merging Software Updater with the Update section of App Store.



    I expected it to at least show up with the iTunes icon. Sort of like a standalone application that can't be accessed any other way. Ah, well.
  • Reply 9 of 29
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    I expected it to at least show up with the iTunes icon. Sort of like a standalone application that can't be accessed any other way. Ah, well.



    Yeah, that was a little confusing. They really need to make the non-App Store items a heading with the icons of the app to the left.
  • Reply 10 of 29
    Has anyone outside the US been able to download 1080p content? I've just bought a HD movie (Men In Black) hoping it would be 1080p but the size is still the same as the 720p version so I'm guessing it isn't 1080p (it's still downloading). I did set the store preference to 1080p.
  • Reply 11 of 29
    nkingmannkingman Posts: 44member
    Just re-downloaded Iron Man in 1080p. Interestingly, the file size is smaller than the 720p: 4.21GB (1080) vs. 4.25GB (720). Also the bit rate is low, only 4,000. 720p is 4,100.
  • Reply 12 of 29
    darkpawdarkpaw Posts: 212member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gareth_moore View Post


    Has anyone outside the US been able to download 1080p content? I've just bought a HD movie (Men In Black) hoping it would be 1080p but the size is still the same as the 720p version so I'm guessing it isn't 1080p (it's still downloading). I did set the store preference to 1080p.



    In iTunes, that title shows as "3.21 GB (720p HD), 1.09 GB (SD)", so I'm guessing you'll only get the 720p version.
  • Reply 13 of 29
    shaun, ukshaun, uk Posts: 1,050member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkingman View Post


    Just to clarify, if you want to down load 1080p movies, go to Preferences in iTunes, then go to the Store tab and under When downloading High Definition videos, select: 1080p.



    Thanks for the update.



    If you select that option do you happen to know if all HD movies are 1080p from now on?
  • Reply 14 of 29
    The download of Men In Black has just finished and it's still 720p so it seems like 1080p is only available in the US. I think this is very bad on Apple's since its not clear. People with Apple TV 2 could go out and buy an Apple TV 3 and it won't give them anything new.
  • Reply 15 of 29
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkingman View Post


    Just re-downloaded Iron Man in 1080p. Interestingly, the file size is smaller than the 720p: 4.21GB (1080) vs. 4.25GB (720). Also the bit rate is low, only 4,000. 720p is 4,100.



    LOL The ones I checked were about 16% larger, which is still nominal and less data per pixel, but at least it was more.



    The people wanted 1080p and they got 1080p. They should have much "better quality" but that isn't how the marketing has steered them.



    You see any other files that were encoded with a smaller bitrate than 720p? Could that slight difference be an artifact of a frame having a lot more chances of the same pixels color being represented by other pixels in a frame?
  • Reply 16 of 29
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gareth_moore View Post


    The download of Men In Black has just finished and it's still 720p so it seems like 1080p is only available in the US. I think this is very bad on Apple's since its not clear. People with Apple TV 2 could go out and buy an Apple TV 3 and it won't give them anything new.



    It says it on the iTS page if it's 720p or 1080p and the file size. 3.95GB for 1080p, 3.28GB for 720p, and 1.38 for SD. 1080p is a 20% in size.
  • Reply 17 of 29
    nkingmannkingman Posts: 44member
    I think they've gone on the cheap side with 1080 @ 4Mbps. They could've gone to 10Mbps, or even 7Mbp, I understand a higher bit rate would've been stressful on the bandwidth, but users have a choice between 720 or 1080. So if people can't handle the 1080 bandwidth, they can opt for 720.
  • Reply 18 of 29
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    The bitrate here won't be an issue much longer.



    I can see Apple being the first to adopt HEVC once it's finalized and iTunes to be the first digital store to push HEVC content.



    My stars, talk about your small file sizes. We could have twice the bitrate for 1080p content in the same size file. There's your quality for the quality freaks and your size for the? well, everyone since US "broadband" speeds are so pathetic.
  • Reply 19 of 29
    11thindian11thindian Posts: 181member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gareth_moore View Post


    The download of Men In Black has just finished and it's still 720p so it seems like 1080p is only available in the US. I think this is very bad on Apple's since its not clear. People with Apple TV 2 could go out and buy an Apple TV 3 and it won't give them anything new.



    It's completely clear. In iTunes it tells you whether it's a 720 or 1080 file. So far in Canada I've only found 1080p tv content.
  • Reply 20 of 29
    11thindian11thindian Posts: 181member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    The bitrate here won't be an issue much longer.



    I can see Apple being the first to adopt HEVC once it's finalized and iTunes to be the first digital store to push HEVC content.



    My stars, talk about your small file sizes. We could have twice the bitrate for 1080p content in the same size file. There's your quality for the quality freaks and your size for the? well, everyone since US "broadband" speeds are so pathetic.



    I think we should wait to see some side-by-sides of similar frames before judging the quality of the encoding.
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