That being said anyone believing this time of year actually has anything to do with Christ is just as naive and is in fact about roughly two months too late.
Christmas is in fact a pagan holiday for worshipping the sun not Christ. It was merged into Christianity in an effort to get people converted from heathenism to Christianity which in itself is wrong.
Besides, don't you think that if Jesus wanted us to celebrate his birthday it would be written in the Bible? There is only one account in the Christian Greek Scriptures that mentions a birthday and it didn't go all too well for John the Baptiser did it?
Anyway, back to topic.
I hope that DRM-free content also allows us to purchase from OTHER iTunes stores. Why can't I buy from UK when much of the music I listen to is from over there. Instead I have to listen to content from Australia/New Zealand where it's mostly crappy US music which has no soul. We don't even have much of our own music promoted here which is wrong because New Zealand music is pretty good.
The holiday that takes place on December 25th and involves gifts, trees, stockings, and general "Yuletide" celebrations is a Germanic holiday ("Yule") celebrating Odin predating Christianity.
That being said, that's right around the winter solstice and a lot of societies have identified that as a time for some kind of gathering.
What? How would musicians suffer from non-DRM legally purchased content?
I think I've figured out a possible connection - some people had the belief that only pirates only wanted DRM free, and DRM free would mean a free-for-all for piracy. Not only is it a false belief, even the wacky recording industry seems to have abandoned that belief when they all went DRM-free with Amazon MP3. Maybe some people still haven't stopped clutching those beliefs.
The holiday that takes place on December 25th and involves gifts, trees, stockings, and general "Yuletide" celebrations is a Germanic holiday ("Yule") celebrating Odin predating Christianity.
That being said, that's right around the winter solstice and a lot of societies have identified that as a time for some kind of gathering.
Arguing over who has the "rights" to Christmas is silly. I use it as a time to celebrate the birth of my Savior. It's origins are of no concern to me.
The point about the commercialization of Christmas has some value though. But it's not the date that concerns me as much as the general idolization of stuff. I'm guilty of this myself to an extent in regards to all things Apple.
I could wait for those famous iTunes sales...oops, Apple doesn't do that
I dunno, I get my iTunes gift cards from Costco and it works out to $0.80 a track. Gives me discount's at the app store too (gotta love those gift cards).
And the iTunes AAC files are of higher quality then the Amazon MP3's - and yes, I own both. If Apple goes DRM free, then that's one stop shopping for me. The only reason I would look elsewhere is if it's one of the few things that iTunes doesn't have.
But hey, what's there to argue about? More choices of DRM free music are a good thing, or is it just bad no matter what it is because it's from Apple
Arguing over who has the "rights" to Christmas is silly. I use it as a time to celebrate the birth of my Savior. It's origins are of no concern to me.
The point of it is though that using non-Christian symbolism and rituals to celebrate Christianity, is just... ...doing it weird. And that's one of the kinder interpretations of such a practice.
Hello. We run a website at www.contentrealtime.com and have been offering multi-category content downloads for several years now. what we are noticing is ALL content categories and most retailers are prepared or preparing to offer DRM free digital downloads. Audiobooks were actually first, music has been second (many non-Apple vendors and manufacturers have wide catalogues of DRM free offerings. Also, now eBooks looks to be going the DRM free route, and we'd say last but least will be movies. What is causing this we believe is simply "user absorption of content without restrictions or hassles" focus, we all believe the greatest blockage to distruptive growth of online digital content download for all categories (we have 9 categories on our website so far).
DRM-free is good because:
1. Honest consumers will pay for the content they consume.
2. Much less hassle in consuming. No worries about special readers, where the copies are.
3. The market will grow 100 times faster. Look at Napster (although it was mostly illegal use of music, it showed that this capability has the ability to go viral and have millions participate quite quickly.)
4. It is cost effective. Cheaper for all parties involved. The amazing cost savings for consumers and publishers of digital downloads is thwarted a bit when you have to pay for the DRM on every copy, much less have distributors track and report on it.
Huh?... I thought December 25th was Jimmy Buffett's birthday!! ... Seems like a good enough reason for the civilized world to celebrate to me!
Oops... wrong topic!...
I'm one of those that would pay 20c more per track for the iTMS "experience". I currently do music either from a CD or from Amazon... because I don't like how DRM is executed these days. I find myself looking for music on iTunes... then going to Amazon to buy it. The iTMS interface is just that much better (IMHO).
Based on actual experience with tracks from both stores, or based on conjecture because of the file formats involved?
AAC is a better quality format than MP3. I thought everyone knew that.
And to that other guy who took me to task over this comment ... I am comparing non-DRM to Non-DRM files. I don't buy DRM anything and don't think it should even be legal to sell such crap.
Your mileage may vary of course, but to me it's a no-brainer to use iTunes. Amazon is ugly and hard to use and has lower quality stuff. For many people the only real advantage it has is that it had that sweetheart deal with the music cartel to sell DRM free. If iTunes goes DRM free that advantage is removed.
It's also not available in as many countries as iTunes and not in my country at all, so I couldn't use it if I wanted to.
I think it's great - I have already upgraded over a third of my library to iTunes Plus.
One thing though - they shouldn't call it "The 12 days of iTunes" - that is extremely arrogant to replace "Christmas" with "iTunes." To some people it is the birthday of God (or something...) It just comes across wrong, that's all.
I don't expect the public to pay for my "art" (fixing computers) if the market won't.
I don't think macologist was saying that the public should pay for musicians' art. I think he was saying that if it's distributed in a format that allows unauthorized replication, it becomes harder to support the continued creation of that art. Since your work fixing computers can't be copied and redistributed beyond your control, there's really no comparison.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwarf420
What? How would musicians suffer from non-DRM legally purchased content?
There's no problem with legally purchased content; the problem is if the content is then copied illegally. If I copy a track from a friend rather than buying my own, then the musician just lost a sale.
I don't think Apple or the labels would do this unless they'd done the math and found it would work out. But people shouldn't forget: even though the Internet has drastically lowered the cost of distribution, the cost of creation is still high, and musicians need to have a fair shot at recouping it.
Any new product Steve would announce would be BURIED in this kind of announcement! Of course, Steve's not stupid, and he knows that any iTunes announcement at this point would easily overshadow any new product announcements, and he learned from the mistake of 2 years ago (burying the AppleTV with the iPhone announcement).
So, speculating on iTunes announcements in the not-too-distant future, here's what I see happening:
DRM-free TV shows (which is definitely a good thing; I've been hooked on Whale Wars as of recent)
Beatles on iTunes (major dreaming here)
AC/DC on iTunes (same)
FremantleMedia using iTunes's TV show platform to put all sorts of content up on iTunes, including back episodes of American Idol, The Price Is Right, and many, many others from their many holdings (since Aardman's shorts & TV shows are up in the USA now)
DRM-free movie purchases
Mac applications you can buy right through iTunes (since they're cornering the market on mobile App Store downloads, why not expand it to include Mac software/games?)
Premium Podcast Feeds (like SCO Extra, etc.)
Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Entertainment offering their entire catalog of classic TV shows, short films (esp. the ones NOT currently on iTunes), and movies on iTunes (why haven't they done this before?), including Golden Girls, Home Improvement, Mousercise, etc.
eBooks for use on iPhone and iPod Touch, along with viewing right on your computer, also coming with a platform for aspiring authors to send their content to millions of iTunes users immediately (why haven't they done this before?)
The long-in-coming iTunes record label (and they probably bought out the Starbucks Hear Music label holdings to do it).
Big STARS will fill the arenas, and thus can give away CD's which cost them 50c-$1 to make. With $50-100 ticket prices, it's trivial.
Let them spend tens of thousands on making of a CD, and maybe a FEW of them will ever recoup those costs!
Arenas are for stars, and most all musicians are not stars!
We all leave in the glass houses..., nobody's perfect!, and the bills keep coming! And so, how are the musicians to survive, never mind feed their families, never mind health insurance etc.?!
But, most "civilians" can't relate to the musicians' struggles!!!
Dude, it's a simple case of supply and demand economics. Musicians struggle just like everyone else, they just choose a career path that has an oversupply of laborers, same as actors.
I don't think macologist was saying that the public should pay for musicians' art. I think he was saying that if it's distributed in a format that allows unauthorized replication, it becomes harder to support the continued creation of that art. Since your work fixing computers can't be copied and redistributed beyond your control, there's really no comparison.
Then why are they still selling CDs? Any encryption on a download is irrelevant if someone can just buy the CD and redistribute its contents.
Quote:
I don't think Apple or the labels would do this unless they'd done the math and found it would work out. But people shouldn't forget: even though the Internet has drastically lowered the cost of distribution, the cost of creation is still high, and musicians need to have a fair shot at recouping it.
DRM isn't the answer. To assume it's effective at stopping piracy is to be ignorant of the reality that says otherwise.
The police state that the RIAA wants, also isn't the answer.
Well I know you make it your life's work to disagree with me on this forum a lot, but this is not as subjective as you think. AAC is a better, higher quality format than MP3 when the bit rate is the same. All audio codecs are comparable, but some are better than others at reproducing sound.
The point of it is though that using non-Christian symbolism and rituals to celebrate Christianity, is just... ...doing it weird. And that's one of the kinder interpretations of such a practice.
I know a guy who refuses to celebrate Christmas on those grounds. He's a strong Christian, but he's practically a scrooge about Christmas because he sees it as a pagan holiday that's been Christianized by the church.
To me, that's much more "weird" than simply celebrating it as is customary to celebrate it. It's not the form of worship that matters, but the *heart* of worship. I have no problems with Santa Clause either where many Christians might. I know what's most important to me.
Christians who have the attitude that Christmas is *their* holiday and get up in arms with those who don't celebrate it the same way need to re evaluate what's most important to them.
Any new product Steve would announce would be BURIED in this kind of announcement! Of course, Steve's not stupid, and he knows that any iTunes announcement at this point would easily overshadow any new product announcements, and he learned from the mistake of 2 years ago (burying the AppleTV with the iPhone announcement).
So, speculating on iTunes announcements in the not-too-distant future, here's what I see happening:
DRM-free TV shows (which is definitely a good thing; I've been hooked on Whale Wars as of recent)
Beatles on iTunes (major dreaming here)
AC/DC on iTunes (same)
FremantleMedia using iTunes's TV show platform to put all sorts of content up on iTunes, including back episodes of American Idol, The Price Is Right, and many, many others from their many holdings (since Aardman's shorts & TV shows are up in the USA now)
DRM-free movie purchases
Mac applications you can buy right through iTunes (since they're cornering the market on mobile App Store downloads, why not expand it to include Mac software/games?)
Premium Podcast Feeds (like SCO Extra, etc.)
Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Entertainment offering their entire catalog of classic TV shows, short films (esp. the ones NOT currently on iTunes), and movies on iTunes (why haven't they done this before?), including Golden Girls, Home Improvement, Mousercise, etc.
eBooks for use on iPhone and iPod Touch, along with viewing right on your computer, also coming with a platform for aspiring authors to send their content to millions of iTunes users immediately (why haven't they done this before?)
The long-in-coming iTunes record label (and they probably bought out the Starbucks Hear Music label holdings to do it).
BJ
I think it will be awhile yet before we see DRM-free movies (or even TV shows). It's different for music since it's already widely and leagally available in a non-DRM format (CD). All commercial video going back to VHS (Macrovision) has been copy protected. Sure, it's easily broken copy protection; but it's been there for quite sometime none-the-less. Besides, while Apple has a strong position in audio players with the iPod, if they ever want to leverage iTunes for AppleTV sales they will need that "lock-in" with video.
I could maybe see DRM-free standard definition TV shows, but if DRM is dropped on anything else, Apple won't be the one pushing for it. Remember, Steve's anti-DRM letter only addressed music, not video, and specifically pointed out CD sales as why DRM on downloaded music is pointless.
Well I know you make it your life's work to disagree with me on this forum a lot, but this is not as subjective as you think. AAC is a better, higher quality format than MP3 when the bit rate is the same. All audio codecs are comparable, but some are better than others at reproducing sound.
AAC is one of those.
While 256kbps AAC is better than 256kbps MP3, is it better enough to to be worthy of purchasing it over MP3 at an inflated price?. The results seem to be similar to Monster Cables technically being better than much cheaper cables, but not affecting the result in any noticeable way.
Well I know you make it your life's work to disagree with me on this forum a lot,
You're imaging things here.
Quote:
AAC is a better, higher quality format than MP3 when the bit rate is the same.
It was only a month ago that I believed that, but when I saw actual tests that said otherwise, I abandoned that belief. The page I linked shows equivalent reproduction quality for the same bitrate, and it's a commonly used bitrate too. I think it's a little different when you starve the bitrate, but it's not really happening here.
I think it will be awhile yet before we see DRM-free movies (or even TV shows). It's different for music since it's already widely and leagally available in a non-DRM format (CD). All commercial video going back to VHS (Macrovision) has been copy protected. Sure, it's easily broken copy protection; but it's been there for quite sometime none-the-less. Besides, while Apple has a strong position in audio players with the iPod, if they ever want to leverage iTunes for AppleTV sales they will need that "lock-in" with video.
I could maybe see DRM-free standard definition TV shows, but if DRM is dropped on anything else, Apple won't be the one pushing for it. Remember, Steve's anti-DRM letter only addressed music, not video, and specifically pointed out CD sales as why DRM on downloaded music is pointless.
That's what I meant in terms of DRM-free TV shows (i.e. the standard-def variety). Yes, DRM has been around awhile, but VHS did NOT have Macrovision until DVD came along. Basically, if you wanted, say, an older flick (for sake of example Raiders of the Lost Ark) in a DRM-free format, it's out there in VHS format (if you're willing to scrounge)! I'm NOT saying that the newer movies should have no DRM, it's the older flicks, the ones available in VHS (Wizard of Oz, It's A Wonderful Life, The King & I, Sound of Music, Oklahoma, et al) that I'm talking about here!
Comments
That being said anyone believing this time of year actually has anything to do with Christ is just as naive and is in fact about roughly two months too late.
Christmas is in fact a pagan holiday for worshipping the sun not Christ. It was merged into Christianity in an effort to get people converted from heathenism to Christianity which in itself is wrong.
Besides, don't you think that if Jesus wanted us to celebrate his birthday it would be written in the Bible? There is only one account in the Christian Greek Scriptures that mentions a birthday and it didn't go all too well for John the Baptiser did it?
Anyway, back to topic.
I hope that DRM-free content also allows us to purchase from OTHER iTunes stores. Why can't I buy from UK when much of the music I listen to is from over there. Instead I have to listen to content from Australia/New Zealand where it's mostly crappy US music which has no soul. We don't even have much of our own music promoted here which is wrong because New Zealand music is pretty good.
The holiday that takes place on December 25th and involves gifts, trees, stockings, and general "Yuletide" celebrations is a Germanic holiday ("Yule") celebrating Odin predating Christianity.
That being said, that's right around the winter solstice and a lot of societies have identified that as a time for some kind of gathering.
What? How would musicians suffer from non-DRM legally purchased content?
I think I've figured out a possible connection - some people had the belief that only pirates only wanted DRM free, and DRM free would mean a free-for-all for piracy. Not only is it a false belief, even the wacky recording industry seems to have abandoned that belief when they all went DRM-free with Amazon MP3. Maybe some people still haven't stopped clutching those beliefs.
The holiday that takes place on December 25th and involves gifts, trees, stockings, and general "Yuletide" celebrations is a Germanic holiday ("Yule") celebrating Odin predating Christianity.
That being said, that's right around the winter solstice and a lot of societies have identified that as a time for some kind of gathering.
Arguing over who has the "rights" to Christmas is silly. I use it as a time to celebrate the birth of my Savior. It's origins are of no concern to me.
The point about the commercialization of Christmas has some value though. But it's not the date that concerns me as much as the general idolization of stuff. I'm guilty of this myself to an extent in regards to all things Apple.
I could wait for those famous iTunes sales...oops, Apple doesn't do that
I dunno, I get my iTunes gift cards from Costco and it works out to $0.80 a track. Gives me discount's at the app store too (gotta love those gift cards).
And the iTunes AAC files are of higher quality then the Amazon MP3's - and yes, I own both. If Apple goes DRM free, then that's one stop shopping for me. The only reason I would look elsewhere is if it's one of the few things that iTunes doesn't have.
But hey, what's there to argue about? More choices of DRM free music are a good thing, or is it just bad no matter what it is because it's from Apple
Arguing over who has the "rights" to Christmas is silly. I use it as a time to celebrate the birth of my Savior. It's origins are of no concern to me.
The point of it is though that using non-Christian symbolism and rituals to celebrate Christianity, is just... ...doing it weird. And that's one of the kinder interpretations of such a practice.
DRM-free is good because:
1. Honest consumers will pay for the content they consume.
2. Much less hassle in consuming. No worries about special readers, where the copies are.
3. The market will grow 100 times faster. Look at Napster (although it was mostly illegal use of music, it showed that this capability has the ability to go viral and have millions participate quite quickly.)
4. It is cost effective. Cheaper for all parties involved. The amazing cost savings for consumers and publishers of digital downloads is thwarted a bit when you have to pay for the DRM on every copy, much less have distributors track and report on it.
Good luck Apple, welcome to the DRM free world.
Write us at [email protected]
Char and the team
Oops... wrong topic!...
I'm one of those that would pay 20c more per track for the iTMS "experience". I currently do music either from a CD or from Amazon... because I don't like how DRM is executed these days. I find myself looking for music on iTunes... then going to Amazon to buy it. The iTMS interface is just that much better (IMHO).
Based on actual experience with tracks from both stores, or based on conjecture because of the file formats involved?
AAC is a better quality format than MP3. I thought everyone knew that.
And to that other guy who took me to task over this comment ... I am comparing non-DRM to Non-DRM files. I don't buy DRM anything and don't think it should even be legal to sell such crap.
Your mileage may vary of course, but to me it's a no-brainer to use iTunes. Amazon is ugly and hard to use and has lower quality stuff. For many people the only real advantage it has is that it had that sweetheart deal with the music cartel to sell DRM free. If iTunes goes DRM free that advantage is removed.
It's also not available in as many countries as iTunes and not in my country at all, so I couldn't use it if I wanted to.
AAC is a better quality format than MP3. I thought everyone knew that.
It's not so simple, and one should not rely on what "everyone knows". That's an easy groupthink trap.
At same bitrate, many audio codecs have been shown to be quite comparable here:
http://www.listening-tests.info/mf-128-1/results.htm
I think it's great - I have already upgraded over a third of my library to iTunes Plus.
One thing though - they shouldn't call it "The 12 days of iTunes" - that is extremely arrogant to replace "Christmas" with "iTunes." To some people it is the birthday of God (or something...) It just comes across wrong, that's all.
Don't even mention the Jesus Phone.
I don't expect the public to pay for my "art" (fixing computers) if the market won't.
I don't think macologist was saying that the public should pay for musicians' art. I think he was saying that if it's distributed in a format that allows unauthorized replication, it becomes harder to support the continued creation of that art. Since your work fixing computers can't be copied and redistributed beyond your control, there's really no comparison.
What? How would musicians suffer from non-DRM legally purchased content?
There's no problem with legally purchased content; the problem is if the content is then copied illegally. If I copy a track from a friend rather than buying my own, then the musician just lost a sale.
I don't think Apple or the labels would do this unless they'd done the math and found it would work out. But people shouldn't forget: even though the Internet has drastically lowered the cost of distribution, the cost of creation is still high, and musicians need to have a fair shot at recouping it.
So, speculating on iTunes announcements in the not-too-distant future, here's what I see happening:
- DRM-free TV shows (which is definitely a good thing; I've been hooked on Whale Wars as of recent)
- Beatles on iTunes (major dreaming here)
- AC/DC on iTunes (same)
- FremantleMedia using iTunes's TV show platform to put all sorts of content up on iTunes, including back episodes of American Idol, The Price Is Right, and many, many others from their many holdings (since Aardman's shorts & TV shows are up in the USA now)
- DRM-free movie purchases
- Mac applications you can buy right through iTunes (since they're cornering the market on mobile App Store downloads, why not expand it to include Mac software/games?)
- Premium Podcast Feeds (like SCO Extra, etc.)
- Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Entertainment offering their entire catalog of classic TV shows, short films (esp. the ones NOT currently on iTunes), and movies on iTunes (why haven't they done this before?), including Golden Girls, Home Improvement, Mousercise, etc.
- eBooks for use on iPhone and iPod Touch, along with viewing right on your computer, also coming with a platform for aspiring authors to send their content to millions of iTunes users immediately (why haven't they done this before?)
- The long-in-coming iTunes record label (and they probably bought out the Starbucks Hear Music label holdings to do it).
BJHere we go again --
Big STARS will fill the arenas, and thus can give away CD's which cost them 50c-$1 to make. With $50-100 ticket prices, it's trivial.
Let them spend tens of thousands on making of a CD, and maybe a FEW of them will ever recoup those costs!
Arenas are for stars, and most all musicians are not stars!
We all leave in the glass houses..., nobody's perfect!, and the bills keep coming! And so, how are the musicians to survive, never mind feed their families, never mind health insurance etc.?!
But, most "civilians" can't relate to the musicians' struggles!!!
Dude, it's a simple case of supply and demand economics. Musicians struggle just like everyone else, they just choose a career path that has an oversupply of laborers, same as actors.
I don't think macologist was saying that the public should pay for musicians' art. I think he was saying that if it's distributed in a format that allows unauthorized replication, it becomes harder to support the continued creation of that art. Since your work fixing computers can't be copied and redistributed beyond your control, there's really no comparison.
Then why are they still selling CDs? Any encryption on a download is irrelevant if someone can just buy the CD and redistribute its contents.
I don't think Apple or the labels would do this unless they'd done the math and found it would work out. But people shouldn't forget: even though the Internet has drastically lowered the cost of distribution, the cost of creation is still high, and musicians need to have a fair shot at recouping it.
DRM isn't the answer. To assume it's effective at stopping piracy is to be ignorant of the reality that says otherwise.
The police state that the RIAA wants, also isn't the answer.
It's not so simple, and one should not rely on what "everyone knows". That's an easy groupthink trap.
At same bitrate, many audio codecs have been shown to be quite comparable here:
http://www.listening-tests.info/mf-128-1/results.htm
Well I know you make it your life's work to disagree with me on this forum a lot, but this is not as subjective as you think. AAC is a better, higher quality format than MP3 when the bit rate is the same. All audio codecs are comparable, but some are better than others at reproducing sound.
AAC is one of those.
The point of it is though that using non-Christian symbolism and rituals to celebrate Christianity, is just... ...doing it weird. And that's one of the kinder interpretations of such a practice.
I know a guy who refuses to celebrate Christmas on those grounds. He's a strong Christian, but he's practically a scrooge about Christmas because he sees it as a pagan holiday that's been Christianized by the church.
To me, that's much more "weird" than simply celebrating it as is customary to celebrate it. It's not the form of worship that matters, but the *heart* of worship. I have no problems with Santa Clause either where many Christians might. I know what's most important to me.
Christians who have the attitude that Christmas is *their* holiday and get up in arms with those who don't celebrate it the same way need to re evaluate what's most important to them.
Any new product Steve would announce would be BURIED in this kind of announcement! Of course, Steve's not stupid, and he knows that any iTunes announcement at this point would easily overshadow any new product announcements, and he learned from the mistake of 2 years ago (burying the AppleTV with the iPhone announcement).
So, speculating on iTunes announcements in the not-too-distant future, here's what I see happening:
- DRM-free TV shows (which is definitely a good thing; I've been hooked on Whale Wars as of recent)
- Beatles on iTunes (major dreaming here)
- AC/DC on iTunes (same)
- FremantleMedia using iTunes's TV show platform to put all sorts of content up on iTunes, including back episodes of American Idol, The Price Is Right, and many, many others from their many holdings (since Aardman's shorts & TV shows are up in the USA now)
- DRM-free movie purchases
- Mac applications you can buy right through iTunes (since they're cornering the market on mobile App Store downloads, why not expand it to include Mac software/games?)
- Premium Podcast Feeds (like SCO Extra, etc.)
- Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Entertainment offering their entire catalog of classic TV shows, short films (esp. the ones NOT currently on iTunes), and movies on iTunes (why haven't they done this before?), including Golden Girls, Home Improvement, Mousercise, etc.
- eBooks for use on iPhone and iPod Touch, along with viewing right on your computer, also coming with a platform for aspiring authors to send their content to millions of iTunes users immediately (why haven't they done this before?)
- The long-in-coming iTunes record label (and they probably bought out the Starbucks Hear Music label holdings to do it).
BJI think it will be awhile yet before we see DRM-free movies (or even TV shows). It's different for music since it's already widely and leagally available in a non-DRM format (CD). All commercial video going back to VHS (Macrovision) has been copy protected. Sure, it's easily broken copy protection; but it's been there for quite sometime none-the-less. Besides, while Apple has a strong position in audio players with the iPod, if they ever want to leverage iTunes for AppleTV sales they will need that "lock-in" with video.
I could maybe see DRM-free standard definition TV shows, but if DRM is dropped on anything else, Apple won't be the one pushing for it. Remember, Steve's anti-DRM letter only addressed music, not video, and specifically pointed out CD sales as why DRM on downloaded music is pointless.
Well I know you make it your life's work to disagree with me on this forum a lot, but this is not as subjective as you think. AAC is a better, higher quality format than MP3 when the bit rate is the same. All audio codecs are comparable, but some are better than others at reproducing sound.
AAC is one of those.
While 256kbps AAC is better than 256kbps MP3, is it better enough to to be worthy of purchasing it over MP3 at an inflated price?. The results seem to be similar to Monster Cables technically being better than much cheaper cables, but not affecting the result in any noticeable way.
Well I know you make it your life's work to disagree with me on this forum a lot,
You're imaging things here.
AAC is a better, higher quality format than MP3 when the bit rate is the same.
It was only a month ago that I believed that, but when I saw actual tests that said otherwise, I abandoned that belief. The page I linked shows equivalent reproduction quality for the same bitrate, and it's a commonly used bitrate too. I think it's a little different when you starve the bitrate, but it's not really happening here.
I think it will be awhile yet before we see DRM-free movies (or even TV shows). It's different for music since it's already widely and leagally available in a non-DRM format (CD). All commercial video going back to VHS (Macrovision) has been copy protected. Sure, it's easily broken copy protection; but it's been there for quite sometime none-the-less. Besides, while Apple has a strong position in audio players with the iPod, if they ever want to leverage iTunes for AppleTV sales they will need that "lock-in" with video.
I could maybe see DRM-free standard definition TV shows, but if DRM is dropped on anything else, Apple won't be the one pushing for it. Remember, Steve's anti-DRM letter only addressed music, not video, and specifically pointed out CD sales as why DRM on downloaded music is pointless.
That's what I meant in terms of DRM-free TV shows (i.e. the standard-def variety). Yes, DRM has been around awhile, but VHS did NOT have Macrovision until DVD came along. Basically, if you wanted, say, an older flick (for sake of example Raiders of the Lost Ark) in a DRM-free format, it's out there in VHS format (if you're willing to scrounge)! I'm NOT saying that the newer movies should have no DRM, it's the older flicks, the ones available in VHS (Wizard of Oz, It's A Wonderful Life, The King & I, Sound of Music, Oklahoma, et al) that I'm talking about here!
BJ