This is why pirates will always exist. Sure some always will because they're just cheap, but most are fighting against companies who refuse to workout these details in favor of their own clients. What I see in the future is the reduction of the word buy. That's The whole thing. If I buy something it's mine. I'll do whatever the hell it takes to keep what I've "bought". You want to put up the word rent on things that's fine, your companies purchases and growth will slow down. As far as other comments saying I can't download an emulated game I have a physical copy for. There's no ad that says I can't make a copy like on music or the beginning of movies. Plus they use the wording that sends a straight message saying you can't copy this and have it copies. But for my personal use. I'll do what I damn please if I've purchased it. Luckily I don't purchase digital crap because of things like this. When I pay money I want my game, music, movie in my hand. That I can legally resell to anyone I want. This is why in the hood we still have the dude outside the liquor store selling bootlegs. Until a rational agreement between service providers and buyers is made things will always be like this. VPNs will get more and more sophisticated, it won't end.
Buy physical always if you can. Backup everything on your own systems not on someone else's servers because if they need the room they'll delete your shit in a second. Period that's it. Use digital use after you buy physically. You'll always win, because if someone tries to take something physical away, it's theft. Everyone likes to think they know the law around this stuff but it's mostly undecided right now. Sure you could end up in a court, but it doesn't mean you'll lose.
The purchased movie download is not in your Apple TV. The download is in your iTunes account and you can back up that download by logging into your iTunes account with a Mac or PC. There is no transferring of the download from your Apple TV. Just like you can purchase a movie using your iPad, iPhone or computer and watch it on your Apple TV, without transferring anything over to it. Your Apple TV accesses your iTunes account and will see and can play any movie that you purchased using another iDevice. Even from a smart TV with the AppleTV App.
Yes, but the point is that there is no way of directly backing up content that you've bought on an Apple TV without using another device as the intermediary. Apple do not have a local backup solution for the Apple TV.
FYI- in order to back up your DVD movies, you're going to need a computer. So if you care about backing up your purchased movies, there's no way to do it without a computer. If you don't care about having back ups, then its shouldn't be an issue that you can't back up a iTunes movie that was purchased using an Apple TV, unless you own a computer.
But a DVD is a hard copy that the content provider cannot realistically interfere with. A license for an iTunes movie on an Apple TV can (theoretically) be revoked at any time, as per the subject of this thread. If a publisher stops selling a DVD that does not invalidate all existing copies of the DVD that have been sold. Plus, there are dedicated DVD archive solutions or copiers that do not require a general purpose PC.
Of course a laptop is a back up solution for iDevices. Just plug your iDevice (using USB) into the laptop, log into your iTunes account, iTunes will see your iDevice and ask if you want to create a back up of it. If you already have back up files, then iTunes will also give you the option to restore your iDevice from any previous back up file. No extra software or hardware needed. If you want, you can copy your whole iTunes library in your computer, to an external drive or a cloud account.
You misunderstand. I'm not saying that you can't backup iTunes content via a Mac or PC, but that it is unreasonable to require a Mac or PC to backup content bought on an Apple TV or iDevice. A $150 purchase should not require a $1000 purchase in order to backup content when commodity storage that should be able to do the job is much cheaper.
Out of the box, an iDevice will back up to your free iCloud account and will do it automatically on a set schedule, if you opt to in the settings menu. But many don't consider that the best back up solution. Plus unless you buy more iCloud space, you'll run out of room in your free account pretty fast. A better back up solution is to a computer, using iTunes. A desktop is preferred as there's very little chance of it getting it stolen while using at a coffee shop or from your car. But a stay at home laptop will suffice.
I'm pretty sure it doesn't backup content bought through iTunes. I could be wrong about that. But even if I am, that's still a questionable solution that ties you into Apple services. There should be a local backup option.
"Yes, but the point is that there is no way of directly backing up content that you've bought on an Apple TV without using another device as the intermediary. Apple do not have a local backup solution for the Apple TV."
The Apple TV is now nothing but a streaming device. All it does is stream the movies. There is no download of a movie file in it, that can be backed up. There is no media file to copy or transfer from an Apple TV. Do any streaming device provide a method to save and store purchased movies downloads? Is it the same as the Apple TV app in a smart TV. Do you expect Samsung to provide storage for you to save your iTunes movie purchases internally on their smart TV? Just exactly what local back up solution can Apple provide you with, that don't require the purchase of another device? The 32GB or 64GB storage in the Apple TV 3, 4 and 4k is for apps. It can not be used to store movies. Some of it might be used to buffer a rental movie. but you can download a whole movie into an Apple TV, to watch offline.
With an iPad, iPhone or computer, you can download purchased movies into them because they are more than just streaming devices. And since they are mobile devices, it allows for offline viewing of your movies where there's no internet or cellular or WiFi. An Apple TV is not mobile and must always be connected to AC, a TV and the internet or to a computer with iTunes via WiFi. There's no need to download the movie into it, all it needs to do is stream it off the internet or from a computer on the same home WiFi network.
Funny thing is that the first generation Apple TV actually had a 40GB or 160GB HD that could be used to save iTunes movie and music purchases. It also had a G5 CPU and a fully operational USB. And I think, not sure, one can connect an external HD to its USB and save media on to that. Plus one could download a rental movie into its hard drive so it can be watch without buffering. Fast internet connection weren't that cheap in those days. First generation Apple TV's were more capable than just a streaming device. But Apple TV 1 cost $299 and $399. The ATV 1 is obsolete now and can no longer access the Apple Store for purchases or rentals. But any media contents stored in them still plays and can be backed up elsewhere. Or course without access to the Apple Store, the ATV 1 can not re-downloaded any of the movies stored in its HD. But they can be re-downloaded, if available, on any other device that can access your iTunes account. The ATV 1 can still access your iTunes account on a local computer that is on the same WiFi network and stream movies and music from them. Though it will have a hard time playing BluRay quality or 4K movies.
"But a DVD is a hard copy that the content provider cannot realistically interfere with. A license for an iTunes movie on an Apple TV can (theoretically) be revoked at any time, as per the subject of this thread. If a publisher stops selling a DVD that does not invalidate all existing copies of the DVD that have been sold. Plus, there are dedicated DVD archive solutions or copiers that do not require a general purpose PC."
But even with a DVD, there's no guarantee that you will be able to play the movie forever. The media can get damaged by a faulty DVD player or drive, scratched by young kids mishandling them, lost, stolen or chewed up by the family dog. Therefore, people make back up copies of them. But it requires a computer to make a back up copy of a DVD. No one is going to replace that damaged, lost or stolen DVD for free. And the movie industry is not offering any local back up solution to replace that DVD if it becomes non playable. Though some movies do come with a digital copy that can be played on a computer.
There's no way to make a copy of a retail movie DVD without a computer. DVD's have an encryption that must be removed before any copier will copy them. It takes a computer with a DVD drive and special software to remove the encryption and make a copy of the movie that can play on a computer or saved to a DVD disc that will play on a computer. One needs special software to create a movie DVD that will play in a DVD player.
"You misunderstand. I'm not saying that you can't backup iTunes content via a Mac or PC, but that it is unreasonable to require a Mac or PC to backup content bought on an Apple TV or iDevice. A $150 purchase should not require a $1000 purchase in order to backup content when commodity storage that should be able to do the job is much cheaper."
It doesn't require a $1000 computer to back up your iTunes movie purchase downloads. You can buy a used PC for less than the cost of an Apple TV 4 or 4k and use that to back up your movie purchases from iTunes. Where do you get the idea that it somehow requires a new $1000 MacBook? Any computer that can access your iTunes account, can be used to back up your iTunes purchases. The computer doesn't even to be yours or in your home or even in the same State. Anyone that you know with a computer (and trust) and the internet, can back up your iTunes purchases. Just have that person login into iTunes using your account, authorize that computer in your iTunes account, download your iTunes purchases into that computer and save it.
"I'm pretty sure it doesn't backup content bought through iTunes. I could be wrong about that. But even if I am, that's still a questionable solution that ties you into Apple services. There should be a local backup option."
iDevcie back ups with OS X 15 is now done in the main Finder menu, no iTunes required. OS X 14 and under is done using iTunes. But it will back up all contents when backing up to a computer via USB. But if backing up into iCloud, any media content that can still be re-downloaded, will not be in the back up file. Plus any info you already have stored in iCloud will not be in the back up file. This in order to save cloud storage space. So an iCloud back up will not contain any media that can be re-downloaded when doing the restore from that back up file. Which is why backing up to the iCloud or using iCloud to back up into a computer logged into your iCloud is not the best solution. This because purchased media contents can disappear from the iTunes Store before you need to do a restore. However, if the purchased media is no longer available in the iTunes Store when you back up to iCloud, the backup file will contain your purchased media. You will not lose it.
So you are only half wrong about iTunes purchases not being backed up. In fact even your non-purchased media (like music ripped from your CD's) that can be re-downloaded, might not be in the back up file. But even with iCloud back ups, all your media are backed up in the sense that all your media will be restored as much as possibly can from the back up file. If the purchased movie download was in your iPad when you did the back up, it will be there when you do the restore, providing it can be re-downloaded.
Backing up to a computer HD using iTunes and USB is the preferred back up solution for purchased media. I'm pretty sure you do not need to be connected to the internet when you back up an iDevice to a computer via USB. Therefore, there's no way that iTunes (or now your Mac) can know whether any media you have in your iDevice can be re-downloaded or not. You are not required to have an iCloud account to back up on a computer via USB. So everything is saved in the back up. Plus, now of days, saving computer HD storage is not as critical as saving iCloud storage. Specially if all you have is the 5GB you get for free.
Not sure about back ups now with OS X 15, but I know for sure that with using iTunes and USB to back up into a computer, all media contents in the iDevice are in the back up file created in iTunes. My brother backs up his iPad (that he mainly use when traveling) on to a PC with iTunes. He doesn't use his free 5GB iCloud account or log into his iTunes account on the iPad. He transfers all the music and videos (including some that are iTune Store purchases) that he wants into the iPad (so he can listen and watch stuff on the iPad while flying with no internet) via USB and syncing to iTunes on his PC. (Just like the olds days with an iPod.) When he did a restore from the iTunes back up into a new iPad, all his music and video media were immediately in his new iPad. And the new iPad was not logged into his iTunes account, therefore nothing was re-downloaded in the process.
But ideally, if you have a computer with iTunes, it is better to download all your iTunes movie purchases into it, through your iTunes account. The download of your movie purchases on an iPad or iPhone might not be the full resolution. It might be tailored to the iPad or iPhone screen when it was installed for that device. Better to make sure you get the full download using the iTunes account in your computer.
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The Apple TV is now nothing but a streaming device. All it does is stream the movies. There is no download of a movie file in it, that can be backed up. There is no media file to copy or transfer from an Apple TV. Do any streaming device provide a method to save and store purchased movies downloads? Is it the same as the Apple TV app in a smart TV. Do you expect Samsung to provide storage for you to save your iTunes movie purchases internally on their smart TV? Just exactly what local back up solution can Apple provide you with, that don't require the purchase of another device? The 32GB or 64GB storage in the Apple TV 3, 4 and 4k is for apps. It can not be used to store movies. Some of it might be used to buffer a rental movie. but you can download a whole movie into an Apple TV, to watch offline.
With an iPad, iPhone or computer, you can download purchased movies into them because they are more than just streaming devices. And since they are mobile devices, it allows for offline viewing of your movies where there's no internet or cellular or WiFi. An Apple TV is not mobile and must always be connected to AC, a TV and the internet or to a computer with iTunes via WiFi. There's no need to download the movie into it, all it needs to do is stream it off the internet or from a computer on the same home WiFi network.
Funny thing is that the first generation Apple TV actually had a 40GB or 160GB HD that could be used to save iTunes movie and music purchases. It also had a G5 CPU and a fully operational USB. And I think, not sure, one can connect an external HD to its USB and save media on to that. Plus one could download a rental movie into its hard drive so it can be watch without buffering. Fast internet connection weren't that cheap in those days. First generation Apple TV's were more capable than just a streaming device. But Apple TV 1 cost $299 and $399. The ATV 1 is obsolete now and can no longer access the Apple Store for purchases or rentals. But any media contents stored in them still plays and can be backed up elsewhere. Or course without access to the Apple Store, the ATV 1 can not re-downloaded any of the movies stored in its HD. But they can be re-downloaded, if available, on any other device that can access your iTunes account. The ATV 1 can still access your iTunes account on a local computer that is on the same WiFi network and stream movies and music from them. Though it will have a hard time playing BluRay quality or 4K movies.
"But a DVD is a hard copy that the content provider cannot realistically interfere with. A license for an iTunes movie on an Apple TV can (theoretically) be revoked at any time, as per the subject of this thread. If a publisher stops selling a DVD that does not invalidate all existing copies of the DVD that have been sold. Plus, there are dedicated DVD archive solutions or copiers that do not require a general purpose PC."
But even with a DVD, there's no guarantee that you will be able to play the movie forever. The media can get damaged by a faulty DVD player or drive, scratched by young kids mishandling them, lost, stolen or chewed up by the family dog. Therefore, people make back up copies of them. But it requires a computer to make a back up copy of a DVD. No one is going to replace that damaged, lost or stolen DVD for free. And the movie industry is not offering any local back up solution to replace that DVD if it becomes non playable. Though some movies do come with a digital copy that can be played on a computer.
There's no way to make a copy of a retail movie DVD without a computer. DVD's have an encryption that must be removed before any copier will copy them. It takes a computer with a DVD drive and special software to remove the encryption and make a copy of the movie that can play on a computer or saved to a DVD disc that will play on a computer. One needs special software to create a movie DVD that will play in a DVD player.
"You misunderstand. I'm not saying that you can't backup iTunes content via a Mac or PC, but that it is unreasonable to require a Mac or PC to backup content bought on an Apple TV or iDevice. A $150 purchase should not require a $1000 purchase in order to backup content when commodity storage that should be able to do the job is much cheaper."
It doesn't require a $1000 computer to back up your iTunes movie purchase downloads. You can buy a used PC for less than the cost of an Apple TV 4 or 4k and use that to back up your movie purchases from iTunes. Where do you get the idea that it somehow requires a new $1000 MacBook? Any computer that can access your iTunes account, can be used to back up your iTunes purchases. The computer doesn't even to be yours or in your home or even in the same State. Anyone that you know with a computer (and trust) and the internet, can back up your iTunes purchases. Just have that person login into iTunes using your account, authorize that computer in your iTunes account, download your iTunes purchases into that computer and save it.
"I'm pretty sure it doesn't backup content bought through iTunes. I could be wrong about that. But even if I am, that's still a questionable solution that ties you into Apple services. There should be a local backup option."
iDevcie back ups with OS X 15 is now done in the main Finder menu, no iTunes required. OS X 14 and under is done using iTunes. But it will back up all contents when backing up to a computer via USB. But if backing up into iCloud, any media content that can still be re-downloaded, will not be in the back up file. Plus any info you already have stored in iCloud will not be in the back up file. This in order to save cloud storage space. So an iCloud back up will not contain any media that can be re-downloaded when doing the restore from that back up file. Which is why backing up to the iCloud or using iCloud to back up into a computer logged into your iCloud is not the best solution. This because purchased media contents can disappear from the iTunes Store before you need to do a restore. However, if the purchased media is no longer available in the iTunes Store when you back up to iCloud, the backup file will contain your purchased media. You will not lose it.
So you are only half wrong about iTunes purchases not being backed up. In fact even your non-purchased media (like music ripped from your CD's) that can be re-downloaded, might not be in the back up file. But even with iCloud back ups, all your media are backed up in the sense that all your media will be restored as much as possibly can from the back up file. If the purchased movie download was in your iPad when you did the back up, it will be there when you do the restore, providing it can be re-downloaded.
Backing up to a computer HD using iTunes and USB is the preferred back up solution for purchased media. I'm pretty sure you do not need to be connected to the internet when you back up an iDevice to a computer via USB. Therefore, there's no way that iTunes (or now your Mac) can know whether any media you have in your iDevice can be re-downloaded or not. You are not required to have an iCloud account to back up on a computer via USB. So everything is saved in the back up. Plus, now of days, saving computer HD storage is not as critical as saving iCloud storage. Specially if all you have is the 5GB you get for free.
https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/back-up-ipad-ipad9a74df05xx/ipados
Not sure about back ups now with OS X 15, but I know for sure that with using iTunes and USB to back up into a computer, all media contents in the iDevice are in the back up file created in iTunes. My brother backs up his iPad (that he mainly use when traveling) on to a PC with iTunes. He doesn't use his free 5GB iCloud account or log into his iTunes account on the iPad. He transfers all the music and videos (including some that are iTune Store purchases) that he wants into the iPad (so he can listen and watch stuff on the iPad while flying with no internet) via USB and syncing to iTunes on his PC. (Just like the olds days with an iPod.) When he did a restore from the iTunes back up into a new iPad, all his music and video media were immediately in his new iPad. And the new iPad was not logged into his iTunes account, therefore nothing was re-downloaded in the process.
But ideally, if you have a computer with iTunes, it is better to download all your iTunes movie purchases into it, through your iTunes account. The download of your movie purchases on an iPad or iPhone might not be the full resolution. It might be tailored to the iPad or iPhone screen when it was installed for that device. Better to make sure you get the full download using the iTunes account in your computer.