Do you download iTunes content or only stream?

[bhampton]

Hi,

I use an ATV4K and have a large iTunes movie collection. iTunes says it's currently 1120 movies and has a total size of 4.45TB

I have some TV series also but it really shows incorrect data regarding the size of those because it claims I have 4 hours on content even though I have several complete TV series including LOST, Game of Thrones, True Blood and a few others.

I have space to download my iTunes content but I only stream it. I am considering DL-ing it. One of the reasons to stream instead of DL the content is you only can DL HD and a lot of it is available to stream in 4K.

I guess one reason to DL it is it could be easily loaded onto an iPad for travel. Would take less time to transfer it from my computer than to DL it to the device. Another reason is if I wanted to watch something from it without taxing the bandwidth of our internet connection. I like to consider that when several people are working from home during the week.


-Brian

[tjritter79]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Hi,

I use an ATV4K and have a large iTunes movie collection. iTunes says it's currently 1120 movies and has a total size of 4.45TB

I have some TV series also but it really shows incorrect data regarding the size of those because it claims I have 4 hours on content even though I have several complete TV series including LOST, Game of Thrones, True Blood and a few others.

I have space to download my iTunes content but I only stream it. I am considering DL-ing it. One of the reasons to stream instead of DL the content is you only can DL HD and a lot of it is available to stream in 4K.

I guess one reason to DL it is it could be easily loaded onto an iPad for travel. Would take less time to transfer it from my computer than to DL it to the device. Another reason is if I wanted to watch something from it without taxing the bandwidth of our internet connection. I like to consider that when several people are working from home during the week.


-Brian

I stream everything. Since I'm disabled now and retired, I do very little travelling. Even when I do, I still have compatible devices, cell data or Xfinity wi-fi wherever I do go to maintain a fast enough internet connection that precludes having to download anything. My circumstances as they are I've slowly over the last 5 years or so given up my physical media in favor of their digital alternatives. Convenience, ease and lack of mobility have overtaken my desire for a large physical collection. My internet is an unlimited plan, so I don't have to worry about caps or usage. With 5 other adult-age persons in the house, it's one less detail I have to worry about. 3 of them are doing online schooling via their laptops or PC's. Every TV has a streaming device and every TV but 1 is a 4K model.

[rombo60]

If you have the space, I say download them. I have mine downloaded for backup in case of internet outages or power outages (we have backup power). That way, you can stream and enjoy your downloaded content while your neighbors play board games by candle light : )

[Cinematt]

I have no interest in maintaining the network hardware required to have all that iTunes content on hand at any moment, for the rare instances where the internet is struggling, if that happens there's plenty of other things to watch/do around the house.
I usually download a few things when we travel, but with 200MB broadband it doesn't take very long to get something straight onto the device, and I've got unlimited data on my phone so I've even sat in the airport downloading to my laptop from that getting something to fill the time before a delayed flight.
And of course with ever increasing parts of my library being in 4k there's an actual disadvantage to watching downloaded content.

[lgans316]

Stream only as the download is limited to 720p.

[bhampton]

I downloaded a movie that I only otherwise have on DVD (hasn't been released to Blu Ray AFAIK) and it saved with 1080p in the file name. Was about 4.5GB. I may go ahead and Download more as I have otherwise un needed storage.



It was part of a 80's bundle apparently.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Cinematt

I have no interest in maintaining the network hardware required to have all that iTunes content on hand at any moment.

In my case it could be a single USB powered hard drive.

I get the part about the fast connection making it easy to get a few for travel.

I actually have un used storage space so I may as well get um. If I ever decide later to dl them I'll be ahead of the game.

[tjritter79]

Originally Posted by bhampton

In my case it could be a single USB powered hard drive.

I get the part about the fast connection making it easy to get a few for travel.... I don't have that type of connection but since I don't currently have data caps I could dl em slow on off times. I think I will buy a 5TB USB and just prioritize things like the DVD example till it's full and use it as a backup and convenience. If it's the same file, I would rather have it already downloaded before watching it and definitely before hosting a viewing of it.

I guess it also depends on your area/circumstances. I'm a Comcast internet customer. So within the entire Northeast, I have access to Xfinity wi-fi (various speeds and strengths of signal of course) so whether I go to a ballgame in Philly, a weekend at the Jersey shore, or even travel to Boston or other new England states, I'm usually connected. But I rarely do any travelling anymore. My health and the pandemic insist on keeping me home! In the 5 years I've been a Comcast internet customer, I've had a total of 4 outages, all "short-term" (less than a couple hours) and those were either adverse weather conditions or the result of an auto taking out a nearby pole. I didn't have Comcast then, but the longest outage of "utilities" use before was when Hurricane Sandy hit, we were no electric for a day & a half.

[lgans316]

Someone said in a different thread that the download size was 5 GB but the same content when streamed was more twice the size. Download is okay if you are going to watch on smaller devices (mobile, tablet, computer or a small screens less than 49 inches).

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Stream only as the download is limited to 720p.

You can download 1080p. You probably have disabled the "download full-size HD" option in the iTunes preferences. But since a few years the 1080p streaming bitrates are higher than the bitrates used for the downloads.

[bhampton]

I realized there are several titles I either only had on DVD or I don't have at all on physical media so I'm starting Dl-ing those in particular.

But, it seems like a quick and easy thing to do even if I do my whole library.

[lgans316]

Originally Posted by Fiffy

You can download 1080p. You probably have disabled the "download full-size HD" option in the iTunes preferences. But since a few years the 1080p streaming bitrates are higher than the bitrates used for the downloads.

Thanks for the tip but note that the downloaded file is mostly super compressed than the stream. There was a thread where one member reported 1080p file size showing 5 GB (under 6 Mbps) but based on the bit rate information (10-15 Mbps) and router logs, the stream was more than twice the size of the downloaded file.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Thanks for the tip but note that the downloaded file is mostly super compressed than the stream. There was a thread where one member reported 1080p file size showing 5 GB (under 6 Mbps) but based on the bit rate information (10-15 Mbps) and router logs, the stream was more than twice the size of the downloaded file.

That may have been me. I think I was one of the first to report this here back in 2018:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=7243

For sure downloading has become less attractive since then, although the files can look surprisingly good for ~5 Mbps. I don't download all my content anymore, but I have many of my TV shows on my NAS, which runs an iTunes server in a VM so I can locally stream them. Before the pandemic I also traveled internationally a lot, and it was very convenient to be able to just copy a season or two to my laptop or iPad for those long flights.

[tjritter79]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Thanks for the tip but note that the downloaded file is mostly super compressed than the stream. There was a thread where one member reported 1080p file size showing 5 GB (under 6 Mbps) but based on the bit rate information (10-15 Mbps) and router logs, the stream was more than twice the size of the downloaded file.

Well, if you "favor" 4K content as I do as opposed to 720/1080, then even the quality factor lies with streaming over DLing. Different story of course if your preference/limit is with HD content. Again, it comes down to personal preference...but (as i was trying to note on another thread lgans, as you're aware, LOL) note how the "company" leans the better quality copy as the streaming version over the one that is downloaded (4K over the 720/1080 version(s)) when I mentioned there that "companies made that decision already" this is what I was referring to.

[lgans316]

Originally Posted by tjritter79

Well, if you "favor" 4K content as I do as opposed to 720/1080, then even the quality factor lies with streaming over DLing. Different story of course if your preference/limit is with HD content. Again, it comes down to personal preference...but (as i was trying to note on another thread lgans, as you're aware, LOL) note how the "company" leans the better quality copy as the streaming version over the one that is downloaded (4K over the 720/1080 version(s)) when I mentioned there that "companies made that decision already" this is what I was referring to.

Btw, I do measure and capture the tech specs in my spreadsheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

[tjritter79]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Btw, I do measure and capture the tech specs in my spreadsheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Yes, I've read it, it's impressive work, and I commend you for it.

[Lozin]

I download only the shows & movies that don't have an official Blu-Ray Release

[The Watcher 69]

I used to download purchases so I could have a unified library with my BD and DVD rips, but nowadays I'm happy to keep them separate - less local storage required that way. The only downside is there aren't the sorting options in the cloud that there are with downloaded files.

When you think about it, purchases come with free storage and lifetime streaming rights (since Apple isn't going away anytime soon). But the paranoid may want to keep backups, or at least a record of what they've bought.

[Gretiem]

If I could download all my TV shows and movies and add them to plex I would. But of course we cant do that. Also you cant download the 4k versions of the movies you bought only 1080p.

[cmcclure16]

If downloads were the same quality as the streams and had 4K available I would opt for that, but as it stands I only stream.