Chaos Walking | redeemed on older Mac OS and was told 720 resolution maximum

[willbfree]

I have never seen this happen before, but today, iTunes warned me when I redeemed my digital code for Chaos Walking (from the 4K UHD BluRay package) that on my particular older Mac OS, the title will only download in 720.

Note I am saying download, not stream. I'm only concerned with the download option here, since, like many collectors, I collect rather than assume Apple will always be in business to stream to me.

Nothing I have ever purchased from Apple, or any code I have redeemed through Apple, has ever downloaded as anything other than 1080. Of course, 4K titles have always been limited to 1080 when downloading, that is expected. But this is a first time I've seen a download limited to 720.

I have a couple ideas why this could be.

1) This could merely be some weird decision that Lionsgate (owner of Chaos Walking) made about their digital redemption codes provided as a slips of paper in disc packages. It might just be this film company, it might just be redemptions of digital codes. If I had bought Chaos Walking direct from Apple (rather than buying the discs and redeeming the code) maybe it would have downloaded in 1080 even on my older OS, just like all other purchases and redeemed codes do.

But another idea is more likely and more troublesome:

2) Some older Mac OS and their corresponding older iTunes are kept around by some people (cough) because with them it is easy to remove the protection that prevents these purchases from streaming to every device in one's home. (So I've heard.)

Apple may have gotten wise to this, and may be getting rid of the ability to download in 1080 on older OS as a preventative measure. I.e., they may be making the file so unappealing as to be pointless to download.

Hopefully this is just one weird occurrence. But, need to hear from people to know.

I'd be interested in hearing from others who bought Chaos Walking, or redeemed Chaos Walking, on more current Mac OS. What downloaded from the cloud when you chose to download? I got a 3.85GB file measuring 1280x534. It should have been a 4.28GB file measure 1920x801.

[unsung122212]

The file that downloads for iTunes files depends on the device it’s being downloaded from. Also, check the download settings to make sure it’s downloading the highest quality available. Sometime the devices limitations can automatically select the lower quality instead. Even though it’s an older pc that is limited to 720p playback, it should still be possible to download the 1080p file.

Also, you can’t download the 4K file (not from iTunes, Vudu, Prime, GP or Microsoft), just 1080p and lower. The studios don’t allow those to be downloaded.

[willbfree]

Originally Posted by unsung122212

Even though it’s an older pc that is limited to 720p playback, it should still be possible to download the 1080p file.

That's exactly right, that is exactly what should happen - which is why this is so weird. System remains set, as ever, to "always download HD" (1080), and everything always has downloaded as 1080. This is the first exception to that.

Also, you can’t download the 4K file (not from iTunes, Vudu, Prime, GP or Microsoft), just 1080p and lower. The studios don’t allow those to be downloaded.

And that policy, which I am aware of (and makes sense since the files are immense) may have given either Lionsgate or Apple some ideas.

[unsung122212]

Originally Posted by willbfree

That's exactly right, that is exactly what should happen - which is why this is so weird. System remains set, as ever, to "always download HD" (1080), and everything always has downloaded as 1080. This is the first exception to that.




And that policy, which I am aware of (and makes sense since the files are immense) may have given either Lionsgate or Apple some ideas.

The size of the file shouldn’t matter, since it’s being downloaded not streamed. I can/could download the HD files that range from 16 GBs to 30 GBs on my phone for titles with Atmos. I had this issue on my computer where it wasn’t downloading the correct 1080p file. Somehow, the high file to download in the setting changed after an update for iTunes.

[willbfree]

It is not an older PC limited to 720 playback, it plays 1080 just fine which is why Apple always downloads 1080 files to it. I’ve got dozens of movies and hundreds of tv shows all bought from Apple, all 1080.

Dredd - a purchase not a redemption - downloaded in 1080 an hour before Chaos Walking - a redemption not a purchase - downloaded in 720. There’s been no update to this older version of iTunes.

But I suppose I should buy something else soon to see if it arrives as 1080. Probably need to buy a very new release in case this is a new rule that is only being applied to new releases…

[unsung122212]

I doubt that it’s a new rule that would only be applied to new releases. If you can download any 1080p file that you own right now, then it could be that the file is temporarily unavailable to probably make changes or correct issues to it. I would try again another day.

[willbfree]

Update: It does appear that Apple is working on the file. I deleted it and redownloaded it today, and while it is not yet fixed it is clear that changes are underway:

Yesterday the file was named this:
Chaos Walking (HD).m4v <-only 720

Today the file is named this:
Chaos Walking (1080p HD).m4v <-still only 720 but they've changed the name, as if they intend for it to be 1080

I'll delete the file again tomorrow and download it a third time, maybe it will be right then.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by willbfree

Update: It does appear that Apple is working on the file. I deleted it and redownloaded it today, and while it is not yet fixed it is clear that changes are underway:

Yesterday the file was named this:
Chaos Walking (HD).m4v <-only 720

Today the file is named this:
Chaos Walking (1080p HD).m4v <-still only 720 but they've changed the name, as if they intend for it to be 1080

I'll delete the file again tomorrow and download it a third time, maybe it will be right then.

Consider yourself lucky if they fix it. For years now they've had Star Trek TOS season 2 in 720p only (the other two seasons are 1080p as they should be). From time to time I open a ticket trying to get them to correct it, but it's beyond frustrating. First it takes 5 or so emails until they understand the problem and that yes, I know how to use the iTunes store. Then they offer a refund (or worse, just refund and take away the show without asking). And of course they never fix it. Their support really sucks.