Format?

[Franc Zaic]

If I "buy" a digital movie from Amazon, what format is it? I've looked online but can't seem to get it straight. Is it a proprietary format I can only play through or via Amazon's own site? Is it a format I can throw onto an external drive?

Many thanks, and apologies for what must be, I'm sure, a rudimentary question.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Franc Zaic

If I "buy" a digital movie from Amazon, what format is it? I've looked online but can't seem to get it straight. Is it a proprietary format I can only play through or via Amazon's own site? Is it a format I can throw onto an external drive?

Many thanks, and apologies for what must be, I'm sure, a rudimentary question.

Plays only on Amazon software.

[Fnord Prefect]

Originally Posted by Franc Zaic

If I "buy" a digital movie from Amazon, what format is it? I've looked online but can't seem to get it straight. Is it a proprietary format I can only play through or via Amazon's own site? Is it a format I can throw onto an external drive?

Many thanks, and apologies for what must be, I'm sure, a rudimentary question.

There will no doubt be workarounds (there certainly are for iTunes and BBC iPlayer) allowing you to make your own permanent DRM free digital and physical copies of downloads but I believe the mods would count discussing the processes in detail to be encouraging piracy and as such against forum rules.

[Franc Zaic]

Not my intention to do anything "illegal" -- just wondering if it was a similar situation to buying digital music from Amazon: what you've bought, you own as MP3s and can move around as you wish.

I won't be "buying" any movies from Amazon, then.

Thanks for your answers.

[AZBrowncoat]

Originally Posted by Franc Zaic

Not my intention to do anything "illegal" -- just wondering if it was a similar situation to buying digital music from Amazon: what you've bought, you own as MP3s and can move around as you wish.

I won't be "buying" any movies from Amazon, then.

Thanks for your answers.

None of the major providers use a DRM free format. There are a couple of smaller studios and providers that have DRM free files - VHX, Vimeo etc but for the most part you will have to deal with DRM.

There are completely legal ways to permanently download copies, albeit generally at a reduced quality. PlayOn comes to mind for example - as they are basically a software DVR and all files are prefaced with identifiable information to discourage file-sharing.