DVDizzy Forum

I have a question about those Disneyfile Digital copy downloads, if anyone can help.

I recently bought the Blu-Ray of Nightmare Before Christmas, but I don't have a Blu-Ray player yet, and I was thinking I could at least download the bonus DisneyFile copy and watch it on my computer. However, it offers the ITunes version or the Windows Media version. Now, I know nothing about this stuff at this point, and I've never used ITunes before. I don't do the digital download thing, and I don't have any sort of portable media player. However, in the directions, both say you can play the download on your PC. So, does it matter which one I download? If not, which one would be wiser to choose? Do I have to have some sort of ITunes player to watch the Itunes version? I'm assuming this is a download you can only do once, so I don't want to make the wrong choice, but I was thinking the ITunes version at least I could probably copy to an ITunes device if I ever get one? The Windows Media version talks about a PlaysForSure compatible device, but I've never heard of that before. So, any info, the sooner the better, would be greatly appreciated... I'd like to make a choice that I can watch now with ease, but I hate to lose the potential of putting it on some sort of portable device later... Is it at all possible to burn one of these to disc so I can watch it on a regular DVD player till I get a Blu-Ray? Or to even just copy to a data disc so I can still have it on a different computer if and when I get a new one...

slave2moonlight wrote:Or to even just copy to a data disc so I can still have it on a different computer if and when I get a new one...

I'll just answer this question because I know for sure. xD

When you buy stuff from the iTunes Store, (accessed through the application) you will get to put the songs you buy on a maximum total of 5 computers...this also applies to the Digital Files. It'll be like you "bought" them through iTunes. So with every computer you want to put it on, just sign onto your iTunes account and add it. If you get over 5, or don't remember your account to authorize the song/movie, it cannot be played.

Thanks. So, if you download from ITunes, where does it play on your PC? Is it a special ITunes Player? If so, is the player free to download, and is it free to make an ITunes account?

And, does anyone know if the Windows Media download basically works the same way? Do you need a credit card account to register with either? I'd also be interested in knowing which type of download or device is more popular, if anyone knows, though my guess is itunes.

Lastly, anyone know if these codes expire?

Just get Requiem (I can PM you a link), get the iTunes version, and remove the DRM.

Problem solved

iTunes videos are only good when you remove the DRM, since iTunes fails hard at playing videos. The Windows Media one would be harder to decrypt, and less devices support WM DRM than just plain mp4.

What is the DRM? And what's Requiem? Is it free?

DRM is Digital Rights Management... it's a sort of copy protection that developers put on their music and videos so they can only be opened with a certain program, played with a certain account, etc.

Yes, Requiem is free... it's an open-source Java applet that removes DRM from iTunes files.

If you use Digital Copy and get one in iTunes, the only thing you'll be able to do with it is play it in iTunes and put it on an iPod... if you want to watch it on your computer you'll be stuck using a huge CPU wasting program. If you use Requiem, you'll have a normal mpeg-4 video, which can be played by any media player and on any device.

slave2moonlight wrote:
Lastly, anyone know if these codes expire?

I picked up Prince Caspian today. The activation code is valid until December 2, 2009. Does anyone now if you can extend it beyond that date?

drfsupercenter wrote:DRM is Digital Rights Management... it's a sort of copy protection that developers put on their music and videos so they can only be opened with a certain program, played with a certain account, etc.

Yes, Requiem is free... it's an open-source Java applet that removes DRM from iTunes files.

If you use Digital Copy and get one in iTunes, the only thing you'll be able to do with it is play it in iTunes and put it on an iPod... if you want to watch it on your computer you'll be stuck using a huge CPU wasting program. If you use Requiem, you'll have a normal mpeg-4 video, which can be played by any media player and on any device.

Nice. Someone asks for help with digital copies and Windows Media Player and iTunes, someone with no experience with any of them, and instead you offer advice on how to strip the DRM. You offer Requiem without mentioning it can't be legitimately distributed. Clearly <i>you're</i> not part of the piracy problem.

Here I am in an agreement of sorts. Don't use anythng but Windows Media for your downloads and you won't have any problems. I have 10 movies on my PC including WALL-E, and I don't use any illegal means of bypassing codes. When you download to Windows Media player it is two easy steps just like it tells you in the enclosed brochure that came with your Digital Copy. From your Windows Media Player you can download to anything else you want with no exception. Do Not dowload anything illegal for the DRM thing. Believe it or not, Big Brother is watching and they are going to find those who use this method, and there is a huge fine and jail time for those offenders when they are caught. And if you don't think you will get caught, I personally know someone who thought it was cool to use those illegal downloads, and had been 'doing it for years', and he is now doing time, and has a $250,000 fine to pay off.

One simple instruction, that is follow the rules, and don't do anything that requires another download. iTunes requires a credit card number from what I hear, and if you have already paid for this movie, why do they need your credit card number? Use Windows Media Player, it is so much easier and faster, and totally legal.

Maybe cause I'm a Mac user/ fanboy, but itunes is in my opinion the better option, it's easier to manage, and if or when you get an ipod or iphone, it's incredibly easy to transfer it over. Plus, in the case of itunes, if anything were to happen to your computer, you can simply re-download it, and you can even download it on multiple computers (I've had a few where I downloaded it on my PC then when I replace my PC with a Mac, there was absolutely no problem getting it again on my Mac).

Oh, My! Now I am really confused...I hate DRM!

I'm not sure what is better, the Windows version or the Itunes?

I will most likely use it to watch on my computer... I was going to use I tunes but if I do that then I cannot use any of my media players?

If I do the windows version can I use other players? (like Hps Quickplay)

Also, from what I understand, I cannot use either of the two with my cell phone?


What do you all think is the best option for someone who will probably never buy an Ipod or and of the Windows Mp3 players?


Also, after I download the movie the "3rd disc" is useless?
THAT makes me hate DIGITAL COPY even more... What is the point? I wish they just gave you the file on the disc and let you play it from there too...I just want it because my Laptop doesn't play Blurays.

for those who HAVE downloaded the digital file.......what device did you use? Has anyone used a Sansa Fuze or a Sansa View? I am interested in the digital copies (will buy the movies that have the digital copy you can download) and want to make sure my player will work. Especially will be interested in the digital versions of Wall-E and Bolt (eventually).

Sigh, see, this is the problem with Digital Copy.

I have nothing against people who want to be clean and not decrypt anything - but you have to realize that the intent behind Digital Copy is to limit what you can do with it.

If you just want to watch it on your computer, use PowerDVD and just play the DVD. If you want it on your iPod, go ahead and use the iTunes digital copy.

Now, as far as which one to use... I have discovered that you can indeed use each code twice. Once in iTunes, and once for Windows Media. (As with iTunes, you put the code in iTunes itself and it checks with the iTunes store... whereas for Windows Media you put it in the official app. Now, I haven't tried using the WM first... someone try it and let me know.)

Honestly, I hate the Windows Media one... they're always lower quality, and Windows Media Player is a horrible program. It can play your videos, yes, but it takes up all your memory in doing so and often times skips and can't even play the video right. I prefer the iTunes encodes myself... but that's just me. If you have a Sansa or whatnot, obviously you can't use mpeg-4 on it.

Now, for those of you who WANT to use it on a device other than the iPod or a Windows Media Portable device (I myself am a Zune user, and know people with players such as the Archos that doesn't support DRM), just PM me. I can help you fix the files so you can use them anywhere. And yes, the MPAA will tell you it's illegal... but look. You bought the movie on DVD. You actually paid an absurdly high amount to *get* the Digital Copy. Who are they to tell you you can't watch it in whatever program you want? It isn't PIRACY unless you're distributing it to people. If you start posting your decrypted videos on file-sharing networks, then you'd be pirating.
And for that matter. Both the iTunes and Windows Media versions can be decrypted and used on whatever device you want. However, you must have an old version of iTunes (if you have the newest 8.0.2, it *will not* work!) and not the newest Windows Media runtime. Again, just PM me if you want help. I won't say any more in here because it's probably frowned upon, but simply mentioning that the files can be decrypted isn't anything illegal - Google will tell you that!

Bottom line is this.

iTunes version is better quality, Windows Media has a portable version you can use for mp3 players if you don't want to use a ton of disk space. Both can be decrypted. Both can be played without decrypting, but you're suck with either Windows Media Player or iTunes (QuickTime will play them too, though it's pretty much the same player).

OPEN LETTER TO drfsupercenter:

Once again the fountain of misinformation has spouted a bunch of untruths. iTunes and Windows Media Player play the Digital Copy equally well, it all depends on how old your computer is, and what type of monitor you are viewing the picture on.

I prefer Windows Media but it works a lot quicker, and it does show the film in the proper OAR contrary to what Mr. supercenter would have you believe. I don't think that he knows what is good and what is bad when it comes to digital copy.

I have looked at Digital Copy of WALL-E on three different types of computers with three different types of monitors, two using iTunes and the other using Windows Media Player. I could not tell the difference except in the quality of picture on the older monitor and it was using an iTunes download.

And why would anyone want to watch a digital copy on a 2" iPod screen anyway. That seems to be a useless consumption of time and space on an iPod. A 2:35.1 picture needs to be seen on as big a screen as you can get in your home, not on your wrist or in your pocket.

Where did I ever say it wasn't in OAR?

I know they're in OAR... I wouldn't use them if they were.

Now, I'll admit, the quality difference really isn't that noticeable. Unless you're playing it on a large computer screen (Mine's a 19" widescreen LCD) and massively upscaling it... the iTunes one just looks clearer. And I compared them using the same program, Media Player Classic. (Possibly the best video player ever made)
Granted, I haven't tried Wall-E yet... as I refuse to buy it until they switch to plastic cases. When I get Prince Caspian for Christmas I can try it out. I tested it on Get Smart and The Incredible Hulk.

As far as watching it on an iPod goes... that's why I don't use the 2.35:1 movies on my Zune. As much as I hate cropping, I use the 4:3 versions if they exist for portable players... since it's actually reasonable to watch. Now, the Zune has a bigger screen than the iPod, it's like 3.5". Still not huge, but it makes a difference, believe me

And as far as the official software playing it, I would have to say that Windows Media Player does it better... I have a 2GHz Pentium 4 and I can't even play videos in iTunes without them skipping. For that reason, I pretty much HAVE to decrypt my iTunes videos so I can watch them in Media Player Classic. iTunes itself uses too much CPU to play the videos right.