Before the Apple TV became public, people speculated on what an Apple-designed TV accessory would be like. Everyone assumed Apple would add the capabilities of a TiVo, letting you record broadcast television for playback later.
Realize, this doesn’t happen with most companies. No one is idly speculating about how HP is going to improve kitchen appliances. But when Apple stepped out of the “computer” box by releasing the iPod (which wasn’t the first digital music player by a long shot), people started asking, “What else can Apple do?” And the real unspoken question was, “What else can Apple do better?” So, an Apple television box would naturally control the content that’s already coming into the television, right?
Well, people tend to forget that Apple is a profit-driven company, which, coincidentally, had already begun to sell movies and TV shows online through the iTunes Store. Why record something for free when you can buy it for less than the cost of a DVD? Maybe you prefer not to subscribe to cable or satellite TV service, or Netflix just takes too long. Whatever the reason, the iTunes Store is a direct line to your computer and, by extension, your Apple TV.
Buying content from the iTunes Store isn’t the exclusive way to get it onto your Apple TV; Chapter 9 covers the methods of ripping DVDs and converting your own edited movies to formats that the Apple TV can read. But for some people, it’s easier (and sometimes faster) to just purchase something from the iTunes Store.
The iTunes Store exists on the Internet, but you can’t get there using a Web browser. Instead, launch iTunes and look for the iTunes Store icon in the left column (FIGURE 4.1). When you click it, the store appears in place of your music library in the main area of the window (FIGURE 4.2).
Most of what you see are current promotions, new releases, and top-selling items in each category.
The store interface is ripe for browsing, so feel free to click away. If you want to be more directed, click a category in the iTunes Store box at the upper-left corner of the screen. That takes you to a similar screen containing just the type of content you clicked.
You can also browse the store in a less flashy, but more directed, interface. To locate an item, do the following:
In the Quick Links box at the upper-right, click the Browse link (FIGURE 4.3). This takes you to a category list of the store’s offerings (FIGURE 4.4).
Choose a category from the iTunes Store column (such as TV Shows).
In the next column, click a genre to narrow your selection. If you’re browsing podcasts, the column lists podcast categories.
Depending on the media you choose, other columns may appear, such as TV show titles, subgenre, and artist. Click the items to narrow the field until you see a list of media files in the lower half of the screen.
If you know what you’re looking for, such as a movie’s name or the title (or partial title) of a song, type it into the iTunes search field, which is labeled Search iTunes Store when the store is active (FIGURE 4.5). Press Enter to perform the search. A split screen appears with the results categorized at the top and listed at the bottom (FIGURE 4.6).
Clicking items in the top portion takes you to more information. For example, clicking an album name displays the album with a full track list and notes, while clicking an artist name shows all albums by that artist.
As you’re perusing the store’s wares, a set of buttons above the main screen indicate where you are (FIGURE 4.7). Clicking the Home button (with the house icon) takes you back to the main storefront. Clicking the category and genre buttons displays similar items. And the Back and Forward buttons step you through items you’ve already seen.
Tip
Be sure to keep an eye out for free stuff. Yes, free! In addition to a Single of the Week, the store usually has a dozen other free songs and videos for you to download and try. Look for the Free on iTunes box on the main iTunes Store screen.
Preview any store item by double-clicking it in the list at the bottom of the screen. Most previews are 30 seconds long; audiobooks are 90 seconds long; and movies play the film’s theatrical trailer.
For a more specific search, click the Power Search link in the Quick Links box. This option leads you to a form with multiple search fields (FIGURE 4.8), so you can locate all movies in the iTunes catalog directed by Spike Lee or starring Johnny Depp and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.
The iTunes Store offers two ways to purchase songs and videos: buy them directly, or add them to a shopping cart to buy later. In either case, you need to have an account with Apple, which is used not only to charge your credit card but also to mark the media as belonging to you.
When you buy your first item, the store asks you to log in. However, it’s just as easy to sign in beforehand and get everything set up. Here’s how:
In the iTunes Store, click the Sign In button at the upper-right corner.
If you already have an Apple account (such as from the .Mac service) or AOL account, enter your Apple ID or AOL screen name and password in the fields provided and click the Sign In button (FIGURE 4.9).
If this is your first time here, click the Create New Account button. After accepting the terms and conditions, you’ll be asked to provide a valid email address, a password, and credit card information.
Once you’re signed in, the Sign In button in the store interface changes to display your Apple ID.
Apple apparently believes in instant gratification, because once you’re signed in you can buy anything with the click of a button. In the list of items that appears when you’re browsing or searching, click the Buy (Song, Movie, Episode, and so on) button. Your credit card is charged and the item is downloaded to your computer (FIGURE 4.10).
If you’d prefer to load up before purchasing, you can choose to use a shopping cart. Choose Preferences from the iTunes menu (Mac) or the Edit menu (Windows), and click the Store tab. Then, click the Buy using a Shopping Cart radio button.
A new Shopping Cart item appears in the Store section of the left-hand column in iTunes (FIGURE 4.11), and in the store itself, the Buy buttons become Add buttons. When you’re ready to purchase, click Shopping Cart and then click the Buy Now button to start downloading the material.
Earlier, I mentioned that you might not subscribe to cable or satellite TV service. Although for lots of people that idea sounds unthinkable, several of my friends prefer to get their television using the iTunes à la carte model.
But while you can buy episodes individually, it’s easier and less expensive to purchase a show’s Season Pass. For about $35 (depending on the show), you can download all episodes in a show’s season—including ones that haven’t yet aired. Each new episode appears on iTunes the day after it’s broadcast.
Tip
A Season Pass is also good for frequent travelers who want to keep current on their favorite shows.
To purchase a season pass, navigate to the show you want and click the Buy/Add Season Pass button. When a new episode appears, Apple sends an email notifying you that it’s available. Choose Check for Purchases from the Store menu, or sign in to your account and click the Manage Passes button, to download the latest.
Tip
The Manage Passes screen is also where you can enable or disable email notification when new episodes appear.
To bypass that step, go to the iTunes Preferences, click the Store tab, and enable “Automatically download prepurchased content.” iTunes will regularly check to see if any new episodes are available for your shows and download them in the background.
The Season Pass is good for shows with weekly episodes, but what if you want to catch every episode of a daily show, such as The Colbert Report? A Multi-Pass gives you the latest episode plus the next 15. You also have the option to turn on auto-renewal, in which case your credit card will be charged for the next 16 episodes once you’ve reached the end of your previous Multi-Pass collection.