MP3 Music

The term “iPod” has become ubiquitous with “digital media player” for most consumers, and it’s a credit to how Apple has built the brand and made it a household word. Where iPods used to be merely digital music players, they now cover so much more - from movies, to picture albums, even your favorite television programs.

Once you’ve gone to the iTunes music store, you select what movie (or episode) you want to see - most cost between 99 cents and $1.99; there are a few free trial offers as well. You can then download them onto your Mac or PC, and synchronize them with your iPod like any other media purchase. Buying your movies commercially through the iPod store ensures that they’ll be of the highest quality for play back, and guaranteed compatible with the device.

For most television programs made after 1964, every time a repeat airs (on Nick at Night, or just as a re-run during the season), the company broadcasting it pays a small amount of money to the studio for the right to rebroadcast it, and a very small chunk (half a cent on the dollar) gets stashed away into a fund called the residual fund, where it’s used to pay the writers who created that show or wrote that episode in the first place.

If you still want to rip an existing DVD movie on to your iPod video, start by downloading software available on the web but be careful! Choose only those that support the iPod video format. Look for features that are easy to use and fast,brief interface and design

What this means for you is that what’s going to be available on the iTunes store for digital content is likely to change over time. For example, NBC Universal (the production house behind Desperate Housewives and Heroes, as well as Battlestar Galactica) has withdrawn from the iTunes music store. Others may follow suit, trying to set up their own branding options.

One of the nice things about these two packages is that they also convert audio files to iPod supported MP3, AAC, M4A file formats, which is handy when you want to make sure the audio synchronizes properly with the video. The user interfaces allow you to select what formats you want things converted to, and where the converted file will be saved; at that point, you can drag and drop the music to your iPod through the playlist creator with ease.

There is a coming storm about distribution rights and payment of creatives for digital media. The current WGA writer’s strike that’s shelved most popular television programs is just one example. Be aware that at some point, there may be tracking bits put into DVDs to prevent these kinds of rips, or to track down pirates to bring them to court.

The economics of iPod video distribution are very different and is dominated by the Hollywood moguls, including licensing and windowing agreements. Not to mention the progress of theatre shows to other markets like rental shops, pay TV, retail stores, free-to-air and now to iPod movies.

Aside from the iPod movies, the TV shows that can be played on the iPod video are endless. Right now, Desperate Housewives rule the iPod video landscape. Another great ipod feature is the video pod cast, users don’t just watch pod casts but they can also create their own.

To fully enjoy your iPod movies, there are accessories available for your iPod video. With its TV OUT and wide screen option, you can share you iPod movies with friends inside your living room. The video quality will somewhat depend on the file compression but over-all the resolution is a great.

Other useful accessories for your iPod enjoyment include external speakers, and cable set ups - there are even stereos with “iPod docks” to let you just plug your iPod in.