According to Apple’s support page on Rental Video Formats the resolution for Standard Definition movies is 720 x up to 480 pixels. If you rented the same movie directly from the iTunes Store the resolution would be 640 x up to 480 pixels. Now, I have yet to purchase a movie through Apple TV. Really there hasn’t been a title worth if for me. All though I am looking forward to next week when Indiana Jones is released on DVD, but I digress. My question is, does the 720 x up to 480 pixel resolution hold true for purchase titles also? Has anyone Purchased a movie through the Apple TV and noticed an improvement in quality over a purchase through the iTunes Store. My guess is this is why there wasn’t some huge dump of all the titles into the Apple TV from the iTunes Store, because they needed to be re-digitized for the higher resolution. Opinions? Thoughts? I’m curious. If this is true, and the quality is improved, then this may persuade me to purchase a title for two.

We lose Transformers completely and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End to the Purchase Only list for the following HD jems: The 24 Hour Woman, Conspiracy, Kickboxer 3: The Art of War, The Magnificent Seven Ride!, Steep and My Kid Could Paint That.

Along with Transformers and POTC, earlier in the week Ratatouille mysteriously disappeared from the HD rental list, only to become a purchase only title. I hope this isn’t a trend for Apple as an attempt to drive people to purchase A List titles to please the studios or pad their “purchase” sales numbers when it comes time to brag about how successful this new “purchase” venture is.

Update – Official Press Release

According to the Hollywood Reporter Apple is expected to announce today that it has struck a deal with a wide array of major and mini studios to offer many new releases for purchase at its iTunes Store. “The move would allow a broad slate of top-shelf films to be offered day-and-date with home video releases, which risks cannibalizing DVD sale.”

There is no mention of titles being released in HD in the article. Obviously this is exactly what Apple has been preparing for all night with the release of the new titles. If the major studios are willing to risk cannibalizing DVD sales why not go all the way with HD content as well, considering that the HD market is that much smaller. At the very least we can only hope that at tthis will mean a more consistent release schedule for HD titles.

I want to say thanks to Aditya for the heads up about the article.