Burning iTunes Movies to DVD
Geoff writes, "I was wondering if there is a way to burn your purchased iTunes movies to DVD?"
Movie purchases from iTunes are protected with Apple's DRM, preventing you from burning them to DVD playable on a set top DVD player using software solutions like Nero, Roxio, etc. You can burn the movies as data files to back them up, storing them for recovery in the event of a hard drive failure. If you want to watch iTunes movies on your television, I recommend getting the iPod A/V Cable for your iPod and watching movies with iPod connected to television. The iPod scales video from the portable resolution to a television-quality resolution well enough for standard definition video playback. If you have an HD screen, turn off image stretching so that the video isn't distorted.
If you're desperate for a way to burn those iTunes Movies to DVD, there are two options. The software solution is to use SoundTaxi Professional + Video Rip, which basically records the movie to a new file that can then be burned to DVD directly from SoundTaxi. Recording video played out through your iPod to a set top DVD recorder might be a better way to go.
The easiest method for copying iTunes movies to DVD is using your iPod connected to a set top DVD recorder. You need the iPod A/V cable or a compatible alternative connected to the composite in connections on the back of a DVD recorder. Set the iPod to send video to a TV and start playback at approximately the same time you start recording on the DVD recorder. The video won't look amazing on the burned DVD, but you will have something approximating VHS quality when recording is complete. Again, I'll emphasize if what you're looking for is simply set top playback, using the iPod A/V Cable or a compatible alternative is your best route for getting decent looking video playback from iTunes movies.