Apple TV+ iTunes 4K Upgrades Thread (2 Viewers)

[Tino]

Hmm. Well I just redeemed the 4K code of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and it only redeemed in HD on iTunes. UHD on vudu.

Road Warrior redeemed fine on both.

 

[TonyD]

It played in Dolby Vision on my ATV4K.

On a not so unusual occurrence my Atv somehow switched content matching off as it seems to happen every few months or so.

I switched it back on and now I have the DV on Outsiders

 

[cda1143]

Another strange thing, but maybe not so much as we now have a pattern to what Warner is doing with some of their titles. ... However, my HD digital of "Beyond Thunderdome" has remained in HD and is no longer available to purchase. Another 4K/DV digital of "Thunderdome" was added and is on sale for $9.99.

It goes back to what Mark and I were discussing earlier in this thread. These studios and iTunes, particularly with Warner appear to be changing their digital practices by adding newer digitals that are in 4K and removing older digitals from purchase in HD without upgrading them to 4K. This is no longer a conspiracy theory, but is becoming an actual business model change for iTunes and their so-called free 4K upgrades. I imagine this practice will continue to expand in the future...

We're not getting the free 4K upgrades on all titles with "The Outsiders" being an example. Both older HD digitals for the two film versions are still HD.

That only just came out last week, right? Willy Wonka and A Clockwork Orange took some time to upgrade but it did happen eventually.

Since they seem to be doing some kinda mix right now, maybe they're still just testing the waters to see if there would be enough backlash if they completely killed the free 4K upgrades...

When I complained to them about Wonka, I definitely told them I'd change my buying habit if that's really their new position... At the time, they apparently seem to be leaning away from the guarantee and even made reference to a vaguely written Apple policy on the matter.

_Man_

I just redeemed the codes that came with the Mad Max Anthology set on Movies Anywhere (well, the last three films - Mad Max is an MGM release, so Warner is providing a Vudu 4K code). Road Warrior redeemed in Apple TV in 4K as Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior ... while Thunderdome redeemed in HD. Fury Road upgraded to 4K with DV and DA (the original UV code that came with Warner's initial UHD disc release had redeemed in HD).

This looks like an Apple issue, as all three titles transferred over to Vudu in 4K (with DV and DA) without issue.

This is becoming an alarming trend...

Someone correct me if I'm mistaken, but as of right now, there are only two films that have not upgraded to 4K on iTunes? - The Outsiders and Thunderdome? And both of these titles are relatively new in 4K?

If that's the case, then Todd is certainly correct that this is an Apple issue.

But rather than a new trend or business model, it seems to be the same issue since the launch of iTunes 4K - Apple's strange timing of upgrades. Some titles upgrade later than new disc transfers or other streaming services - Wonka, etc., and some like Wizard of Oz or Ragtime upgrade too early, then have to pulled back to HD until the official release.

Are there any titles which have never upgraded, or taken long than a few weeks to get sorted out?

 

[Todd Erwin]

Someone correct me if I'm mistaken, but as of right now, there are only two films that have not upgraded to 4K on iTunes? - The Outsiders and Thunderdome? And both of these titles are relatively new in 4K?

If that's the case, then Todd is certainly correct that this is an Apple issue.

But rather than a new trend or business model, it seems to be the same issue since the launch of iTunes 4K - Apple's strange timing of upgrades. Some titles upgrade later than new disc transfers or other streaming services - Wonka, etc., and some like Wizard of Oz or Ragtime upgrade too early, then have to pulled back to HD until the official release.

Are there any titles which have never upgraded, or taken long than a few weeks to get sorted out?

In the case of both The Outsiders and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, 4K versions are available on Apple, they just are not redeeming or upgrading in 4K.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Someone correct me if I'm mistaken, but as of right now, there are only two films that have not upgraded to 4K on iTunes? - The Outsiders and Thunderdome? And both of these titles are relatively new in 4K?

If that's the case, then Todd is certainly correct that this is an Apple issue.

But rather than a new trend or business model, it seems to be the same issue since the launch of iTunes 4K - Apple's strange timing of upgrades. Some titles upgrade later than new disc transfers or other streaming services - Wonka, etc., and some like Wizard of Oz or Ragtime upgrade too early, then have to pulled back to HD until the official release.

Are there any titles which have never upgraded, or taken long than a few weeks to get sorted out?

In the case of both The Outsiders and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, 4K versions are available on Apple, they just are not redeeming or upgrading in 4K.

This particular trend seems pretty specific to Warner's titles (for now). You have to consider the finer details of what's actually happening to notice/realize it.

Basically, new 4K versions of Warner titles are being added (to both iTunes and Movies Anywhere it seems) as new, separate entries leaving the old HD ones orphaned in their system. That's a clear, specific change from what they had been doing up until Wonka (and still doing for most of the other studios, except maybe Lionsgate). In the case of Wonka and Clockwork Orange, they did eventually fix it so the old orphaned entries got upgraded too, but at least w/ Wonka, that didn't happen until I (and maybe some others) complained to AppleTV support a few weeks later -- and in response to my complaint, a supervisor actually tried to reference a vaguely written Apple policy to (partially) reneg on the promise of free 4K upgrades.

Here's my follow-up post about that (back in Aug):

Apple TV+ - iTunes 4K Upgrades Thread

I misunderstood. What else could it be? It has grain, more accurate coloring and sadly even a questionable digital fix. Overall it looks much nicer than the older HD transfer.

www.hometheaterforum.com

No idea if anyone complained about AOC for them to fix that case. And there haven't been that many, if any, Warner 4K releases since then (until the Outsiders and the Mad Max titles).

Ragtime is a Paramount title, and haven't received that kind of treatment. Wizard of Oz was a long while ago before this new practice apparently began for Warner titles.


Meanwhile, Warner had also clearly chosen to not put iTunes-specific DC redemption codes in their disc releases for a long time now -- they opted for Vudu, UV and now Movies Anywhere, which all avoid the possibility of free 4K upgrades for HD DCs of BDs. Most other studios have seemingly also followed that trend and gradually stopped providing iTunes codes (for their BD releases). I point out this latter change mainly to indicate there seems to be an intentional, concerted effort, especially by Warner, to avoid the free upgrades, not that I believe we're entitled (at least for BD DC redemptions). FWIW, so far, Paramount might still be putting iTunes DC codes in at least some of their recent BD releases -- I just got free upgrade w/ A Quiet Place 2 BD.


Not too sure what's going on w/ Disney titles as they were well known to prevent 4K on iTunes until late last year, but they don't release much of any catalog titles in 4K anyway (and it certainly wouldn't be surprising for them to try to prevent free 4K upgrades). I did notice my BD DC of the live action Beauty and the Beast got a free 4K upgrade when they finally made a bunch of (mostly animated/Pixar/Marvel) catalog titles available in 4K there. Don't know of any other that got the free upgrade. They also seem to have rendered all remaining old BD DC codes unusable on iTunes probably to prevent free upgrades -- I had a couple rendered that way, particularly the Finding Dory BD combo, and could only redeem at Movies Anywhere instead.

_Man_

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

The other issue w/ the orphaning of HD entries is they probably won't get the usual/probable upgrades in HD transfers either, NVM the free 4K upgrades.

At least some of us might be satisfied enough w/ just free upgrades to new, improved HD transfers (from the same 4K masters) for at least some cases, but this orphaning of old entries probably prevents that (or at least makes that improbable) as well.

_Man_

 

[cda1143]

In the case of both The Outsiders and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, 4K versions are available on Apple, they just are not redeeming or upgrading in 4K.

Yes understood. As I said:

.. two films that have not upgraded to 4K on iTunes?...

 

[cda1143]

This particular trend seems pretty specific to Warner's titles (for now). You have to consider the finer details of what's actually happening to notice/realize it.

Basically, new 4K versions of Warner titles are being added...as new, separate entries leaving the old HD ones orphaned in their system. That's a clear, specific change from what they had been doing up until Wonka... In the case of Wonka and Clockwork Orange, they did eventually fix it so the old orphaned entries got upgraded too, but at least w/ Wonka, that didn't happen until I... complained to AppleTV support a few weeks later...

Here's my follow-up post about that (back in Aug):

...
Meanwhile, Warner had also clearly chosen to not put iTunes-specific DC redemption codes in their disc releases for a long time now -- they opted for Vudu, UV and now Movies Anywhere, which all avoid the possibility of free 4K upgrades for HD DCs of BDs. Most other studios have seemingly also followed that trend and gradually stopped providing iTunes codes (for their BD releases). I point out this latter change mainly to indicate there seems to be an intentional, concerted effort, especially by Warner, to avoid the free upgrades....

Not too sure what's going on w/ Disney titles as they were well known to prevent 4K on iTunes until late last year, ... (and it certainly wouldn't be surprising for them to try to prevent free 4K upgrades). I did notice my BD DC of the live action Beauty and the Beast got a free 4K upgrade when they finally made a bunch of ... catalog titles available in 4K there.... They also seem to have rendered all remaining old BD DC codes unusable on iTunes probably to prevent free upgrades -- I had a couple rendered that way, particularly the Finding Dory BD combo, and could only redeem at Movies Anywhere instead.

_Man_

The other issue w/ the orphaning of HD entries is they probably won't get the usual/probable upgrades in HD transfers either, NVM the free 4K upgrades.

At least some of us might be satisfied enough w/ just free upgrades to new, improved HD transfers (from the same 4K masters) for at least some cases, but this orphaning of old entries probably prevents that (or at least makes that improbable) as well.

_Man_

Man: Thanks for all these details. I understand your concerns - especially about orphaning, but I'm still confused. Are there currently any titles, other than Outsiders and Thunderdome (so far) which have never upgraded to 4K after a few weeks? If there is a significant number, then your fears are unfortunately well founded. If these are the only titles, I just don't see a pattern yet.

Regarding Wonka and Clockwork Orange: Thank you, and all who contacted Apple support regarding those upgrades. I would love to think that Apple would be so responsive as to change a policy due to customer complaints. But if this was an actually policy, I doubt even thousands of customer complaints would prompt a change. I think it's far more likely that the complaints alerted them to another one of their many glitches in the timing of the upgrades.

I think the important indicators are not how often upgrade delays happen, but how many titles do not ever upgrade. So far (Disney excepted) there seem to be two? Again please correct me if there are others.

Thank you for the attention you're giving what may turn out to be an important issue.

 

[Tino]

Hmm. Well I just redeemed the 4K code of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and it only redeemed in HD on iTunes. UHD on vudu.

Road Warrior redeemed fine on both.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome has been corrected and is now 4K/Dolby Vision

 

[Robert Crawford]

The older HD digital of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome still hasn't been upgraded to 4K. The same for The Outsider.

 

[Tino]

The older HD digital of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome still hasn't been upgraded to 4K. The same for The Outsider.

Something tells me the old Thunderdome isn’t getting upgraded.

 

[Tino]

Not sure if this was mentioned previously but Hugo is now 4K/Dolby Vision

 

[Robert Crawford]

Something tells me the old Thunderdome isn’t getting upgraded.

Not sure if this was mentioned previously but Hugo is now 4K/Dolby Vision

You win some, you lose some. With Thunderdome I lost, but I won on Hugo.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I did buy two 4K titles this morning that only had Blu-ray releases. Wrath of Man and Old Henry for $9.99 each. I'm thinking about The Father for $6.99. The same for The Protege at $9.99

 

[Mark-P]

Not sure if this was mentioned previously but Hugo is now 4K/Dolby Vision

Double Jeopardy as well!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Double Jeopardy as well!

Another winner I didn't expect to upgrade.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

The older HD digital of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome still hasn't been upgraded to 4K. The same for The Outsider.

Something tells me the old Thunderdome isn’t getting upgraded.

You could always complain to AppleTV/iTunes support like I did for Wonka back during the summer.

I don't have Beyond Thunderdome (or The Outsiders), but I would complain to them if I did.

_Man_

 

[Todd Erwin]

The older HD digital of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome still hasn't been upgraded to 4K. The same for The Outsider.

Something tells me the old Thunderdome isn’t getting upgraded.

My digital redemption is still HD and now stereo on iTunes!

 

[Todd Erwin]

So, after Movies Anywhere did a refresh to my library, my HD duplicates of The Outsiders have disappeared, with only the 4K versions now present. Also, I now have two entries for Thunderdome, one called "Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome" and the other "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome," both with the same artwork, both in 4K DV but only 5.1 audio.

 

[TonyD]

^^^^^^ I thought Wrath of Man was really good.