05-25-2011, 12:27 AM

I have purchased 2 rental movies from iTune store on separate occasions, and both times when the movie was downloaded complete, it wouldn't play. The screen remained blank. I have updated iTune and QuickTime. Apple didn't really help, they just refunded my rental costs. Does anyone have the same problem? What is the solution? I have rented movies from Amazon. It's as easy as watching a Youtube video.

Whats the deal with Apple.

05-25-2011, 02:51 AM

Seems odd. Try this:

Download Flip4Mac WMV Player and Perian (both free) and install them.

Then, try playing a sample of the movie from the iTunes page (don't rent again until you are sure it will work). Any better?

05-25-2011, 06:38 AM

Not sure why you haven't been able to play them. My advice, if you can use Amazon for rentals - do it. I use both iTunes and Amazon. For purchases iTunes typically gets my money unless Amazon has it a bunch cheaper just for the fact of being able to authorize 5 machines instead of the 2 that Amazon allows. Amazon does have the advantage in that your purchases are saved so that you can download them again in the future and you are not required to keep them stored and backed up locally.

For rentals, iTunes no longer gets any of my money. Typically when I'm renting, I want to watch now, not an hour or two from now. As you've probably already found out, at this time, iTunes download speeds are flaky at best for video downloads and I've yet to have a single issue with Amazon.

Perhaps I'll give iTunes another try when they get the new server farm that's been all over the news up and running, until then, hello Amazon or Vudu or practically anywhere except iTunes.

05-25-2011, 08:29 AM

Thank you guys. I have both Perian and Flip4mac for sometime already. I reinstalled iTunes also. I can watch the trailer on the purchase/rental page but when downloaded and play the rental, I get a black, blank screen. I can see chapter thumbnails, but no matter what portion I click of the movie, I get black screen. On the progress bar, there's no progression when click on play.

I tried Amazon, but the movie I wanted to rent isn't available for rental at Amazon, thus the iTune rental. Frustrating, cause I know it should be very easy on Apple's part. If I can watch their trailer, I should be able to watch their rental. I don't think I'm lacking any plug-ins or extensions that prevent me from watching the rentals. By the way I'm not using my browser. This is all within iTunes and iTunes store.

05-25-2011, 09:05 AM

Make sure you have all the latest updates both for OS X and iTunes (what versions are you using?)

Give this a try - starting with the "Remove the SC Info folder" - link.

05-25-2011, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by bobtomay

Make sure you have all the latest updates both for OS X and iTunes (what versions are you using?)

Give this a try - starting with the "Remove the SC Info folder" - link.

I tried that. It said my computer is already authorized (iTunes 10.2.2). But the movie would not play. Thanks anyway. I've got to believed it has something to do with Apple's copyright protection scheme. But that's just my guest.

05-06-2012, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by quin

I tried that. It said my computer is already authorized (iTunes 10.2.2). But the movie would not play. Thanks anyway. I've got to believed it has something to do with Apple's copyright protection scheme. But that's just my guest.

i have had the same problem and still no fix i can transfer it my iPhone and watch it from there but thats annoying with such a tiny screen

05-08-2012, 05:00 AM

Originally Posted by quin

I tried that. It said my computer is already authorized (iTunes 10.2.2). But the movie would not play. Thanks anyway. I've got to believed it has something to do with Apple's copyright protection scheme. But that's just my guest.

That's a thought ... do you have any external monitors attached, or is the computer hooked up to an HDTV?

If the answer to both questions is no ... try DISABLING the WMV and Perian plug ins (just temporarily) and see if that makes a difference.