Dresden Files Episodes on PC

[CaptainRussell]

Can anyone tell me how to view the episodes on my PC.

I do not have Sky One, even SciFi - having tried to help me - have not solved my problem.

I have Windows Media Player latest version, the vid says it is loading, but it will not play.

Any help appreciated.
from The Greatest Fan of all

[John T. Folden]

You can only legally view all the episodes online buy purchasing them from iTunes. The first episode is free.

The SFC website is streaming the first video only (but I have no problems with it here). Are you running the latest versions of all your media players - Windows Media, Flash, etc?

[rpm]

This seems like a reasonable place to ask this question.  If you buy episodes from iTunes can you burn them to dvd? Our reception of the SciFi Channel leaves much to be desired and the quality on iTunes looks good, and I'm willing to shell out the bucks, but only if I can watch them on my TV with a larger screen. Before you tell me to download the first ep for free and try it out, the first ep doesn't seem to be free anymore. The iTunes store says it's 1.99 when I looked. I'm not familiar with the iTunes store, so if there is some special way to get the first ep free, let me know how. Thanks

[Starsnstones]

I-tunes did have the first episode for free. I downloaded it on my computer.  I just checked tonight and now they are charging $1.99 for the first episode so I guess it was a special for the first week or something.  Sorry. 

[John T. Folden]

This seems like a reasonable place to ask this question.  If you buy episodes from iTunes can you burn them to dvd? Our reception of the SciFi Channel leaves much to be desired and the quality on iTunes looks good, and I'm willing to shell out the bucks, but only if I can watch them on my TV with a larger screen.

Sadly, no... thanks to the networks/movie studios, you can NOT currently burn shows onto disc to be viewed on normal players. However, I've read that certain laws/contracts regarding this situations are soon to be changing and we may be gaining this ability shortly.

I will say, however, that the quality from iTunes is VERY good on these shows... better than what's available through 'other' means.

Before you tell me to download the first ep for free and try it out, the first ep doesn't seem to be free anymore. The iTunes store says it's 1.99 when I looked. I'm not familiar with the iTunes store, so if there is some special way to get the first ep free, let me know how. Thanks

I just noticed the change in status today when I purchased the latest episode. It's possible SFC only made arrangements to run the first episode as free for a couple weeks, however, the SFC website still says the title is available for free from iTunes. Probably the best bet is to email SFC and see what's up.

[Ghsdkgb]

Sadly, no... thanks to the networks/movie studios, you can NOT currently burn shows onto disc to be viewed on normal players. However, I've read that certain laws/contracts regarding this situations are soon to be changing and we may be gaining this ability shortly.

Now, do you mean we can't legally,, or that it simply cannot be done? Those are two entirely different scenarios.

[John T. Folden]

Now, do you mean we can't legally,, or that it simply cannot be done? Those are two entirely different scenarios.

The networks/studios require Apple to restrict certain features/abilities via the type of DRM (Digital Rights Management) used to encrypt the movies. Therefore, the feature is not allowed, currently, in the software. Once the situation changes then Apple could issue an update to iTunes that would allow us to burn them to disc.

As it is now, you can burn the actual movie file to a disc BUT it can not be played on standard DVD players (even those that play file formats like mpeg4, xvid, divx, etc) because they don't know how to handle the encryption method used in the file itself.

At this point there is no known way around the DRM, legal or otherwise. 

The only alternative is to hook your computer up to your TV directly (as a secondary monitor, for example) but this will most likely involve extra hardware/$$$ for the average computer.

[rpm]

Thanks for the info folks.

[Ghsdkgb]

The only alternative is to hook your computer up to your TV directly (as a secondary monitor, for example) but this will most likely involve extra hardware/$$$ for the average computer.

With most newer video cards, a $10 S-video cable is usually all you need. Most TVs have S-Video input, too, and even if they don't you can get a cable that's S-Video at one end and the standard A/V-type plug at the other, which usually costs in the neighborhood of $20 to $25.

Check the back of your computer, rpm. Look at where the monitor plugs into it. If there's a small (roughly 1/2-inch in diameter), black, circular plug there, you're in business. Just check the back of your TV for a similar circle to see which type of cable you need.

You'll still need to use your PC speakers, though, unless you want to buy even more cables to send an audio signal to your TV in the same way.

[Zol.]

Hi guys, just want to make sure that International peeps know that if you want to download the episodes from iTunes, you'll need a US account with a US Post Code & also I think the Credit Card on file needs to have a US Address too.

Someone has uploaded the episodes on YouTube, which I don't think is legal (in fact pretty sure of it) but it does make the series more accessible (even if the quality is very poor)

UK folks can now start watching on Sky1, although some will say they don't have Sky1 - You can't help everyone 

Darin (Zol.)