# Excluding anything involving illegally downloading content.

# iTunes vs Amazon vs Netflix vs Hulu vs whoever

# Does anyone let you actually own your digital content?

# Pricing, at least between iTunes and Amazon, is pretty similar, so what sways people to different services? Viewing experience?

# My current method involves purchasing/downloading on iTunes and making sure I have a backup incase it isn't available on iTunes after a while I can still watch it on the Apple TV with home sharing.

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How does everyone handle their digital movies/television?

...ah yes, digital video.

I'll give my suggestions first and get on my soapbox later.

Purchasing is going to give you the most control over your media, even though you arguably may not "own" your content in a legal sense (it may be a "license" rather than an actual purchase). This gives Amazon and iTunes an advantage over Hulu and Netflix for your case.

We essentially have the same approach digital--I also buy content on iTunes and then download a local copy. Though I haven't heard of iTunes pulling down content for people that have already purchased, it's not out of the question--so having a local copy is helpful. I'd say your current strategy is the best if you like to "own" your content over the longer term.

The viewing experience (as I have seen) is much better with iTunes' MP4 format versus whatever Amazon does. Amazon's videos play on my PC looking very digitally "sharp" or "jagged", whereas Apple's look much more "blended" to me.

The other BIG thing between Amazon and iTunes is they're both DRM locked. Amazon has an app for iPad to play their videos, but the inverse isn't true. In this sense, Amazon has an advantage.

Now, soapbox: I'm very frustrated with the state of digital video right now.

It's pretty obvious that the film/television industries are trying to force people to see DVDs and digital video as distinct--there are no easy mechanisms for "ripping" a DVD in a meaningful format or for "burning" a digital video to DVD as is the case with CDs. DRM has essentially died for music...it's time for it to go away for video as well.

There are also far fewer digital video packages that near the same volume of standard DVD features such as commentary tracks or featurettes--yet digital can cost the same--or more--than DVDs. The infrastructure's in place in the codecs to allow multiple audio tracks and surround sound--but it just isn't done many times.