Before you start downloading any movies, you need to make sure your computer is set up to download and play the video file. The first thing you'll need is a high-speed Internet connection. Any basic DSL or cable connection should be sufficient, as most movie-downloading services allow you to start watching the movie before it finishes downloading. Amazon's Video On Demand service recommends a minimum connection speed of 450 Kbits/sec. To ensure that there's no lag in the viewing of the film, you should consider one of the faster levels of Internet service from your provider that offer download speeds from 3 to 6 Mbps.
The next requirement for playing downloaded films depends on where you're going to watch them. If you plan to download them to your computer to view, you will need to have a sufficiently fast computer and the proper software installed to play the files.
The hardware requirements depend on the specific movie-download service you'll be using and whether it's a standard-definition movie or a high-definition movie. Check the requirements page on the respective download site for PCs or Macs. For proper playback, you'll need a media player such as iTunes, Adobe Flash Player or the proprietary player of the download service provider.
If you're going to download the movie to watch on your TV, there's a different list of requirements. You'll need a hardware device such as Apple TV or the VUDU Box to download for TV playback. The device can be connected to your PC via a Wi-Fi connection or via an Ethernet cable and a router. Please check with the download service provider for exact requirements.
Movie-download services include Apple TV, VUDU, Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon, Roxio CinemaNow, Xbox LIVE Marketplace and IndiePix. Free movie-download services include Jaman, SnagFilms, Bablegum and Hulu.
Before downloading a movie, you'll need to subscribe to the provider's service and purchase any required hardware devices if you desire to download to watch on your TV. After subscribing, you can either download directly to your computer or to the media drive on the device. Most subscription services allow you to choose either a rental download or purchase download. The terms for the rental download vary, but generally you'll need to finish watching the movie within 24 hours after you start it.
To download, simply go to the product detail page on the download service site and click on "Buy" or "Rent." If prompted, choose your viewing option and then begin watching.
Downloading to other devices is possible as well. You can download a movie to watch on a portable media player such as an iPod, but you'll have to download the entire film before transferring it to the device. Some television manufacturers are starting to incorporate downloading capabilities into their products as well, allowing you to entirely skip the computer interface.