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Can I upgrade resolutions of purchased TV shows?

I bought Battlestar Galactica (basically all seasons) back in the early 2000s. The seasons appear in my TV app's Library. The file sizes lead me to believe they are in standard definition.


Is there a way to ensure that these episodes play back on my Apple TV in at least 1080p?


When I look at the How To Watch section (the Buy Seasons tile), it decides that I have bought season 3 (which I did, but again, is seemingly in low-resolution) and offers no ability to upgrade or re-buy it. Season 2, by contrast, is offered up as something that I haven't bought (even though I did). The whole thing is rather confusing. My end goal, of course, is to have available to me all seasons in 1080p. Thanks for any help anyone can provide in making sense of this sloppy mess.

Apple TV HD, tvOS 13

Posted on Aug 4, 2020 8:03 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 4, 2020 10:34 PM

If you purchased the (cheaper) SD version, then you won’t have access to the HD version.

If you purchased the HD version, then you may have access to the SD and HD versions. If you purchased the HD version and downloaded the SD version, then you can re-download the better quality version.


iTunes Store - Contact Us - Official Apple Support

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 4, 2020 10:34 PM in response to Laird Nelson

If you purchased the (cheaper) SD version, then you won’t have access to the HD version.

If you purchased the HD version, then you may have access to the SD and HD versions. If you purchased the HD version and downloaded the SD version, then you can re-download the better quality version.


iTunes Store - Contact Us - Official Apple Support

Aug 5, 2020 9:32 AM in response to Urquhart1244

Thanks; so does it also follow that if Apple is trying to resell me, say, Season 1, then that means I must have bought an SD version of season 1 only (otherwise the 1080p version would just get downloaded)? And if Apple claims I've already bought Season 3 so I can't buy it again (I've already bought everything, of course), what it's really saying is that I've already bought an HD version of Season 3 so there is no reason to repurchase?


If all of that is true, then does it also follow that if I madly press "yes! buy!" buttons wherever they show up (recall they do not show up for Season 3) I'll end up "owning" and watching all of BSG in 1080p?


Thanks again.

Can I upgrade resolutions of purchased TV shows?

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