Items in queue won't download - not a simple one

Question

I have 131 items in queue, but they won't even start downloading. When I check for purchases, I get the network times out connection contacting store messge.
However, Itunes diagnostics run clean. up until today, I was able to buy a new song, watch it download, then get the timeout message on my pending items. I get the same messge from my laptop. My home nework, I can rent movies on apple TV just fine.
ideas?

Answer 1

So here was the deal. Two things resulted in getting this fixed (not all items are fully downloaded yet, but at least things are queuing up and starting to download just fine).
1. I got hold of the Apple Support number 800-275-2273 via a nice Itunes Chat Agent. I got transferred to another entry drone working on Ipods, but at least got them to transfer me to a real human being that worked on Apple equipment.
I got this gentleman to open a case number for me, I DOCUMENTED THE CASE NUMBER, and he also gave me the corporate support line to call for escalation on the case to get a customer relations person (will not list that number here, go through the correct process first to get it just like I did).
I was also lucky enough to have Itunes loaded on both my laptop and my home PC. I scheduled an appointment at the local Apple store, and had THEM watch as my laptop, connected to the network AT the Apple Store with no firewall or anti-virus enabled, got the same network time-out message at their location. So much for local network problems crap read from a deficient script by an entry line support drone.
I had the apple store guy write out a repair number (they don't do case numbers) describing the situation. You have to own ANY type of apple product to do this (in my case it was an iphone). I then called the corporate line (get it from the dude who opens your case number from the 800 support line), got the corporate operator and asked for escalation on an existing case number.
After 10 minutes on hold, I got an EXCELLENT rep, had them add the repair order notes from the apple store dude to the case number. The Customer Relations person reviewed the data, got hold of an actual Itunes support person that works on Itunes while I was on the phone and got the ball rolling in minutes.
The guy cleared out my queue, but I still didn't get my purchases (message said all Itunes purchases were downloaded at this point, with NOTHING in queue).
I emailed a follow up the next morning to the Customer Relations person (alwasy ask for the name and email of the person you are dealing with, and log the date and time of the call!, and always reference your case number). I itemized the purchase numbers from my Itunes account purchase history that were stuck and never downloaded in the email, and followed up with another call referenceing the same case number.
At this moment, Itunes Tech Support is now adding things back in small batches that are queueing up and downloading just fine and dandy.
Moral of the story - FACT - Do not buy a bunch of seasons or a lot of episodes in quick succession - in my case, it was buying all the episodes for 4 seasons of Lost in about 5 minutes (130 some odd video items in queue). It evidently overwhelmed the Apple SERVER's ability to queue up that much crap on one ID at a time, and/or the local PC Itunes crapped out on trying to queue up that many video downloads all at once, hence the network timeout message (too short a setting on a timer on either the server or PC side or both I presume). It ain't my 16mb internet pipe (with approximately 16mb throughput, thanks), that's for sure.
If you are going to buy multiple seasons of a show, purchase 1 season, wait till the thing fully downloads, then buy the next one. Same goes with movies. I don't suggest purchasing a large number of movies all at once unless you want your queue jammed and it taking a month to break through the crust of entry level chat and email Itunes support drones reading from a script telling you that your local network is hosed when it ain't. These are call center reps reading from a script and are NOT technical, though you can get a good one occasionally.
Also BE POLITE when talking to the folks on the phone and have your crap together (i.e., run the Itunes diagonstics and verify that you can access all the Itunes network components). If that don't work, the problem IS most likely on your end on either the PC or the local network and the drones can help.
My problem was oddball in nature, it was the Itunes ACCOUNT that was hosed. If you've already downloaded crap and lost it, you are SOL, and this process does not apply. My stuff never got downloaded in the first place and the issue was breaking through the entry level crust to get someone to look at my Itunes Account rather than reading a script to tell my my local network and / or PC were hosed.
Finally, when you DO get good support, ask the agent for their manager's contact information and write them a great big thank you. That keeps the good folks employed, more motivated to help, and hopefully gives apple a way to keep the good folks and weed out the morons (e.g., those that start a chat session with you and then stop answering after saying hello, or Itunes email "support" that doesn't return emails).
I got 1 good chat person (out ot 2 attempts), and the email support person sent me a standard script and would not even reply, despite multiple attempts.
I POLITELY reported the good and the bad on my case number, and made darn sure that I'm following up with a thank you letter to the managers of the folks that helped me.
Many, Many Thanks to Lauri T in Customer Relations, Kevin in apple device support, and Patrick B on chat, and Josh in the mysterious and unreachable Tier 2 / Tier 3 Itunes Support group. You guys are nice, professional and way cool.
Thanks,
-Dan