What is going on with Apple / ITunes?

Question

What a mess! I received a video IPod in August and with some issues (my lack of computer knowledge) all has worked out. I wanted to download a new movie and its where it all went south. Just so you know I have downloaded videos and short films with zero issues and was really looking forward to having movies for a long trip I’m taking on Wednesday.
First I'm told I must download new 7 version and that did not work for some time but now its loaded. I purchased a movie and the download took most of yesterday. I called Apple support and was sold support for $59.00 since I had already called to question the download issue (only one free call) I was told the issue is probably I am using a router and I should bypass the router.
I decide to mess with it in the morning (today) and when I go on line to ITunes my movie is downloaded. I try to add it to my IPod and it will not transfer. I call customer service (on hold 45 minutes) and speak with a woman with a very strong Indian accent. We go though tons of marketing research gathering information and she basically doesn't know what is the issue. We look in files, we spend 20+ minutes on the phone and she tells me I need to speak with someone else. I now go on hold again and with 10+ minutes a upper level tech comes on the line and ask me many of the same questions, telling me I need to redirect me internet connection away from the router and that may be the issue.
All said and done she finally directs me to the ITunes web site where I can email them for help since Apple does not support ITunes tech issues. I must be crazy because I then think she might be right about the router and I bypass and buy another movie from ITunes. What do you know it is telling me I have only 8 more hours remaining downloading an 2 hour movie????
Can anyone tell me what is going on and what I need to do to get the 2 movies I purchased onto my IPod. I'm now down $59.00 for no service and $9.99 times 2. Blockbuster and my DVD playing is looking better all the time. Thanks, Margrettte
Toshiba   Windows XP Pro  

Answer 1

Three basic questions (which you may have covered with the customer service people already):
For your speed of movie download problem, how fast is your internet connection? The movie file is probably about 1.5 GB (much larger than the videos and short films you've downloaded before), which could take 20 minutes to download on a really fast connection (at a University), an hour or so on cable, 3+ hours on mid-range DSL, or a lot longer if your connection is slower than that. 8 hours does seem too long, but it's possible the problem is with your internet service, not iTunes. Your router is obviously not the problem if it still takes 8 hours after you've bypassed it.
For the iPod transferring problem, does your iPod have the latest software update (v.1.1.2, which came in the iPod Updater 2006-06-28 for Windows)? You can see what version you have by clicking on your iPod in iTunes and looking at the Summary, where it will tell you what version of the iPod software you've got and will let you download the new one if you need it.
And can you transfer music files to your iPod using iTunes 7 without problems? Can you transfer those old short films to it? Is it just the new movies that won't transfer?
You wouldn't be the only person to be having problems with iTunes 7 for Windows (I'm one of them, too), but it would be helpful to eliminate the basic stuff before giving up.
IBM Thinkpad T43p   Windows XP Pro