Why is the new remote IR and not Bluetooth?

wordmunger · Oct 18, 2005

Anyone have any ideas as to why the new remote is IR and not bluetooth? I don't really have an opinion one way or another, but it does seem a shame that it won't work with the thousands (millions?) of Macs that have bluetooth but not IR. Is the idea that the remote will eventually control other A/V components? Or that a standard Universal Remote could control a Mac? Any other possibilities?

Aarow · Oct 18, 2005

Maybe IR gives better batterie life? I dunno...

wordmunger · Oct 18, 2005

Aarow said:
Maybe IR gives better batterie life? I dunno...

I suppose that's possible -- but BT keyboards can last for months -- isn't that similar to the remote in operation?

gwuMACaddict · Oct 18, 2005

interfering with other devices?

or to keep me from using frontrow... darn apple upgrades 3monthes after i buy a machine- hahaha

risc · Oct 18, 2005

To force us all to buy the new iMacs?

andiwm2003 · Oct 18, 2005

it's probably cheaper. and it will take only a few weeks until the ir system is hacked. then you can use any good tv remote and assign all the keys for different functions.
you'll know when they start selling tons of futil apple remotes on ebay for cheap

liketom · Oct 18, 2005

IR is for a line of sight device

apple might be looking for this remote to work with more then one apple device.

BT would only be locked (paired) to the one device to control at 1 time

more apple boxes to come - Airport Express 2 with IR and Video out

Chundles · Oct 18, 2005

Cheaper and easier. No pairing, no random bluetooth drop-outs, has anybody here ever had a problem with their TV remote that couldn't be fixed by putting in a new set of batteries?

Sorry guys, Macs from before the new iMac aren't gonna get Front Row. In fact apart from maybe the Mac mini I don't think any other Mac will get it either. Certainly not the PowerMacs, the laptops could but I'm not too optimistic.

wordmunger · Oct 18, 2005

liketom said:
IR is for a line of sight device

apple might be looking for this remote to work with more then one apple device.

BT would only be locked (paired) to the one device to control at 1 time

more apple boxes to come - Airport Express 2 with IR and Video out

Ah, yes. I think we may have a winner! That and the possibility of using a regular universal remote to control your entire home audio system.

Chundles · Oct 18, 2005

liketom said:
IR is for a line of sight device

apple might be looking for this remote to work with more then one apple device.

BT would only be locked (paired) to the one device to control at 1 time

more apple boxes to come - Airport Express 2 with IR and Video out

Damn, why didn't I think of that. This could be perfect for a new Airport Express - although, most of the time they're hidden behind stereos and the like so I don't know.

I'd presume Apple would want to spread the R&D costs for the remote but I just can't see them putting the tech into any other new Macs barring the mini and that has already been updated (not officially yet but it's been what? 2, 3 years since the updated mini shipped

).

liketom · Oct 18, 2005

Chundles said:
Damn, why didn't I think of that. This could be perfect for a new Airport Express - although, most of the time they're hidden behind stereos and the like so I don't know.

I'd presume Apple would want to spread the R&D costs for the remote but I just can't see them putting the tech into any other new Macs barring the mini and that has already been updated (not officially yet but it's been what? 2, 3 years since the updated mini shipped ).

the way apple is going i can see them Replacing the express with a new product

Apple Vingle Express anyone ?

wordmunger · Oct 18, 2005

Chundles said:
Damn, why didn't I think of that. This could be perfect for a new Airport Express - although, most of the time they're hidden behind stereos and the like so I don't know.

Ummm... what exactly would you be controlling on the airport express using a remote? If it's hooked up to a stereo, you need to control the stereo and the mac.

Chundles · Oct 18, 2005

wordmunger said:
Ummm... what exactly would you be controlling on the airport express using a remote? If it's hooked up to a stereo, you need to control the stereo and the mac.

Well, the remote would control the Mac, next song, play/pause etc.

Maybe the new Express could bring Front Row to all Macs, if it comes with some sort of video streaming you'd just plug it into your telly and the screen becomes Front Row with the option of extending or mirroring the display - whatever your Mac is capable of.

Then you use the remote to control Front Row via Airport Express 2.

I reckon I'm onto something here, this sounds cool.

wordmunger · Oct 18, 2005

Chundles said:
Well, the remote would control the Mac, next song, play/pause etc.

Maybe the new Express could bring Front Row to all Macs, if it comes with some sort of video streaming you'd just plug it into your telly and the screen becomes Front Row with the option of extending or mirroring the display - whatever your Mac is capable of.

Then you use the remote to control Front Row via Airport Express 2.

I reckon I'm onto something here, this sounds cool.

Still wouldn't work for many systems, since line of sight is necessary. As others have pointed out, often the airport express is located out of sight, behind stereos, etc. Mine is behind the couch, as is my stereo. In fact, I don't even use the IR remote for my stereo because I have to get up and walk almost all the way to the stereo to get line of sight.

liketom · Oct 18, 2005

Chundles said:
Well, the remote would control the Mac, next song, play/pause etc.

Maybe the new Express could bring Front Row to all Macs, if it comes with some sort of video streaming you'd just plug it into your telly and the screen becomes Front Row with the option of extending or mirroring the display - whatever your Mac is capable of.

Then you use the remote to control Front Row via Airport Express 2.

I reckon I'm onto something here, this sounds cool.

how much bandwidth is needed for the video streaming requirements ?
QVGA - ?
dvd - vob 10mb video 5mb audio ?
720p - ??
once apple has wifi for these new required speed then we maybe halfway there.

but .... i think apple will only offer QVGA and have an embedded memory to smooth out the videoand audio lag and maybe we might see optical out 5.1 support ?

who knows

that IR on that remote has raised my attention lol

Chundles · Oct 18, 2005

wordmunger said:
Still wouldn't work for many systems, since line of sight is necessary. As others have pointed out, often the airport express is located out of sight, behind stereos, etc. Mine is behind the couch, as is my stereo. In fact, I don't even use the IR remote for my stereo because I have to get up and walk almost all the way to the stereo to get line of sight.

Yeah, the "others" who have pointed out that the APx is usually out of sight was me. I recognise that this and the problem of video streaming is something to overcome, I still think it's a cool IDEA.

You need ideas before you can have a product.

It could end up being a set top box like the eyeHome but in Apple style but the idea is what matters.

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