They need to build this functionality into the AppleTV Squarepuck.
Maybe have the puck with re-inforced pass-through mounting holes that are VESA spaced, so that the device can be mounted to the back of the monitor it is connected to.
Then, make Apple's biggest stand-alone computer monitor with a sound-bar, and AppleTV ready, maybe with a dock-able connector to offer bi-directional signals, and power source. Buy the package (monitor, sound-bar speaker unit, and AppleTV box) and you have your Apple television.
But, if you want, you can use it with any other monitor, projector, or whatever else.
I don't want to be locked into buying a screen size, or screen technology. (maybe I want a 50" 1080 plasma, but not everyone else does...)
And I want to be able to buy a new 99$ AppleTV box when they come out with the next generation processor hardware and newer iOS software support, while the screen component still works fine when the AppleTV component is more obsolete than the screen is.
Especially if the AppleTV box gains a coax input, and an over-the-air HD tuner, which would turn any digital input monitor into a television. Add ElGato-like H.264 encoder, and an internal SSD, and a wifi or gig-e connection to one's main library mac, or NAS, and you have yourself a DVR. A few internal signal splitters and multiple tuners, and it can be a multi-threaded DVR. Might make the box a little bigger, but it would be worth it, even if it became MacMini footprint sized.
Local broadcast HD reception, plus 'cable' content as downloaded from the internet via AppleStore/cable channel production alliance... would make a compelling alternative to a dish on the roof, or paying for TV content from the Cable company.
It would push the envelope toward satellite, cable, and telephone providers becoming utility connection types, not packaged content providers.
There is another route... build TV features and storage into a MacMini case, and make AppleTV into a true HTPC device, with the power of a Mac, and the device interface front end of iOS like AppleTV has now... but more functionality. It really should at least offer physical media reading (Superdrive minimum, BluRay better) as an alternative, while download speeds still don't support full HD content streaming or fast downloading.
Locking the Apple feature box to a specific screen, or locking certain content to a specific data network access provider is almost as 'old-think' as locking NAV technology into your car dashboard, when portable devices evolve much faster than you replace your car, which then has obsolete tech built into the dash that can't really be upgraded anyway, and your portable device (iPhone, cell iPad/mini) is more powerful and up to date.
modular modular modular, well executed modular.
Hardware should be upgradeable, and variable. media decoder and manager modular from display technology.
Data access should be just data network access, chosen by infrastructure concerns and bandwidth/speed. Cable, Satellite, telecomm (phone line) network, or cellular, or combinations of them.
Content should be a consumer's choice, and on demand after the designated release date and time, as agnostic as possible to what media decoder, and what connection network one is using at the given time.
TV for that.
