Brightcove CEO Envisions His Dream Apple Television and Set-Top Box

mdelvecchio said:

you may have been using them that long, but they didnt keep good geometry or sharpness for that long. my CRT HD Trinitron started getting bruised spots onscreen after just a couple years.

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You can recalibrate the geometry if it goes out of alignment. Just google the remote code for the service menu. Mine went slightly out of alignment after 10 years of ownership, 30 minutes in the service menu and a test pattern disc got her back to out of the box sharp. I want a new flat screen for the room that TV is in, but it'll probably never die. ^_^

aperry said:

Right, and the price of your "simplicity" is to endure extreme frustration each year as Apple handicaps your "last year's model" TV by intentionally limiting the exciting new features only to new models, eventually leaving your TV in the dust. Sound familiar? That's okay with a $200 phone that you can upgrade every two years. But not for something that will cost 10 times as much. No thanks, I'll take the STB.

Television display technology evolves slowly. Apps and features move quickly. I'll keep mine separate at the expense of one or two cables that can be very easily hidden.

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I always have the latest technology, and money isn't a limiting factor.

Anyone with common sense would just sell their previous generation model product for the latest. You can easily stay at the cutting-edge at 50% of the cost.

rmwebs said:

I wont be interested if its 60". That's just stupid. They need about 4 different models:

32" 36" 42" and 48"

Any bigger and its no longer a TV, it's a cinema.

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"Its a cinema" ... therefore they shouldn't make it. I have two TVs in my household, a 60 and a 50. I can tell you that neither of them are cinemas, they are great.

As for this "candy bar" design... wtf. All these analysts always make the oddest predictions based on flooze flooze. What candy bar designed product has Jony Ive created recently that connects to a monitor? iPhone and iPod aren't references based on the fact they are hand held and don't sit on a desk.

This is the ultimate MacRumor.

rmwebs said:

I wont be interested if its 60". That's just stupid. They need about 4 different models:

32" 36" 42" and 48"

Any bigger and its no longer a TV, it's a cinema.

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I disagree. Those sizes are all so yesterday. They need 40", 60" and 80".

doelcm82 said:

But without the STB available, those people might simply buy the cheaper Samsung and not buy any Apple product at all. How does that help Apple?

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People pick the iPhone and mac's over cheaper offering from google and Microsoft because they offer the best experience. This is why apple makes sure you can only get iOS and OSX on hardware, so why would they want their TV interface on other companies hardware. With a full TV apple will take away sales from samsung ext.

connectivity?

Not sure why a TV would need thunderbolt or any outboard storage.
That would imply a file system, which is a concept that Apple has been working hard to bury. Just look at your IOS devices, or even many of the Apple desktop apps such as iTunes and iPhoto.
It is far more likely it will have ethernet/wifi, several HDMI jacks and the minimum audio connectivity, likely on TOSlink.
I doubt we will see component or any other duplicated connectors.
I doubt USB, firewire or thunderbolt.
I think Apple would focus on impressive image quality,
and an interactive menu system/remote that does not make you gnash your teeth.
Of course it will have bluetooth pairing with IOS devices.
I imagine Apple thinks most folks will use iPhones and Ipads to interact with it. So I expect them to give us click wheel remote that will be "good enough". But for real use you will want to pair your phone.
I also doubt there will be "apps". That would mean a serious processor=higher price.

This guy forgot the most important part. We need a fundamental shift in the providing of content like we saw with the iTunes music store.

Remember how you use to have to buy a whole album of crap just to get the one song you wanted? That's the way TV providers are now. I have to buy 60 channels of crap to get the 5-10 that I'll actually watch.

I'm REALLY hoping that Apple is able to completely blow up the current content providing model. I would love to see a more a la carte solution.

And don't tell me it's never going to happen. Just look at the iTunes music store.

Oh! And there needs to be more free content on the current box. I have both the ABC Player and Watch ESPN apps on my phone, but I can't access the same free content on my AppleTV. Until I can afford a Netflix or Hulu subscription, my AppleTV is a glorified slideshow player and YouTube device...

Xbox 360 with Kinect already has a lot of these things. It has an intuitive controller method, it has Xbox Music (which is like spotify, but prettier and more song), it has on demand video streaming, which can be a shared viewing experience. It has some programming aswell, such as sports. It has video chat. It has a web browser. It has best in class games. It now also has skydrive so you can access the photos and other stuff you've taken with your phone (if a windows phone they are auto uploaded). It has apps, allthough not yet an open app store - it's just open for partners. And then there is smartglass which integrates it with tablets and phones - running ios, android and windows for a second screen experience.

Much of this functionallity is ofcourse in it's infancy, but MS will release a new Xbox probably next fall. If they don't include some kind of open app store in that one I would be very very surprised. And there are also rumors of a smaller, cheaper, version with less stellar hardware for more simple games, but all the other services. Looking at what the Xbox is today and the steps recently taken by MS it is clear that the next Xbox will be very much going in the direction "everyone" is wishing apple will take.

Everyone talks about how apple will revolutionize TV, when microsoft is in the actual process of doing it, just coming from an other direction, and integrating it with tablets from all vendors, not just one. But sometimes it feels as if people don't recognise innovation unless it has an apple logo attached to it.

In any case. People will line up for it on launch day, and they will sell millions. That's a given.

I'm all in favor of dreaming up products, but this form factor is very unrealistic.

• Since the top surface of today's TV is 1cm or less, I can't imagine balancing this device on it, especially weighed down by all these wires.
• For the iSight to work, it should be adjustable, and preferably above the screen.
• The ports use up most of the interior space of this device, leaving little rooms for electronics, let alone 3TB of storage.
• The lightning connector is used on the iOS device side. The other end of the cable is USB or Thunderbolt. I would prefer USB to connect an iOS device, a tuner, another input adapter, or (I'm dreaming) a 3TB storage disk. But Apple would more likely opt for Thunderbolt.
• Did I read "Lightning ports for power"? That alone will raise the cost by $30+. And where would you draw the power from?

brasskey said:

Seems like he's assuming in the least non-HDMI video connections (coax, component, composite, etc.)

Image

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This guys is hoping for us to by extra adapters? It's going to happen but please lets not wish for them!

The monitor it itself should be available in 3 sizes; 42" 60" and 90" ; The last for those that want something truly spectacular.

Apple will own the big monitor market. They will not ignore that one.

Cable provider

I think if all this happened, and Apple themselves is the service provider, that it would allow them to maintain vertical integration. And this may loosen the shackles on what they can do with the UI and possibly add a la carte.

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iMikeT said:

This is the ultimate MacRumor.

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I bookmarked it.

Such a stupid article. This is what failed boxes have been apple want to make a better product not the same crap.

Apple TV in its current form is fine, it's a long road and its only tv broadcasters that are preventing the revolution.

I can't see there being a panel from apple yet they need to solve a problem then come with it for a reason, otherwise there is no need for a new panel no matter what tech you think it needs.

This guy is the most near sighted idiot ever.

Zero bezel is what I want from a panel, content on a tv is a peripheral in my eyes. I think maybe apple is working on how to make software work with existing hardware like the apple remote app where everything can control everything. Instant on, proper text input methods, tv + web simultaneously, pvr for any content that can schedule anything no matter the source with ease. There are many areas that are totally crap currently but again an Apple TV update could do all this.

rmwebs said:

I wont be interested if its 60". That's just stupid. They need about 4 different models:

32" 36" 42" and 48"

Any bigger and its no longer a TV, it's a cinema.

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The trend is bigger and bigger in TVs, these days 55" are the norm. If Apple TV maxes out at 48", a lot of premium buyers (ie Apple's major market) won't be interested.

My bet is 42" at $1499, 50" at $1699 and 60" at $1899.

derbladerunner said:

I still don't get why it's so much better than the same stand-alone AppleTV box with an HDMI cable that works with any HDTV on the market today and in the future.

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Three main reasons

1. Folks don't replace TVs that often

2. A dumb monitor can be marketed to those wanting a bigger computer screen for Mac pros etc

3. Display tech moves at a different pace than content tech. If the two are separate it's easier to update on its ideal schedule.

Why manufacture a giant "dumb" TV, ship it from Asia, store it in Apple stores (is there even enough room in some stores?) and have people carry it home from the store.

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IF they are making a TV or even big monitor, who says they would do this. Might be an online/deliver to home only option. Not stocked in stores, or at least not smaller ones

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nsayer said:

I have always said that Apple needed to create a DVR as a "stop-gap" measure.

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They have no need for it, especially now that you can redownload shows from the store. Better pricing, timing etc would help on that front

charlituna said:

Three main reasons

1. Folks don't replace TVs that often

2. A dumb monitor can be marketed to those wanting a bigger computer screen for Mac pros etc

3. Display tech moves at a different pace than content tech. If the two are separate it's easier to update on its ideal schedule.

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It sounds like you are in complete agreement with the person that you're quoting.

Apple doesn't need to make a TV, they need to make Apple TV better. Think Google TV, but done right. Why try to replace the TV's that people already have when you can use them better. More people will buy into it because they don't have to buy a whole new super expensive TV. Make better integration with the devices you already have, I don't have enough fingers and toes to tell you how many apps don't do AirPlay right, where video doesn't work but audio does. Anything you see on the iphone or ipad should be able to stream to a TV, it should be mandatory!

These two CEO bozos have no idea what they are talking about.

KanosWRX said:

Apple doesn't need to make a TV, they need to make Apple TV better. Think Google TV, but done right. Why try to replace the TV's that people already have when you can use them better. More people will buy into it because they don't have to buy a whole new super expensive TV. Make better integration with the devices you already have, I don't have enough fingers and toes to tell you how many apps don't do AirPlay right, where video doesn't work but audio does. Anything you see on the iphone or ipad should be able to stream to a TV, it should be mandatory!

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It should be mandated by Apple. But just think if your brother has directv and Sunday ticket and hbo... All you need is his directv login and you have access to all of this stuff that directv wants to charge you HUNDREDS for.

(You can actually already do this on a mountain lion Mac, albeit slightly less elegant.)

Hahaha

Anyone else notice that his dream Apple TV is missing a power supply input?
(At least in the photos)

HMI said:

Anyone else notice that his dream Apple TV is missing a power supply input?
(At least in the photos)

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According to the description power is supplied through one of the Lightning connectors. (Which seems rather pointless.)

Apple & Blu-Ray

Maybe Apple will offer a set top cable TV box that includes both: a DVR and a Blu-Ray disc player. Scott Wilkinson has mentioned that Sony is planning on using Blu-Ray data discs for providing UltraHD 4800P movies that would first require copying the Blu-Ray data disc content over to a large capacity hard drive, before actually playing the UltraHD video. Would work the same whether it's used in a first run movie theater or for home use.

cclloyd9785 said:

But what about DVR? My comcast box has a 250 GB drive in it. Apple could easily and cheaply put 500GB in there



What I want from this Apple TV is an internet enabled TV, MAYBE with a separate box, and have the same experience I do with my current TV, but better, more polished, and netflix included. Have it still use my comcast channels.

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Wow, you totally missed it.

Aim VERY low and you'll never be disappointed I guess

bwillwall said:

Uh to both of you, why would they only go to 48"? I would want up to 60"

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If you read past my quoted post, we basically came to the conclusion that it depends where you live in the world. Apparently everyone in Canada has a 60" TV. In the UK most people have a 32-42" tv - our houses are nowhere near big enough for a 50" let alone a 60".

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msm859 said:

I disagree. Those sizes are all so yesterday. They need 40", 60" and 80".

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Seriously 80? How the hell would you even get it through the door!?

and 80" tv would cover our entire wall and then some.