i'm sick and tired of waiting on an Apple branded TV!

[Mr. McMac]

I'd buy a Samsung before I'd buy an over priced Apple TV any day of the week

[tekno]

Originally Posted by whooleytoo

Bought a Viera 3DTV last year

As a broadcast television engineer of 18 years, my advice to anyone else is not to invest in 3D. Save that money for Apple TV if you wish.

3D is already in serious decline and won't be here to stay.

[Irishman]

Originally Posted by Mr. McMac

I'd buy a Samsung before I'd buy an over priced Apple TV any day of the week

I have two Samsung TVs in the house (one 26" LCD in the master, and one 32" LED in the living room), and one Pioneer Elite 50" Plasma in the bonus room.

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Originally Posted by tekno

As a broadcast television engineer of 18 years, my advice to anyone else is not to invest in 3D. Save that money for Apple TV if you wish.

3D is already in serious decline and won't be here to stay.

This iteration of 3D you mean. Glasses-free will be what takes off.

[dynaflash]

I want an iToaster. nuff said, carry on.

[lucasfer899]

I think that the apple branded tv will bring a few things to the table, and really make them noticed, instead of being done so quitely, like some other companies.
1) 4K, and gawd are they going to make a scene of it, and especially 4K content distribution.
2) Amazing UI super simple apple remote, likely bluetooth based.
3) Hard drives. In yer telly.

[Irishman]

Originally Posted by animatedude

why do you all think if Apple released a panel or a display or an iTV or whatever you wanna call it, it will eliminate the current box? (e.g.Mac Mini and iMac)

No, you're misunderstanding. The Mac Mini or iMac is not what's meant by a set-top box. A set-top box is a box that connects to a TV and which decodes TV content. DirecTV, Dish, Time Warner Cable and AT&T U-Verse boxes are examples of set-top boxes.

Hope that helps.

[Mr. McMac]

Originally Posted by Irishman

I have two Samsung TVs in the house (one 26" LCD in the master, and one 32" LED in the living room), and one Pioneer Elite 50" Plasma in the bonus room.

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I have 2 Samsungs as well. A 61" DLP with LED back lighting, and a 40" LCD. Both are from 2007 and still work great

[AshMan]

Frankly if apple had basically the Apple TV integrated into their own smart TV, It would be a great meld of two things.

I have the original silver apple tv with XBMC, connected to a media server with all my movies on it and it rocks out. I tried playing with my LG smart TV apps etc, lets just say it was ok but it also sucked in comparison.

I think an amazingly stylish design the way apple does things, with integrated apple tv (or mac integrated) , and thunderbolt, and they would have an amazing product.

But I don't think I could justify it if I still have a perfectly good TV already.

[StinDaWg]

Originally Posted by tekno

As a broadcast television engineer of 18 years, my advice to anyone else is not to invest in 3D. Save that money for Apple TV if you wish.

3D is already in serious decline and won't be here to stay.

As a broadcast engineer I'm surprised by how little you know about 3D. It literally comes standard on every model besides the bottom of the barrel entry level these days. There is no 3D on the Panasonic U series, but the UT/ST/GT/VT all have 3D. It's no longer a selling point but just another feature on the checklist these days. If you're buying a decent tv it's going to have 3D whether you want it or not.

[m11rphy]

I don't understand why people say why buy an Apple TV when you can get cheaper tv from Samsung and add a Apple TV box. Surely using that logic no one should ever buy a apple cinima display but instead a monitor from Samsung or dell. However lots of people do buy the cinima screen my self included.

I'm looking at getting a vt50 as its a great tv and I don't want to wait however if apple do bring out their own tv I will most proberly upgrade lol

[tekno]

Originally Posted by StinDaWg

As a broadcast engineer I'm surprised by how little you know about 3D. It literally comes standard on every model besides the bottom of the barrel entry level these days. There is no 3D on the Panasonic U series, but the UT/ST/GT/VT all have 3D. It's no longer a selling point but just another feature on the checklist these days. If you're buying a decent tv it's going to have 3D whether you want it or not.

In the UK at least, a few years ago a few big broadcasters (Sky especially) were pushing 3D. Over the last 12months most funding has been pulled and a lot of 3D work has gone back to 2D. I have had no 3D jobs at all since last summer (Olympics).

I'm not doubting that TV sets are 3D capable, but it seems very few people are then signing up to/watching 3D.

History tells us that 3D will soon wear-off.

My last TV was £600. It was exactly the same in every way as the £1000 version but minus the 3D - save your money.

[marc11]

Originally Posted by tekno

In the UK at least, a few years ago a few big broadcasters (Sky especially) were pushing 3D. Over the last 12months most funding has been pulled and a lot of 3D work has gone back to 2D. I have had no 3D jobs at all since last summer (Olympics).

I'm not doubting that TV sets are 3D capable, but it seems very few people are then signing up to/watching 3D.

History tells us that 3D will soon wear-off.

My last TV was £600. It was exactly the same in every way as the £1000 version but minus the 3D - save your money.

Problem with 3D is the glasses, they are a PITA to wear and get annoying. Plus you need to be proactive in putting them on, making sure they are charged (in the case of the better active ones), etc. If they could make 3D TV that was just 3D, nothing for you to do at all, that would take off IMHO.

I have a new 3D plasma, even converts 2D to 3D pretty well and never use it because of the whole glasses thing.

[tekno]

Originally Posted by marc11

Problem with 3D is the glasses, they are a PITA to wear and get annoying. Plus you need to be proactive in putting them on, making sure they are charged (in the case of the better active ones), etc. If they could make 3D TV that was just 3D, nothing for you to do at all, that would take off IMHO.

I have a new 3D plasma, even converts 2D to 3D pretty well and never use it because of the whole glasses thing.

But why aren't all pictures/posters/photos etc. some form of hologram? Essentially that's glasses-free 3D and that tech has been around for decades. But we only really see holograms on the back of credit cards these days.

The brain is capable of working out whether things in a frame are close or far away (focus and camera movement helps with this) and by what degree. 3D movies/TV shows take that away and actually just create 4 planes (in front of the screen, the screen, behind the screen and behind that). It creates a fake and very artificial perception of depth.

Viewing audiences generally don't like the 3D experience, glasses or not. And even the best 3D couldn't make up for a bad script.

[marc11]

Originally Posted by tekno

But why aren't all pictures/posters/photos etc. some form of hologram? Essentially that's glasses-free 3D and that tech has been around for decades. But we only really see holograms on the back of credit cards these days.

The brain is capable of working out whether things in a frame are close or far away (focus and camera movement helps with this) and by what degree. 3D movies/TV shows take that away and actually just create 4 planes (in front of the screen, the screen, behind the screen and behind that). It creates a fake and very artificial perception of depth.

Viewing audiences generally don't like the 3D experience, glasses or not. And even the best 3D couldn't make up for a bad script.

Good points.

[StinDaWg]

Originally Posted by m11rphy

I don't understand why people say why buy an Apple TV when you can get cheaper tv from Samsung and add a Apple TV box. Surely using that logic no one should ever buy a apple cinima display but instead a monitor from Samsung or dell. However lots of people do buy the cinima screen my self included.

I'm looking at getting a vt50 as its a great tv and I don't want to wait however if apple do bring out their own tv I will most proberly upgrade lol

Some people are waiting for an apple tv because of the rumors that apple is going to "revolutionize" the tv experience, and you will only be able to get this new "service" if you buy an apple television set. Frankly, I don't see this happening, if they do anything it will be a set-top box of some sort. They can't cause a revolution if you are required to buy a new $2000+ tv to get it to work. TV sales are declining every year, because most people who want an HDTV have one now and people don't go out and buy a new tv every year, it's a 5-10 year thing for most people.

If you do get a VT50, I highly doubt anything apple puts out would match its picture quality, especially if it's just an lcd. If I were you I'd save the money and get an ST though, same picture quality basically but a lot cheaper.

[smiddlehurst]

Originally Posted by animatedude

whatever Apple brings to the table for the living room, i'm in but mostly i'm interested in an Apple branded TV....i think Apple is taking a very long time on this....anyone here can't wait to get rid of their SONY bravia?

I've never understood this view that Apple are taking a long time on a TV. They haven't announced a thing, you're judging their performance on rumor not fact. Same thing happened with the iPhone yet when you look at where the technology level was at it's hard to see the first model shipping much earlier than it did.

For that matter... what do you expect an Apple TV to do that, say, a Bravia doesn't? Don't get me wrong I'm interested to see what Apple could do if they did launch a TV set but I can't think of anything about my current experience that would be improved to the point of having to have it. Everything they could do revolves around content and not only do those deals take a long, long time to get in place but I'd be astonished if they didn't bring them to the existing (or maybe updated0 Apple TV as well.

So what could an Apple TV offer in hardware terms that isn't already available? 4K maybe? But we're still a year or several away from 4K content being anything like mainstream and while Apple could certainly use iTunes to distribute it the Internet infastructure isn't really in place to support that for most people. Design? Again, yes there's room for improvement but some of the more recent Samsung designs in particular are really good so there's not the gulf you get in most consumer electronics. Display quality? Again TV panels tend to be pretty good, especially at the high end that Apple would be playing in, so making a big jump forward is going to be very difficult if not impossible. While none of that would be bad I'm struggling to see any must have items there, though I'd love if someone could add something I've missed and change my mind.

[Baytriple]

You should try waiting for a decent Mac Pro upgrade. Then you will know sick and tired.

[tekno]

Originally Posted by smiddlehurst

For that matter... what do you expect an Apple TV to do that, say, a Bravia doesn't?

Whilst I think that an Apple TV, should it ever happen, would be way overpriced and unlikely be something I'd buy, what I've quoted above is the most interesting thing.

Apple used to be good and creating something you had never thought of. If they do release a TV I would hope it'll be something we didn't expect.

For the last five years, however, they've been very predictable - they've just made their products thinner, lighter and allowed the competition to beat them. Maybe, just maybe, the Apple TV might push into an area no-one has thought of.

[Brian Y]

Comparing a potential Apple TV to an LG/Samsung will be like comparing a new Ferrari to a Ford Focus IMO.

It would be better, in my opinion, to think of it like B&O. You can go to the store and buy a 42" LG/Samsung for about £350. A similarly sized B&O will cost £10,000. The LG/Samsung will have everything you won't use - Smart TV/iPlayer etc, virtual surround sound, "movie/sports vision" mode, etc. The B&O will do 3 things - it will look gorgeous, it will give you brilliant picture quality, and it will sound amazing. If you want the "smart" side of things, you can bring your own Apple TV and slide it into the perfectly formed slot on the back.

Would I rather have one B&O or 30 LGs? (or to carry on the theme - one Ferrari, or 20 Ford Focuses). If you could afford the Ferrari, you wouldn't buy the fords .

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Originally Posted by tekno

In the UK at least, a few years ago a few big broadcasters (Sky especially) were pushing 3D. Over the last 12months most funding has been pulled and a lot of 3D work has gone back to 2D. I have had no 3D jobs at all since last summer (Olympics).

I'm not doubting that TV sets are 3D capable, but it seems very few people are then signing up to/watching 3D.

History tells us that 3D will soon wear-off.

My last TV was £600. It was exactly the same in every way as the £1000 version but minus the 3D - save your money.

3D was always a gimmick in my mind. Anybody seriously into their television would rather spend whatever extra the cost of the 3D components are on a better panel instead.

Also - glasses-free 3D isn't a long lasting technology either. Once we find a way of having a 3D panel that doesn't require eye-tracking, and is viewable by an unlimited number of people, I imagine it will take off again. That's something that I personally believe is possible, but a long way off.

[tekno]

Originally Posted by Brian Y

3D was always a gimmick in my mind. Anybody seriously into their television would rather spend whatever extra the cost of the 3D components are on a better panel instead.

Exactly. I actually think it's quite sad when I hear people talk about their new 3DTV.

This is where I'll be interested to see what Apple's killer feature is and if it'll actually be useful or, like 3D, just be a gimmick that people pay for because "Apple are the best".

[garybUK]

Originally Posted by Mr. McMac

I'd buy a Samsung before I'd buy an over priced Apple TV any day of the week

I bought a shiny thin LED Samsung tv.... within 2 years it had broke, TCON board had broken due to poor capacitors in the PSU, which had damaged the LCD Planel. Samsung's response was... oh well... Here's £100 off a new Samsung TV.

I actively tell people to steer away from any Samsung products, they are cheap and nasty.... Panasonic for me

[Mr. McMac]

Originally Posted by garybUK

I bought a shiny thin LED Samsung tv.... within 2 years it had broke, TCON board had broken due to poor capacitors in the PSU, which had damaged the LCD Planel. Samsung's response was... oh well... Here's £100 off a new Samsung TV.

I actively tell people to steer away from any Samsung products, they are cheap and nasty.... Panasonic for me

I have (2) 6 year old Samsung's. My housemate has 2 even older models with zero problems as well. Seriously, just because you had problems doesn't mean squat in the scheme of things. It's the luck of the draw with any brand including the high omighty Apple. Yes, Apple. I've had 3 Macs die on me, one 2 weeks after the warranty expired, and it was a known issue. Apple basically told me to go F myself.....

[animatedude]

who cares what it will do i just want a shiny super sized iMac with shiny Apple logo

[boomhower]

I have zero desire for one. I don't see anything that Apple can do that would get me to pay an Apple premium for a TV. I'm perfectly content with an Apple TV that I can hook up to any TV I choose. Another thing is that I prefer plasma over LCD/LED and I just can't see Apple doing plasma, they'll go for super thin/mini bezel LED. I'll keep rocking my Panny plasma's as long as they make them.

[Irishman]

Originally Posted by StinDaWg

If you're buying a decent tv it's going to have 3D whether you want it or not.

So, I just can't believe that THAT is the victory that they were hoping for when they developed 3DTVs.

"Ah, whether you ever use it or not, it's in there, so 3D is a success!" doesn't sound like the industry coup they were hoping for 3 years ago when 3DTVs first started hitting store shelves.