iTV To Go 'Beyond Streaming'?

[LostPacket]

With HDMI, they'd have to be shooting higher than 480p. I'd say they'd go all out with 1080p, why not?

My guess would be too much cost for such a small market. There's not a lot of 1080p content out there and even less 1080p displays. For a first gen device, I think 720p would be good enough. Maybe even 480p if it's cheap enough.

Although, in the end it'll probably depend on bandwidth limitations. They never said what protocol they'll be using. Some are assuming 802.11n, but that would limit them to the newest Intel Macs with a firmware upgrade.

 

[Carl Spackler]

You know I originally thought that, but I kind of like the way it works now. I would much rather have a few codecs that work very well. Then play everything under the sun just not very well.

Perhaps I'm selling iTunes short in what it can currently play without re-encoding, but it seems really slim.

 

[TheBobcat]

My guess would be too much cost for such a small market. There's not a lot of 1080p content out there and even less 1080p displays. For a first gen device, I think 720p would be good enough. Maybe even 480p if it's cheap enough.

Although, in the end it'll probably depend on bandwidth limitations. They never said what protocol they'll be using. Some are assuming 802.11n, but that would limit them to the newest Intel Macs with a firmware upgrade.

True, but two things with that. First, 1080p is expanding rapidly, and it would seem unApple to not go all out with supporting an emerging standard.

Second, didn't iTV have an ethernet jack? If it was wired, they could stream whatever they wanted at almost any res if you had a fast enough network.

Maybe it would limit or upconvert if you were wireless only.

 

[bigandy]

Yep, cause the media center PCs are selling hand over fist and Tivo is making more money than they know what do do with. Oh, wait...

you mean the market hasn't taken off yet because nobody's done it right. however, with apple in the ring.... hmmmm...

ipod anyone?

 

[globalhemp]

iTV already available... just not by Apple

AT&T offers a service called "Homezone" which uses 2WIRE products.

Of course, it has an ugly interface you'd expect from most companies outside Apple. Microsoft's Media Center even does a better job.

I hope that Apple's iTV will do more than play content that's in the next room on my iMac, I'd much rather see an offering that allows my home / office to be remotely accessed such as what is possible today with Sling Media.

1. You attach a Sling Box to your cable / satellite tv at home / work
2. Attach your broadband network to Sling Box
3. Access your Sling Box from anywhere that has a broadband connection

So, if you live in Sunnyvale, CA, you can travel to Chicago and still watch the local news in Silicon Valley or San Francisco. Or, you can travel to Tokyo and watch not only the news from back home, but any of your satellite / cable channels, as well as content on your DVR. I'm sure that you could even hook-up a camera to see your wife and kids at home if you wanted to as well.

Anyhow, I think this is much cooler than watching a slideshow of the photos on my iMac in the next room, or listening to the music from my iMac on my television. I mean AirTunes pretty much already does that.

So, I'm still hopeful that Apple has something more up their sleeves. Otherwise, iTV will be as popular as oh, say the iPod Hi-Fi.

As for portable movies, a true video iPod already exists as well. Its called "PocketDish" from DishNetwork. PocketDish allows users to sync their DVR content and take it with them. So, record Spiderman for the kids, sync it, and go on that road trip. The largest PocketDish has a 7" LCD (480x234 pixel resolution) and sells for $399.

 

[Doctor Q]

the analyst also believes the iTV will have advanced user interface software to further the ultimate goal of improving user experience and simplifying consumers' use of content.

Maybe during boring movie credits the iTV will switch the display to a Visualizer, like the one in iTunes, or automatically change all commercials into Get A Mac ads.

 

[nagromme]

Living room, car, blah blah blah.

Nobody has yet delivered a truly GOOD streaming media solution for my hot air balloon. Are you listening Apple???!!!!!

 

[gugy]

There is a huge interest by content providers (cable, networks, movie distributors, etc.) in utilizing the iTV(Front Row) interface to bring content to viewers.
Apple has a huge opportunity to bring even more content providers to their game. That's where I see iTV with a huge potential. Imagine companies like NBC, FOX, Warner, etc. have their own "channel" on iTV using front row to show their content. I think is very doable.
iTV will evolve into something much bigger IMHO than what Steve previewed. The potential is endless.

 

[medazinol]

iTv needs to be able to record

Like everyone else, I've seen the pictures of the back of the iTV (no video in ports) but I'd really like to able to record on this puppy.

I'll still buy one because I have tons of video I'd rather watch on my plasma pulled from my iMac rather than wasting CDs and DVDs. Sorry but my XBOX 360 limitation to WMV streaming via Conenect360 just doesn't cut it...

 

[NewSc2]

New features? I can see it now...

Nike+iTV. Track your calories, heart rate, and more, while watching TV.

 

[bigandy]

Living room, car, blah blah blah.

Nobody has yet delivered a truly GOOD streaming media solution for my hot air balloon. Are you listening Apple???!!!!!

they always have to miss some huge market opportunity, don't they.

bastards.

 

[mrthieme]

I would like to see a complete solution

This is my first post and I'm sorry if it drags on too long but I'm a recovering audiophile and I've been dreaming of a simple to use Apple experience from start to finish for home theater. A one box device would have to be bigger than the itv prototype but in the world of HT processors, amps, and disc players, the average size is much larger and all AV furniture can accomodate it. It could easily contain all the mentioned features of itv, a tuner, an optical drive, and modular hard drives similar to the Macpro to expand storage as needs (or finances) dictate. A surround sound decoder and multi channel preamp outputs would complete the list for me. I think a multichannel amp built in would be great, but heat might be excessive unless class D is used. Leaving out the amps would lead to another possible product, powered speakers and a sub. I'm picturing the style of the Hifi for Ipod. They could be sold solo or in pairs and would need only line level inputs. A price break to buy a 5.1 or 7.1 system would be nice.

A full featured remote would be needed, but nothing too intimidating or confusing. The click wheel can serve a number of functions by itself, eliminating some buttons, and we have all been taught how to navigate menus and exucute commands with it already, making the learning curve very minor. An lcd screen on the remote to view songs and albums without turning on the TV would make sense to me, similar to Sonos systems. The remote ends up looking like an oversized Ipod with the buttons added as needed.

I know this is quite a lot to ask for a first foray into this market for Apple but I think they could do alot with AV hardware, with a little help from established high end companies this could be awesome.

 

[lorien]

Where else can they go? The brain, I guess?

Oh, and one more thing...
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<scrolling text reads "Implants sold separately">

 

[Doctor Q]

Living room, car, blah blah blah.

Nobody has yet delivered a truly GOOD streaming media solution for my hot air balloon. Are you listening Apple???!!!!!

I get good satellite reception in mine.

 

[Jopling]

Maybe you can do video iChat sessions with an optional iSight camera right from the livingroom TV?

This reminds me of the old Zenith TVs with space phones where you could talk to a caller from the comfort of your sofa. (but voices usually sounded like it was underwater).

I still have one of those

 

[JMax1]

iPod Toilet

It's true then; Apple are releasing a toilet with an iPod dock! SWEET!!!!

I don't know if anyone has told you yet...

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/mo...-stereo-dock-for-ipod-and-bath-tissue-holder/

 

[GregA]

Apple has the TV Shows issue fixed, thanks to $1.99 per show on iTunes and season passes. However, live content is the big issue. I would love to ditch my cable tv subscription and go soley iTV. But I like to watch sports, especially baseball and football. Also you need TV for news events, especially breaking news.

Very interesting, I hadn't thought of it quite that way but it makes great sense. Apple can make a deal for streaming news relatively cheaply (maybe free). Sport will be a premium (think of the standard costs for subscribing to sports on cable), but ESPN (via Disney) may be quite willing to do that, and so might others.

That would pretty well replace the need for traditional PayTV - though I still think there's a gap on rental (or subscription?) of TV shows & movies that I only want to watch ONCE.

I think iTV will include 'remote desktop' functionality - if you have a BT mouse and keyboard then you will be able to operate your Mac that is in another room via iTV.

Not sure if it's needed, but would be interesting. Especially a remote desktop that can run without the user on the computer knowing that you're connected (on a separate account).

"Nor will Apple (immediately) enable the iTV to act as a digital video recorder, because that might step on TV network toes before Apple is ready to do so. "

Yeah, Apple is playing an interesting balancing game there....

?In regards to the iTV, will Apple maybe release different versions?
1. Just stream and 802.11n Hub Device
2. With HD and EyeTv.
3. Mac Mini/iTv Combo Media Center

Perhaps using a 3rd party like Elgato with EyeTV is the answer to making the iTV a DVR - without Apple angering the networks. EyeTV already is a DVR on a Mac, could it work on the iTV? If the iTV has a hard disk, I suspect it could. EyeTV can convert a recorded TV show to iPod format too... so it might do the same for iTV format and save some space. (If iTV can't handle EyeTV, I guess Elgato could write a simple application to remotely tell your Mac what to record, and show on your iTV).

I like the concept of a range of products (like the iPod).

Imagine companies like NBC, FOX, Warner, etc. have their own "channel" on iTV using front row to show their content. I think is very doable.

I've thought about this one for a while, and I do think it's important. Imagine Universal putting up their Universal "iTV channel (page)" which showcases all the Universal content - including NBC TV shows, USA network & Scifi channel, downloadable movie previews and TV ads, streaming special presentations, NBC News Video Podcasts, iTunes purchases, etc

I'd like to take the "virtual channel" a step further though. Could a scifi club setup a "scifi page" with links to shows from any channel - podcasts, previews, and links for watching broadcast (or download or record/DVR?), etc? Would I even care what channel a show was on if I knew that my city's scifi club had a great "virtual channel" that found everything I could access?

Same goes for any genre of course... if I'm a horse buff, I can get all the horse shows I want. If my local sports team has a iTV page ("virtual channel") then I don't care what channel their game is broadcast on - I just want to watch it (and download other interesting stuff). Etc

 

[Crike .40]

You know what I would like with iTV?

Live content.

Think about it for a moment. I think everyone hates how expensive cable TV is. I am paying $45 per month just for 50 channels or so, with maybe 10 of those I actually watch (the networks, MSNBC, NESN, FSNE, ESPN, and a few other random ones).

Apple has the TV Shows issue fixed, thanks to $1.99 per show on iTunes and season passes.

However, live content is the big issue. I would love to ditch my cable tv subscription and go soley iTV. But I like to watch sports, especially baseball and football. Also you need TV for news events, especially breaking news. iTV and iTunes does not (yet) allow you to watch live streaming content.

If Apple could somehow strike a deal to cover sports and other live content such as news...that just really opens the door. Major League Baseball already does it with MLB.TV, except it is browser based. Imagine the same thing, but on iTV!?!?

Do that, and I would seriously cancel my cable tv subscription and go a la carte with iTunes. I spend roughly $540 a year on my 50 channels of cable TV, of which I at most watch 10 channels. I would much rather spend say $270 (half of the $540) on the 5 or so shows I watch, plus season passes for my local baseball and football teams, and the news channel of my choice.

That is where iTV could become a real winner.

This, to me, is also the key aspect that would make iTV replace cable. And, perhaps it isn't actually that farfetched of an idea. Disney/ESPN was the first (Jobs influence) company on board for movies/sports. ESPN also has an existing subscription based, web-centered content with streaming video call (i think) "in". ABCnews+ESPN sports LIVE on iTV = a must have for anyone sick of ever-increasing cable/dish costs (or anyone else who realizes how amazingly cool it would be). The only real bottlenecks for streaming sports is resolution as most American households don't have the bandwidth for streaming HD.

 

[gugy]

Very interesting

Channels and content providers have been struggling for years in how to make an interface and technology that works well.
Apple has a huge momentum on their side. As well as Microsoft if Vista is good and they can come up
with a competitor to iTV.
I am not sure if iTV works on PCs but if Apple can pull that of, it will be even more enticing for those content
providers to jump on iTVs bandwagon.

it's a very exciting time for Apple. if they can make all this work, watch out people, the stock price will sky rocket!

 

[AppleIntelRock]

In order to make this product perfect Apple needs to give it a few more features:

A) Add a HDD bay so that if one wants, they can add built-in DVR functionality. (I said the BAY and not the actual HDD because not EVERYONE wants this feature- hear that Sony?)

B) Add a built in iPod dock. This would enable friends to bring their iPod to your iTv and play their videos.

C) Enable drag and drop functionality to the HDD, enabling the iTv to play your movies even when not connected to the internet- or in the car etc.

D) Change the remote- no offense, but this remote needs a few more buttons, considering it may drive a media hub.

I don't know if anyone has told you yet...


http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/mo...-stereo-dock-for-ipod-and-bath-tissue-holder/

Those people need to find another calling.

 

[gugy]

.

Hi,
some ideas:

A) I think Apple wants to stay out of trouble with content providers. I think they will allow Elgato to add some DVR functionality to front row via their EyeTV software and hardware.

B) the USB port might be use for that.

C) good idea

D) I doubt. Apple like to keep things simple

 

[GregA]

B) Add a built in iPod dock. This would enable friends to bring their iPod to your iTv and play their videos.

Well, it has a USB port. Wouldn't it be better to use an existing dock through the USB port than have it on the iTV itself? Easier to put the iTV in your stereo cabinet that way.

ps. Perhaps an external hard disk, external HD-DVD drive, eyeSight, digital TV tuner, and iPod will compete for 1 USB port...

 

[jfr001]

D) Change the remote- no offense, but this remote needs a few more buttons, considering it may drive a media hub.

Well, then you don't understand Apple's magic. That's precisely where
they are good at: make complicated things simple.
It's like a Sony TV remote control compared to others : when you use it, you find everything else too much complicated...

 

[pjgoel]

My guess

With a hard disk in it. iTV will not require a computer - will give you internet access on your TV. Dock the iPod, and allow you to buy directly movies, songs & content. I.e. without streaming. Direct download through a Wifi intenet connection. Could even have the ability to stream from the internet - I.e. cable, etc.. coupled with a DVR for recording. Would be amazing if it could do all of the above.

 

[mrthieme]

Iptv

The concept of internet based content is very attractive, bandwidth issues aside. I pay too much money for too many channels I don't need/want. And I don't want to watch when NBC tells me too. A selective subscription to the media I'm interested in is just what I want. The lowered cost associated with online distribution versus a whole network of channels being pumped into every home opens the door for the little guys with very focused content to get stuff out there, just like podcasts, and hopefully make enough money to keep improving their material.