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98% of U.S. Apple Retail Stores Out of Stock of Apple TV [Updated]

Apple running out of stock of a product has historically shown to be imminent of a product update of said out of stock product. So the history shows this could very well be a new TV.

But you can still buy the TV's on the Apple website. So I don't know about this. I'm sure supply chain master Tim Cook would be full aware of this and be dealing with it. Maybe they will show a new TV and sell the old one for cheap of the website to get rid of it. Who knows.
 
hppy29 said:
apple's online store in the Uk is now showing shipping as 2-4 days
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mmm. A guy in another thread has mentioned that he tried a few US zip codes for availability and they all showed March 9th.

Things are coming together!
 
Peace said:
A dongle as the Apple TV wouldn't work. You need at least 4GB of flash storage just to be able to support the cache for streaming any 1080P video and the OS that runs the media GUI.
Also the dongle would need an optical Toslink audio port out for people that use sound systems for the 5.1 audio. There isn't enough saturation of HDTV's with 5.1 speakers to keep the dongle from not having the port.
Also you would need a mini-USB port for servicing.
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4GB of memory can be easily fitted into small USB dongles these days ... and HDMI carries audio as well as video. My AV receiver decodes this from the HDMI port and can send multi-channel audio to my speakers, so Toslink is not required.

Toslink will also become gradually obsolete because it doesn't have enough bandwidth for lossless HD audio.
 
acidfast7 said:
I think PLEX just added Direct Play as well in the 0.10RC (not that I'm trying to get you to switch but just so you know). It makes it much easier of the MacBook (at least from the lack of fans spinning.)
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I didn't know, thanks! That's quite interesting, I wonder how that would work since plex is designed as server + client setup?
 
My local Best Buy was out of them last Thursday. No big surprise but It'll be interesting to see what the new :apple:TV is all about. I really like my hockey puck. I really only use it to stream Netflix, but even with my crappy "highspeed" ATT internet, it rarely cuts out although Hulu on my computer almost always does. I wonder if it'll be worth the upgrade?
 
Another day and we'll see.

I think it is safe to say that most expect Apple to utilize their current technology and processor power to provide an array of killer applications within a new Apple TV. I think it is safe to say that Apple moves conservatively forward and is perpetually disappointing with trickle-down of tech from premier/focus tech like the iPhone. It will be disappointing if this new ATV lacks much of the possibility the can clearly provide it, but we will see. ATV2 is still a long way off from improving over 2006-tech in the PS3 in terms of making a home entertainment server. The ATV could be incredible... it could also be revealed to be just another small step forward.
 
BlurburgerPete said:
Here's what I think... They get rid of the black box, and release a small HDMI dongle/receiver that picks up AirPlay from your iPad. On the iPad you have a new TV app that has everything and more the old Apple TV had.

The iPad IS the new Apple TV!
Click to expand...

Nah. Nice idea but not going to happen for a couple of reasons:

1) Apple TV has more uses than just AirPlay from an iDevice. They're also a very cheap way of accessing an iTunes library on a given screen and for that they need to have processing power on-board. As far as I know you can't get enough juice out of a USB socket to power an A5 logic board and if you've got to have a power supply you might as well just go with a case.

2) For lack of a better word, a dongle is not an impactful bit of kit. Part of the appeal of Apple products is they always have that wow factor, trying to sell a dongle that gets tucked away out of sight (or, worse, sticks out the side of a TV if that's where a spare HDMI port happens to be) just doesn't seem very, well, Apple.
 
it would be nice if apple will open up the apple tv to 3rd party developers.
We never know what kinds of apps they might come up with utilizing iOS devices as controllers. This would be up against the upcoming Wii lol
 
linkgx1 said:
I REALLY hope we get big updates, not minor ones like the 4S. Granted I have a 4S....but shock me like the 4!
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I really hope it's exactly like the 4 to the 4S.

Big CPU Increase. Massive GPU Increase. Possibly higher performance network.

I dont care if they update the outer shell or not, which other than the display was the only thing not upgraded in the 4S.
 
blackcrayon said:
I really hope it's exactly like the 4 to the 4S.

Big CPU Increase. Massive GPU Increase. Possibly higher performance network.

I dont care if they update the outer shell or not, which other than the display was the only thing not upgraded in the 4S.
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I actually don't really like this idea. The TC is loud enough with a fan and HDD.

Especially if it requires a fan and more energy (it's only 6W now).

I'm not even convinced that a CPU bump will result in 1080p (which most people probably wouldn't even notice at the crappy bitrates that the ATV2 is capable of.)

What it needs is more memory, and the current mainboard already has space for another bank. The 8GiB internal is OK for 720p but not for 1080p at high bitrates (32GiB - 2 x 16GiB would be quite nice in this regard).
 
I personally hope for a complete overhaul of the ATV operating system. The fact that it doesn't have an actual App-style interface, when all of the other "smart" and connected televisions and devices have them, is ridiculous.

There are so many possibilities. It's the one Apple device that you can't really 'customize' with your favorite apps. I know part of the problem is that Apple doesn't want competition for its own offerings, BUT the ATV pales in comparison to a Roku, Boxee, or even TiVO. An App Store for the ATV is long overdue, and the time is ripe.

I know it's the one iOS device that you can't control by touch, but maybe they need to create a control center for it for the iPad and iPhone. I'm not talking about the current remote control, but a mirrored screen to whatever apps and features that are on your ATV.

Whatever happens, please give us Hulu Plus!
 
afin said:
I must be missing something, but why is apple cutting this generation atv? I'm surprised because in their smartphone market, the 3gs, 4, and 4s are all sold alongside each other.

Does that reflect their confidence in the upcoming release, their prowess as they don't want to water down their tv market share with multiple products, or just a minor improvement?

I suppose the fact that this, historically, has been a hobby for apple should also be taken into account...
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Probably a pricing decision - the ATV at $100 is already a pretty cheap device, so to keep the older one in stock it'd need a price point low enough to be a viable product which may then cannibalize sales of the newer one, limiting the uptake of the new one and demand for content at the (rumored) higher resolutions. Since content sales far out weigh device sales it makes no sense for Apple to do anything that would negatively impact them.
 
I'm thinking maybe support for apps hosted on iCloud? If you are not connected to the internet your apps like CBS don't show up but if you are they do. :) Solves the problem with memory on the AppleTV 3 - only enough to buffer an entire 1080p movie would be needed.
 
BlurburgerPete said:
Here's what I think... They get rid of the black box, and release a small HDMI dongle/receiver that picks up AirPlay from your iPad. On the iPad you have a new TV app that has everything and more the old Apple TV had.

The iPad IS the new Apple TV!
Click to expand...
Not if they want to sell customers a $500-$850 new iPad AND a new $99 set top box.

If I just bought an iPad 2 I don't want to pay $99 for a dongle...
 
acidfast7 said:
I actually don't really like this idea. The TC is loud enough with a fan and HDD.

Especially if it requires a fan and more energy (it's only 6W now).

I'm not even convinced that a CPU bump will result in 1080p (which most people probably wouldn't even notice at the crappy bitrates that the ATV2 is capable of.)

What it needs is more memory, and the current mainboard already has space for another bank. The 8GiB internal is OK for 720p but not for 1080p at high bitrates (32GiB - 2 x 16GiB would be quite nice in this regard).
Click to expand...

Well if it has an A5 I'm taking for granted it will have 512 megs of RAM... Oh wait, you mean more storage... I'm doubting that, since Apple seems to "pass thru" a premium price for their flash storage.

What's the "TC" and why is it loud with a fan and a HDD? And what does that have to do with the Apple TV, clearly the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S don't need fans or hard drives to live happily with their A5 SoCs (and of course they are more cramped than even an Apple TV).
 
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