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Airport Express/Extreme Update?
- Thread starter ks-man
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I wouldn't be so strong. While I don't think it's likely they will update them at this event... there is still scope for an upgrade in the near future. After all the airport express product pages are still touting AirTunes as opposed to the new AirPlay!
I foresee them just making a few updates to the new Apple TV so that it can be setup without needing a TV, and then discontinuing the Airport Express. The wireless bridging functions on the Express are probably the least used feature, especially these days where Wi-Fi is so widely available. It used to be cool back when it was still too new for hotels and such to have them, now it is kind of pointless.
The Extreme Base Station doesn't need any updates, but I can imagine that they will keep putting out new Time Capsules. They might get to the point where they redesign the Extreme Base Station to be even smaller, followed by a smaller Time Capsule. Not going to be anytime soon though.
Sorry for my ignorance but what's the difference between AirTunes and AirPlay?????
Thanks
Sure they might not, but "highly doubtful" is strictly your opinion, unless you know something we don't.
They could very easily add AirPlay capabilities to AEBSs, Express's or Time Capsules at this "Back To the Mac" event. Each could become a component for Apple's version of an iTunes Server with Home Sharing built in. Many other companies already make such a product. One of people's chief complaints about the ATV is that you need to have your Mac on to operate it. Not so, with an iTunes Server. With OS 4.2 being released in November, I think this could be a prime opportunity to release an update.
AirTunes is for audio, AirPlay is for audio + video.
That would make no sense at all, since it would kill motivation to buy the Apple TV for millions of potential buyers.
I strongly disagree. When I moved into my house, that I learned to be built with plaster and steel plates, Wi-Fi reception was difficult to obtain. If it were not for the Airport Express I would not have signal thoughout the entire lower level.
You could have also bought an Airport Extreme Base Station and done the same thing, you just configure it for what you need, instead of it being a router. No reason why you needed an Express for what you did.
It isn't that much more than the AirPort Express costs anyway, and they could discontinue the Express and lower the price of the Extreme (they need to anyway).
If you would have continued reading the post, it would have made perfect sense. To access the ATV without a Mac operating iTunes would increase the ATVs appeal greatly.
You don't need a Mac or iTunes to use the new ATV, and your idea about a Time Capsule having built in iTunes Home Sharing will never happen because they would still need to figure out how to manage the content on it. Apple would have to make extensive changes to iTunes in order to add that kind of support.
Besides, the obvious future is a cloud based iTunes, they aren't going to devote resources for something that will become useless in a year or so.
I would like to see a smaller and cheaper Express but I can see it's usefulness declining now that AppleTV is here and other routers are so cheap. Still, if you need a WDS network and have an AEBS or TC as the main, then a few Expresses make handy remotes and relays. I have a g and an n Express because the USB on g can charge an iPod whereas it can't on the n, handy when traveling.
I did read the whole post. Having the ATV accessible without a Mac wouldn't require updating the AirPort Express or Extreme or Time Capsules. The point is, the ATV is a stand-alone product and there's almost zero likelihood of Apple changing the AE, AEBS or TC in the near future, especially not to duplicate ATV's capabilities.
True, iOS devices can connect to the ATV also, but most people's full libraries will be on their HDD's. Plenty of other hardware is capable of being an iTunes Server, like theHP MediaSmart or Synology Disk Station Manager so your claim about an iTunes reorganization is entirely false.
And the future of iTunes in the next year may be "obvious" to you, but I'll believe it when I see it.
The ATV is anything but a standalone product. Yes, you can rent content straight from iTunes, but the appeal for most will be access to their own content that's already on a HDD, Mac or iDevice. Updating the AEBS TC and Express wouldn't be duplicating ATVs functions, it would be enabling it's functions. Once your ATV can access content on a HDD not connected to a Mac or iDevice, it's usefulness will increase exponentially.
Are you being deliberately obtuse? By stand-alone, I mean that it stands alone from the AE, AEBS and TC. There is no reason for Apple to update those devices to mirror capabilities of the ATV.
Although I would have loved it to be cheaper in price, the Extreme has been the best performing router I have seen so I am willing to pay the premium. Then again, this has been the case with all my Apple products. I will pay for their proficiency.
I believe we are misunderstanding each other. What I'm suggesting is that the AEBS and TC are updated to be capable of serving up your personal content from your externalHDD to the new ATV via AirPlay... without a Mac or iDevice. I'm not suggesting that these connect directly to a TV, I'm suggesting they connect to the ATV.