Apple Announces Apple TV (Formerly 'iTV')

[-::ubermann::-]

The human ability to perceive the differences in frame rates are minimal. Super high fame rates/refresh rates in games and video cards are just to fool consumers into buying new gear. They blew past the threshhold years ago. I used to have a friend that spent a fortune on Audio gear that equalized sound well above and below human hearing. If you can't hear it or see it than you were fooled into spendin g money. Granted, NTSC and PAL are pitiful signals. The quality of DVD's and Digital Cable have more than made up for that limitation, though.

I do see huge difference playing quake at 24 fps to 60 fps, you should try

 

[robertnq]

Somebody second the motion!!!

Dude I think I'm the only one that thought about putting a DVD drive on the damn thing...i dont need the box, but if it had a DVD player in it...I would buy it...

 

[Diatribe]

I wondered about using the new Airport that can have a hard drive hooked to it as a network drive to store and pull content from.

I've read of people with a physical network storing their dvd collections on one server and then using dvd assist and an alias folder that points to the network drive from a mini to access and play the ripped dvds through frontrow.

So for your example above all the minis would not need external drives. You'd still need a mini for each tv though.

Yeah, that would work too I guess. The thing is I wouldn't want to buy a $599 Mac mini for each room just to not have to use DVDs. Since HD discs won't be rippable for some time and I want to watch HD content it is not that big of a deal still having an extra DVD player. Especially since Apple doesn't let you make there computers region code free.

And if you don't care that much about quality or space, you can always rip your DVDs with Handbrake and put them into iTunes.

I am beginning to think it is an awesome way to access your podcasts, music, and bought TV shows.

Sooner or later Apple WILL start offering HD res movies, either through iTMS or their physical stores to sync with your iPod or sth.
By then I'll stop buying movies on discs and then will get rid of my DVD player.

The main reason is to have easy access to your iTunes media, which I think is great.

 

[balamw]

I am beginning to think it is an awesome way to access your podcasts, music, and bought TV shows.

There's a mention of friends and family being able to push content onto your aTV, which sounds really neat. Sort of one-on-one podcasting/photocasting/....

Apple TV streams as well as it syncs, so you can pair up to five additional computers and let friends and family stream their iTunes libraries to your TV.

B

 

[Diatribe]

There's no reason that you can't have a mixture of both. A Mac mini HTPC that's set-up to record HD shows. This would be on the TV that gets the most action.

Then for the basement HT set-up, an Apple TV would work nicely by syncing to the Mac mini upstairs.

ft

EDIT - oh yeah, if you just want music, then an Airport Express would work in those rooms, provide you had speakers.

The only problem with Airport Express is that it is push streaming not pull streaming. You cannot actually select your media from that room but only from the streaming device, which kind of defeats the purpose.

For $199 people would be all over it and not complaining as much I think. The price is justified from a technical pov from a usability pov it isn't yet as it still doesn't make that much sense to buy your movies in the iTMS looking at the quality or how some series aren't widescreen etc.

But if the quality and selection changes and/or Apple brings out a movie rental system where the media gets invalidated after some days and people actually get most of their content from the iTMS this thing will make a whole lot of sense.

Apple could even get movie studios make iTunes able to rip the movie to iTunes and only iTunes for streaming. There are a lot of possibilties for Apple that will open up over time.

In two or three years we will be all over this thing (not that I am not thinking about getting one now )

 

[Diatribe]

There's a mention of friends and family being able to push content onto your aTV, which sounds really neat. Sort of one-on-one podcasting/photocasting/....

B

Yeah, it is nice that people can bring their notebooks with them and stream their content to your box, not that bringing a DVD isn't easier
but yes you'll have the entire family's collection at your disposal without having to look/ask for the physical media.

 

[spydr]

Does anyone know if Apple Charges you upfront when you preorder, if so I have to shift some funds around...
Thanks

Apple typically does not charge your credit card till the product is poised to ship very soon. In this case of aTV, it probably won't charge your card till the last week of Feb. (would be my guess)

 

[milo]

Yeah, it is nice that people can bring their notebooks with them and stream their content to your box, not that bringing a DVD isn't easier
but yes you'll have the entire family's collection at your disposal without having to look/ask for the physical media.

A DVD is easier than a laptop. But a laptop is easier than a stack of a hundred dvd's (plus thousands of songs, plus thousands of photos).

I wonder if Apple will enable streaming to the appletv from the iPhone?

 

[mark88]

Where is the average "non-technical" user going to be getting divx content?

Heck, where is *your* divx content from?

A lot of adult sites offer content in DivX, Xvid format. Even non techies watch porn.

In fact, I'd say most of the porn movies offered to members by adult sites can't be played via AppleTV.

 

[stonemonkey]

So close

It's a neat idea, but to be honest if it can't use the hard drive to record from TV and can't play my current DVD collection, I'm not going to buy it. It doesn't replace the devices I have in my lounge room, it just adds to it, and as I don't download movies from Apple or anywhere else, I don't see the point.

My 2 cents.

 

[mark88]

4) The ability to play formats unlisted is currently unknown, but since the firmware is upgradeable (remember the 'useless' USB connector), I don't see any reason why this couldn't be 'fixed' for all of you that don't use Apples standard formats. If you're so dead set on using DIVX et al. go and buy Buffalo's latest player. But since most DIVX content people insist on playing is of lousy quality anyway, I don't see the benefit. If you're ripping it yourself, then you've only yourself to blame.

There's an interview on ARS technica where an Apple Reps it CANNOT play DivX, it can only play what iTunes and the iPod can play.

Just one of the reason why I think Apple TV is a flawed product.

 

[mark88]

I don't get where Apple TV and Front Row fit together. It's like Apple failed to get into the living room with the mini and now they're trying to do it with Apple TV by making something similar and simpler but with half the features.

I love Apple, but it drives me insane when they release products with obvious flaws. The new airport has no Gig-E despite every new mac having it. And Apple TV assumes everyone buys content from iTunes and has no other formats of video on their Macs. Totally obvious flaws, I really don't get it.

 

[iDave]

It's a neat idea, but to be honest if it can't use the hard drive to record from TV and can't play my current DVD collection, I'm not going to buy it. It doesn't replace the devices I have in my lounge room, it just adds to it, and as I don't download movies from Apple or anywhere else, I don't see the point.

You're right, the aTV is probably not for you. It's for those people who do buy TV shows and movies from iTunes and or those who want to view their photo slide shows on their big TV and or play their music on their home theater sound system. Apple has designed it as a device for a pretty specific purpose. It's not for everyone.

 

[balamw]

Yeah, it is nice that people can bring their notebooks with them and stream their content to your box, not that bringing a DVD isn't easier
but yes you'll have the entire family's collection at your disposal without having to look/ask for the physical media.

I don't think that's the point, but I guess we'll see. The pairing bit and extension to friends and family makes it sound like this might not be limited to your subnet.

B

 

[milo]

There's an interview on ARS technica where an Apple Reps it CANNOT play DivX, it can only play what iTunes and the iPod can play.

So is there a box similar to the appletv that plays tons of codecs? Doing a quick google search, looks like xbox only does windows media (although it looks like kludges may enable other formats).

 

[0010101]

My dad bought a digital camera 10 years ago that had composite out, so you could show everybody in the room the pictures the camera had on the card.

It was kind of neat the first Christmas gathering for everyone to sit around and look at the pictures he took.. but that was the first and last year we did that.

Who is really interested enough in seeing their pics on their TV to pay $299 for it?

If I want to watch a movie, i'll get it from Netflix or Blockbuster online.. or drive to my local McDonalds 'redbox' and get one for a dollar a night.

Or if I really want the movie, i'll go to WalMart and buy the DVD for anywhere from $4.50 to $19.99, and grab a box of microwave popcorn and some drinks while i'm there.. maybe even a frozen pizza.

I probably wouldn't want to download some monster file for $12.99 that takes hours to download.

At least if I have the hardcopy of the DVD and I decide it sucks, i've got something to sell on eBay, or trade in at the local pawn shop for credit twards another movie.

If the Apple TV had some super duper DVD player, or Blue Ray drive in it, i'd actually consider buying one.. for gods sake, why not at least add video recording capability to it?

 

[cb31]

So is there a box similar to the appletv that plays tons of codecs? Doing a quick google search, looks like xbox only does windows media (although it looks like kludges may enable other formats).

Xbox 1 runnng XBMC, stunningly good. Very cheap, full of features and very polished.

 

[killmoms]

I do see huge difference playing quake at 24 fps to 60 fps, you should try

This is a flawed comparison, explaining why in this thread would take too long and be quite off-topic, but PM me and I'll be happy to explain.

 

[JT London]

Pointless purchase for UK

no shows/movies available on iTunes in the UK so what's the excitement??

Why should I convert my already-ripped DVDs into another format in order to import into iTunes? (and yes, they are copies of my own DVDs)

Until Apple TV can access movies on my hard drive outside of iTunes then this will be a pointless purchase for anyone in the UK

...unless of course I've missed something obvious?????

 

[nsjoker]

Xbox 360 or AppleTV?

Why would anybody buy this? Granted, we all said the same thing in 2001 about the iPod but this seems rather outlandish.

So for $299.. I can buy an AppleTV or an Xbox 360 that pretty much does the same thing albeit in a clunkier box. Beats me why anyone would buy it, but I guess Apple is banking on their pretty white square to win over the hearts of the less technically inclined -_-

I'll wait several more months for the X360 v2 I think

 

[illegalprelude]

Why would anybody buy this? Granted, we all said the same thing in 2001 about the iPod but this seems rather outlandish.

So for $299.. I can buy an AppleTV or an Xbox 360 that pretty much does the same thing albeit in a clunkier box. Beats me why anyone would buy it, but I guess Apple is banking on their pretty white square to win over the hearts of the less technically inclined -_-

I'll wait several more months for the X360 v2 I think

is this a serious post cause it might be missing "" << that.

Anyways, As long as I can find a way of putting other content in terms of video, other then the iTunes downloaded stuff, it will be perfect cause then I can stop using my laptop thats conected to my TV or the PS3 to stream or display photo's and or music. but 1080p trailers will still stay on the PS3

 

[Mike Teezie]

I'm getting one for sure.

For me and my business, being able to stream iPhoto slideshows to my 46" LCD for clients is worth the price alone.

Not to mention, I do buy stuff from the iTunes store, and this sure beats the current method of seeing the content on my TV - download at computer, put on iPod, plug iPod into AV cables to the TV.

Now, hopefully, iTunes content will go 720p.

 

[Motley]

Now, hopefully, iTunes content will go 720p.

I can't help but wonder if the purpose of that enigmatic "intel processor" that's inside is used for running some complex upconversion routine on content so apple doesn't have to go 720p.

Either that or a testing the waters, future-proof feature thats there in case one day apple wants to release 720 content.

 

[beaster]

And a years worth of contract is going to cost way more than $99. A quick price search showed the HR10-250 for $599 without a contract. The HR20 looks like it's about $299 (and looks like it has horrible reviews). And it seems to require a DirectTV subsciption ($44.95 per month). With the subscription it's way more expensive than the appletv.

That's not apples to apples - if you're going to lump in the cost of the content (serivce contract), then you have to do so with the aTV too. How much will movies from iTunes cost over the course of a year? My point is - most of us already pay a content provider - cable company, satellite company, Netflix - a monthly fee. If you just bought an aTV, you'd still have to pay for content (assuming you wanted to do it legally) at the iTMS to get something approaching the equivalent of a cable or satellite TV subscription.

-Sean

 

[beaster]

I know full well. I hope you know the displays themselves are not interlaced the physical display itself is still progressive. That's why they bother with all the Faroujda type deinterlacing hardware. 1080i is interlaced only in the signal to fit in the bandwith allocated by the ATSC standard. The display deinterlaces it. Do you really think anybody sells an actual interlaced display in 2007?

And FWIW I can easily tell the difference between 1080i/p and 720.

A progressive display deintelaces the interlaced signal, correct. But deinterlacing is still essentially creating something out of nothing - there's no extra information in an interlaced signal that the deinterlacing process magically decodes or unlocks. It's just the processors best guess at what would look good to the human eye. Some do a better job than others (Faroujda is ok, but it's getting dated), and when it's done well it can look good.

If you're comparing a native 1080i source signal on a 1080p display (say, a new LCD) vs. on a 1080i display (older CRT-based HDTV), the image on the 1080p display may well look better if the deinterlacing is done well, and you might well see the difference. But comparing a native 1080i signal on a native 1080i display against a native 720p signal on a 720p display - 99% of the public would be very hard pressed to see a difference unless the material itself was biased towards one format or the other (e.g. sports vs. talking heads).

-Sean