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Apple Announces Apple TV Take 2 + Price Drop
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Now there's no computer required - you can now rent movies directly on the Apple TV in your choice of DVD quality or HD + dolby 5.1 surround sound. Podcasts are available in audio and video format, as well as photos from Flikr and .Mac and sync with iTunes. AppleTV allows you to preview movies from the interface, and see what other users who have rented that movie have rented. Photo screensavers can be retrieved from .Mac web galleries. Music can be purchased from the iTunes Store from within the AppleTV.
The update is available as a free software update that should be available in two weeks for current AppleTV owners. Entry price for the AppleTV also drops from $299 to $229.
HD rentals are $4.99, with 100 titles available today.
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The AppleTV is starting to sound more and more like a alternative DVR, this is good but is the AppleTV really giving the TiVO and tv provider provided DVRs a run for their market share? Especially once Netflix fully works out their program with tv providers and their dvr manufacturers I will have to wonder how well this product will do. There may be no need to worry since all things Apple carry a "cool factor" which significantly helps products that otherwise wouldn't sell sell, Apple macs have been continuing to have good sales despite the economic troubles so perhaps the "cool factor" will allow the AppleTV to give its competitors a run for their market share. Who knows...
I dont think so. I think if you're already at your PC you can use a mouse and keyboard to go through iTunes and get your material, then if you have to use FrontRow just enter the program from there. Although it would be nice, it's not a huge oversignt IMO
according to Apple, it's only use is for Apple to diagnose and repair the
TV. Some people have been able to use it to hack the TV and even install other O/S systems on them. I believe others have been able to allow it to use external HD's.
Good points, and I won't buy one because it can't play DVD's. Once they come out with a bit more of an all-in-one
TV device, say with blu-ray, then I'll put it on my "things to get with a tax refund" listMy favorite new feature
I haven't read anyone post this yet (I didn't read every post) but my fav feature is having the ability to browse and watch podcasts directly from the Apple TV. That's pretty awesome!
I haven't read anyone post this yet (I didn't read every post) but my fav feature is having the ability to browse and watch podcasts directly from the Apple TV. That's pretty awesome!
Errrr pardon?
Could you list 10 TVs including links that sell in the UK with 1080p support? I just did a ton of research for my father and most are 720p/1080i but almost none support p. Those that do are 42" where you could argue it wouldn't really show up.
Myself I have a 1080p 42" and a projector that does 720p onto a 96" screen. I am a "tech spec" freak and I can't tell the difference!
Also, no disrespect, but let's not pretend ANY of us that post here, with such a passionate defense of our opinions, is in any way representative of the market they are targetting. "Convenient, looks good, not too expensive, apple product so likely good (I love my iPod.)" that's about the level of thought process that will go into this in any country. You and I are not examples of that.
Be well
t
Could you list 10 TVs including links that sell in the UK with 1080p support? I just did a ton of research for my father and most are 720p/1080i but almost none support p. Those that do are 42" where you could argue it wouldn't really show up.
Myself I have a 1080p 42" and a projector that does 720p onto a 96" screen. I am a "tech spec" freak and I can't tell the difference!
Also, no disrespect, but let's not pretend ANY of us that post here, with such a passionate defense of our opinions, is in any way representative of the market they are targetting. "Convenient, looks good, not too expensive, apple product so likely good (I love my iPod.)" that's about the level of thought process that will go into this in any country. You and I are not examples of that.
Be well
t
Agree
This doesn't make sense to me either. If I want to rent a newly released movie, I can't with AppleTV. This is the only drawback that will force me not to purchase this item. Give me equal availability and I will buy.
This doesn't make sense to me either. If I want to rent a newly released movie, I can't with AppleTV. This is the only drawback that will force me not to purchase this item. Give me equal availability and I will buy.
you are wrong.
8:30 get the kids to sleep
- mail, work, various crap
10:30 start watching movie
11:30 crash on the sofa
- next day:
8:30 get the kids to sleep
- mail, work, various crap
10:15 re-start watching movie
10:30 the frigging movie expires and you miss the end
Some of the rentals on iTunes are in full screen format. Obviously, the HD downloads will be widescreen but what if the regular downloads on TV are the same as the iTunes fullscreen downloads?
Two prominent examples are 300 and Live Free or Die Hard, both of which are 2:35:1 and pan/scan crops a lot of the films. Looks like the Disney movies such as Ratatouille and Pirates: AWE are in widescreen like the ones available for purchase.
TV are the same as the iTunes fullscreen downloads? Two prominent examples are 300 and Live Free or Die Hard, both of which are 2:35:1 and pan/scan crops a lot of the films. Looks like the Disney movies such as Ratatouille and Pirates: AWE are in widescreen like the ones available for purchase.
Maybe they will give you a refund for the pixels you didn't see!
Someone reported on another thread that 300 is indeed WIDESCREEN. So looks like iTunes has a glitch in their product info. Thank goodness. And the
TV versions will be DVD or HD quality. Pretty good. Hopefully the iPod is updated to DVD quality sometime in the near future and iTunes is updated as well. No excuse to still have less than 720 horizontal lines at this point.
Me too. Mmm... $199 refurbs. (Should have been the new price, but oh, well.. can't beat free shipping either!)
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FA711LL/A
~ CB
What do you mean, "what if"? They are the same. Most iTunes video content is full frame at present.Some of the rentals on iTunes are in full screen format. Obviously, the HD downloads will be widescreen but what if the regular downloads on
I'm not sure I see where you're trying to go with this factoid, unless you're concerned about aspect ratio of viewing--Apple TV adds the boxes to the sides, or you can change the output mode to 480p or play with the zoom settings of your TV.
Meh. Some people prefer the faster download and smaller file sizes... as horrifying as that might sound.Someone reported on another thread that 300 is indeed WIDESCREEN. So looks like iTunes has a glitch in their product info. Thank goodness. And the
~ CB
160GB AppleTVs at Costco for 239??
I was just walking thru Costco tonight, before I browsed this thread, and noticed 160GB AppleTVs for the same price as Apple advertises the 40GB version with the price cut - 239?! Was this a deal they had going before today or just now? I admit I was not that interested in the appletv until they finally announced HD content as they have today, but I guess I know where to go to buy it now.
Is this at all costcos? Better than refurb price for the larger disk!
I was just walking thru Costco tonight, before I browsed this thread, and noticed 160GB AppleTVs for the same price as Apple advertises the 40GB version with the price cut - 239?! Was this a deal they had going before today or just now? I admit I was not that interested in the appletv until they finally announced HD content as they have today, but I guess I know where to go to buy it now.
Is this at all costcos? Better than refurb price for the larger disk!
So I read this site and many comment threads every day for 4 years but I'm still a Newbie? lol.
lol.
Most iTunes content? I take it that you're referring to TV shows eh? Well I'm talking about movies. Most movies released in the last oh 40 years or so are in widescreen and most of them on iTunes are released in widescreen format.
I don't think you can, but if you rip the DVD with Handbrake (like I have done), it will work just fine.
She's such a tease! "You can buy AppleTV from Apple online store, or visit your local Apple Store. Maybe I'll see you there."
I really want this too... Hopefully it will come out in another upgrade or maybe it's an unannounced feature?
Yes, that's true. But that's not what you said. You said some iTunes rentals are in full screen. Then you asked, "what if they're the same on the Apple TV?" There is no 'what if'. If they are full frame rentals, they're full frame rentals.
Full frame rentals are, well, not widescreen. They'll play as such, like most iTunes content, with black bars on the Apple TV. I'm still not understanding what you were getting at with the earlier comment or what your confusion was.