Apple in Talks to Build Cable Set-Top Box to Display Live Television

Just the other day, I was noticing that Roku was offering a set of international foreign language live television feeds for an extra fee through their boxes. So the waters are already being tested here, we'll see what happens....
 
This is a canard. Probably to plug a leak. A much better idea would be to have an HD tuner in the Apple TV and make it possible to record over-the-air broadcasts. This capability with the current feature set of the Apple TV would make it a bestseller.
 
This is something that I really want badly.

I hate my cable box with a passion.

How much? To the point where I use the TWC App on my jailbroken ipad2 and airplay with displayout to my Apple TV
 
sirozha said:
This is a canard. Probably to plug a leak. A much better idea would be to have an HD tuner in the Apple TV and make it possible to record over-the-air broadcasts. This capability with the current feature set of the Apple TV would make it a bestseller.
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That's basically what the article is about. It's a little more complicated than just adding an HD tuner though.
 
Apple, I want a box that can record four channels at once via OTA. I'm tired of paying for satellite! I would gladly give TiVo my money if they would sell such a product. Unfortunately, their product requires cable. That's fine if you live in an area that offers cable - not all of us do.
 
Here we go.

I've always thought Apple should get TV running through their device so you can stream it to your iDevices whilst someone else is watching the TV. Record shows, watch them on your iPad, TV, iPhone etc, then of course all of the streaming of games etc from phone to TV which they're doing. Take some good ideas from the Wii U.
 
Another article throwing out rumors with no technical know-how at all.

All these "reports" fail to mention the one thing which makes watching cable on a third-party device totally crap. SDV.

So unless Apple is planning to offer streams of individual channels directly over broadband by bypassing cablecos (which cablecos will not like at all) or convince all cablecos to offer Apple IP-based delivery (which the system and content providers are not setup to deliver en masse) then an Apple box or TV will have the same problem that they all do. A stupid and unreliable tuning adapter STB dangling out of one end, channel lock failures and additional technical resources to keep CableCARDs working.

And Clear QAM is just the same. Just because you can see a channel one week, doesn't mean you will the next.
 
gmanist1000 said:
NFL Sunday Ticket Please!
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The problem with these sports apps is that they all apply blackout restrictions, so they are worthless for people trying to cut the cord, but still be able to watch their home team. The content deals that the teams/leagues have in place are designed to keep us chained to traditional cable/satellite.
 
My #1 Apple TV wish would be Spotify.

Next up would be a Comcast/FIOS app (since they offer on-demand with subscriptions)

Heck, just push out an App Store for Apple TV and call it a day. That'll revolutionize things just fine!

I have basic cable in my apartment... but seldom catch shows when they air, so I just go to the network's website and stream them the next day. Making this possible through Apple TV (without having to mirror) would certainly be convenient, but I'm guessing the major networks wouldn't be too happy about it.

*And yes, I know I can mirror my Mac/iPhone/iPad to use Spotify,etc... but a native app would be much nicer (especially since it can be super laggy if your network setup isn't that great)
 
Patriot24 said:
The problem with these sports apps is that they all apply blackout restrictions, so they are worthless for people trying to cut the cord, but still be able to watch their home team. The content deals that the teams/leagues have in place are designed to keep us chained to traditional cable/satellite.
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Yes, but how hard is it to hook up a $10 HD antenna to an HD tuner? You can buy them pretty cheap. Most home teams games are on a network so you're going to pick them up OTA.
 
Patriot24 said:
The content deals that the teams/leagues have in place are designed to keep us chained to traditional cable/satellite.
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That's what made me return NHL Gamecenter. The app is great on the iPad but I couldn't watch my local team at all. I'm not going to pay $150 a season to NOT watch my favorite team. It's a shame that it's not even an option.
 
I hope so...

I would LOVE to see ONE BOX that does it all, and just MAYBE an appleTV with a DVR and cableCARD will actually have it all. Right now, we've gotta make compromises with our set top boxes. TiVo's got netflix, dvr, TV channels, but no DLNA and no syncing up with itunes...also it's expensive...either $900 upfront cost (hardware cost and lifetime service cost) or a couple hundred upfront hardware cost plus monthly service fees

AppleTV is inexpensive (no monthly fee and only $99 hardware cost) and its got netflix and other services, but no DVR. It has DLNA using iphone apps and airplay.

And of course, cable issued boxes have basically nothing and are junk and are 10-15/m rental fee

so at the very least, you need two devices...a tivo and an appletv which is sorta lame. I would love to see everythign one device, and if apple does make a TV, the best would to see everythign in that TV (cablecard, dvr, dlna, itunes, etc.)

Sure, would be nice if we could get rid of the cable all together and go ala-carte with internet content, but I think this set-top box would be a good intermediate step.
 
portishead said:
That's basically what the article is about. It's a little more complicated than just adding an HD tuner though.
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An over-the-air tuner is different from having a cable-card slot or the cable card in your set-top box. Tivo already tried it and failed in the end. There’s no reason for Apple to follow in Tivo’s path.

Adding an ATSC over-the-air tuner (actually several tuners), a decent size flash storage (128 GB at least) and a channel guide to be able to record over-the-air broadcasts would allow one to watch (and record) the shows (and sports) available on broadcast channels. For cable-only channels, one would be able to use the iTunes store to purchase individual episodes or season passes like it’s done today.

Incidentally, the Boxy Box has recently added a USB stick that allows one to receive (and I believe record) over-the-air broadcasts. But they don’t have the influence that iTunes has at this point - they have to use third-party content providers like Amazon for TV shows. Apple really should seize the moment.
 
Patriot24 said:
The problem with these sports apps is that they all apply blackout restrictions, so they are worthless for people trying to cut the cord, but still be able to watch their home team. The content deals that the teams/leagues have in place are designed to keep us chained to traditional cable/satellite.
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For a few of us (a small minority) it's not a problem... Those displaced from their "home town". With MLB.TV, we get to watch all the Tiger baseball games because we live in Western Kentucky (and my Dad will watch anybody play when it comes to baseball).

I'd like to sign up for the Hockey package, but it's a bit much to do that, too... What I'd like to see them do is offer reduced rate packages for single teams... Charge a lot less and I'd be OK with only being able to watch Red Wings games.
 
The best way for Apple in my view is to allow iTunes store content on cable and satellite providers as an on demand feature.

I'm not sure what providers there are in the USA but in the UK we have 2 main providers, Sky and Virgin Media. Virgin Media are the better one of the two for on demand content and Netflix and Lovefilm app are coming to their Tivo set users, adding an iTunes store app would be great as well. Sky are trying to create an on demand service as well and adding a iTunes app would go well there as well. It can also be used for non-premium service providers as well, with Freeview and Freesat iTunes could be available but like with Sky and Virgin Media it would be at a cost with each show/film costing.

That for me is the way for Apple to go, I think in pretty much every country the service providers have already been set in stone and can't really be competed against (and don't give me this crap about Apple being able to buy out everyone, they can't afford to do that with 2-3 different providers in each country). So I honestly think it's better if Apple focus on an iTunes store app on each and every providers current and future hardware.

This way Apple's content is available to pretty much everyone without the need for them changing there set top boxes, it would then leave Apple with only one move left to make, purchasing content ahead of it's rivals.
Or they could start creating their own TV/film content.
 
portishead said:
Yes, but how hard is it to hook up a $10 HD antenna to an HD tuner? You can buy them pretty cheap. Most home teams games are on a network so you're going to pick them up OTA.
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Nope. Most of the "every game" channels for local sports teams are cable/satellite only. In Detroit, there's no way to pick up Fox Sports Detroit over an antenna.
 
No thanks. What a horrible road this would be for consumers. No way Apple would submit to the likes of these cable thugs.
 
Mr Fusion said:
This is all so wrong... :rolleyes:

I want a box that helps me CUT THE CORD with cable companies, not a box that keeps me with them!!! :mad:
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Agree. I already cut the cord. If I can get content the day after without commercials and a small fee 5-15 dollars I'm down. Oh and an apple interface.
 
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