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Apple iTV Impressions and Details

chabig said:
Interesting idea, but I have to disagree. Given the amount of storage video takes, there is no way Apple could sell a device with enough flash memory for $299. A hard drive is much more likely.
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When I downloaded the latest free iTunes TV shows, they ran about 1GB for 1:45 play time. You can buy a 1GB USB thumb drive for cheap. The iTV wouldn't need to store all of the videos you own, just be able to buffer one movie, or a large fraction of one. I think it would be possible.
 
gauchogolfer said:
When I downloaded the latest free iTunes TV shows, they ran about 1GB for 1:45 play time. You can buy a 1GB USB thumb drive for cheap. The iTV wouldn't need to store all of the videos you own, just be able to buffer one movie, or a large fraction of one. I think it would be possible.
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True. I keep thinking it's going to store something. Maybe just a buffer would work. But we do know that it can store video, otherwise why the external hard drive port?
 
chabig said:
True. I keep thinking it's going to store something. Maybe just a buffer would work. But we do know that it can store video, otherwise why the external hard drive port?
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No, we don't positively know that it can store video. Are you refering to the USB port as the ext. hard drive port?

Just because it has a USB port doesn't mean that it is for storage devices. It could be for USB networking, USB remote control devices, who knows.

I tend to agree with Aiden. I think it could just be 1 - 2 GB of Flash memory and it was mistakenly quoted as a HD.
 
Other stuff

I may have missed this, but does the rumor mill think iTV will allow Macs to send iPhoto/ Aperture slideshows and other content such FCPro HD output at a high resolution to a 1080i TV?
 
There's a number of good reasons why I can't see it containing a hard drive; a decent size drive would add too much to the cost, it would have to be a 3.5" drive which would be too big for the unit and it would require a fan making it too noisy.

A small amount of nand memory, say 1/2/4gb is far more likely and would be plenty to act as a cache for any network blips.

Everything I've read has made me think it is just going to be a media streaming device that takes the media from another computer or the internet and puts it on the tv.

Though the $300 price leaves some unanswered questions as that is a lot of money for what we know it does at the moment which suggests there is something more to it. The iTV name also suggests more than just a dumb media streaming box.

Could Apple be planning some kind of live tv channel streaming for content, rather than just selling individual programmes? I'm sure ABC/Disney would be happy to provide the channels to get things started.
 
Digitalclips said:
I may have missed this, but does the rumor mill think iTV will allow Macs to send iPhoto/ Aperture slideshows and other content such FCPro HD output at a high resolution to a 1080i TV?
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I consider iTV to be a scaled down device to perform FrontRow functionality. In fact, all Macs will be able to perform the functions of the iTV when Leopard comes out.

Currently, FrontRow allows you to access iTunes, iPhoto stuff from the local computer as well as one in the LAN (local network) that has its sharing set to on in iTunes and iPhoto. I would assume this will continue to be the case. In addition to this, users will be able to browse through Apple's movie trailer site. Who knows, they might allow Google video and online purchases in the future.

The big question is this. If iTV is geared toward PC owners too, how will the PC people stream photos from their PCs to the iTV. Is there going to be a iPhoto or a scaled down version for the PC. Or may be, they are partnering with Google on Picasa for PC integration into iTV. That sounds plausible!!
 
Will iTV send 1080i signal to HD TV?

bommai said:
I consider iTV to be a scaled down device to perform FrontRow functionality. In fact, all Macs will be able to perform the functions of the iTV when Leopard comes out.

Currently, FrontRow allows you to access iTunes, iPhoto stuff from the local computer as well as one in the LAN (local network) that has its sharing set to on in iTunes and iPhoto. I would assume this will continue to be the case. In addition to this, users will be able to browse through Apple's movie trailer site. Who knows, they might allow Google video and online purchases in the future.

The big question is this. If iTV is geared toward PC owners too, how will the PC people stream photos from their PCs to the iTV. Is there going to be a iPhoto or a scaled down version for the PC. Or may be, they are partnering with Google on Picasa for PC integration into iTV. That sounds plausible!!
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I didn't see any reference to my question you quoted...? :(
 
Digitalclips said:
I didn't see any reference to my question you quoted...? :(
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Sorry if I did not clarify. Yes. iTV will be able to send 1080i images to your TV. Steve demoed it. He sent a high def trailer of a movie to iTV. He also specified that you can stream your pictures in high def.
 
bommai said:
Sorry if I did not clarify. Yes. iTV will be able to send 1080i images to your TV. Steve demoed it. He sent a high def trailer of a movie to iTV. He also specified that you can stream your pictures in high def.
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Thanks ... I missed that, I was assumimg the trailer was not truly hi-def. I have not actually come across any 1080 x 1920 trailers on Apple's web site yet and I thought that's where he got it from, i.e. it was only scalled up H264.

My order is assured in this case! I will at last be able to show true HD video editied in FCPro HD on a large HD TV instead of a Cinema diplay - this is huge! :)
 
Digitalclips said:
Thanks ... I missed that, I was assumimg the trailer was not truly hi-def. I have not actually come across any 1080 x 1920 trailers on Apple's web site yet and I thought that's where he got it from, i.e. it was only scalled up H264.

My order is assured in this case! I will at last be able to show true HD video editied in FCPro HD on a large HD TV instead of a Cinema diplay - this is huge! :)
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Apple's HD trailers are awesome and are available in either 720p or 1080p. My PowerMac G4 can play 720p without problems, but it chokes on 1080p. These are in H.264 format. I am hoping that with the iTV doing all the heavy lifting with the hardware decoder for MPEG4 and H.264, my PowerMac can just be a server. However, I hope the iTV can do MPEG2 decoding in hardware too since my eyeTV Hybrid recordings are in that format (directly from OTA HD).

For you to see your FCPro HD video, you might have to first export it as H.264 before you can watch it on iTV. I don't think it will be able to play DV files or HDV files.
 
Digitalclips said:
Thanks ... I missed that, I was assumimg the trailer was not truly hi-def. I have not actually come across any 1080 x 1920 trailers on Apple's web site yet and I thought that's where he got it from, i.e. it was only scalled up H264.

My order is assured in this case! I will at last be able to show true HD video editied in FCPro HD on a large HD TV instead of a Cinema diplay - this is huge! :)
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There are a bunch of HD trailers.http://www.apple.com/trailers/
 
we have been so focused on video/audio... what about the whole shabang?

This might have been addressed already, but I am left wondering why is the functionality left to just Frontrow related applications such as iTunes and iDVD? If the system has the ability to send something as large as a movie to my flat screen tv, then why would iTV not be made so as to allow for everything else? Specifically, I would love to have my MBP with my wireless keyboard beaming a website with videos on it to my tv or an email I am writing to a friend on to my tv. This sure beats the heck out of going out an buying a mac Mini and making the proverbial hybrid MacTV we all were discussing six months ago. Think about how great this would be and what a way to further help Mac get into the corporate sector where this could be used for presentations along with a MB or MPB; or better yet, in the classroom.
 
Theres always one isn't there...............

roland.g said:
because everything on cable is available at itunes. your analogy is wrong.

but what I really wish is for people would stop demanding what they want it to do so they'll buy it and focus on what it will do and how it will do that. I guess that's too much to ask.

on another note, I don't understand what the big fuss. when do most users stop gaming long enough to watch a movie.
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most gamers are on the vindoze..........and proportionally to total number of computer users I imagine the number of gamers would not be over 1 in 10.

Theres always one isn't there...............

:rolleyes:

tool
 
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