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Apple iTV Impressions and Details

superleccy said:
Oh please, yes. For me, iTV will only truly be the final piece of the jigsaw if I can also watch my recorded (and possibly live) EyeTV content through it.

A hook-up between Apple and Elgato sounds the most natural thing. Elgato should continue to make hardware for all the various TV standards (terrestrial / cable / sat / digital / etc etc), but perhaps use some Apple desigers to make their boxes a bit more "Apple-looking". Then, Apple can take the EyeTV 2.x software and integrate it with iTunes.

To those that say that Apple won't allow this because it would hit their own TV show revenues from the iTunes store... I disagree. They'll have to give in sooner or later, because EyeTV isn't going to go away. Would iTunes/iPod have been such a success if they'd have made us purchase all our music from iTunes, even the stuff we alread had on CD?

I'm not going to pay £3 (or whatever) for an Episode of Lost if I could have recorded on EyeTV last night... especially when C4 repeat each episode about 6 times per week anyway.

Regds
SL
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I was hoping that's the purpose of the USB port. I know many are thinking it's for the iPod, but I'm hoping you can plug a tuner in :)

edit: in addition to the plug-in tuner, I hope it streams backwards to the computer harddrive.
 
dobbin said:
Yeah Ok, thats fine, but then I also need a machine to get content from my TV/tuner/satelite to my Mac.
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www.elgato.com

Of course, the downside of this is if your "den" or wherever you keep your Mac doesn't have a cable/ariel/satellite socket in the wall. I actually run my EyeTV 410 off a cheap indoor antenna for this reason. Looks ugly but works fine.
 
kresh said:
I was hoping that's the purpose of the USB port. I know many are thinking it's for the iPod, but I'm hoping you can plug a tuner in :)

edit: in addition to the plug-in tuner, I hope it streams backwards to the computer harddrive.
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I was thinking the EyeTV would plug into the USB port on the Mac (as it does today), but the iTV will let you watch it and control it from your living room.

But actually, I am starting to see your (and dobbin's) point. In some ways it might be more convenient if the EyeTV actually plugged into the iTV, and gave you the option of streaming back to you Mac... at least then your EyeTV Tuner would be near where your Sat/Cable/Ariel socket is. But now it's starting to sound expensive and more like a Mac Mini...

SL
 
The computer as entertainment server

rikers_mailbox said:
If Iger is correct and iTV has a hard drive.. then I beleive iTV could serve as an external iTunes Library server/device. Authorized computers can access and manage it using iTunes (running as a client). iTS downloads, podcasts, imported physical CDs, etc would all be stored on iTV.
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I think the opposite. iTV is just another "pod" using a single computer as a separate node. The Apple paradigm here would be to release iTV and then to have a separate cable-in device (EyeTV essentially) at your computer that would serve as the DVR to load and control shows on your central computer, which could then be wirelessly distributed to iTVs throughout the house. Just buy one giant hard drive rather than having a bunch all over the place.

Apple has repeatedly said that they don't think people want a computer in their living room (to surf the net, etc). There does have to be a computer someplace, however, in this case acting as an entertainment server for iTV, iPods, etc.
 
dobbin said:
Yeah Ok, thats fine, but then I also need a machine to get content from my TV/tuner/satelite to my Mac.
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Nope. That's what ElGato's EyeTV does. If Apple and ElGato can come together and add EyeTV support into iTV and Front Row over the next few months then you can chuck away your TV tuner, Freeview and stick your sat box hidden away next to your computer.

Then all you need under your TV is an iTV.

dobbin said:
As I understand it, iTV is only for wireless streaming in one direction. If I need a cable to get broadcast programmes into my Mac, then I may as well use that cable to get the content back onto my TV!
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Bingo. And that's why iTV doesn't include a TV tuner - you've already got one.
 
P-Worm said:
Is it possible that the cable ports on the back can be used for both input AND output? I don't see why not.
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Well, the shape of the USB port suggests that it is for attaching another device to the iTV, and not for attaching the iTV to your Mac.

If the iTV doubles-up as an Airport Express, then maybe the USB port is for attaching a printer.

SL
 
Struggling with the whole concept

This is just one of those things where we have no idea if it'll catch on until people start buying it (or not, as the case may be!). With anything else Apple have brought out (e.g. iPod) the need has been fairly obvious and you could tell that it was going to be a minor hit at least. I don't feel the same way about iTV. To me it just feels like *yet another* silver/grey box to stick under my TV, adding one more cable to the countless ones already there...




________________________
Alternative Mac History
Mactimewarp
 
superleccy said:
Well, the shape of the USB port suggests that it is for attaching another device to the iTV, and not for attaching the iTV to your Mac.

If the iTV doubles-up as an Airport Express, then maybe the USB port is for attaching a printer.

SL
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Sorry, I was too vague. I meant that there is a lot of talk about how this thing can't be a DVR because there are only output jacks. I don't see why those component and audio jacks can't be both input and output.

P-Worm
 
superleccy said:
To those that say that Apple won't allow this because it would hit their own TV show revenues from the iTunes store... I disagree. They'll have to give in sooner or later, because EyeTV isn't going to go away. Would iTunes/iPod have been such a success if they'd have made us purchase all our music from iTunes, even the stuff we alread had on CD?

I'm not going to pay £3 (or whatever) for an Episode of Lost if I could have recorded on EyeTV last night... especially when C4 repeat each episode about 6 times per week anyway.
Click to expand...

I see your point but maybe you're not seeing the big picture-- the future as Apple, perhaps, sees it. (And you are paying for that "Lost" episode whether you watch it or not, aren't you?)

A few minutes ago, I was thinking, Gee...if Apple got enough content on iTunes, a guy could just buy all the stuff he wanted to see and to hell with the rest. I see this as replacing cable TV in the not-too-distant future. Customized, commercial-free TV delivered to your computer and then sent to your iTV box. Why pay for that afternoon soap opera that you never watch?

This model probably would not make financial sense for people who watch a lot of TV but, for those who only watch a select few shows, it might be a good alternative to cable TV.

-Squire
 
So it does include a hard drive? Very nice! I was already planning on purchasing an "iTV", but this just makes it sound that much cooler. :D
 
coal said:
For some reason I convinved myself that Apple would only permit videos tagged as originating from their store.
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No way. That would mean that users couldn't even watch their own home movies. Apple would NEVER do that, it would be a huge conflict with their other selling points.

Bibulous said:
I hope it will work with all Front Row files, not just iTunes content.
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What would they leave out? Didn't they already say it does photo slideshows?

randyharris said:
What most bothers me about the iTV is that it is a workaround to a PVR instead of embrassing it.

I'm looking for an integtated system for music, movies and TV, not just downloading a show as needed, but with the inclusion of a full blown PVR.

I don't think this is too much to ask for.
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Problem is, doing a PVR would be extremely expensive. Other than things like Tivo that have monthly fees, PVR's haven't really caught on, and the price is the biggest reason.

hondaboy945 said:
I really hope that someone from Apple reads these forums, I am sure it gets back to Apple, anyway I hope they do it right. Or there will be alot of disappointed people and money lost.
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That would be the worst idea ever. People on these forums are ALWAYS disappointed, even with products that turn out to be huge sellers for apple. People whine and whine...and then they buy the product anyway.

MacMyDay said:
I know of at least one company in the UK who won't be too happy if they keep that name.
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IT IS NOT THE FINAL NAME. It's only a codename, it will ship with a different name.

Kingsly said:
I don't think it would make sense to make a totally great™ device and then cripple it by excluding DVR functionality (IMO they already crippled it by excluding DVD player)
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I already have a DVD player. Why the hell would I want to see the price go up even more just to give me redundant technology? Do you complain that your printer doesn't scan documents?
 
milo said:
Problem is, doing a PVR would be extremely expensive. Other than things like Tivo that have monthly fees, PVR's haven't really caught on, and the price is the biggest reason.
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This must be a US-centric view. Here (UK) PVRs with twin Freeview (DTT) tuners and 80GB HDs are everywhere. And they are very cheap now (120 quid upwards).

I'm thinking of ditching my cable provider (NTL, I only get it for Sky One, which is just Simpsons repeats) and going with something like this:

http://www.topfield.co.uk/terrestrialequipment.htm

Apparently you can DL what you record to your Mac (USB). I suspect you'll then be able to play that on iTV.
 
I guess it wouldn't necessarily even need a hard drive. what about the option of including some video inputs on the back and streaming the video it sees on the screen BACK to your computer? It already has the bandwidth to stream from your computer, so why wouldn't it be able to do the opposite (given it has video inputs)? While this might not be ideal for some people who don't have a lot of HDD space, it would allow for editing out commercials, compression to ipods, etc, much like my eyetv 250. I think it would probably be better this way since it would be cheaper buying an external HDD for your computer than havnig a big HDD in ur ITV.
 
I have a feeling that Apple and Disney are going to partner up on this ITV and somehow integrate MovieBeam into it. I am sure there are already plans in the work. Disney has cut the price on this great technology and this is one piece of technology I wouldn't give up. So, much better then running to the store and the definition of the movies are great. For $52 bucks you get you own video Store. Decent prices on rentals. A lot better then $299 no way will I get iTV but for $199 with moviebeam built in it's possible.
 
Tv.pod

emotion said:
It's not a cut down mini. Think of it more like a wireless iPod for your TV.
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It looks like a Mini and and i can do exactly the same with the current Mini. Hook up a Mini to a TV and add it to a home network, let it be cabled or wireless. With the frontrow software you can now listen and watch all the content from the other computers in the network with iTunes streaming.

The only differences between a Mini and iTV are the connections on the back, better wireless speed and no DVD. Its pure the price and software that makes it a media device and not a computer.
 
mdntcallr said:
Sounds like a very cool device.

lets hope for a 60" Apple tv/monitor is coming for release soon. this would power a home theater and be usable for much more
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If this were the case (which would be cool), why not just cram an iTV into the monitor (which would be cooler)?
"Look ma, no... iTV box thingy (?)!"
 
emotion said:
This must be a US-centric view. Here (UK) PVRs with twin Freeview (DTT) tuners and 80GB HDs are everywhere. And they are very cheap now (120 quid upwards).

I'm thinking of ditching my cable provider (NTL, I only get it for Sky One, which is just Simpsons repeats) and going with something like this:

http://www.topfield.co.uk/terrestrialequipment.htm

Apparently you can DL what you record to your Mac (USB). I suspect you'll then be able to play that on iTV.
Click to expand...
i was thinking the same thing the other day funny enough
 
Bonte said:
It looks like a Mini and and i can do exactly the same with the current Mini. Hook up a Mini to a TV and add it to a home network, let it be cabled or wireless. With the frontrow software you can now listen and watch all the content from the other computers in the network with iTunes streaming.

The only differences between a Mini and iTV are the connections on the back, better wireless speed and no DVD. Its pure the price and software that makes it a media device and not a computer.
Click to expand...

I can do what an iPod does with my Powerbook too. Doesn't mean I want to use that to play music when I'm walking around.

Likewise, I want a computer at close distance hooked up to a computer monitor, it's less than ideal sat under my TV displaying on a relatively low res screen with a keyboard and mouse teetering on my lap. I know Apple think this too.

With the iTV as I see it you get to have that Mini being a real computer somewhere else in your house.

That said, I could be wrong and it could be a really cut down Mac Mini. I guess we'll see.
 
i might have missed something

...but in order for me to buy this box I want it to work without connecting to a computer. Just an easy (read Front Row interface) that would let me buy and watch or listen to my purchased content. Wireless would be perfect. plug this in hook it up to my tv and stereo and all my movies and music are on it. I can buy content and save it there. The only time I would want to connect to a computer would be to back up files and to make room for new content or find old content to stream into the box. I could then take this box with me to a friend's house to watch my movies there.
 
Come to think of it it is possible that the iTV is in fact an iPod underneath. Might explain some of those persistent wireless ipod rumours and that rumour about an iPod with a 'non-touch' interface.

Just idle thoughts... :)
 
Well, actually I cannot understand why Apple has rejected original nano's design and has made a return to ipod mini style... IMO Ipod Nano was one of the best designs in Apple's recent history, so I am looking for a second hand one :)

Cheers,
 
hush said:
Well, actually I cannot understand why Apple has rejected original nano's design and has made a return to ipod mini style... IMO Ipod Nano was one of the best designs in Apple's recent history, so I am looking for a second hand one :)
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Wrong thread?

Good luck getting a non-scratched second hand Nano. Every one I've seen is covered in them. Hence the redesign.

Back to iTV....
 
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