I would sure like to know where all you people are finding these media players that have Blu-ray and/or DVR functionality and cost less than the Apple TV ($229). Or similarly, all these devices that show that the Apple TV is overpriced and out of date.
Try the cost of these media players (prices are quotes from the manufacturer, but in some cases you can find slightly lower pricing on the internet):
Western Digital TV - $130 (no built-in networking, wireless, or hard disk drive).
Western Digital TV Live - $150 (no built-in wireless or hard disk drive).
Popcorn Hour A-110 - $215 (no built-in wireless or hard disk drive).
Popcorn Hour C-200 - $299 (no built-in wireless or hard disk drive).
Roku HD - $100, no 802.11n and no hard disk drive, but requires Netflix monthly/yearly subscription service or purchases from Amazon Video .
Roku HD XR - $130, no hard disk drive, but requires Netflix monthly/yearly subscription service or purchases from Amazon Video.
The point is that you are showing retail prices of kit that can output 1080p for $130 (RETAIL), so obviously a next-gen
TV could incorporate 1080p and still not go up in price. You're showing devices for $130 (RETAIL) that gives you access to thousands of movies via a Netflix subscription, so obviously a next-gen
TV could have a similar deal. There are BD players priced below $150; talk is this Christmas we'll have BD players priced well below $100 (RETAIL). So a next-gen
TV could include a BD player.
If we play the game of what
TV has that other (better hardware) boxes lack, it's an easy argument to say how great
TV is. I'll say it too: THE CURRENT
TV IS GREAT FOR WHAT IT DOES NOW.
But, with that admission, I'm sure you can recognize that if WD and Roku's, etc can be sold for profit at substantially less than
TV, a next-gen
TV could absorb some of the missing hardware advances those products have and still be (profitably) sold at about the price it is right now.
Apple could OWN the space if they would treat their
TV hardware initiatives like they just did with the new iMacs or the last round of iPhone- substantially up the hardware features while hanging onto the same price.
Is it a good value priced as is right now? That's an eye of the beholder question. If my
TV died today, I'd immediately buy another. I find narrow individual features to be worth the purchase price. For example, I used to pay $300+ for a CD changer, $300+ for a DVD changer, etc.
But short of
TV death will I buy another before they add features that can obviously be added as demonstrated by some of the very examples you cite? Absolutely not. It is way past due for a hardware refresh. It seems the market recognizes this, which contributes to why it is a "hobby" rather than another "leg of the table".
Ask yourselves this: if Apple had just rolled out an "open"
TV 1080p with many of the hack features (features the current one CAN do that Apple chooses not to make standard) enabled, and at least "open" options for 3rd parties to offer adds-ons like a BD player, DVR (elgato) functionality, etc (for those that want such features), an
TV app store, etc, what would probably be THE present from Apple under the tree this year?
Just writing it down has my money burning a hole in my pocket.
.
