Apple Set Top Box (iBox) Rumors Revived?

[Kingsnapped]

Do you think this isn't possible today already? Not to start a flame war or anything, but there are free tools out there for Macs and PCs that can make bit for bit copies of DVDs.

It's very possible, and already happenineg. This device would just make it too easy for a less tech-savy consumer to start pirating video. I'm sure it can be done with my powerbook, but it doesn't say anything about how in the user's manual. That wouldn't really be the case with a device who's main function would be to integrate video and video recordings throughout a network.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

i think this should be a low end box that plugs into the TV. can't do powerful stuff like photoshop, but it can run the iLife suite, safari, iChat AV, plug in an iSight.
figure
1 Ghz G3 or maybe 1 Ghz G4.
100GB HD to start maybe
bluetooth
airport extreme
1 firewire
2 usb 2.0
tons of ports for audio and video
superdrive.

i seriously think that if you can plug in a VCR like you would a dv camcorder you can edit your old home video on VHS in iMovie and burn it to a DVD with the special version of iDVD.

piracy might be an issue, but i think it will do more good than bad. you can already do this, plug a vcr into an adapter or something and use a camcorder as a bridge to import movies onto a computer, but this would be good for my dad and his want to put some home videos on DVD, even though i probably wouldn't get an iBox

 

[Aphelion]

This is a Gateway Product

jwtseng was the first to mention .mac as part of this "iBox" concept. It's the perfect tie in to provide scheduling capability to this device.

Imagine a TiVo/ReplayTV/WebTV combination on steroids, all with the Apple attention to detail and simplicity.

You wouldn't even need a computer to take advantage of this. It is a gateway product to make you want to buy a Macintosh to further extend the functionality of the product.

Your subscription to .mac allows you to browse the web, send and receive emails and program the box for recording TV programs.

 

[djjon]

Maybe this is the headless iMac that there were rumors about. It is virtually another computer judging by the pictures. It has everything that the iMac/eMac has, just no screen.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

It could be Apple's counter to all the "Media PCs" that are in the market today.
they all claim they're built for your entertainment so you can watch and edit your home movies. this is what it shouuld be.
mediaMac
catchier title besides iBox please. sounds too like xBox.

 

[macMaestro]

Originally posted by JDOG_
Why does the MacOSX.com "review" seem to know so much about this "ibox" and not even have the picture to prove it? It would be cool if Apple would come out with this, but completely impractical for 97% of most folks...

Now give me a thinner iPod with a color screen and 20+ hour battery life and I'll be impressed

Uhh, try looking at the follow-up.

The picture

 

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by Matty P
and view videos from a new iLife app a bit like Trinfinty Software's Seagull Video player, an iPhoto type app for video inc the ability to archive DVD's.

Then you decide to record a program via the auto downloaded Scheduling Guide as you get in most DVR's, but as you are enjoying your TV show the DVR auto archives the programme to your home machine (that has loads of storage). Then your sister comes home 10mins into the TV show opens her iBook and starts watching the show in her bedroom! While all that is going on your Mum who is ill in bed turns on her DVR box and decides to watch an archived DVD from her user account on the home Mac.

Um, yeah, if you have a Gigabit wired ethernet port in back of your TV, that would all work just fine. But on Airport Extreme, you'll have issues just streaming one video stream through the ether at a time, much less 3+!

Don't expect video streaming over wireless. It just isn't here yet. Maybe next year, but then again maybe not even then.

 

[Flowbee]

Originally posted by maxterpiece
It's simple like you might say Mac OS X is simple, but it is by no means easy as pie. You can't just sit down and do what you want to do if you have no experience with it.

Ok, you obviously have never used Tivo. It takes maybe 5 minutes to learn what the buttons are (there are only 3 Tivo-specific buttons that you use most often). The other buttons are either standard remote control buttons, or are clearly labeled. All of the menus are self-explanitory. My 70-year-old grandmother uses it. My 8-year-old niece uses it.

There is almost no tech product that has *zero* learning curve. Even the iPod takes a liitle while to figure out if you've never used one before. But, as with Tivo, once you know what the buttons do, it's as easy as pie.

 

[desdomg]

Would Wireless FireWire do the trick?

http://www.1394ta.org/Press/2003Pre...ber/12.08.a.htm

1394 Trade Association Completes New 1394 Wireless Specification; “Wireless FireWire” Ballot Set for January 2004

Wireless 1394 Adapted for 802.15.3 WPAN™ Can Link Multiple 1394 Devices in a Network

Dallas, December 8, 2003 – The 1394 Trade Association’s Wireless Working Group today announced that the specification for Wireless 1394 applications is functionally complete and ready for a ballot as early as January 2004. Formal approval of the new Protocol Adaptation Layer (PAL) standard will move consumers one significant step closer to controlling home networks, HDTVs, and other advanced electronics systems wirelessly, just as they now use remote controls to change TV channels or audio output.

1394 Trade Association Chair:
Eric Anderson, Apple
1 Infinite Loop, MS 306-3FW
Cupertino, CA 95014
Phone (official business only): 1/408-974-1394
Customer information: www.apple.com/firewire

I love this rumor. It is all about connectivity which is what the digital hub is all about

 

[k2k koos]

ibox ......

mmmmm, I 'm not sure what to think of this, what would Apple gain by releasing such a box?
I am always interested in new technology, but not sure how it would aid me, or make my life more comfortable whatever...

Take a PDA, I've always tought it woudl be a usefull little gadget, adn bought a Palm 505 two years ago, only to sell it 8 months later... I didn't use it as I thought I would, and found that a small notepad was still very much faster to operate.
Now if Apple was to redevelop the Newton (they have the INK technology build in OSX) and haver true handwriting recognition, it might gain the fnctionality and speed of a treu notepad, and much more besides, but I believe Steve had pronouned the Newton as dead ages ago....


Nevermind, he might change his mind, as he might on the subject on the iBox....
it would probably take a person like Steve to confince me of the usefulness of such a device, we'll see......NEXT TUESDAY

 

[k2k koos]

darn....

i do realy need a new keyboard, look at the spelling errors in my posts......al over the place.....

(and a few typing lessons might aid me too...)

 

[Flowbee]

Re: darn....

Originally posted by k2k koos
i do realy need a new keyboard, look at the spelling errors in my posts......al over the place.....

(and a few typing lessons might aid me too...)

Try using the 'edit' button next time you notice spelling errors in your posts. Double posting is more annoying than bad spelling.

 

[JoeRadar]

Neat discussion

I like all the links to the Panasonic and Pioneer PVR/DVR devices, TiVo capabilities, the Rendevous standards, and the various pro and cons discussed.

I wonder if Apple will occasionally let a rumor like this out just to test the waters before devoting additional resources for R&D, productization, and marketing.

Does anyone know if Apple employees (other than their lawyers) read the rumor sites?

 

[Dippo]

I'll stick with MythTV on my old PC running Linux.

This combined with my homemade networked RAID server makes for good TV watching.

 

[GregA]

Originally posted by jwtseng
Exactly the point of a product like the rumored iBox. The computer would simply be hooked up to your TV and as easy to use as a regular old VCR.
<snip>
I'm a big fan of convergence. I agree with a previous poster who said that maybe Steve Jobs shudders at the though of the Mac being married to a VCR or some other device...strung together is the picture I get. But maybe what Steve has planned out for us is that the Mac becomes or takes over the function of these devices allowing for new functionality in a "whole is greater than the sum of the parts" kind of way.

Well maybe it'd be marketed as just that - an Apple DVD recorder. People keep the VCR for recording TV and home movies right now - so there's room for an Apple DVD-RW recorder to replace the VCR entirely (after converting existing video tapes).

Of course, there are several things Apple could add to this concept. Built in iTunes is the most obvious, and iPhoto is close behind. Maybe a function to remotely login to your Mac in the next room (as a second user SIMULTANEOUS with the person already on that Mac). Plug-in your home movie DV camera via firewire to make a copy to DVD.

The iBox would need a local hard disk just to cache the show while the system was compressing it for the DVD. Maybe even distribute the DVD compression so that the Mac in the next room (or PC?) help compress. Of course, most users wouldn't realise this was happening at all.

I'm trying just to keep the idea simple. There are many other simple things that could be added like
- pausing live TV, and
- caching of the previous 30 minutes.
- Control remotely from work (get through your firewall using iChat?), etc.
- Version 1 has an IR control changing your cable box channel, how about using firewire direct to your cable box or digital terrestrial broadcast?

 

[JoeRadar]

Re: ibox ......

Originally posted by k2k koos
I 'm not sure what to think of this, what would Apple gain by releasing such a box?

Apple is definitely looking to broaden its revenue streams away from just new Macintoshes. Apple has had troubles breaking out of its low single digit marketshare, and the Mac profits are too closely tied to new hardware releases.

The iPod and iTMS are part of the plan to get a revenue stream that is broader, more stable, and has more upside potential. I think Apple's new software lines (Keynote, Final Cut, etc.) are also part of the plan. Moving into the PVR/DVR market may be another attempt to broaden Apple's revenue stream.

Five years ago Apple was essentially a one product company - Macintosh computers. We may be watching history in the making.

 

[hvfsl]

I dont care about the ibox anymore, I just downloaded the latest version of VLC on my PC, and now I stream TV accross all the computers on my network, Mac and PC.

 

[Abdesai]

iBox

I doubt we will see the iBox since Steve is so reluctant to integrate Macs and TV's. And if they did build it, they probably would use sherlock for TiVO-like stuff and get rid of the monthly fee. However maybe they will put that fee into one's .mac membership.

 

[centauratlas]

Originally posted by Dippo
I'll stick with MythTV on my old PC running Linux.

It wouldn't surprise me if Apple did use something like MythTV as a basis. Like they did with Safari etc. Perhaps like they will with with KOffice etc.

Combined with VLC (http://www.videolan.net/vlc/download-macosx.html) and some of the other free things out there, polished as they did with Safari, could be interesting.

Time will tell though, and I love the speculation, just am not confident in it.

 

[gotohamish]

Form factor

Just to add a thought on the iBox and the form factor of it - why would it be pizza box?

Firstly, more and more people are going flat screen with their tvs, and even though they're not for the masses yet, they will be within two years - so why not design a peripheral for your tv that fits the slim design of a TV?

I saw wall mounted DVD players in Tokyo - that could be an interesting hub point for Apple.

 

[desdomg]

iBox and 30" Screen?

They would make a good combination. And whatever way you look at this rumor I think Apple would do well to continue diversifying away from the desktop.

 

[GregA]

Re: iBox

Originally posted by Abdesai
I doubt we will see the iBox since Steve is so reluctant to integrate Macs and TV's.

Steve can be creative with his words, to let people fill in whatever meaning they want. From memory (please correct me) he said:
- He did not see TVs and Computers converging
(you don't want to watch TV on a computer or vice versa)
- He doesn't want someone recording or watching a TV show interfering with someone using a computer
- He did see TV gaining new functions from computers and vice versa
- The back of TV/Stereos is a mess - he doesn't want to add to that mess!
We filled in the rest.

This leaves very open things like
- Technologies to connect TVs/Stereos & Computers better
- replacing an existing appliance in the stereo shelf (just as iPod replaces a walkman)
- making deals with existing appliance makers (like the Tivo deal)
- anything which simplifies the mess of wires

Apple with iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, & iDVD must see some value in connecting with your home entertainment system. With technologies under their belt like rendezvous, Quicktime, firewire, and even their ease-of-use background - Apple has some worthwhile stuff to add.

ps. I think interfacing with Tivo style devices and set top boxes is their best bet. News corp is the biggest player now, with their Tivo-like set top box ("Sky plus") in the UK set to appear in Australia, New Zealand, and most likely their payTV networks in Asia, Italy, South America, and now the US. I wonder whether an Apple-NewsCorp-Pixar deal might be played.

 

[cubist]

Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
... catchier title besides iBox please. sounds too like xBox.

Of course you remember us all objecting that .Mac sounded too much like .Net.

BTW always spell .Net with Russian letters like this: .HET

And I agree with JoeRadar that this has been a very educational thread. There are some really smart people in this community. Give yourselves a big hand!

 

[bennetsaysargh]

Originally posted by cubist
Of course you remember us all objecting that .Mac sounded too much like .Net.

BTW always spell .Net with Russian letters like this: .HET

And I agree with JoeRadar that this has been a very educational thread. There are some really smart people in this community. Give yourselves a big hand!

but it is only one letter off. some people might think it's a gaming console. .Mac and .Net are only similar because of the .(dot).

either way, as long as it exists, i will be happy

 

[jwtseng]

Originally posted by jettredmont
Um, yeah, if you have a Gigabit wired ethernet port in back of your TV, that would all work just fine. But on Airport Extreme, you'll have issues just streaming one video stream through the ether at a time, much less 3+!

Don't expect video streaming over wireless. It just isn't here yet. Maybe next year, but then again maybe not even then.

Actually with good caching and compression algorithms, it is possible to have streaming video over 802.11g. I am doing this very thing right now with my two ReplayTV boxes. Each RTV can watch shows from the other over 802.11g at the same time. I can even be streaming video to my PowerBook using DVarchive at the same time.