They supposedly have new hardware ready to go. They should get it out there and add/update the software later. That's pretty much the model they have been following all along with the Apple TV. New channels (aka "features") pop up all the time!
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Apple's Desire to Include Local Stations in Streaming TV Service Could Delay Launch Beyond WWDC
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They supposedly have new hardware ready to go. They should get it out there and add/update the software later. That's pretty much the model they have been following all along with the Apple TV. New channels (aka "features") pop up all the time!
Does anyone want streaming TV channels, let alone local TV?
Don't most of us want to subscribe to programmes or packages of programmes?
Don't most of us want to subscribe to programmes or packages of programmes?
Will it be as awful as their UI on Apple TV?
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You have time to spend posting on Internet forums yet have no time for watching videos? OK then.
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Then you're using the world's absolute worst Netflix UI. Apple TV is a joke compared to the competition now. But that could change next month if and when they finally release a successor to the current box.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
A built-in tuner does not automatically require a DVR function (though that would certainly be nice). A built-in tuner would simply let local OTA channels appear in some kind of cutting-edge, new Apple UI guide with the rest of the Apple chosen channels.
For example, I have DISH network. The box that receives the satt signals also has a local channel tuner option. Hook that up and the local channels mix into the channel guide. That all-in-one-place feature is much nicer than a solution of leaving the local channel access in a guide-less option by running the cable into the TV.
And if the problem here is the inability for Apple to strike deals with hundreds of independent station affiliates (because apparently only Eddy Cue can forge such deals at Apple
), an easy solution would be to copy the above: hook your antenna cable to a cable jack built into a new 
TV and simply weave the local channels into Apple's guide just like Dish and DirecTV does with the same.IMO, that seems much preferable to delaying until Eddy finds some time to give the hobby enough focus to strike deals with hundreds of independent stations around the country.
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Considering how many local TV stations there are in the US alone, thats a big issue to tackle. The Apple TV question has been an on/off again subject for a number of years now. Letting this info out might be one way to just delay it yet another year or two.
If they have not solved this yet, doing so by WWDC seems low odds. This leaves a few obvious choices:
1. Announce a new Apple TV that is just updated from the last
2. Announce a new Apple TV with HomeKit things
3. Announce a new Apple TV with HomeKit things and a toolkit for developer apps
4. Some combination of the above plus some TV subscription package
5. Do nothing with ATV for now
There is a likely limit of how many new things they will announce at WWDC. It always includes iOS. The other areas recently mentioned include:
1. Streaming music service
2. HomeKit things
3. ATV Update
4. iPhone update
5. Mac update
6. OS X update
7. Watch areas
8. Medical related things to ResearchKit
9. ???
3 or 4 of these would be a lot.
If they have not solved this yet, doing so by WWDC seems low odds. This leaves a few obvious choices:
1. Announce a new Apple TV that is just updated from the last
2. Announce a new Apple TV with HomeKit things
3. Announce a new Apple TV with HomeKit things and a toolkit for developer apps
4. Some combination of the above plus some TV subscription package
5. Do nothing with ATV for now
There is a likely limit of how many new things they will announce at WWDC. It always includes iOS. The other areas recently mentioned include:
1. Streaming music service
2. HomeKit things
3. ATV Update
4. iPhone update
5. Mac update
6. OS X update
7. Watch areas
8. Medical related things to ResearchKit
9. ???
3 or 4 of these would be a lot.
This is such a silly article.
Apple does not have to delay its streaming TV service at all.
Apple can simply reveal and deliver the streaming TV service it already has. Then it can tack on more TV stations as local stations become available.
Apple is already doing this by periodically updating the AppleTV device, adding more and more channels to it.
Apple does not have to delay its streaming TV service at all.
Apple can simply reveal and deliver the streaming TV service it already has. Then it can tack on more TV stations as local stations become available.
Apple is already doing this by periodically updating the AppleTV device, adding more and more channels to it.
Get local stations on Apple TV but no radio on the iPhone
Most radio stations are now available through an app....either the station's own app or through an aggregator like TuneIn. Just as Apple resisted putting a tuner in the iPhone, they should do the same with the AppleTV and force the broadcasters to streaming if they want to stay relevant. They may be resisting now, but they will be clamoring to get on board once they realize everyone is watching TV over the internet and not via Cable or Broadcast. When the audience goes elsewhere, they will be tripping over themselves to get on the internet.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Great. Mine has one too (and I bought it years ago). Now how do we merge those channels into some super new, cutting-edge (only Apple could make it) Guide in some impending new
TV? There's lots of
TV enthusiasts wanting the new one to be "one (set top) box to rule them all", slinging ideas of HDMI pass through as maybe another way to try to unify all sources of programming in one master UI.I generally get that- and can appreciate it. And I think if local channel deal-making is an obstacle to launch, bypass the deal-making by duplicating the Dish & DirecTV setup just described.
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Streaming video means compression. Over the air video tends to be far superior to any existing source of streaming. I realize we want to side with Apple in all things but one of the usual underlying drivers of that is to deliver a BETTER result for us consumers.
"Forcing" broadcasters into streaming is begging them to cut the quality of their signals (due to compression). I'm sure many local broadcasters would be happy to be able to turn off their relatively expensive OTA infrastructure if they could maintain their local market control over network content. It would be a way to cut their costs and likely further monetize something they currently deliver for free*.
In short, be careful what you wish for. OTA works when broadband is down. It is free* and much less compressed than any other source. Apple can't make money on it so that makes it bad. But if one can somehow look past that, it's pretty much a consumer win in just about every other way.
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I agree with most people here. Apple needs to forget about local OTA free programming. I didn't even think they were trying to include local programming.
Local programming is FREE. Why would any sane person PAY for local programming. That's what Comcast wants. They have asked the FTC to ban free OTA programming..
Apple need to get their new "hobby" box out there with packages that include stations one can only get through a cable subscription for a cheaper price.
Do that or get rid of Eddie Cue. Lest you be lost in the dust of more forward thinking companies.
Local programming is FREE. Why would any sane person PAY for local programming. That's what Comcast wants. They have asked the FTC to ban free OTA programming..
Apple need to get their new "hobby" box out there with packages that include stations one can only get through a cable subscription for a cheaper price.
Do that or get rid of Eddie Cue. Lest you be lost in the dust of more forward thinking companies.
If your end goal is to have OTA programming via AppleTV, you can actually do it today with Tablo. It will cost you $325-$425 to start, but it does the trick quite well. (Payback from cable/satellite = about 4 months.)
Let me start by saying that we do not watch much live TV at all (other than live sporting events on the major networks). So we don't use our Tablo for days or even weeks at a time.
But, we are now down to zero "boxes" other than AppleTVs at each TV. Here's our setup:
OTA antenna up in the attic, with the coax running down to the basement, connecting to the Tablo and a 1gb hard drive for recording. The Tablo then is directly connected via ethernet to the router.
That's it. We now have a whole-home DVR with accessibility from any device, in our outside of the home. We can view via computer, smartphone, tablet, etc. and get 22 channels for no cost (albeit, only 5-6 are of value).
We have 3 TVs, each with an AppleTV as the only box. 2 of the 3 AppleTVs are hard wired, 1 is wireless, and all work well with Tablo. I can start Tablo from a phone and AirPlay to any of the AppleTVs. Simple and effective. No input switching on the TV, and we can still use the initiating device while AirPlaying, so no need to have the initiating device solely playing Tablo.
What would really be slick is if Apple allowed native AppleTV/Tablo app so that AirPlaying would not be necessary. Both Roku and FireTV offer native Tablo apps (I have used Tablo via FireTV Stick and it works well, but has a very very slow interface).
Let me start by saying that we do not watch much live TV at all (other than live sporting events on the major networks). So we don't use our Tablo for days or even weeks at a time.
But, we are now down to zero "boxes" other than AppleTVs at each TV. Here's our setup:
OTA antenna up in the attic, with the coax running down to the basement, connecting to the Tablo and a 1gb hard drive for recording. The Tablo then is directly connected via ethernet to the router.
That's it. We now have a whole-home DVR with accessibility from any device, in our outside of the home. We can view via computer, smartphone, tablet, etc. and get 22 channels for no cost (albeit, only 5-6 are of value).
We have 3 TVs, each with an AppleTV as the only box. 2 of the 3 AppleTVs are hard wired, 1 is wireless, and all work well with Tablo. I can start Tablo from a phone and AirPlay to any of the AppleTVs. Simple and effective. No input switching on the TV, and we can still use the initiating device while AirPlaying, so no need to have the initiating device solely playing Tablo.
What would really be slick is if Apple allowed native AppleTV/Tablo app so that AirPlaying would not be necessary. Both Roku and FireTV offer native Tablo apps (I have used Tablo via FireTV Stick and it works well, but has a very very slow interface).
Over the Air
I think the reasoning behind the need to stream local channels are in the guide. If you have two different sources, one streaming - one over the air, the guide would then have to know how to switch to a different port, which is almost impossible to do and stay within the same GUI. If it was that easy, I promise that most cable companies would have done it years ago to bypass all of the local contracts.
You have to know that OTA and streaming would be two completely different sources on a box and either you have to pick one to go with to work within the GUI or you would really be inconveniencing a lot of customers who probably get frustrated and change back to what they had
I think the reasoning behind the need to stream local channels are in the guide. If you have two different sources, one streaming - one over the air, the guide would then have to know how to switch to a different port, which is almost impossible to do and stay within the same GUI. If it was that easy, I promise that most cable companies would have done it years ago to bypass all of the local contracts.
You have to know that OTA and streaming would be two completely different sources on a box and either you have to pick one to go with to work within the GUI or you would really be inconveniencing a lot of customers who probably get frustrated and change back to what they had
Logitech remotes have done that for quite some time now and they're universal and smart
Edit: As for the AppleTV, just PLEASE give me an App store and call it a day. I could care less about everything else. But then again, they should have done that YEARS ago. Dropped the ball, and now they're trying to make up for it and differentiate it from Roku and they run into this. Talk about opportunity missed.
Yeah, I have 2 rokus, they're like the poor mans apple TV, setting up to play my own videos on the network requires third party knuckle****ery, I have to add 500 apps only to find out they offer trailers, demos, and ads, and I have to deal with third party rental and purchase for digital media that is the same price as iTunes, which I dont' have to do any extra **** or download more apps to play on my portable devices. Yeah, Roku's the bomb...
A built-in tuner does not automatically require a DVR function (though that would certainly be nice). A built-in tuner would simply let local OAR channels appear in some kind of cutting-edge, new Apple UI guide with the rest of the Apple chosen channels.
For example, I have DISH network. The box that receives the satt signals also has a local channel tuner option. Hook that up and the local channels mix into the channel guide. That all-in-one-place feature is much nicer than a solution of leaving the local channel access in a guide-less option by running the cable into the TV.
And if the problem here is the inability for Apple to strike deals with hundreds of independent station affiliates (because apparently only Eddy Cue can forge such deals at Apple
IMO, that seems much preferable to delaying until Eddy finds some time to give the hobby enough focus to strike deals with hundreds of independent stations around the country.
Dish and direct tv had to go through negotiations to have rights to get local stations
as usual with these tech websites the article title is misleading, the apple tv box is not being delayed just the streaming service
Difficult challenge
I ran TV stations and a TV production company over four decades. Getting access to local TV copyrighted news, etc will be a challenge as you're dealing with hundreds of affiliated and independent stations throughout the country in over 200+ markets.
Too many players who are feeling squeezed and compromised. Yet after many years, DirecTV has done it.
I ran TV stations and a TV production company over four decades. Getting access to local TV copyrighted news, etc will be a challenge as you're dealing with hundreds of affiliated and independent stations throughout the country in over 200+ markets.
Too many players who are feeling squeezed and compromised. Yet after many years, DirecTV has done it.
Don't be fooled. DirecTV and Dish Network are the same as ( and costs as much ) as any Cable company.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Over the air locals or via Satt (no antenna required)?
And how long did it take? I recall being among the first to own a DirectV box and it came with the ability to plug in a cable from local channel antenna and mix the locals into the guide. That was about 1990 or so and they were a much, MUCH smaller company than Apple is today, with much less available cash to fuel content deal making.
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Dish and Directv have been able to mingle Satt-sourced and local OTA channels in a single guide from well back into the 1990s. It's not hard. I'm sure Apple could do it. What's hard is snowing users into believing they should pay a premium for free* TV. If they go the streaming route,"we" can spin "infrastructure requirements" in defense of Apple monetizing and profiting from the inclusion of free* TV... much like we rationalize 30% off the top of all app sales and -soon- with streaming radio.
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can you record the OTA shows with the Xbox hard drive? seriously curious... or broadcast over wifi the OTA signal (similar to Windows Media Center or Sling Box)?
The issue I have with setups like yours is the cost isn't much different than having a cable package on top of my internet. And that's on the cable companies, not you. Their internet only prices are too high because they have no competition in many locations.
I'm paying ~$110/month for a DVR (living room) and a standard HD box (bedroom) + cable package (all the channels we want & lots of crap) + 60 Mbps internet. If we did internet alone, it'd be about $65/month with tax. So, if we did internet alone, we'd still want SlingTV ($20) + $5 sports pack during college football season (cancel $5 pack after football season) + netflix and/or Hulu if we couldn't record OTA shows. $65 (internet) + $20 (sling) + $8 (hulu) = $93 / month (add Netflix and we'd be up to $100/month) for less channels and I'd have to buy an xbox one (or something similar to replace my living room DVR) plus figure out the best way to get the channels we like in our bedroom (we have an Apple TV and Fire TV stick , so one of those would work in the bedroom for sling tv but no OTA for local news, etc.).
At the end of the day, these a la carte packages aimed at cord cutters don't do a whole lot to lower monthly prices BECAUSE internet only is way too expensive in most locations. I think this problem needs to be solved first.
How about Apple worry about making Apple TV 4k like many other streaming devices and integrate Beats with iTunes Match because no one really watches cable anymore.
OTA tuners are not the answer. The whole point of Apple getting into the TV content business was to show a different way to watch tv. With an OTA tuner you are still stuck with the current way TV is offered. It is currently all based on ad spots. The shows you love come on at a certain time because networks want to charge a premium to advertisers.
What Apple wants is a total on demand type viewing experience. View new shows whenever you want. Not waiting for a certain day/time an/or using a dvr to time shift your show to fit your schedule.
Imagine a netflix type ability to see an entire season of a show while everyone else has to wait to see the same show over a longer period??