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Digital Media Device?

Beyond the Apple apps, what if something like the Playstation 2, Gamecube or that other game box could wirelessly connect to your TV to another room.
Click to expand...

Errrr ever heard about this?

http://www.broadq.com/

It's a legit divx player for the PS2, using your Mac or PC as a video server. You can stream the videos over ethernet or even over WiFi.

If that's what Apple is going to announce tomorrow, not only this won't be innovative, but it also won't be cheaper (at least if you already have a PS2, that is ;¬)
 
Thanks. Didn't know that existed. However, it is not what I am talking about...I don't think.

Would like to stream DVD's, games to the TV from the computer or the game box. Don't use DivX. Want to use what is readily available and easy to buy/rent. Is there such a thing?
 
I only read most of the first page of this thread, so my apologies if my idea has already been talked about.

My idea for a perfect digital hub device would be an Apple universal remote control. Now i know that idea sounds pretty sucky right now, but hear me out. With the use of rendevous and airport tech, you could connect every entertainment device in your entire home to a little tablet about the size of a PDA. You could control your computer, your tv, your stereo, etc. with it all at once. Now what else would connect the pieces of your digital life better than that?

Think about it. you could stream tv show from your tv to your computer with your little tablet. If it was a concert, you could convert the format the TV show file is in to something your stereo could read and play it from there, or you could just burn it on your computer...there are so many possibilities
 
Biggles,

I'm right with you on that idea - I tried to describe it on page 2 of the thread but your description is more concise.

I've been dreaming of a device like that for months.
 
I can't believe that No one here wants a device that would play movies. I know that I can't convince you that you want one (Only Steve can do that :D ), but I think you guys are missing the point. Would this be meant for watching an entire movie? No, laptops are for that. I've always wanted something like this so that I could show my friends how a movie I've been editing is going WITHOUT A COMPUTER. This would rock.

Some Hot Chick:"So P-Worm, how is the movie/editing/special effects coming?"

Me:"Why don't you see for yourself" <Pulls out new iPod>

Some Hot Chick:"Wow, that is so cool and sexy! I wish I was you! Can I make out with you?"

Now we all no that this is EXACTLY how it would turn out right?

P-Worm
 
Re: this is it

Originally posted by julzmon
Logic tells me that it will be this device....
A box with firewire, airport. You will be able to hook it up to TV and Stereo to play music and video from your computer off the airport. and be able to hook up your camera through firewire.

I think this is it
Click to expand...

My PowerBook does all that... and more already!
 
Newton lives!

Has anyone considered the possibility that we're looking at an iNewton, here?

The Newton truthfully was tablet meets PDA, unfortunately it was marketed as a PDA, and wasn't advanced enough to even be considered a tablet. (Although the OS was great)

We could just be looking at the next incarnation of the Newton.
Think about the possbilities:
1. Firewire (maybe even a backwards-compatable Firewire 2)
2. 802.11g
3. Bluetooth
4. Inkwell (although Newton 2.0's handwriting system was pretty darn good)
5. Full color screen
6. Big HD
7. Long battery life (prolonged by...)
8. Fast processor with low battery consumption (it could be a new G3)
9. And who knows what else.

This would be a totally wireless device, that could easily connect to your Mac via Firewire for large data transfers (or people who don't have bluetooth).
What's better, is that everything there is also PC compatable, making it a product capable of introducing Wintel users to Apple, and hopefully getting them to switch.

All it needs now is a name like "Newton3" or "iNewt," although the latter sounds like an amphibian. :p
 
Re: Newton lives!

Originally posted by pyrotoaster
Has anyone considered the possibility that we're looking at an iNewton, here?

The Newton truthfully was tablet meets PDA, unfortunately it was marketed as a PDA, and wasn't advanced enough to even be considered a tablet. (Although the OS was great)

We could just be looking at the next incarnation of the Newton.
Think about the possbilities:
1. Firewire (maybe even a backwards-compatable Firewire 2)
2. 802.11g
3. Bluetooth
4. Inkwell (although Newton 2.0's handwriting system was pretty darn good)
5. Full color screen
6. Big HD
7. Long battery life (prolonged by...)
8. Fast processor with low battery consumption (it could be a new G3)
9. And who knows what else.

This would be a totally wireless device, that could easily connect to your Mac via Firewire for large data transfers (or people who don't have bluetooth).
What's better, is that everything there is also PC compatable, making it a product capable of introducing Wintel users to Apple, and hopefully getting them to switch.

All it needs now is a name like "Newton3" or "iNewt," although the latter sounds like an amphibian. :p
Click to expand...


I would have to say that this is pretty much exactly what I am hoping for tomorrow. Even better would be an iNewton, iTablet, whatever that is the size of a 12" iBook, but the screen is a detachable tablet (not that I think it will happen).

I agree that a video iPod would have some uses, but overall, I think putting a video screen on the iPod would be worthless for most users, and like someone else mentioned, it would just be a cool factor that wouldn't sell well.

I personally don't understand why some people don't see how an iTablet (if reasonably light with a decent screen) could be useful. To me, the tablet PC is the evolution of the notebook, and once they get a little more lighter and thinner, are outfitted with bluetooth and WiFi, have a screen the size of a regular notebook, and are priced right (imo $1000-$1500) - they should fly.

If apple releases such a product, I think they will really be ahead of the game, because the current MS Tablet PC offerings are not that attractive yet.
 
Re: Newton Lives!

I agree that this would be a very cool device. i wonder how much it would cost though.

One thing I wish everyone would remember though is that bluetooth absolutely sucks for file transer. It is great for syncing PIM info, and is perfect for controlling lings like a phone headset, but as far as streaming audio from your computer to your PowerPod, Airport is a much better solution and a feasible one if you ask me. Bluetooth is pretty slow and pretty unreliable. I've had no problem syncing with my T68i, but have i been able to get contact pictures from my computer to my phone? the answer is no.

Anyway, whatever they come out with tomorrow if I can use it to listen to music and do other things on it I am buying. Otherwise I'm getting a 10 gig iPod because IMHO it is damn near perfect (recording and radio would be nice additiond).
 
The price is right?

Originally posted by sprescott1974

I agree that this would be a very cool device. i wonder how much it would cost though.
Click to expand...

That's what it comes down to, isn't it...

Price for a device like this would be tricky and crucial, but it obviously would need a minimum of $300 between it and the cheapest iBook.
Perhaps a pricing tier, based on either HD, RAM, Processor speed, or all of the above, would be practical.
Remember, this iNewton isn't a large device, it can't be priced too close to the iBook, because it's not meant to compete with it.
 
iHub?

Judging from the news.com story, the "digital hub" (iHub?) device sounds a lot like the Tivo-style device predicted on the MacOSRumors site.

So if it is a digital hub (low-profile brushed-metal casing, maybe?) of some sort that connects your Mac/ipod/digital camera to your TV/cable box/DVD player/stereo system via the new, faster Airport and firewire(2?), it would allow you to record from TV to your hard drive, probably with MPEG-4 compression. It would allow you to connect your stereo system to your computer or ipod, and transfer multimedia files back and forth at high speed. It might also feature, in partnership with film distribution companies and a high-speed Internet connection, a video-on-demand service (similar to the audio books arrangement that iTunes features).

Add a Newton-like remote control device with Inkwell handwriting recognition, which acts as a wireless terminal connected to the whole A/V network via Airport, and you'd have a pretty nifty killer app. Especially if the Newton-like thing has a high-rez color display that enables you to access and manipulate all your computer files, applications and the Internet from anywhere in inside the range of your Airport network.

Or maybe it'll just be a crappy mobile phone.
 
MOSR is full of BS, people.

Do you really think Apple is going to release a brushed metal TiVo box?!
It makes the iPhone seem plausible (my personal opinion, of course). :rolleyes:
 
Re: Re: Re: Sounds cool...but...

Originally posted by Frobozz


Well, NTSC video is 768 x 480, which includes overscan (the areas on the top, bottom, left and right that are considered not-safe for vital information). The interface may be uninterlaced at 320 x 200 (half of the 640 x 400 safe area when interlaced), but when it's over a video signal it is composited on top of a 768 x 480. That's when you can see flicker, etc.
Click to expand...

I believe it is 720x486 NTSC, 720x480 NTSC DV, while PAL runs about 500 something vertically (I can't remember the PAL specs off the top of my head since I'm always working NTSC).
You're missing the point of interlacing and doing a bit of fuzzy math in the process. On an interlaced picture the two fields are essentialy displayed at the same time due to the amount of time the phosphors in the tube stay active.
 
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