More TV Shows on the Way? FrontRow iMac Only.

[stealthboy]

Has anyone tried to get mythtv working on a mac yet.. www.mythtv.org
the screenshots are pretty nice... I have a tv and I also have a mac mini that I replaced with a 17inch powerbook... I am so tempted to use the mini in my stereo setup...

I use myth on my macs all the time. Only the front-end works, so you have to be connected to a Linux mythbackend server

 

[bketchum]

Apple, how about getting the shows onto other iTMS locations - the usa isn't the only country in the world. There have been no statements yet from Apple saying they are working other countries networks in order to get content onto iTMS. Hello BBC!??

The BBC is too stupid. They hosted the U.K. presentation, yet they did not sign up with Apple to market their shows. It would be a no-brainer to sell new *Doctor Who* through the iTunes Store here in the States - since no cable channel signed up to televise it - but did they? Nope! Why? Because they are stupid.

Too funny! The new Doctor Who show is good. It's getting good reviews in Canada. It's on CBC up here. I'd definitely buy the episodes I've missed. I want HBO on board, as I've missed all the Rome episodes, which I hear are amazing.

 

[digitalbiker]

January at MWSF06 - Meet the new Mac mini. Intel Merom, Front Row, Core Image, Wireless on every model, $699 model has 128MB VRAM, $599 model has SuperDrive.

Meet the new iBook. Intel Merom, 64MB VRAM on $999 model, SuperDrives across the board, 128MB VRAM and widescreen of $1299 model. Front Row.

Sounds good except Intel roadmap has Merom scheduled to debut 2nd half 2006 and since they are already having problems achieving dual core Yonah on schedule, I doubt that you will see merom in computers intil early 2007.

 

[Stella]

I hardly think its the BBCs fault that you can't log on to iTMS after upgrading to iTunes 6...

When it comes to Real, BBC also offer Microsoft Media. They have partnered up with Real for Live content for international users, and its expensive to change. This is why BBC still use Real.

I would love BBC using QuickTime, I'd buy a subscription today for its content. Unfortunately I don't think its going to happen. There is more of a market for Windows Media / Real.

Yes they are stupid they still use real player and are still doing a podcast trial wake up BBC. I just upgraded to itunes 6 and cant log on to the music store.

I'm waiting for Steve to introduce BACK ROW it's going to be a hell of a lot more interesting than front row .

 

[KREX725]

I also noticed that they did not say anything about additional shows in the announcement yesterday. Hopefully some good deals are going on as we speak. Curb Your Enthusiasm, other HBO, TLC. It could be the goods. We'll see exactly where this plan is going in the spring time, which is exactly why I won't buy until then.

I would love to see HBO and Showtime get on this. Sometimes it takes so long for their shows to make it to DVD. It would be nice to have an alternate way of seeing Sopranos without having to subscribe to HBO or wait a year for the season to be released on DVD.

 

[PlayUltimate]

Forget the fact that Front Row is only on the iMac right now. It's a first step. I think what were seeing is possibly a peek at Apple's version of TIVO. Either when they add it to the mini, and/or create a totally separate box, and/or release a video enabled AirPort Express, this will be how you're able to share the videos, pics, music, etc. on your Mac via your television (just like you can now use your stereo via AE to listen to the music on your Mac).

I agree with Jobs that the TV and PC will never merge into one device, but they definitely will interact (and I think this is Apple's first major step in that direction). Anyway, just my opinion. But that was my first thought while watching the event online, "I want this on my TV!"

I fully agree. The iMac is perfect for now, considering it has a built in monitor to view the downloaded media. An Airport Video Express (AVE) would be the next logical step to transmit material to your T.V. Now the cool thing would be to have Front Row communicate with an AVE

Re: the Mac Mini...to soon. Need to have internet access and hard wire to the T.V. Maybe eventually the Mini will work. A more elegant solution with be a wireless connection.

 

[urbanlung]

Of course its only on the iMac

Front row is the software end of a remote control interface so it would be completely pointless on a mac without such control. Of course it could be sold as a hardware software combination in the future but Itrhink all this bitching at this stage is a bit stupid or ill thought out.

 

[dashiel]

-No media center to allow those of us with HDTV to watch their content. Instead we are apparently intend to view "stuff" from a distance on a 20" iMac.

sure you can, just hook up the imac to your HDTV via the included s-video or composite video port.

-Only one video codec supported.

not true, quicktime supports loads of codecs. open up imovie and export something, you've got sorenson, mpeg4, h.264.

 

[dashiel]

They aren't business savvy. And thus I stand by my statement that the BBC is stupid. Or in British English speak, the BBC ARE stupid.

the bbc doesn't have to be business savvy, they're a publicly funded organization. they exist as a public service to the people of britain. i for one am glad they're not the money grubbing scum like cnn and fox news. they don't have to cater to the lowest common denominator for ratings, or throw dozens of ads on their website just to stay in business.

though by the conjectures you make in the rest of your post they obviously seem savvy enough. the price might be high, but obviously people are paying it. just because their business logic doesn't get you what you want doesn't mean they're stupid.

 

[Ord]

I just don't follow. It's lame that the new software that required a peice of hardware that your computer doesn't have? Then I guess it's lame that my Mac won't be able to record BluRay DVDs when the first new models come out that can.

I think the thing you don't follow is that while BluRay would be a NEW piece of hardware, an IR remote is old and not a very useful computer technology, hence the reason it was NEVER included previously on a Mac. This device should be BT or Radio.

 

[iMeowbot]

Apple, how about getting the shows onto other iTMS locations - the usa isn't the only country in the world.

You would need to take that complaint to Disney, its their call where availability happens.

They are the only studio who were given all the details of the service before the launch, but others will follow. Apple have already stated that others are on the way.

 

[csubear]

...So this might be a BT device and if so might work with the Mini hmm....

I was at the apple store last night, and I asked about the remote. I was told that the remote worked on BT.

 

[giveup]

If we think about Apple is hardware company, that we can understand why frontRow iMac only is to push iMac to sell. I dont think Apple couldnt make it runs other Macs. And it is very Apple like.
I hope this stupidity will end soon, as current customer like Mini owner will be pissed quite seriously.

 

[notjustjay]

I was at the apple store last night, and I asked about the remote. I was told that the remote worked on BT.

Sure looks like IR to me, with the smoked plastic panel at the front to cover the emitter...

 

[BGil]

2008 will bring us "First Seating" for Windows Vista 🙄

I don't get it. Media Center offered all this stuff plus TV recording in 2002.

 

[Skraemer123]

its IR from the remote description on the apple store

"Compatible with Apple products introduced in 2005 or later that have a built-in Infrared (IR) receiver."

 

[giveup]

the bbc doesn't have to be business savvy, they're a publicly funded organization. they exist as a public service to the people of britain. i for one am glad they're not the money grubbing scum like cnn and fox news. they don't have to cater to the lowest common denominator for ratings, or throw dozens of ads on their website just to stay in business.

though by the conjectures you make in the rest of your post they obviously seem savvy enough. the price might be high, but obviously people are paying it. just because their business logic doesn't get you what you want doesn't mean they're stupid.

I think paying £126 color TV license for watching TV is one of stupid thing i have ever met in that Country.

 

[hayesk]

I think paying £126 color TV license for watching TV is one of stupid thing i have ever met in that Country.

That's actually not a bad idea. It ensures we don't all get the same lowest common denominator crap that major commercial networks produce.

 

[HD Max]

Right so Front Row is only on the iMac AT THE MOMENT. But what about the future? WWDC 2005 as well as Intel PowerBooks and iMacs I want an Intel iTheatre which will basically be the same size as a standard DVD player, it'll be HD with DVI and HDMI outputs supporting upt o 1080p, It'll have an InstantOn feature whifch lets you get to Front Row without fully starting the system, and it'll be about the same as Front Row is now but with two satellite tuners compatible with UK Sky and TV features incliding an EPG and recording features using the second satellite tuner... It'll be £799 - £ 1299 sort of price range and I'll order mine on the day it's released.

 

[hyperpasta]

Sounds good except Intel roadmap has Merom scheduled to debut 2nd half 2006 and since they are already having problems achieving dual core Yonah on schedule, I doubt that you will see merom in computers intil early 2007.

Whoops my bad. I meant Yonah. Though I hadn't thought about dealys.

 

[Mr Maui]

I would love to see HBO and Showtime get on this. Sometimes it takes so long for their shows to make it to DVD. It would be nice to have an alternate way of seeing Sopranos without having to subscribe to HBO or wait a year for the season to be released on DVD.

I'd have a hard time watching "Rome" on an iPod. 😉

 

[kcmac]

iWork 06 debuts with Numbers,(1) Pages 2, and Keynote 3.

And it will be marketed as
iWork, Easy as 1,2,3! 😀

 

[Misplaced Mage]

its IR from the remote description on the apple store


"Compatible with Apple products introduced in 2005 or later that have a built-in Infrared (IR) receiver."

...which, in the case of the iMac, is probably the camera. Most CCD and CMOS imagers are actually rather sensitive to infrared, and digital cameras frequently (but not always) have an IR filter or coating somewhere in the optical stack to block it. By using the camera as an IR receiver, Apple further reduces the cost of the remote. Bluetooth is getting cheaper, but IR's been around for a long time now and the hardware's really cheap by comparison.

Try pointing and clicking your TV remote at a cell phone camera while the viewfinder's running sometime. I once couldn't figure out why the side of my PC laptop (at work) was flashing in the viewfinder. Turns out I had IrDA turned on, and I was seeing the IR LEDs polling for other devices.

 

[Lynxpro]

the bbc doesn't have to be business savvy, they're a publicly funded organization. they exist as a public service to the people of britain. i for one am glad they're not the money grubbing scum like cnn and fox news. they don't have to cater to the lowest common denominator for ratings, or throw dozens of ads on their website just to stay in business.

BBC WorldWide is separate from the public BBC. BBC WorldWide (BBCWW) has the goal of selling BBC product outside of the U.K. And since that's the goal, they are greedy just like all other corporations. The only difference is BBCWW is probably more incompetent than the average corporation, as shown in the evidence I provided in my post.

though by the conjectures you make in the rest of your post they obviously seem savvy enough. the price might be high, but obviously people are paying it. just because their business logic doesn't get you what you want doesn't mean they're stupid.

Savvy? You mean anti-savvy. Through their actions, one of their flagship products - Doctor Who - is not aired in the States, the largest commercial market for television product. All through the 80s, the BBC received a lot of money from PBS stations airing classic Doctor Who. But the BBC got too greedy and started pricing the show like it was on par with Star Trek and other expensive American programming despite the fact that WHO was a low-budget production in comparison. The BBC's actions bankrupted its own American distributor - Lionheart Television - and the BBC had to step in and buy it up to save face. When the BBC could not get the Doctor Who Fan Club of America to rubberstamp support for their own cheesy tour, the BBC decided to launch their own official fanclub which ultimately split the fanbase here in the States in the pre-internet days. They subsequently priced Doctor Who so high that PBS stations across the U.S. dropped the program because they could not afford it anymore. It had been the most popular non-American PBS program and then it disappeared due to the BBC's stupidity and bilking.

So following that up, the BBC could have galvanized their former fanbase by budgeting the classic Doctor Who series so PBS stations could again air it (instead of "Are You Being Served" televised for the bazillionth time) and the BBC could get free advertising for the new series and get some cable channels interested in the new series. But they didn't do that. So WHO gets almost 0 airing instead. That's not business savvy. That's stupidity.

Need more proof?

 

[digitalbiker]

I would love to see HBO and Showtime get on this. Sometimes it takes so long for their shows to make it to DVD. It would be nice to have an alternate way of seeing Sopranos without having to subscribe to HBO or wait a year for the season to be released on DVD.

It depends on HBO's contract deals with it's cable and satelite providers.

HBO owns the content but they have no way to deliver the content without striking a deal with the local cable and satelite companies.

In most cases these broadcasters have exclusive rights to this content in their area for some period of time. HBO may not be able to sell the content to another provider until that time period is up. So there will always be a delay but maybe not necessarily a year. Also HBO is in a better position to offer content to multiple providers in the same area because they most likely aren't bogged down by the legacy contracts like the network television stations are.