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New iPods - Video Support, TV Episodes, Music Videos

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bankshot said:
Yep. And it's insanely frustrating for those of us who do care about quality, and who remember the Apple that cared. Now it's all about style and popular functions over total quality. Adding a nonessential feature like video was all about maintaining popularity as compared to the competition. In my opinion, it wasn't about doing what's right to improve on the product and experience. Not that it's a bad thing, mind you, just superfluous. ;)

The iPod offers far and away the best overall music listening experience, which is exactly why it frustrates people like me so much when Apple skimps on one little aspect of quality (see sig). There's no viable alternative because all of them are so far behind in overall experience, and it's clear that Apple is willing to continue to skimp. The majority of the buying public doesn't care, so why should they? Such is life with a mass market product. :(
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Only solution at the moment is the buy the DVDs, and use handbrake to rip them to H.264 format before importing to iTunes. (I haven't tried this yet so I'm not sure if it's possible)
 
Now all I need is my Dual Dual Core Power Mac with PCI Express and DDR2 to encode all my 24, Firefly, Simpsons, South Park, and Family Guy Episodes to H264!!!!
 
autrefois said:
Doesn't look like Apple is listing the specs on their site anywhere (if macbidouille is right, then I can understand why since other people will be upset, too). So then you will have two advantages of buying a DVD over iTunes

• cheaper cost per episode
• DVD-quality

The advantage of buying through iTunes

• cheaper if you want only some episodes
• easier to get it onto your computer and/or iPod.
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Also, the DVD won't be out until after the season, while the iTunes version might be out a day or two later.
 
Anybody Notice????

The top controller port is gone, as another member mentioned. However...

Voice Recording is gone! I expected an upgrade to quality and integration, not an entire removal of the "extra(s)"!!! WTF!
 
Okay, frankly, from a college student's perspective (generalizing here), this is a HUGE thing.

My main argument: College students could care less about quality, the majority of them, they would prefer to have things they want now. They hate being restricted by time for the sheer fact they have a lot of stuff to do. Expanding on this, a student spends a lot of time in the library or in their dorms doing work. We tend to take breaks, and love taking breaks. Now, if this new iTunes & iPod translates into our being able to catch up on the latest episode of a favorite TV show while studying in the library or dorms, this is amazing. It seriously frees up time and gives everyone an easy, quick way to keep their lives in check without having to conform to a predetermined time.

The ability to keep time to yourself and not have to conform around someone else's is a massive, massive factor. These new developments are huge, particularly for college students. And guess what-there's the target market for selling new Macs.
 
mashinhead said:
yeah video content should be subscription based, why the f**k am i going to pay for a show that my DVR is recording for me to watch tonite again?
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Perhaps if you missed an episode or forgot to record it? Or perhaps you want to take it with you on the go?

Obviously if you're going to watch it on your DVR you don't have to download the same episode again on your ipod.
 
QuickTime 7.0.3 just became available via Software Upgrade! (10 minutes ago, 7.0.2 was the latest ,and that's what I installed.. grrr..)

No episodes of Lost on sale here (Ireland), which is a pity, as the other shows I'd have little interest in.

No Firewire means no video iPod for me either, though the new iMacs look very, very tempting so perhaps USB2 here we come.
 
ipoddin said:
Perhaps if you missed an episode or forgot to record it? Or perhaps you want to take it with you on the go?

Obviously if you're going to watch it on your DVR you don't have to download the same episode again on your ipod.
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Exactly. I've missed the first few episodes of West Wing this year, caught sunday's, but I'd love to be able to see the first few without having to: 1) put money out on a DVR, 2) get crappy illegal videos, 3) waiting to buy the season, and 4) dishing out $40 so i can see 3 episodes.
 
agreenster said:
If you care so much about quality, encode it yourself! Why is that so hard? If you care, you'll take the time to do it, thus defining how much you care!
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I did a double-blind listening test with several diverse selections from my music library. I found the bitrate where I couldn't tell the difference between source and encoded, and I use that for everything I import. No complaints there. Quality is absolutely superb.

My quality issue is not with encoding, and it cannot be fixed adequately without a software update from Apple. Nothing I can do, except try to convince other people to join me in giving Apple feedback about it. Maybe if enough people let them know, they'll pay attention.

Sorry you felt the need to get upset. :)
 
Don't know if anyone saw this

After updating Quicktime, in Quicktime Pro, if you do an Export, you get

Movie to iPod (320x240)

as an export option
 
Well, alas, no iPod for me then...

Darn! Awfully great iPod update, but it's not for me. I'm one of those many, many people that has a Mac with both FireWire and USB, but alas that's only USB1.1 and not USB2.0. Very lame to not put FireWire on this new iPod. It looks great. I want the black 60GB one, but I can't connect it to my iMac. Well, I can connect it, of course, but the connection will be painfully slow.

This is lame from Apple. And a bummer for me.

I have a duo-cable (both USB and FireWire) and hopefully this iPod works with FireWire even though Apple doesn't mention it as a feature or even a possibility. Here's to hoping while knowing better...
 
Why buy?

mashinhead said:
yeah video content should be subscription based, why the f**k am i going to pay for a show that my DVR is recording for me to watch tonite again? THis is like sony with their UMD Discs, "Yes now you can pay for the same movie you just bought on dvd on umd.!" yea right. sign me up.
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You may not want to buy an epidode, but somone without a DVR who just missed an episode of their favorite show sure would. And, if you ever leave your house, you may not have access to your DVR. Think about it a little more.
 
Macrumors said:


Apple finally did release a new iPod capable of playing videos. (press release). The new iPod supports MPEG4 and h.264 video formats and features a slightly wide screen design to accommodate the video playback.

30GB. $299
60GB. $399

2.5 inch screen
320x240
260,000 colors
MPEG4, h.264 Video Support
Video Out to TV
Holds over 150 hrs of video

Alongside the new iPod is iTunes 6 - which updates many features in the iTunes Music Store and also adds video sales. Apple is offering over 2000 music videos for sale ($1.99 each) and has partnered with television studios to be able to offer online TV Episode sales.

The press release also details over 2000 Music Videos, Pixar Short Films and hit TV shows available through iTunes. Videos are $1.99 a piece. Past and current episodes are available of popular shows including Lost and Desperate Housewives.

Pixar shorts: Boundin', Geri's Game, Luxo Jr. and more are available as well.

Download: iTunes 6 - Available now.
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The BBC were right (I read it in the Gold Coast Bulletin). Where's MTV or Nick (number 1 kids channel-has Turbonick but no downloads of episodes) TV shows?
 
phishndave said:
-It says on the website that it comes with a" Dock adapter for use with Universal Dock"...what the crap is that?
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What's the harm in it? It means you buy ONE Dock and it will work with ALL your (current generation) iPods--that's what the little adapter is for that comes with nanos and the new iPods. Third parties can use it too. It's a great convenience all around.

AND the new universal dock has a receiver for the Apple/iMac remote!

I agree that no FW is a shame, but it added cost and had near zero demand. Such is life.

(Does anyone have confirmation from Apple that the videos/TV shows download at 320x240? I know that's the size on the iPod, but I'm skeptical that they would be that size on the computer. iTunes videos were always bigger than that when they were free.)

BTW, regardless of quality, a way to pay and see a show I missed (occasionally) is a VERY nice option that I hope grows. For some shows, missing an episode is a real shame.
 
DellIntosh said:
The top controller port is gone, as another member mentioned. However...

Voice Recording is gone! I expected an upgrade to quality and integration, not an entire removal of the "extra(s)"!!! WTF!
Click to expand...
No it hasn't. Have a look at the bottom of the specs page
 
ccrandall77 said:
Watch, I'll go get one anyway.

Here's what bites about it. It's not the smallish screen (that they could've made bigger if played on it's side). It's the A/V out options. I have a HD-ready Aquos. S-Video and composite looks like CRAP on it. I was hoping it'd have HDMI or DVI-out. The video doesn't have to be HD, but if it's at least at 480i quality (like a DVD), it'd look nice on my set... but not if it's going through the old S-Vid/composite ports.

Another thing I personally think is dumb is the pricing on TV shows. First of all, I can get them for free via EyeTV. Second, $1.99 is WAY too much per episode. That's $52 for a full season... might as well wait for the DVDs to come out. And besides... doesn't everyone have a DVR now anyway?? If not, just get EyeTV-200 (in the US) and export it to a format that's iPod-friendly. It'll pay for itself quickly if the other alternative is $2/show downloads.

Hopefully the MoviePlayer for iPod from Nyko will be able to do component, DVI, or HDMI out. If it does, I think I'll just get an old 40GB iPod and the MoviePlayer.
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I'm in the same boat. I do not want to watch on a 20" iMac from the sofa. I want to watch from a 37" or 45" Hi Def TV. Give me the iMac sans monitor, bigger than the mini for $999 to make a home theater pc.

At least update the pro line someday.
 
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