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Remember the global cartel of media companies hold Apple/MSFT/Google by the short & curly's on this one. The best that they can do is like what Apple TV does, XBox IP TV interface and Google TV - provide a rich interface to the content instead the usual nasty menus and cable-provided remote control. Unless Apple just goes out and buys Comcast which I don't think the antitrust authorities will allow.
 
I just have a gut feeling that there's gonna be a silent update for the AppleTV 3 sometime over the next couple of weeks.

Of course I'm known for being wrong. ;)

They'll be a silent update, but it'll be a software update with new menus and features for the Apple TV 2.

Apparently, there's a pecking order for A5 processors (iPad->iPhone->iPod touch->Apple TV).
 
after i bought a new 1080p tv two months ago i was thinking about waiting for the next apple-tv. but for 100 bucks it just makes no sense to wait. :) i bought it. only flaw: 720p. having 1080p finally i got so spoiled. :) oh and the price for some of the movies is way to hight.

so here is my wish list for the apple-tv3:

- nfl-football!!
- 1080p!
- cheaper content
- ability to store or access a "home-cloud" for the content, so i dont have to fire up my macbook if i wanna see my fotos or movies. hook up an external drive to the apple tv or let it access a drive connected to my router.
- apps and games

and here is my wish list for apple-tv4: :)

- 1080p facetime with the ability to connect a hd webcam sitting on top of my tv set.
- make the apple-tv the hub for the home computer, home cloud and home automation and connect everything
- siri! just rename it hal or computer and live in your personal uss enterprise. :)

me in 2018. i come home.
"hal, its pretty cold in here. make it a little bit warmer. and i want some foo-fighters songs for the living room"
"sure. how about the skins and bones album? thats your favourite. and how is the volume?"
"perfect. now call my wife in one minute. facetime on the big tv please."
"of course, dave. by the way, itunes has the new quentin tarantino movie. would you like to buy it since you seem to like his movies?"
"now thats a good idea! and please remind me when a new red hot chilli peppers album is out as well."
"ok dave."
"now dim the lights 10% please and start the facetime call"
 
Why do people think 720P sucks?

I don't think people feel that way. 720p is great.

But, some- maybe now it's a lot of us- have TVs that can handle 1080p: about 2 million pixels instead of 921K. Some of us would just like that extra quality taken advantage of with this little box.

I have a quad core Mac. I'm glad that some of the programs I use have been upgraded to take advantage of all 4 cores. Those that haven't upgraded do not suck. But it's nice to evolve with the hardware standards of the day.

People are buying iPhone 4S though the "4" and the "3" can still cover the fundamental functions of phone... and apps... etc. The "4" & "3" do not suck either.

720p is much better than DVD. DVD was a big step up from VHS. Now we have displays capable of 1080p. We have lots of sources capable of serving up 1080HD content (camcorders, cameras that shoot 1080p video, BD collection rips, some VOD, Vudu.com, etc.). Those hungry for this little box to be upgraded to 1080p just want to max out what they got. Personally, I've had 1080HDTVs for about 8 years, 1080p for the last 3. I'd like to finally (easily) watch some home movies shot at higher resolutions than 720p on the set without downconversion. iMovie edited them. iTunes holds them and plays them just fine. I just need this link in the chain upgraded to push them from iTunes to the 1080p HDTV native.
 
...I'd also like to see them actually support the USB port on the device. Both as a place to buffer or store iTunes via a disk drive and as a conventional USB port to support apps with I/O. AppleTV is in many ways a computer as such it dwarves it's I/O...
I don't believe that can be done on the current Apple TV, the USB plug gender/type and placement/spacing of the ports doesn't allow it, probably for a reason (the content providers don't want it -- they want every possible barrier against piracy -- and Apple doesn't want to be bothered with trying to support even this most basic form of third-party peripheral).

In any case, with the current Apple TV I don't think that it is even physically possible -- have you ever actually tried to plug both an HDMI and USB cable into the Apple TV at the SAME TIME? I don't think the spacing between the ports will allow that. You can only attach one of the other, not both at the same time. It might be possible to create some type of custom pigtail that would carry both HDMI and USB with the same plug but I suspect that the chances of anyone producing for sale any such connector are slim and none.

As for the bigger question -- I don't think we will see a new Apple TV before the end of this year (i.e. not before Christmas, perhaps not even for another year).
 
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Just bought one, in honor of Jobs.

I got it for my Aperture photos and iTunes, often simultaneously which is cool.

Lots of effects and slideshow options.

Was surprise to see how slow downloads are and how expensive it is to buy a series like Deadwood. Costs over $100 and would probably take two days to download...

I can't see replacing DirecTV with this.

A good purchase for me.
 
My ATV3 wish list

• 1080p
• App Store
• Network connection to an external drives with all my media library (no iTunes/Mac on at all times)

That's it!
 
We are older parents and Apple TV is essential in our house. I have a server with rapidly shrinking drive space because of the amount of TV and movies we have acquired. We do not subscribe to cable or satellite and haven't for over a year. Our tv viewing is exclusively ATV2 with netflix and youtube on the side. No hobby here.

Only problem is the remote. We now have to be about a foot in front of the unit in order for it to work. Kind of annoying.

The solution to that problem: Apple TV compatible with the magic trackpad and apple keyboard.
I mean google tv can browse the internet, youtube, it's basically a computer. Why not do the same with apple TV?
 
Not to mention that from the correct viewing distance the human eye cannot differentiate between 720 and 1080.

Apple have only just released the new Apple TV in a bunch of new countries, a hardware update is a long way off.

Not sure that precludes an update. I thought the delay had more to o with content licensing.

Why would you let facts get in the way of a good old fashioned "I hate Apple" rant?

:)
 
Great so they announce this right when I get my apple tv in the mail! haha

love it so far tho, gonna take a while to convert all my videos however
 
AppleTV is very poor for changing between Audio Tracks, adding subtitles, most subtitles formats not supported, no DTS, no AAC 5.1, no Avi, no Mkv, and the UI is horrible especially for TV shows.

All people end up doing is fighting this device.

Why would anyone want this device.
 
iOS for AppleTV more like iOS UI

I want to be able to access my most used functions (apps) faster, rather than having to drill through menus just to watch a Podcast or see my own movies. We need an iOS like UI to do so. Make each function an app, and allow press and hold to jiggle the icons and reorder/hide them.

Like this...

appletvapps.png


...Pretty please :)
 
Apple TV with the A5 would be awesome. Damn, was hoping for it in a fall event with the iPods but I guess we'll have to wait a little while more. At least we know its in the works..

Agreed, I've been reluctant to buy an Apple TV because I was sure there would be a refresh at the iPhone event. After this news, I'm still undecided.
 
A5
App Store
8 Gigs RAM for some local content
Bluetooth for wireless gaming controllers
USB for external hard drives, optical drives, webcams, game controllers, etc.

$99 for Apple's Gaming/Media Console :eek:

I feel "tingly" all over... ;)
 
A5
App Store
8 Gigs RAM for some local content
Bluetooth for wireless gaming controllers
USB for external hard drives, optical drives, webcams, game controllers, etc.

$99 for Apple's Gaming/Media Console :eek:

I feel "tingly" all over... ;)

iPhones as the game controller would be SIIICK!
 
Well I won't put that limitation upon myself. However I think you are missing the point, AppleTV is basically a micro computer. As such it can do many things, some of which it's size makes it ideal for. <snip>
As PC [Mbp etc] are microcomputers, perhaps we should call ATV et al picocomputers. :D
 
A XBMC like interface for LAN streaming would be great.
An iTunes match for video would be even better.

I would settle for a la cart TV.
 
My ATV3 wish list

• 1080p
• App Store
• Network connection to an external drives with all my media library (no iTunes/Mac on at all times)

That's it!

+1 x 1,000
They really need to resolve that big problem for it to be a finished product. It's still a "beta" device until then. The A5, 1080p and app store would just be icing on the cake.
 
If I was running this show at Apple, I'd launch this thing ASAP. With the few issues/shortcomings fixed in a "third time is the charm" update, I suspect it would be a massively hot seller for the holiday season. I'd buy a bunch of them as gifts for friends (and finally update my own too).

I think this "hobby" could be huge for Apple if they would just get on with finishing the evolution so that it fully competes with the max video & audio playback specs of BD and incorporates a few of the bigger wishes that remain unfulfilled in the current version.

I think that's the issue. I'm sure the TV industry knows that if something like AppleTV ended up everywhere, there's a huge chance that Apple will start flexing for a la carte programming, and then the major cable operators would be in serious trouble. They probably have a set of deals in place just to prevent this, and Apple will swoop down when the contracts start to break, which would be a great use of that huge horde of money they have but aren't spending.
 
My wishlist for Apple TV3.

1. increased file format / codec support
2. local playback via usb port
3. additional channels such as Hulu Plus, Amazon, HBO Go
 
My wishlist for Apple TV3.
1. increased file format / codec support

I wonder if that's something Apple wants to do. It's something extra they have to work to get right if promised ann reality almost every time a "codec support" is mentioned, it's for the ripped MKVs and AVIs floating on the internet, and Apple hasn't shown much interest in their devices to support that market.
 
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