No Apple TV Refresh at Next Week's Media Event?

[xxBURT0Nxx]

That's fair, is not much for a consumer level machine.
But the point is, many people do not want to have their machines on at all times in order to stream content to AppleTV. Also, lot's of folks have laptops and if they leave the house, the folks who stay there are out of the luck if they want to access that content. That's why I believe Apple needs to come up with a solution to unchain AppleTV from the computer. Either by adding external support for drives or by creating a iTunes server working seamless with AEBS/time capsule.

External support would help, but for people who want their media in more than 1 room (which is probably most of the people out there- most people want it in the living room, bedroom, kids rooms, etc) it really doesn't solve any problems. The server option would be nice, but I can't see apple doing that without increasing the cost of the ATV. Essentially what you want is a mac mini without an optical drive, which would really cost a lot more than the ATV does. Perhaps you should think about buying an older mac, maybe a mini or an older imac, then hooking up an external hdd to it and using that as your media server. You could set it to sleep at all times, wake when you needed it on. You can also hack your ATV to allow external hdd support.

I'll just give someone else my money then.

you mean you can buy products that aren't made by and they might work better?

hmmm...

 

[Xibalba]

Good, because honestly, who is dumb enough to even pay for a 40GB hard-drive these days?

really, interesting, who is actually ignorant enough to think that you need much hard drive space on a media extender product.

as many have said before, i use my 4TB windows home server to store and stream all of my digital content and use the ATV hard drive only when renting movies from iTunes...and i guess also for my pictures for slide shows to use my TVs as digital picture frames around my home...

 

[williedigital]

No Sense

Per the "40 GB hard drives are hard to find", aren't pentium M's and whatever archaic graphic card this this uses hard to find as well?

 

[zedsdead]

Per the "40 GB hard drives are hard to find", aren't pentium M's and whatever archaic graphic card this this uses hard to find as well?

I don't get that either. I thought intel and NVIDIA would have forced Apple to upgrade by not selling the chips anymore. They really are old, not to mention a 40 gb hard drive...didn't think you could buy those anymore.

 

[FF_productions]

Apple TV has remained the same minus a couple software updates since it's introduction in 2006, come on Apple, at least a speed boost or something???

 

[gugy]

Perhaps you should think about buying an older mac, maybe a mini or an older imac,
hmmm...

Yes, I could but that would be just too overkill for what I want. Just a simple and elegant solution. Also my family (wife, specially) is tech averse. So the easier the set up and experience the better.
I don't think I am asking much. Just a way to have TV to hold more media without having to be attach to computer at all times in order to watch media content.

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

Yes, I could but that would be just too overkill for what I want. Just a simple and elegant solution. Also my family (wife, specially) is tech averse. So the easier the set up and experience the better.
I don't think I am asking much. Just a way to have TV to hold more media without having to be attach to computer at all times in order to watch media content.

I get what you are saying, for you you only want to stream to one tv, so you just want a bigger hdd in your ATV. Have you thought about hacking your ATV (does NOT void warranty) and then hooking up an external? Check out that other product I linked to as well. You can throw in your own hdd, so you could easily add a 1 or 2tb drive if you wanted.

 

[adbe]

The server option would be nice, but I can't see apple doing that without increasing the cost of the ATV.

Sure they can, because the cost will be on the AEBS.

Bump the price of the AEBS by around $50, and ship it with a built in, stripped down iTunes server. Include the extra hardware for free in the TimeCapsule, but don't play up the feature so much to avoid product confusion.

User takes home AEBS and adds hard drive/Drobo. User turns on AEBS. User opens iTunes 9 on a Mac or PC. iTunes offers to transfer all local media to AEBS, optionally removing local copies. User says yes. Time passes. All Apple devices in house now sharing one library.

User didn't purchase a $600 Mini to power a $300 ATV. User didn't need to understand networking, or drive shares. User can no cheerfully take his laptop to work, knowing his wife can still access music/photos/video on their ATV(s) / Airport Expresses..

Low hassle, low cost, and green. It's so Apple, it stands to reason they aren't doing it.

 

[adbe]

Now the alternative to a DVR is to offer an a la carte - on demand subscription service for TV shows

I think I might have mentioned the feebleness of the ecosystem. Apple need to get it together here.

 

[gugy]

Sure they can, because the cost will be on the AEBS.

Bump the price of the AEBS by around $50, and ship it with a built in, stripped down iTunes server. Include the extra hardware for free in the TimeCapsule, but don't play up the feature so much to avoid product confusion.

User takes home AEBS and adds hard drive/Drobo. User turns on AEBS. User opens iTunes 9 on a Mac or PC. iTunes offers to transfer all local media to AEBS, optionally removing local copies. User says yes. Time passes. All Apple devices in house now sharing one library.

User didn't purchase a $600 Mini to power a $300 ATV. User didn't need to understand networking, or drive shares. User can no cheerfully take his laptop to work, knowing his wife can still access music/photos/video on their ATV(s) / Airport Expresses..

Low hassle, low cost, and green. It's so Apple, it stands to reason they aren't doing it.

sounds like a good plan to me. I really hope Apple is working on a solution for this. It makes completely sense.
I currently have AEBS and I would only need to buy the external drives, hook up and maybe buy iTunes server software and voila, everything is done.

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

Sure they can, because the cost will be on the AEBS.

Bump the price of the AEBS by around $50, and ship it with a built in, stripped down iTunes server. Include the extra hardware for free in the TimeCapsule, but don't play up the feature so much to avoid product confusion.

User takes home AEBS and adds hard drive/Drobo. User turns on AEBS. User opens iTunes 9 on a Mac or PC. iTunes offers to transfer all local media to AEBS, optionally removing local copies. User says yes. Time passes. All Apple devices in house now sharing one library.

User didn't purchase a $600 Mini to power a $300 ATV. User didn't need to understand networking, or drive shares. User can no cheerfully take his laptop to work, knowing his wife can still access music/photos/video on their ATV(s) / Airport Expresses..

Low hassle, low cost, and green. It's so Apple, it stands to reason they aren't doing it.

well you could already do this if you wanted, it's just going to take some work, but if you are semi computer savvy you could probably figure it out using google. Your AEBS can already be hooked up to an external drive, then use patchstick on your ATV, and nitotv to mount the drive and you should be good to go

 

[3247]

yeah, wouldn't want a new apple tv that could actually act as the media hub apple has always promoted . . .

physical drive to play dvd/blu ray
surf internet
play video games
while at the same time able to download video content and stream music and pictures from other computers.

This one's called Mac mini…

with an Atom CPU, a bit of tweaking, etc., it might even make the ATV's price point.

 

[adbe]

well you could already do this if you wanted, it's just going to take some work, but if you are semi computer savvy you could probably figure it out using google. Your AEBS can already be hooked up to an external drive, then use patchstick on your ATV, and nitotv to mount the drive and you should be good to go

I'll pass that good advice on to my mother.

Part of the point of having an integrated server is also to have metadata, and play position effortlessly keep in sync. If I start watching a movie on one AppleTV but finish on another, I want the second to know where I left off.

The only way all of this works, and works in a way that consumers will understand is if there is a single iTunes install. The question here is where that iTunes should be. You say a Mac Mini, I say the AEBS.

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

I'll pass that good advice on to my mother.

Part of the point of having an integrated server is also to have metadata, and play position effortlessly keep in sync. If I start watching a movie on one AppleTV but finish on another, I want the second to know where I left off.

The only way all of this works, and works in a way that consumers will understand is if there is a single iTunes install. The question here is where that iTunes should be. You say a Mac Mini, I say the AEBS.

i understand what you are saying, but you have to realize that apple is not really always about what consumers want, it's about what they want. Apple wants you to stream media, they don't want you to store it on multiple machines. It might not make sense for everyone, or people who only want to stream to one tv, but lets be honest, 90% of people who want to get the movies from their pc to their tv probably want it on multiple tvs. Streaming makes that much simpler. Now whether you think it would be worth it to invest in an older used mac mini, or an older lamp imac, that's you opinion. Just know that there are a lot of solutions out there to do what you want, and they aren't really all that costly.

 

[kiranmk2]

Streaming to multiple sources would be helped if Apple enabled an airtunes-like feature for videos. Thus, if they open up the USB port, one ATV with a big drive could feed multiple others - and before people start asking about bandwidth there's a video somewhere of a mini streaming video to six other devices.

The server option is much better as it could allow all video, music and photos to be stored (and backup up) from one device and then all the computers, iphones/ipods and ATVs could sync while each user retains their own ratings/playlists/playcount etc. Could be a killer feature of iPhoto X - have all your family's pictures on one server and feed multiple computers.

Both these could be done on the current ATV hardware, but the external usb disk is very un-apple like in visuals and both options don't solve the lack of 720p30 and above.

 

[k2k koos]

Could it be the Beatles finally?

There is a Beatles week here on TV starting next week in the UK with the BBC, and since Apple's theme is only Rock and Roll, could their catalog finally be available on iTunes???

 

[corinhorn]

There is a Beatles week here on TV starting next week in the UK with the BBC, and since Apple's theme is only Rock and Roll, could their catalog finally be available on iTunes???

It's possible, but I won't get excited until it happens

 

[JAT]

I don't know *anyone* other than 20 year old geeks who leave PCs turned on all the time. Hell most Windows users don't even sleep their machines, they just shut them off entirely.

Every Windows computer I see in houses is on a screen saver if not in active use. EVERY. COMPUTER. I have friends, family, I see them at complete strangers' houses when working my job as a courier. Interestingly, every Apple computer I see is in a sleep mode. Either way, NOT turned off. Hell, most these people can't even remember that they have to find "Shut Down" to mean "Off".

Do you not know anyone other than 20 year old geeks?

(wait, that's wrong....I do know one Mac that is always on screen saver)

 

[wysinawyg]

Apple TV has remained the same minus a couple software updates since it's introduction in 2006, come on Apple, at least a speed boost or something???

Won't everybody sound squeaky if you speed them up?

 

[adbe]

Every Windows computer I see in houses is on a screen saver if not in active use. EVERY. COMPUTER. I have friends, family, I see them at complete strangers' houses when working my job as a courier.

Then they're idiots. There's simply no good reason to leave a PC churning through 100W of power to display a crappy screen saver (that itself suggesting that the monitor isn't turned off either).

I think the reason most of the people I know *are* turning their PCs off is because they're aren't 20 year old geeks. They're paying their own electricity bills, and wasting around $500 a year in electricity for each pointlessly idle PC doesn't appeal.

 

[RyanR.]

Yes, I could but that would be just too overkill for what I want. Just a simple and elegant solution. Also my family (wife, specially) is tech averse. So the easier the set up and experience the better.
I don't think I am asking much. Just a way to have TV to hold more media without having to be attach to computer at all times in order to watch media content.

@ Gugy. There is a link add @ the bottom of this page for ATV Flash. It cost a little but looks like what you are looking for.

 

[MowingDevil]

@ Gugy. There is a link add @ the bottom of this page for ATV Flash. It cost a little but looks like what you are looking for.

Sounds like it, its bogus that you need a 3rd party patch to unlock capabilities that it comes with and Apple has "locked out." They've cut off their nose to spite their face in a way...worried about limiting its abilities just to force the user into buying content from iTunes.

aTV Flash Upgrade

 

[ascender]

The problem with offering a larger HDD is, just how large do you go? Most people I know have iTunes libraries that are well over 1TB in size due to the increase in them buying or ripping TV shows and movies in recent times. Then you have to make sure you can back this up, especially for those who are less computer-literate.

The current setup of using it as an extender works well in theory as Apple don't have to worry about these issues, its up to the user to deal with and there's more options available by streaming.

I guess the major downside is having to have a computer on to act as a server, but by adding an external drive or array, you're introducing something else which needs to be on 24 * 7 anyway although I can see the attraction for those who have laptops which won't be in the house the whole time.

 

[NightStorm]

Sounds like it, its bogus that you need a 3rd party patch to unlock capabilities that it comes with and Apple has "locked out." They've cut off their nose to spite their face in a way...worried about limiting its abilities just to force the user into buying content from iTunes.

aTV Flash Upgrade

There are a number of other devices that would work fine in your situation. Apple made the AppleTV for a very specific purpose -- extending iTunes into the living room. I can imagine the support nightmares of people calling in wondering why the MKV file they just torrented from The Pirate Bay doesn't play properly.

 

[MorphingDragon]

I cant believe SO MANY people care about the Apple TV. Itll be a bigger hard drive. Thats all.