iPod Why is the AppleTV being sold in the UK & Europe?

[ksolano]

Why should I buy a AppleTV if theres nothing to down load on the thing?
Hasn’t anyone told apple theres nothing to buy on iTunes here?

Apple needs a wake up call!! We haven’t had good content on iTunes apart from music for nearly 1 year..

Wake Up apple!

 

[pthurst]

I wondered about this too.

I would presume that Apple have their reasons and don't forget that any movie file that can be imported into iTunes, can be streamed across so even without the DLC from apple, most people will still have video to watch.

I wholeheartedly agree with the plea to the USA'ers though... Come on guys! get some TV programmes and films sorted out for us guys...

 

[dejo]

Apple needs a wake up call!! We haven’t had good content on iTunes apart from music for nearly 1 year..

Wake Up apple!

Maybe Apple isn't the only party involved when it comes to bringing TV content to other countries...

 

[Queso]

I would presume that Apple have their reasons and don't forget that any movie file that can be imported into iTunes, can be streamed across so even without the DLC from apple, most people will still have video to watch.

But if I have the movie file (namely the DVD), I already have a DVD player attached to my TV. What's the point of buying the Apple TV? There isn't one.

Maybe Apple isn't the only party involved when it comes to bringing TV content to other countries...

True, but with WMP DRM now being used by every TV provider except the BBC, Apple have missed the boat on TV here, and look to be missing it for movie downloads too. So, why offer the Apple TV for sale when there's nothing to play on it?

 

[ksolano]

I wondered about this too.

I would presume that Apple have their reasons and don't forget that any movie file that can be imported into iTunes, can be streamed across so even without the DLC from apple, most people will still have video to watch.

I wholeheartedly agree with the plea to the USA'ers though... Come on guys! get some TV programmes and films sorted out for us guys...

I totally agree! Yes I could get myself a USA apple account and be happy that way, but it involves some very backwards processes that’s dumb.
This isn’t very Apple like…?

 

[petvas]

But if I have the movie file (namely the DVD), I already have a DVD player attached to my TV. What's the point of buying the Apple TV? There isn't one.


True, but with WMP DRM now being used by every TV provider except the BBC, Apple have missed the boat on TV here, and look to be missing it for movie downloads too. So, why offer the Apple TV for sale when there's nothing to play on it?

The point is that you can have a whole collection of H.264 formatted movies stored on your big hard disk and when you want it, you can stream them over to your TV.
I, for example copy dvds to the hard drive and import them to iTunes. That way I have my video available to my iPod AND to my TV!

I also own an EyeTV 310 Receiver and record many movies and films from my Mac. Now I can watch them to my TV again.

Lets not forget the ability to display pictures and play Music...

Also, this year Movies and TV Shows will come to Europe.

 

[etjazz]

Perhaps the upcoming(and required) iTunes 7.1 has some new fancy codec support or transcode options?

 

[dAlen]

Talk about culture shock.

Im an American who moved to Europe 2 years ago.
I went from downloading songs from itunes in the states, to having absolutely no access to purchasing anything from itunes. (I live in Hungary.)

Hungary is in the E.U., but I suppose since it has not been approved to use the Euro yet, this is holding it back. (we dont even have a "true" apple store...which makes prices more expensive than the U.K. counter part.)

i-phones, i-tv, i-tunes, etc. Hungary is like backwards...nothing apple, and if there is, it cost an arm and a leg.

Apple, if you ever get around to macrumors and read this post, , get in Hungary guys.

Well, it might have something to do with the laws here to.
From what I have been told, there is no law against ripping dvds, and it appears "illegal" file sharing isnt "illegal."
Again, they are part of the E.U., but obvioulsy not fully intergrated (again, lack of the use of euro...but again Brits dont use the euro either.)

Im sure the euro bit confuses the Americans.

Anyway

Peace

dAlen

 

[Queso]

Hungary is one of the newer 12 members of the EU. It takes time for a member to fully integrate and ratify the European Directives into their domestic law and at the moment there isn't much pressure on the new members because they have other priorities such as developing their infrastructure and economies. Sooner or later though, they'll have to ratify the Copyright Directive which is probably when iTunes will expand into the country.

 

[AndyR]

I was really looking forward to the AppleTV and don't get me wrong its fantastic but I agree with everyone, Apple has seriously limited it with what we can do in the UK with iTunes. The part that most interests me is the photos/itunes/trailers part of it but even though at £199 I would rather spend an extra £200 and get a Mini instead. More space, same features and getting a full on Mac to use on the HDTV instead. Seems like a better investment...

Looks smart though.

 

[gnasher729]

Why should I buy a AppleTV if theres nothing to down load on the thing?
Hasn’t anyone told apple theres nothing to buy on iTunes here?

Apple needs a wake up call!! We haven’t had good content on iTunes apart from music for nearly 1 year..

Wake Up apple!

Why this fixation on downloads? Every DVD goes straight into Handbrake and on the external drive, so I'll never have to search through DVD cases again. All the music plays through your home TV speakers which should be good enough to replace the stereo.

And when you read a book, the TV shows a slideshow with holiday photos... How many people have bought tiny LCD photoframes?

 

[Danksi]

iTunes manages/shares our content (music, video, home movies, podcasts etc) and iPhoto to manages our growing Photo collection.

Interested in AppleTV for the simple convenience of getting our content off the desktop and in front of the family, without a training course in OSX Networking for each of them.

It's a lot to pay for convenience mind and unfortunately a lot of the cheaper alternatives are Windows centric.

Couldn't care less about the iTunes Store. I'd rather get off my ass and support the local CD/DVD retailers.

 

[Shagrat]

But the point about iTunes is that you can download, pretty much on a whim, as i often do with songs. Why should I have to Handbrake a bunch of DVDs when i already have a player, which i also use for timeshift recordings.

I DO rip CD's to iTunes, because i load up my iPod which i then TAKE OUT OF THE HOUSE...i.e. don't play on my CD/Hifi system. Would I do this with DVDs just to load them into iTunes/AppleTV so that i could watch them on the same TV that my DVD player is connected to? No. The only reason would be to rip to a video iPod which i would view, whilxt not in front of my TV

AppleTV makes sense in the US (i.e where most Apple products seem to be aimed), but look at the paltry iTunes offerings in the UK, and, I'm sure elsewhere. Pixar shorts and music Videos. Not much, eh?

I really don't see AppleTV doing any real business anywhere else but the US, until the rest of the world gets a decent selection on iTunes.

Sorry Apple. I love your stuff, but this won't sell over here!

 

[ksolano]

But the point about iTunes is that you can download, pretty much on a whim, as i often do with songs. Why should I have to Handbrake a bunch of DVDs when i already have a player, which i also use for timeshift recordings.

I DO rip CD's to iTunes, because i load up my iPod which i then TAKE OUT OF THE HOUSE...i.e. don't play on my CD/Hifi system. Would I do this with DVDs just to load them into iTunes/AppleTV so that i could watch them on the same TV that my DVD player is connected to? No. The only reason would be to rip to a video iPod which i would view, whilxt not in front of my TV

AppleTV makes sense in the US (i.e where most Apple products seem to be aimed), but look at the paltry iTunes offerings in the UK, and, I'm sure elsewhere. Pixar shorts and music Videos. Not much, eh?

I really don't see AppleTV doing any real business anywhere else but the US, until the rest of the world gets a decent selection on iTunes.

Sorry Apple. I love your stuff, but this won't sell over here!

Agreed… Its not like Apple to leave people to rip their own DVD’s just to watch it on the same TV that the dvd player is plugged into. My point is the AppleTV has HDMI, so its made for downloading movies in HD off the Apple website whenever I want, both older movies and newer movies.
WE WILL NOT GET THAT! Because the movie studio’s already have contracts with Sky for that service.. Sky have a huge market share and loads of money to outbid Apple for the HD movie content in the UK.

I really want the AppleTV to work here, the same as the USA’s version, but its not going to happen I think.. Lets hope I’m proved wrong.

 

[Anuba]

Im an American who moved to Europe 2 years ago.
I went from downloading songs from itunes in the states, to having absolutely no access to purchasing anything from itunes. (I live in Hungary.)

Hungary is a culture shock for ANYONE, Europeans included. Romania, Hungary, Albania, Russia, these countries comprise the ass end of Europe and bear as much resemblance to the rest of EU as Paraguay does to the US. For example, in 2003 Sweden had 77% broadband penetration - the US had 43%.