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Apple's New Apple TV: Tiny And A Hundred Bucks
Expect Google and Apple fisticuffs in your living room
Engadget has the scoop on Apple's next incarnation of Apple TV, which actually looks more interesting than their original, somewhat underwhelming product. According to anonymous tipsters likely countering all that Google TV discussion, Apple's next AppleTV device will be about the size of an iPhone -- and will cost just a hundred bucks. It looks to have roughly the same internals as Google TV (namely an A4 CPU and 16GB of flash storage) -- though it will be capable of 1080p HD. The device also looks to have just two ports (video out and power) and may utilized cloud storage. Of course whether the device is really useful depends on what content's available -- and just how obnoxious Apple intends to be when it comes to locking the device down.
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appler
@sbcglobal.net

appler

Anon

HDMI and no sound ports? at least put in RCA + optical ports

HDMI and no sound ports? at least put in RCA + optical ports
Folsomite
join:2010-05-03
Folsom, CA

Folsomite

Member

Re: HDMI and no sound ports? at least put in RCA + optical ports

This story is really bogus. First off, AppleTV is already 1080p compatible. If you use Apple TV to view photos on your HD TV they are sent at 1080p. The video content isn't 1080p but the AppleTV uprez it. I find it hard to beleive you are going to get 1080p out of cloud computing. Even Netflix has issues getting content from the studios. It also would screw Apple users who have content on there computers. The Airport Express is an example of wireless transmission of music which has never really taken off. Not to mention, the ISP are killing people with bandwidth caps. I love Apple and I like AppleTV in concept. I just wish they would get over the storage issue and allow looping.

thender
Screen tycoon
Premium Member
join:2009-01-01
Brooklyn, NY

thender to appler

Premium Member

to appler
I agree.

I have my computer going to my TV via HDMI, then to a custom modified D/A, to a parasound amp, to my thiels.

Am I really forced to go into a shitty receiver's amp stage & mediocre DAC because Apple wants me to?

Lame.

gattaca
Premium Member
join:2003-05-28
USA

gattaca

Premium Member

Re: HDMI and no sound ports? at least put in RCA + optical ports

said by thender:

I agree.

I have my computer going to my TV via HDMI, then to a custom modified D/A, to a parasound amp, to my thiels.

Am I really forced to go into a shitty receiver's amp stage & mediocre DAC because Apple wants me to?

Lame.
On one hand, I absolutely understand that someone such yourself, who really cares about quality, would have these concerns.

On the other hand, it doesn't matter in the slightest to the average consumer. One cable going from the AppleTV to their midrange receiver for high-def video and digital audio, and that is all they need.

One product can't be all things to all people, and Apple has done a very good job (as evidenced by their success) in making products that appeal to a broad range of consumers.

thender
Screen tycoon
Premium Member
join:2009-01-01
Brooklyn, NY

1 edit

thender

Premium Member

Re: HDMI and no sound ports? at least put in RCA + optical ports

I hate that so much.

"It's limiting, but it's ok, because average people don't care."

It's not.

What if I have a ghetto receiver with no HDMI but want an appletv?

What if I have a set of computer speakers I want to use instead of my TV's?

What if I want to hook it into a mixer to use it in a studio lobby where there are already a bunch of mackies everywhere but no receivers with HDMI?

Lame move, Apple. Lame move.

Of course I'm sure most of the HD content I can buy from Apple will be limited to playing on these kinds of devices so even if I want to legitimately enjoy it the way I'm used to, I'm stuck to piracy. So lame.

MalibuMaxx
Premium Member
join:2007-02-06
Chesterton, IN

1 edit

MalibuMaxx

Premium Member

Re: HDMI and no sound ports? at least put in RCA + optical ports

Hey now... There are A LOT of good recievers w/o HDMI...

A few of my dad's older marantz units come to mind.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt to appler

Premium Member

to appler
said by appler :

HDMI and no sound ports? at least put in RCA + optical ports
I wish every device only had HDMI out. I dumped analog outs many years ago, and anything I use with video, only uses HDMI. The only optical connections I use are audio only devices. And I would rather they use HDMI.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

Gbcue

Premium Member

2 Ports - Video Out & Power

No ethernet? Of course it's going to be a proprietary Video out, like Micro HDMI or something made up.

No other ways of getting video out? Component out? Optical audio links?

Another project dumbed down by Apple.

Krisnatharok
PC Builder, Gamer
Premium Member
join:2009-02-11
Earth Orbit

Krisnatharok

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

wiiifiiiiii.

Zac
Premium Member
join:2001-09-12
Calgary, AB

Zac

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

I personally hate using WiFi for anything other than my lower-bandwidth devices like my laptop for browsing the net. Doing large file transfers over Wifi is a pain (especially when one is used to gigabit speeds 80-90MB/sec)

My PS3 = Gigabit Ethernet. Apple TV = Ethernet. Wii = I need to order a USB-Ethernet adapter because for some reason it won't connect to either of my Wifi routers properly anymore, and my iPhone/iPod Touches suddenly stopped working with my WPA2 Router, so I've had to setup a second one using WEP, which is isolated from my main network.

Wired is just so much more reliable for me, No security needed, No mixed encryption methods that work on some things and not others, No keys to remember, Just plug and go. Nothing more to say. Plus I don't mind the cables, they don't bother me.

Krisnatharok
PC Builder, Gamer
Premium Member
join:2009-02-11
Earth Orbit

1 edit

Krisnatharok

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

Yeah, the gigibit ethernet cord across the living room pisses my wife off, but I was sick and tired of getting dropped from SC2 matches or randomly having to reboot the router every day, so I replaced the POS router I had with a new wired Cisco one. Back up to speedy now.

Zac
Premium Member
join:2001-09-12
Calgary, AB

1 edit

Zac

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

*chuckles* Agreed! Getting dropped from any games pissed me off more than any cable ever could. I have a primary 8port Netgear Gigabit Switch in the basement, with a single cord running up to a gigabit Switch in the living room where my Yamaha RXV3900, PS3, Wii, and Bell Satellite Receiever plug into (and soon to be Wii), there's no congestion using the one cable connecting the 2 gigabit Switches together as everything other than the PS3 is 100mbit, and I never use all of them at once, Just needed more ports without running more cables.

The 8 port Netgear though is connected to a Soekris Net5501 Box running M0n0wall which is my router for the whole house that shares my ADSL. Been extremely reliable for me for the past year, and before that just had it running on an old P42.4 ghz box for about 2-3 years, though that used 8x more power.

I still just don't trust Wifi for all my stuff, even with the best encryption I feel a lot more safer (and speedier) using wired unless absolutely necessary.

Count Zero
Premium Member
join:2007-01-18
Milton, FL

Count Zero to Gbcue

Premium Member

to Gbcue
Why would it be proprietary video out? The current AppleTV uses standard HDMI, component, optical and stereo outputs. Nothing proprietary there.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

Gbcue

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

said by Count Zero:

Why would it be proprietary video out? The current AppleTV uses standard HDMI, component, optical and stereo outputs. Nothing proprietary there.
Ok, so compress "standard HDMI, component, optical and stereo outputs" into 2 ports...

Even the new MBPs and iMacs have proprietary connectors (mini displayport). Use DVI or HDMI for crying out loud.

Count Zero
Premium Member
join:2007-01-18
Milton, FL

Count Zero

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

You don't think a small power connector (think mini-USB sized) and an HDMI would both fit onto the end of something the size of an iPhone? And I seriously doubt this thing will be that small anyways. Even if the hardware is exactly as described I imagine the container when released will be somewhat more conventional in appearance.
kitsune
join:2001-11-26
Sacramento, CA

1 recommendation

kitsune to Gbcue

Member

to Gbcue
The mini display port is not propietary. I actually have one on my Asus board. It is just a new format.
bogey7806
join:2004-03-19
Here

bogey7806 to Gbcue

Member

to Gbcue
Every port drives up the price. Not only in terms of engineering but also royalties.

All TVs made in the past few years have HDMI. Te likely market for this is folks who have fairly new TVs.

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

said by bogey7806:

Every port drives up the price. Not only in terms of engineering but also royalties.

All TVs made in the past few years have HDMI. Te likely market for this is folks who have fairly new TVs.
my old CRT has a HDMI 1.0 port

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

Gbcue to bogey7806

Premium Member

to bogey7806
said by bogey7806:

All TVs made in the past few years have HDMI. Te likely market for this is folks who have fairly new TVs.
Doesn't matter for Apple.

They use DisplayPort on their iMacs and MacBook Pros even though DVI & HDMI are available on almost every modern moniter.

Count Zero
Premium Member
join:2007-01-18
Milton, FL

Count Zero

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

My Dell 24" I use at home has DisplayPort on it.

elwoodblues
Elwood Blues
Premium Member
join:2006-08-30
Somewhere in

elwoodblues

Premium Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

said by Count Zero:

My Dell 24" I use at home has DisplayPort on it.
So does mine, along with HDMI, VGA and DVI.

Why displayport? It's free, no royalties reguired.
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

ISurfTooMuch to Gbcue

Member

to Gbcue
It will matter for Apple. If they use something proprietary, how are you supposed to connect it to your TV?

If this thing is meant to be connected to a standard HDTV, then it will have to output HDMI or have a cable to convert it to HDMI on the end that connects to the TV.

Bootes
Premium Member
join:2005-01-28
New York, NY

Bootes to Gbcue

Premium Member

to Gbcue
Displayport is not proprietary. It's a new royalty free replacement for HDMI/DVI.
GunnarDanne
join:2002-12-02
Crown City, OH

GunnarDanne

Member

Re: 2 Ports - Video Out & Power

There we go, someone with some knowledge. I was afraid I was going to have to break the extremely old news.
switchman
join:1999-11-06

switchman to Gbcue

Member

to Gbcue
It will probably have a proprietary connector, be locked down and controlled from your IPhone/ITouch/IPad as the remote.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to Gbcue

Premium Member

to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:

No ethernet? Of course it's going to be a proprietary Video out, like Micro HDMI or something made up.

No other ways of getting video out? Component out? Optical audio links?

Another project dumbed down by Apple.
this surprises you?

jsz0
Premium Member
join:2008-01-23
Jewett City, CT

jsz0 to Gbcue

Premium Member

to Gbcue
Micro-HDMI is also a standard based on HDMI 1.4 spec.

Where do you draw the line? Composite? S-Video? VGA? DVI? Maybe an RF modulator?

Personally I would prefer DisplayPort with a bundled HDMI adapter since it has some advanced features missing in HDMI (video input, display daisy chaining, higher maximum resolution, more flexibility in cabling via copper or optical, better backwards compatibility) Doesn't really matter that much though -- it's just a connector.

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven

Member

Wow.. Another waste of money..

So, you buy a hundred dollar device so you can play iTunes stuff..

..which is another monthly fee for the service, or a pay-per-play type thing..

Seems to be it's just another Apple toy designed to suck the money out of unsuspecting victims.

Count Zero
Premium Member
join:2007-01-18
Milton, FL

1 recommendation

Count Zero

Premium Member

Re: Wow.. Another waste of money..

said by SimbaSeven:

So, you buy a hundred dollar device so you can play iTunes stuff..

..which is another monthly fee for the service, or a pay-per-play type thing..

Seems to be it's just another Apple toy designed to suck the money out of unsuspecting victims.
Have you ever used an AppleTV? There is no "monthly charge" for streaming your stuff from iTunes to it. You only pay for movies you rent from the device or anything you buy off of the iTunes store from the device. Jeez.

I don't see how a RUMOR like this made the front page.

And I imagine it's probably about 180 degrees wrong on account of the size and connectors on the device. The next generation will probably look a lot like the current generation but perhaps come in black to blend into the stereo cabinet better and will contain some modernized hardware and newer (maybe iphone like) software.

toddbs98
join:2000-07-08
North Little Rock, AR

toddbs98

Member

Re: Wow.. Another waste of money..

All but the most delusional Apple fanboi will admit that the current Apple TV is crap.

Count Zero
Premium Member
join:2007-01-18
Milton, FL

Count Zero

Premium Member

Re: Wow.. Another waste of money..

Crap with nothing better on the market in terms of integration.
pabster
join:2001-12-09
Waterloo, IA

pabster to toddbs98

Member

to toddbs98
By whose definition? That of a deluded Apple hater who probably has never seen much less used an actual Apple TV?

It's not the most robust device hardware-wise but there's nothing comparable which integrates so well with all your other iDevices and puts all that content in your living room, garage, etc.

GeekJedi
RF is Good For You
Premium Member
join:2001-06-21
Mukwonago, WI

GeekJedi to toddbs98

Premium Member

to toddbs98
And only a 12 year old who doesn't have a very good argument will use the term "Apple fanboi" and therefore have what might have been a good point completely invalidated.

ReVeLaTeD
Premium Member
join:2001-11-10
San Diego, CA

ReVeLaTeD to toddbs98

Premium Member

to toddbs98
said by toddbs98:

All but the most delusional Apple fanboi will admit that the current Apple TV is crap.
Apple TV IS crap...unless/until you load aTV Flash. Then it becomes the best media player out there.

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven

Member

Re: Wow.. Another waste of money..

said by ReVeLaTeD:
said by toddbs98:

All but the most delusional Apple fanboi will admit that the current Apple TV is crap.
Apple TV IS crap...unless/until you load aTV Flash. Then it becomes the best media player out there.
I'll stick with my Xbox1 with XBMC. It's free, and sometimes the Xbox is free, too.

ReVeLaTeD
Premium Member
join:2001-11-10
San Diego, CA

ReVeLaTeD

Premium Member

Re: Wow.. Another waste of money..

said by SimbaSeven:

said by ReVeLaTeD:
said by toddbs98:

All but the most delusional Apple fanboi will admit that the current Apple TV is crap.
Apple TV IS crap...unless/until you load aTV Flash. Then it becomes the best media player out there.
I'll stick with my Xbox1 with XBMC. It's free, and sometimes the Xbox is free, too.
Good for you - for those that want 1080p and/or wireless streaming, aTV Flash/Apple TV is a better choice and well worth it. And oh by the way, aTV Flash is free software that comes with XBMC.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to SimbaSeven

Premium Member

to SimbaSeven
if it cant play all the video formats like my spare PC can with VLC then what value is it?

seriously what is with these device vendors not supporting all the common formats. oh yea they can be used for piracy and that automatically makes them evil in the eyes of a corporation.

•••

Noah Vail
Oh God please no.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-10
SouthAmerica

1 recommendation

Noah Vail

Premium Member

Merry Christmas Boys and Girls!

Don't go looking for your Shiny AppleTV too early,
or Uncle Stevie will have your Door Kicked In
and and your Computers Carted off to Jail.

We have no value to Apple except as a revenue source.
(however)
Many folks can be marketed into believing something different.

NV

••••••••

jjoshua
Premium Member
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ

jjoshua

Premium Member

I will buy one

When someone figures how to hack it for MythTV.

KodiacZiller
Premium Member
join:2008-09-04
73368

KodiacZiller

Premium Member

Don't get it

These mini devices are stupid. Who wants to watch a 1080p movie on a little 3" screen? I just don't get it.

redhat1968
join:2000-10-17
Appleton, WI

redhat1968

Member

Re: Don't get it

said by KodiacZiller:

These mini devices are stupid. Who wants to watch a 1080p movie on a little 3" screen? I just don't get it.
UMMM...You don't watch anything on the AppleTV, you plug the AppleTV into your TV and stream video to it to watch on the TV...
67845017 (banned)
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL

67845017 (banned)

Member

Re: Don't get it

LOL!!

If he were going to do that, then he'd have to make the original Apple TV four times bigger and call it revolutionary and world changing and pack it with a 10-pack of Kool-Aid.

buzz_4_20
join:2003-09-20
Dover, NH

buzz_4_20

Member

Really...

any TV device should have an Gigabit Ethernet port and HDMI port

KoolMoe
Aw Man
Premium Member
join:2001-02-14
Annapolis, MD

KoolMoe

Premium Member

another product for Apple to ignore

Current AppleTV users...just...abandoned?
Likely so if this new device is primarily a hardware upgrade.
But if it allows non-iTunes linking, I'll be a bit pissed.
I knew my AppleTV was limited when I got it, but thought the hacks out there would make it usable...
...ah, kinda...but once Hulu bailed, really nothing worth it.
And, of course, Apple hasn't taken it any further...

A new Apple TV! Yay! Or not...depends what it can do. If it's still tied to just iTunes, GoogleTV will eat its proverbial lunch.
KM

•••••

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

Transmaster

Member

The Crab-Apples are going to have strokes.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Apple TV
Scaaaa-Reeeeeaaaaaammmm!!!!

@$%^&*#$FU&*)^U$%&&((^%^ Steve Jobs, Anitchrist Evil, Demon, Satan, @#$%^*%*()_*&^$!!! creep, A-hole.....and Ya.

It will not sell....GD SOB, crap, no this, no that, doesn't do________ fill in the blank. snarl, gnashing of the teeth, fist shaking, grrrrrrr!, flipping off Apple.

In the mean time Steve Jobs just smiles as his company surpasses Microsoft as the largest such company on the planet.

I was listening to MacBreak Weekly at TWiT and they mentioned if you had instead of paying the 5000+ dollars for an Apple Lisa computer had invested it in Apple stock you would now have well over $300,000 in the bank. You can say what you want about Steve Jobs and Apple but he sure knows how to run a company doesn't he.

••••••••••••

mexdodge
join:2001-02-24
Reseda, CA

mexdodge

Member

Competition

Apple TV? See guys. See what competition does. Now Apple needs to get off their asses and do something with their semi-abandoned product now that Google is coming. Works both ways. We all win in the end.

Z80A
Premium Member
join:2009-11-23

Z80A

Premium Member

Re: Competition

Except it likely won't do 1/2 of what Google's device would do because if Apple's interest in content sales.

Lokro
Premium Member
join:2002-12-28
Loveland, CO

Lokro

Premium Member

Where are the options?

You have WD TV Live, Boxee, or Popbox. (Not sure if the last two are out yet) These three boxes feature wise are just flat out awesome. Will play about any codec/container you throw at them. Ethernet ports! Streaming true HD content even on 802.11g can be painful or impossible at times! With my WD TV Live I have the option to share files over the network/smb or via a DLNA server. I have a feeling the only option for this new Apple TV will be itunes or no networking streaming at all.

At first I thought wow an Apple product for under $100 bucks! But something tells me feature wise I will place the final value at $50 or under. What are the odds on .mkv container support? I'm guessing 1% chance. I would encourage Apple fans before you line up to buy this compare it to the WD TV Live, Boxee, or Popbox first. If this new Apple TV can compete feature wise I will pretty shocked with the $99 price tag.

joetaxpayer
I'M Here Till Thursday
join:2001-09-07
Sudbury, MA
552.8 23.8

joetaxpayer

Member

Re: Where are the options?

Just saw the WD TV Live at Costco, about the same price.
No negative remarks from me on this. The same things I said aboutthe new Apple apply here, as in "there will be people who want these features, ability to have this type of access to video in a room"

WD TV does have ethernet (extra points) but no internal memory. I imagine (but can't tell yet) that the 16GB Apple memory will let you load movies in advance of watching. Perfect for in front of a treadmill, where you spend limited time, but want to be able to watch something.

In the venn diagram of life, there's a niche for this family of product.
jfmezei
Premium Member
join:2007-01-03
Pointe-Claire, QC

jfmezei

Premium Member

Don't make it small at the expense of functionality

Apple won't let me view HD content I buy from Itunes because my monitors don't have that hardware DRM crap (HDCP ?).

If Apple has some really cheap but functionaliy crippled small device, it will be limited to viewing movies you buy from Itunes store.

The question is whether Apple would produce a fully featured entertainment centre with ability to play modern file formats (like .mkv) and ability to record programs from TV (aka: DVR function).

I'd rather have a bigger device that is full function than a glorified iphone that is hard to position on top of your entertainment centre.

cbrigante2
Wait til Next Year
Premium Member
join:2002-11-22
North Aurora, IL

cbrigante2

Premium Member

Re: Don't make it small at the expense of functionality

I don't believe hardware DRM was imposed by Apple? I thought the MPAA was the one pushing hard for that (I remember it being pushed with HDMI when Blu Ray was coming out).
jfmezei
Premium Member
join:2007-01-03
Pointe-Claire, QC

jfmezei

Premium Member

Re: Don't make it small at the expense of functionality

Hardware DRM may not be imposed by Apple, but Apple probably was forced to implement it for Itunes movies in HD because I can't play such movies. (but can play them on my laptop because the screen is intergrated).

And one needs to do tricks to see the error message because normally you just get a grey screen. (can't remember how I got to see the error message, but I did see it).

In september, when the TV networks air previews of their new season, they often make "free previews" available on Itunes, and many of them are available for free in HD and SD, and you can then try it.

joetaxpayer
I'M Here Till Thursday
join:2001-09-07
Sudbury, MA
552.8 23.8

1 edit

1 recommendation

joetaxpayer

Member

Then don't buy one.

The iPad has sold a million units in record time, yet there are those who have one thing or another to conclude that it's crap. Now, the Apple TV.

Seems to me there's a niche for such a device. You have a library of ripped DVDs, and are planning to add a TV to a kid's room or guest room. Cable, at a cost, a DVD player and you'd have to burn DVDs or have bought them. Or this $100 device which can see that library on your Mac/PC.

This is the use I can imagine off the top of my head. I'm a Mac fan, yes, I love my iPad, but I also have a house full of TiVos, and the Apple TV might have been great before that last one was bought, but not as a purchase for me right now.

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT

SimbaSeven

Member

XBMC..

I'll stick with my several Xbox1's with XBMC.

mrbobbio
join:2001-12-20
Canton, MI

mrbobbio

Member

Re: XBMC..

I'll second that. Now if we could only get the PS3 to run a non crippled version of XBMC.
Weatherman
join:2004-12-04
Bel Air, MD

Weatherman

Member

Re: XBMC..

XBMC is the BEST media center/interface available - PERIOD. I only wish the original Xbox could handle 1080p media.
What needs to happen is XBMC need to partner with a hardware company to make a $100 small unix type device (like the Asus O!Play) and start selling the device! Even Boxee is in the process of doing this.

I really would like to see XBMC on a small/low power media player device like the O!Play. I would buy 3 or 4 of them right away. I would even buy an Xbox 360 if it would run XBMC.

I have (3) Xbox's running XBMC - and (1) Asus O!Play. I love the O!Play as far as playing any file you throw at it, but nothing beats the XBMC interface.