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Apple TV
In addition to the iPhone announcement, Steve Jobs had more information today on the company's "iTV" product, now renamed simply "Apple TV." The living room video bridge will come with 802.11 b/g and 802.11n support, a 40GB hard drive, an Intel processor, ethernet and USB 2.0 connectivity and HDMI outputs -- apparently, though, content will be limited to 720p, which is going to annoy some. Says Jobs:
"Just like in iTunes you can setup your Apple TV — take my 10 most recent unwatched movies and it'll automatically stream in the background to Apple TV and be stored on the hard drive. So whenever I got to watch something, they're there. I can stream wirelessly from five computers. I can watch it from other computers in the house but it's not stored on the hard drive. PCs or Macs, I just choose the computer of my life."
The AppleTV device will be available in February for $299.
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kyramilan
join:2006-11-26
Pensacola, FL

kyramilan

Member

40 gig HD?

Kinda small for movies, eh?

Mchart
First There.
join:2004-01-21
Kaneohe, HI

Mchart

Member

Re: 40 gig HD?

Not very impressive. Good thing they announced the iPhone today, because if they didnt I think people would be pretty dissapointed.

insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN

insomniac84

Member

Re: 40 gig HD?

The iPhone is owned by cisco.

Mchart
First There.
join:2004-01-21
Kaneohe, HI

Mchart

Member

Re: 40 gig HD?

said by insomniac84:

The iPhone is owned by cisco.
See my post in the appropriate 'iPhone' thread which covers this issue.
matrix3D
join:2006-09-27
Middletown, CT

matrix3D

Member

Re: 40 gig HD?

Jeez, people need to stop thinking that simply because Apple releases a new product with an "i" in front of it that it's going to sell like crazy.

Apple lovers should be required to wear "iFanboy" shirts around.

nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium Member
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA

nixen to kyramilan

Premium Member

to kyramilan
said by kyramilan:

Kinda small for movies, eh?
I really don't understand why all of these makers of media devices go with such pathetically small HDs. Are they all afraid to pop the extra $5/unit for a 100GB drive?

-tom
DonLibes

join:2003-01-19

DonLibes

Re: 40 gig HD?

said by nixen:

said by kyramilan:

Kinda small for movies, eh?
I really don't understand why all of these makers of media devices go with such pathetically small HDs. Are they all afraid to pop the extra $5/unit for a 100GB drive?
As I understand it, the device is not intended to store movies long term. Rather, it is simply a temporary buffer for movies that are stored elsewhere - like your computer, the internet, or just a big storage server in your house. The device is mostly to provide the buffering (for slow devices like the internet), streaming, and interface to the TV.

In that sense, 40GB is plenty.

nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium Member
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA

nixen

Premium Member

Re: 40 gig HD?

said by DonLibes:
said by nixen:
said by kyramilan:

Kinda small for movies, eh?
I really don't understand why all of these makers of media devices go with such pathetically small HDs. Are they all afraid to pop the extra $5/unit for a 100GB drive?
As I understand it, the device is not intended to store movies long term. Rather, it is simply a temporary buffer for movies that are stored elsewhere - like your computer, the internet, or just a big storage server in your house. The device is mostly to provide the buffering (for slow devices like the internet), streaming, and interface to the TV.

In that sense, 40GB is plenty.
Given the current state of broadband and the length of time it takes to download programming, I'd think you'd want more storage space so you could "buffer" several programs (for continuous viewing).

-tom
DonLibes

join:2003-01-19

DonLibes

Re: 40 gig HD?

said by nixen:

Given the current state of broadband and the length of time it takes to download programming, I'd think you'd want more storage space so you could "buffer" several programs (for continuous viewing).
Movies downloaded over your broadband connection go to your computer (not the Apple TV). From there, the Apple TV buffers it in order to drive the (real) TV. The Apple TV only needs to hold things that are playing or about to play since connection speeds within a house are presumed to be more than fast enough to keep up.

At least this is the way I interpret Apple's description.

nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium Member
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA

nixen

Premium Member

Re: 40 gig HD?

said by DonLibes:
said by nixen:

Given the current state of broadband and the length of time it takes to download programming, I'd think you'd want more storage space so you could "buffer" several programs (for continuous viewing).
Movies downloaded over your broadband connection go to your computer (not the Apple TV). From there, the Apple TV buffers it in order to drive the (real) TV. The Apple TV only needs to hold things that are playing or about to play since connection speeds within a house are presumed to be more than fast enough to keep up.

At least this is the way I interpret Apple's description.
Then it operates differently than other media box solutions (e.g., XBox360).

-tom

N3OGH
Yo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

N3OGH

Premium Member

Someone please explain it to me...

Ok, usually, I'm pretty good with the whole electronics/tv/HD tv thing. But with this one I need a little help.

What is the huge hubbub with the resolution being limited to 720? Does that mean it won't work with older TV's, or that it's limited in the fact that it's not true HD.

My current set maxes out at 1080i. It's my understanding that the i stands for interlaced. It was also my understanding that there's not a huge difference between 720P and 1080I.

I now open the flood gates for all of you to edubicate me and tell me I'm wrong..

kyramilan
join:2006-11-26
Pensacola, FL

1 recommendation

kyramilan

Member

Re: Someone please explain it to me...

said by N3OGH:

Ok, usually, I'm pretty good with the whole electronics/tv/HD tv thing. But with this one I need a little help.

What is the huge hubbub with the resolution being limited to 720? Does that mean it won't work with older TV's, or that it's limited in the fact that it's not true HD.

My current set maxes out at 1080i. It's my understanding that the i stands for interlaced. It was also my understanding that there's not a huge difference between 720P and 1080I.

I now open the flood gates for all of you to edubicate me and tell me I'm wrong..
Ask Jessica Simpson.
dublin00
join:2005-12-29
Dublin, CA

dublin00 to N3OGH

Member

to N3OGH
I agree this is confusing. The AppleTV device is already up on Apple's website and the technical specs claim that it can output 1080i 60/50hz. I'm just guessing until someone else confirms, but it sounds like the content from the iTunes store will only be in 720p.
ke4pym
Premium Member
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC

ke4pym to N3OGH

Premium Member

to N3OGH
Many CRT based sets cannot accept a 720p input. They just fuzz out the display. Newer devices will probably be okay.

My 4 year old Pioneer Elite can't take a 720p input. Just 480i/p and 1080i.

This product, too, was a disappointment. It could have been so much better.

AmnChode
Premium Member
join:2001-03-27
San Antonio, TX

AmnChode

Premium Member

why not just get a 360...

Did I read this wrong, or is this close to what I can do now with my Xbox 360 and TVersity. I mean, I can hook to any number of machines in my house and stream movies to the 360 to play on my entertainment center. Or is it a DVR (ie TiVo'ish) as well?? Otherwise I just don't see the point of the HD. You can just stream it....that's kinda the purpose of it...
dublin00
join:2005-12-29
Dublin, CA

dublin00

Member

Re: why not just get a 360...

This is just a guess, but from what I just read at Apple's iTunes store this device sounds a lot like a video iPod. I.e AppleTV syncs your iTunes library from your Mac/PC and then plays from the local HD. If that is true think of it as a video iPod that isn't portable that is dedicated to you TV.

The online documentation doesn't say, but the implication is that you can watch videos, play music, view pictures etc off of the internal HD when your computer is off.

AmnChode
Premium Member
join:2001-03-27
San Antonio, TX

AmnChode

Premium Member

Re: why not just get a 360...

Ok...then useless product for me. Current setup does about the same thing; short of the HD bit which doesn't matter because I don't turn my machine off.

kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL

kapil

Member

Slingbox

Does it offer slingbox-like capability? If I can stream my DirecTV receiver plugged into Apple TV to my iPhone...then it may be worth it. I don't need another hard drive to store DRMd content on.

inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK

inteller

Member

40gb? thats crap.

just like Apple, up on style, down on specs, up on price.

I guess you will either be able to watch like 3 really good movies or a bunch of highly compressed crap. I only get 20 hours of compressed HD crap out of my 160gb cox box...so 5 hours of iTV compressed crap?

Apple, meet Failure, Failure, Apple.
BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Wakefield, MA

BosstonesOwn

Member

Re: 40gb? thats crap.

said by inteller:

just like Apple, up on style, down on specs, up on price.

I guess you will either be able to watch like 3 really good movies or a bunch of highly compressed crap. I only get 20 hours of compressed HD crap out of my 160gb cox box...so 5 hours of iTV compressed crap?

Apple, meet Failure, Failure, Apple.
Apple meet hdd oem , oems will love to meet apple.

First "hack" (and I use that loosely) of this box will be to place a huge drive in it. Or if its a laptop drive some one will shoe horn in a bigger one.

thender2
Glamour Profession
Premium Member
join:2004-05-16
Staten Island, NY

2 edits

thender2

Premium Member

720p TV show without commecials/crap compression = 4 GB

give or take one, for an hourlong show depending on how many commercials. 40 gigs is weak.

I bet it'll be impossible to get video off of it, too. Probably overcompressed and chock full of awesome DRM. Yum!

sporkme
drop the crantini and move it, sister
MVM
join:2000-07-01
Morristown, NJ

sporkme

MVM

Re: 720p TV show without commecials/crap compression = 4 GB

said by thender2:

give or take one, for an hourlong show depending on how many commercials. 40 gigs is weak.

I bet it'll be impossible to get video off of it, too. Probably overcompressed and chock full of awesome DRM. Yum!
The HD is more of a cache than anything else, so I'm not sure the size is really a limitation.

As for DRM, I see no hints on the product page that you cannot throw your own content at it as long as it's MPEG-4 or H.264. Much like the iPod, you don't HAVE to buy your content from Apple, you can put whatever media you want on it.

Shame it doesn't have a few cable card slots.
chemaupr
join:2005-06-06
Alexandria, VA

chemaupr

Member

the 360 does more for the price

My 360 does a lot more and was only 399

idjk
@sprintlink.net

idjk

Anon

Apple TV

What is it going to cost to download movies that with DRM probably can't be transferred to anything else or burned -kinda like the IPOD.
40gb --what's new just like cars come out with a 4 then 6 then 8 cyl --it is a way to get (make) more money from those who have to have the 'best, first'..
Zorglub8
join:2000-11-18
Fremont, CA

Zorglub8

Member

I don't want to buy movies from iTunes

but I like the idea of having a central multimedia somewhere in my house that I could access from any TV. I wonder if this will do the trick.

PhoenixDown
FIOS is Awesome
Premium Member
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY

PhoenixDown

Premium Member

Re: I don't want to buy movies from iTunes

Yep, same here, especially if it can act like a tivo/slingbox.

Pierre25
join:2001-01-12
Appleton, WI

Pierre25

Member

Overpriced.....

So what can I replace that I have already that justifies paying $299? Seems like a hefty price tag fo a media bridge. If they can offer a number of broadcast networks to stream their programming through iTunes, them I'm interested and will ditch Dish Network. Let users subscribe to the streaming channels a la carte.

Why not package it like an IPTV solution, or add PVR functionality? Give me something.

bpx
join:2003-01-25
Saint Augustine, FL

bpx

Member

please edumacate me too

I am starting to understand all of this stuff alot better since I recently bought an HD tv, but why would I need another device such as the one Steve Jobs was talking about if I have Comcast, with ONDEMAND and movies of their own. I guess why would I want to stream something from my pc if I can get it already from my TV. Also, will most people notice a difference between 720p and 1080i and 1080p? Sorry for the noob questions.
compton
join:2002-02-08
Brooklyn, NY

compton

Member

Re: please edumacate me too

said by bpx:

I am starting to understand all of this stuff alot better since I recently bought an HD tv, but why would I need another device such as the one Steve Jobs was talking about if I have Comcast, with ONDEMAND and movies of their own. I guess why would I want to stream something from my pc if I can get it already from my TV. Also, will most people notice a difference between 720p and 1080i and 1080p? Sorry for the noob questions.
You really shouldn't see much difference between 720p and 1080i. However, the 720p is better for fast moving action (e.g sports, horse racing, NASCAR). 1080i is better for scenes that doesn't change so rapidly because of the superior pixel count over 720p. 1080p is in a league by it self. It has twice as much pixels as a 1080i and more than double the pixel count of 720p. I would bet that if you can get a 1080p with an 85 hertz refresh rate it will be just as good as an IMAX.

ppcpunk9
join:2001-02-11
Davenport, IA

ppcpunk9

Member

Re: please edumacate me too

1080p has double the pixels of 1080i?

One is interlaced and one is progressive. How does one have double the pixel count with the same resolution?
compton
join:2002-02-08
Brooklyn, NY

compton

Member

Re: please edumacate me too

said by ppcpunk9:

1080p has double the pixels of 1080i?

One is interlaced and one is progressive. How does one have double the pixel count with the same resolution?
Because of the nature of progressive scan it covers twice as much as interlaced in the same time span. For example, both 1080i and 1080p has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 or 2.07 million pixels. But, 1080i display the 2.07 million pixels in 1/60 of a second while 1080p display the 2.07 million pixels in 1/30 of a second. So, at 1/60 of a second 1080p will display 4.14 million pixels (2.07 million pixels x 2)while 1080i will display 2.07 million pixels.

ppcpunk9
join:2001-02-11
Davenport, IA

ppcpunk9

Member

Re: please edumacate me too

So then it doesn't "have" double the pixel count, it simply displays the same amount in half the time while the other one does every other line in the same amount of time.

ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA

ninjatutle

Member

Me too product

Talk about a me too product. It can't even record tv shows for crying out loud.

bpx
join:2003-01-25
Saint Augustine, FL

bpx

Member

Re: Me too product

BTW, I keep hearing rumors about more movies being available via Comcast, other cable companies, and IPTV, as well as first run movies. It would make the Apple device not needed.

PhoenixDown
FIOS is Awesome
Premium Member
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY

PhoenixDown

Premium Member

Widescreen TV a must?

Looking over the specs it says you need to have a widescreen TV. D'oh!
Packerman3
join:2004-04-15

Packerman3

Member

divx support?

Its one feature that everyone wants yet these companies fail to address is divx support and all that I read is is support for apple's formats.

adsff
@comcast.net

adsff

Anon

i-tv is cool

I do think its cool, basically you can download from Itunes and it syncs automatically with your tv so you can go watch it later, really its a cool idea. I think it will draw alot of interest, especially as itunes gets more and more into movies.

DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium Member
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA

DaneJasper

Premium Member

DIVX and VOB, etc

It seems useless if it won't play commonly available formats from the Internet.

I think I'd get one of these instead. HDD size is your choice, with 120 gig being the smallest - or stream over WiFi with no HDD. Video formats supported include:

DivX® (3/4/5), AVI, Xvid, MPEG, MPG, VCD(DAT), DVD(VOB, IFO), WMV(WMV-9), ASF(WMV-9), TP, TS, TRP

Pricing starts just over $300.

Of course, not as friendly, and no iTunes sync and such.

»www.mvixusa.com/store/in ··· cription

-Dane

AmnChode
Premium Member
join:2001-03-27
San Antonio, TX

AmnChode

Premium Member

Re: DIVX and VOB, etc

You know, that is a nifty little setup. If I didn't have my 360, that would have to been a nice option to have. But still a little pricey, though.

GeorgeCr
Funny it worked last time
Premium Member
join:2003-07-18
Sheffield,UK

GeorgeCr

Premium Member

ITV is a commercial broadcaster in the UK

Interesting to launch "iTV" given that ITV is a commercial TV channel in the UK.

»www.itv.com/