Open up an App Store, I'm aware that many disagree but for local content such as BBC in the UK it would be a killer feature. The Apple TV would easily move 10 times more a units a quarter if it had an app store.
I'm trying to figure out what Plex even offers. Their website seems dedicated entirely to you. download. now. I see six screenshots, and they show me functionality equal to—but not exceeding—some of the Apple TV's. And with a more confusing interface that seems to revolve around enjoying showing me meaningless information like this:
I recently used iVI ($10 on Mac App Store) to encode and/or switch containers, add metadata to my content, and add to iTunes. It's much better this way than my previous method of opening up ~/Movies in Finder.
1. That web designer should find a different line of work! Including the product manager, R&D... and so on.
2. Yep, bought it too. Actually the 'wrong version' because the one in the MAS doesn't convert .vob, but you can buy it from iVI's website. Nice tool, though I still use Handbrake as well, which has it's own advantages.
How well does it add the metadata? Do you have an offhand estimate of its accuracy in finding both your content and the right content for it?
I don't as I'm currently only converting concerts, taped by fans. But it does integrate with IMDB (don't know what kind of plug-ins can be used...)
I use iDentify
Thanks; I'll take a peek.
...as opposed to something bloated like that cow one. What is it, media… cow. iGr… no… [SIZE=10px]Nothing medically wrong with me, my foot; this isn't psychology screwing up my memory… [/SIZE]
Aren't Pandora and HBO allowed to use the APIs for AirPlay? I don't understand what Plex offers me as someone with Macs, iPhones and iPads that is more feature rich and convenient than using AirPlay.
HBO is sound only- not video (same with amazon). And I don't want to have to stream from my iPhone for pandora, slacker, spotify, name your service. It should be built in via apps. At this point, there is no excuse. The new ATV box should absolutely have it.
AirPlay > plex. For sure- but it's an alternative, and if you have amazon instant video and not netflix, the combo of AIV + Plex might be better than AirPlay alone for some people. I just don't get why apple won't allow some developers but every other streaming box does. A music streamer (not dumb radio stations), amazon, and HBO is a must. Literally- every other streamer has them.
I just feel to use the Apple TV I shouldn't trade off "this" feature for "that" feature. They should match the others and have things exclusive to you if you have other apple products to grow the ecosystem (mirroring, iTunes Store, AirPlay as the "added" items). Then there'd be no reason to get another box unless you want less features for less money. Right now Roku is more features for less money.
Aren't Pandora and HBO allowed to use the APIs for AirPlay? I don't understand what Plex offers me as someone with Macs, iPhones and iPads that is more feature rich and convenient than using AirPlay.
For someone like you Airplay is by far the way to go, but not everyone is Apple only. For those that have a PC, a Roku, a iPhone,and or iPad there are still ways to mirror the media on one device to another on a different platform.
We're so different, Tallest. You would gratefully accept whatever they give you. I won't. But I'm very interested in this product. I'm looking for replacement for aging LG BD620 and expecting to have even more what it has. And Pandora was deal breaker for us since 90% of time when our TV is on it plays Pandora. It can play music/video over local network, but I want it to look like iPod interface on my car and don't want to replace one dumb BD player with another. In ideal world I would pay 4-5 more of its current cost to have integrated ecosystem with own subtree of apps/widgets on iTunes to let TV networks to develop apps like we have for iPad.
Right, you dismiss the hundreds of uses of a product as useless simply because it doesn't have one feature that is truly non-critical.
Perhaps they don't WANT that on the product. Perhaps the product isn't designed to be that.
Perhaps I should reevaluate my stance on the iPad mini. I still hate it; never would buy one for myself or others, but I think I see one point to it now.
You would gratefully accept whatever they give you.
There's plenty Apple does that I don't accept. There's plenty for which I pine. But knowing that what I'd like isn't necessarily what is essential is what apparently separates us. The Apple TV is for managing video content, first and foremost. Music isn't at all essential.
Perhaps I should reevaluate my stance on the iPad mini. I still hate it; never would buy one for myself or others, but I think I see one point to it now.
I'm not sure what the one point is. I for one prefer the mini. We just recently purchased our first iPad and went with the bigger screen because it was what my wife wanted. I prefer the greater portability and lighter form of the mini and don't mind the screen resolution. My wife will be using it for some classes she is taking though and she preferred the larger screen. We got the wifi only because I realized we always have our iPhone 5's with us and can just use the personal hotspot if we need data and aren't near a wifi.
Apple could create a lot if buzz being the first h265 solution around.
Now here's some thinking. I still don't buy that they're wasting their time with a TV, but this is an idea.
Building a device with dedicated hardware designed specifically for efficient decoding of HEVC, switching over all iTunes content to HEVC to be served to this device, and winding up with the fastest and highest quality 1080p video content store yet made?
I like it. I particularly like that the dedicated hardware can also be just a little box, or not even dedicated at all.
1) To be clear, no one reasonable would say that OLED as a tech is bad or a dead end, just specific uses of OLED and the buzzword desire for it has been questioned. I've stated many times that I'd love for the trackpad for Macs to be replaced with an OLED display so that certain functions that are easier to use with an occasional touchscreen can be employed. This could happen with LCD, too, but OLED means that you could also have a display at the top that is showing the time, date, WiFi, etc. when using full screen windows and the rest of the display could be black when not used which means no power draw over most of the panel most of the time.
2) Are OLED panels for HDTVs something that appears to be on the rise that are favorable in cost to LCD?
Comments
Open up an App Store, I'm aware that many disagree but for local content such as BBC in the UK it would be a killer feature. The Apple TV would easily move 10 times more a units a quarter if it had an app store.
Exactemundo! I love AirPlay; easier than opening the YouTube 'channel' on my Apple TV.
1. That web designer should find a different line of work! Including the product manager, R&D... and so on.
2. Yep, bought it too. Actually the 'wrong version' because the one in the MAS doesn't convert .vob, but you can buy it from iVI's website. Nice tool, though I still use Handbrake as well, which has it's own advantages.
I don't as I'm currently only converting concerts, taped by fans. But it does integrate with IMDB (don't know what kind of plug-ins can be used...)
Thanks; I'll take a peek.
You crack me up TS!
I love SSD, but wouldn't want to store my ? 1TB of iTunes media on it.
When can we expect 1080p@60 in the Apple TV? v4? v5? Or will it depend on iTunes movie store?
AirPlay > plex. For sure- but it's an alternative, and if you have amazon instant video and not netflix, the combo of AIV + Plex might be better than AirPlay alone for some people. I just don't get why apple won't allow some developers but every other streaming box does. A music streamer (not dumb radio stations), amazon, and HBO is a must. Literally- every other streamer has them.
I just feel to use the Apple TV I shouldn't trade off "this" feature for "that" feature. They should match the others and have things exclusive to you if you have other apple products to grow the ecosystem (mirroring, iTunes Store, AirPlay as the "added" items). Then there'd be no reason to get another box unless you want less features for less money. Right now Roku is more features for less money.
For someone like you Airplay is by far the way to go, but not everyone is Apple only. For those that have a PC, a Roku, a iPhone,and or iPad there are still ways to mirror the media on one device to another on a different platform.
Originally Posted by Andrey
Cute little gadget but useless without Pandora.
Keep it up; you people are making me feel a lot happier, at least for a short time.
Originally Posted by Andrey
We're so different, Tallest.
Right, you dismiss the hundreds of uses of a product as useless simply because it doesn't have one feature that is truly non-critical.
Perhaps they don't WANT that on the product. Perhaps the product isn't designed to be that.
Perhaps I should reevaluate my stance on the iPad mini. I still hate it; never would buy one for myself or others, but I think I see one point to it now.
You would gratefully accept whatever they give you.
There's plenty Apple does that I don't accept.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Perhaps I should reevaluate my stance on the iPad mini. I still hate it; never would buy one for myself or others, but I think I see one point to it now.
I'm not sure what the one point is. I for one prefer the mini. We just recently purchased our first iPad and went with the bigger screen because it was what my wife wanted. I prefer the greater portability and lighter form of the mini and don't mind the screen resolution. My wife will be using it for some classes she is taking though and she preferred the larger screen. We got the wifi only because I realized we always have our iPhone 5's with us and can just use the personal hotspot if we need data and aren't near a wifi.
[URL]http://m.techcrunch.com/2013/01/25/h265-is-approved/[/URL]
Apple could create a lot if buzz being the first h265 solution around.
Originally Posted by palegolas
The reason Apple's full scale TV is taking its time could be related to this:
http://m.techcrunch.com/2013/01/25/h265-is-approved/
Apple could create a lot if buzz being the first h265 solution around.
Now here's some thinking. I still don't buy that they're wasting their time with a TV, but this is an idea.
Building a device with dedicated hardware designed specifically for efficient decoding of HEVC, switching over all iTunes content to HEVC to be served to this device, and winding up with the fastest and highest quality 1080p video content store yet made?
I like it. I particularly like that the dedicated hardware can also be just a little box, or not even dedicated at all.
Apple has very recently hired an industry expert on OLED technologies, particularly focused on TV application. Just noting FWIW.
http://oled-a.org/news_details.cfm?ID=774
1) To be clear, no one reasonable would say that OLED as a tech is bad or a dead end, just specific uses of OLED and the buzzword desire for it has been questioned. I've stated many times that I'd love for the trackpad for Macs to be replaced with an OLED display so that certain functions that are easier to use with an occasional touchscreen can be employed. This could happen with LCD, too, but OLED means that you could also have a display at the top that is showing the time, date, WiFi, etc. when using full screen windows and the rest of the display could be black when not used which means no power draw over most of the panel most of the time.
2) Are OLED panels for HDTVs something that appears to be on the rise that are favorable in cost to LCD?