The High-End Theory - a new product class?
Ok, this is my theory about the following year:
Apple bought Spruce Technologies last year (website is now gone) - they WERE the leading maker of professional DVD authoring systems in the world and they were only available on Windows NT and 2000. They also made hardware MPEG compression boards for very high end systems.
So wilth the world's top DVD authoring hardware and software under their roof, it seems extremely plausible that Apple is going to be releasing MPEG encoding boards and new versions of their DVD software sometime very soon.
If they do, this would introduce a product line firmly outside of the reach of its consumer and prosumer hardware.
Which makes me wonder...
Isn't it about time that Apple started releasing even more powerful systems than they have right now? I mean a LOT more powerful?
For instance, with After effects and Maya on OS X, where is the Mac-based power to RENDER?
We all know the G5 is around the corner - how far around the corner is up for debate. And we at least know it is a true 64 bit chip with lots of Floating Point related subchips - sort of perfectly suited for crunched massive amounts of data, like one would with imge rendering. Add to this the fact that OS X is unix and supports real symmetrical mulitprocessing, and suddenly you have the potential for some pretty incredible super-high end systems.
I guess what I'm proposing here is that Apple is gearing itself up for a new product classification, kind of like Sony. That would turn Apple's product matrix into Consumer, Prosumer and Broadcast or Industrial.
Anyone care to speculate? Or better yet, anyone know anything we don't already know?
Apple bought Spruce Technologies last year (website is now gone) - they WERE the leading maker of professional DVD authoring systems in the world and they were only available on Windows NT and 2000. They also made hardware MPEG compression boards for very high end systems.
So wilth the world's top DVD authoring hardware and software under their roof, it seems extremely plausible that Apple is going to be releasing MPEG encoding boards and new versions of their DVD software sometime very soon.
If they do, this would introduce a product line firmly outside of the reach of its consumer and prosumer hardware.
Which makes me wonder...
Isn't it about time that Apple started releasing even more powerful systems than they have right now? I mean a LOT more powerful?
For instance, with After effects and Maya on OS X, where is the Mac-based power to RENDER?
We all know the G5 is around the corner - how far around the corner is up for debate. And we at least know it is a true 64 bit chip with lots of Floating Point related subchips - sort of perfectly suited for crunched massive amounts of data, like one would with imge rendering. Add to this the fact that OS X is unix and supports real symmetrical mulitprocessing, and suddenly you have the potential for some pretty incredible super-high end systems.
I guess what I'm proposing here is that Apple is gearing itself up for a new product classification, kind of like Sony. That would turn Apple's product matrix into Consumer, Prosumer and Broadcast or Industrial.
Anyone care to speculate? Or better yet, anyone know anything we don't already know?
Comments
But I don't know.. Apple doesn't include the "Power Mac G4 Server" in a separate classification, but then again it's basically a G4 with OS X Server. This all depends on how big Apple thinks the audience would be, and how accepting it would be of an Apple product, and if this product would require special engineering, hardware, etc, as well as just how much. The problem with changing the product classification is knowing how well the public will accept it. The last thing Apple wants is another Cube fiasco. It hurt their finances, it hurt their R&D, but mostly it hurt their PR.
<strong>Not only Spruce, but also Raycer Graphics and some other company that dealed with authoring software.. Asante or something like that? I could be way wrong on that though.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
It was Astarte and DVD Studio Pro is essentially their software reincarnated.
What does Raycer do?
To my knowledge we've not seen any of the fruits of their acquisition yet, but many people thought Apple would make a special "render" chip to be used in conjunction with the SuperDrive, their own 3rd generation graphics chip to take Aqua/Quartz's CPU load down, or just plain try to supplant relying on nVidia/ATi.
Then there is the 'Raycer' project which I think, as others have suggested, is a graphics co-processor that accelerates the Quartz layer. Its been interesting that Virtual PC5 performs quite badly under OS X due the Quartz rendering overhead (so Connectix say) and yet there were definite rumblings that Virtual PC had been spyed running at amazing speed (==1Ghz Pentium)....hmmm...
The Spruce thing is easy; Apple intends to OWN DVD authoring and that includes Hollywood. DVD Studio is good but it ain't that good. Expect to see MPEG encoders and possibly a new software package (DVD Studio Hollywood?) this year some time.
I'm going to have to sit down now in a dark room.
<strong>I've been suggesting this for a while. I think there is definite room at the very top end for Apple now. OS X makes it all happen and the G5 should add the possibility of efficient multi processors. Plus there is the mysterious GigaWire, which I think is basically the optical version of FireWire, that suggests clustering is a real possibility. Cost isn't particularly an issue at this level, performance is everything.
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Makes ya wonder eh?
Feels likes they've been holding off for too long. Their acquisitions are extremely suspicious, and yet they keep the focus on consumer products. I'm hoping this year is the beginning of a new era of high-end Apple products. they have the engineering know-how and the technology to make it happen. Seems like a natural next-step.
Pretty oblique thinking. You could be on to something here.
You know that fact that Mayer was ported to OS X seems very suspecious to me. They must know something we don't. Steve must have worked very hard to persuade them to do all the work, after all you would have to be convinced that there is going to be a decent market before you would undertake that amount of re-programming.
I thought that the G5 was it, but mabee it's going to be a trully professional machine. Of course to some non-pro's will buy them even though they cost the earth.
1. Rumours of 3 lines in January with G5 at the high end, G4 middle and G3 at the bottom. Release the high end machines then introduce G5s into consumer machines later in the year.
2. Rumours of Quad machines and beyond and the work being done to boost multiprocessing configurations.
3. OS X.
What if Apple bought SGI? SGI has been losing market share for a long time, ever since x86 workstations got the power to compete with their offerings. However, they still have a lot of respect in the industry and important software supporting them.
I think if Apple had all the sweet technology they've been buying up somewhere ready to go, and the instant credibility of SGI behind them, they could make a big move in film work.
But I'm not really an expert here, so those of you who know your stuff correct me.
[quote]Originally posted by KD5MDK:
<strong>Remember the rumor that SGI was looking into using the G5? I know they .....
But I'm not really an expert here, so those of you who know your stuff correct me.</strong><hr></blockquote>
[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: Chris ]</p>
i reckon MWSF is gonna be fun fun fun ...
steve is gonna have a HUUUGE friggin grin as he rolls out the new G5's and then ... THE QUAD G5!!!
but that's just me
[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: g::masta ]</p>
<strong>...The last thing Apple wants is another Cube fiasco. It hurt their finances, it hurt their R&D, but mostly it hurt their PR.</strong><hr></blockquote>
The Cube is no fiasco that has hurt Apples public relationship. The market was just not ready for it. When Mr. Jobs first tried to sell computers without floppys (at Next) - the market was not ready. The second time (at Apple) it was perfect timing.
Last week we got an offer to sell a Cube for 3000$. When users get to know that they don't need that PCI-cards the market is ready. We're all moving in that direction as computers becomes faster. Only 5% (or something like that) of all users have PCI-cards in ther PowerMacs.
Today, video renders in realtime without additional DSPs. The hardware codec and your D/A (A/D) take place in your VCR instead of in your computer. MOTU has eliminated the need for PCI-card in the new 828-system (i.e. audio system). Software developers that put effort in optimization don't need HW-solutions. When Apple aquired Astartes "DV Director" and shrink-wrapped it as "DVD Studio Pro" they managed to optimize the MPEG-codec so fast nobody needed the 4000$-card.
If Apple would have done a Cube with the same CPU as the fastest PowerMac the result may have been another. Just wait and see - the Cube will come back.
(Or the Power Macs will be Cubes.)
/Robert
I mean, look at the advances with FinalCut Pro 3... as it is emblazoned on the front page of Apple "50,000$ Studio Editing System... now 98% off" (or something that effect).
How long can a high-end section be justified for? A year? two?
Its a good idea in short term... but unless they want to do it SERIOUSLY (like the rumored rack-mounted Macs) where you can make a true power render farm (or corporate server)... and just keep adding more and more units, then don't waste the money. It will just confuse people and will split up their market even more.
Lets say half the people that buy high-end G4s would buy into the new high high end Macs... that means half the G4 sales wouldn't be there any more. Of course you may be attracking new customers, but it would have to be done slowly.