What Apple's next iDevice should be
One of the remaining areas Apple hasn?t built a digital lifestyles device or software for is home theaters. Currently setting up one is a nightmare with different cords, remotes and configurations.
Apple could capitalize on this area, especially if they produced a device that could use HDTV. Everyone will have to get a HDTV receiver by 2006 so why not sell one that is easy to use and offers way more features/integration?
The device would do what currently a whole rack of equipment is needed to do. (Imagine the ad, maybe something like the first iMac ads)
iTheater needs to be able to receive HDTV, play DVD?s, burn CD?s, connect with an iPod, display iPhoto pictures, play iMovies, and record TV. Plus it must be under 800 dollars. (maybe other more expensive models later with larger hardrives) Included with the device should be a remote with an LCD display that can easily control all Home Theater devices the minute it turns on with no setups. It should be usable without a Mac but having one increases the functionality.
I think the device should look something like the current xServe but be taller and less wide. Having hard drives that can be slipped in like the xServe would also be very cool and allow for expansion.
Here are the specs I think would be needed:
400 mhz G4 processor to use Altivc.
256 mb ram
32 MB specialized NVIDIA graphics card.
DSP chips to help the processor encode/decode HDTV and MPEG-2/4.
60 GB hard drive.
DVD/CD burner. (DVD?s can be burned on Mac)
4 firewire on back, 1 on front. Firewire connects to special Harmon Kardon Amplipher for high quality sound with only one cable.
1 USB on front, 2 on back.
Component and S-Video out
ADC out for connection to flat screen TVs / 23? Studio Display.
Digital and Analog sound out
Cable TV input (Functions as cable box/satellite/HDTV)
Updated Airport card (54 Mbs, device functions as Aiport base station)
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Connects to Macs using Rendezvous so all iTunes libraries/photos/movies are available.
Includes all needed cables.
User interface resembles OS X but can be displayed on TV. iTheater can control any Mac in the local network to access digital content. It can even uses a Mac to burn DVD?s of recorded programs. All content is stored as MPEG-4 material.
Do you think this is a viable product? If Apple every built something like this it should probably be released next October in time for the holiday buying season.
<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/jante99/device2.pdf"; target="_blank">PDF of concept</a>
Apple could capitalize on this area, especially if they produced a device that could use HDTV. Everyone will have to get a HDTV receiver by 2006 so why not sell one that is easy to use and offers way more features/integration?
The device would do what currently a whole rack of equipment is needed to do. (Imagine the ad, maybe something like the first iMac ads)
iTheater needs to be able to receive HDTV, play DVD?s, burn CD?s, connect with an iPod, display iPhoto pictures, play iMovies, and record TV. Plus it must be under 800 dollars. (maybe other more expensive models later with larger hardrives) Included with the device should be a remote with an LCD display that can easily control all Home Theater devices the minute it turns on with no setups. It should be usable without a Mac but having one increases the functionality.
I think the device should look something like the current xServe but be taller and less wide. Having hard drives that can be slipped in like the xServe would also be very cool and allow for expansion.
Here are the specs I think would be needed:
400 mhz G4 processor to use Altivc.
256 mb ram
32 MB specialized NVIDIA graphics card.
DSP chips to help the processor encode/decode HDTV and MPEG-2/4.
60 GB hard drive.
DVD/CD burner. (DVD?s can be burned on Mac)
4 firewire on back, 1 on front. Firewire connects to special Harmon Kardon Amplipher for high quality sound with only one cable.
1 USB on front, 2 on back.
Component and S-Video out
ADC out for connection to flat screen TVs / 23? Studio Display.
Digital and Analog sound out
Cable TV input (Functions as cable box/satellite/HDTV)
Updated Airport card (54 Mbs, device functions as Aiport base station)
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Connects to Macs using Rendezvous so all iTunes libraries/photos/movies are available.
Includes all needed cables.
User interface resembles OS X but can be displayed on TV. iTheater can control any Mac in the local network to access digital content. It can even uses a Mac to burn DVD?s of recorded programs. All content is stored as MPEG-4 material.
Do you think this is a viable product? If Apple every built something like this it should probably be released next October in time for the holiday buying season.
<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/jante99/device2.pdf"; target="_blank">PDF of concept</a>
Comments
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In time.
apple has no place in home theaters as of now.
A digital camera from apple would be nice. A digital video camera would be nice. i think a nice network printer easy to use would be nice.
but a home theater device that is farfetched
<strong>I'm waiting for them to release an iPictureFrame. A small LCD that you can put on your desk that would gain access to your Pictures folder via Rendezvous and change every 55 seconds. Competitively priced at $89.99 <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
That would really be a competitive price, considering an LCD monitor from Apple costs, ohhh, i dont know, 600 bucks?!
<img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[Surprised]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
In time.
<strong>One of the remaining areas Apple hasn?t built a digital lifestyles device or software for is home theaters. Currently setting up one is a nightmare with different cords, remotes and configurations.
[snipped...]
<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/jante99/device2.pdf"; target="_blank">PDF of concept</a></strong><hr></blockquote>
i hope apple would do what you suggest, not this one: <a href="http://www.raytracer25.btinternet.co.uk/iToilet/itoilet.html"; target="_blank">http://www.raytracer25.btinternet.co.uk/iToilet/itoilet.html</a>;
chill...
<a href="http://www.sleeplessknights.com/Pages/icolors.html"; target="_blank">http://www.sleeplessknights.com/Pages/icolors.html</a>;
<strong>It's not related to the computer close enough to be in their market.</strong><hr></blockquote>
It looks about as close to the computer market as a MP3 player to me. Pie-in-the-sky specs though.
ADC connector? Why? a TV would require too much power to route through an ADC connector, and LCD screens are a bit too much money when you get up to the size that anyone would want as a main TV. Also what would be the reason for a USB port on the TV?
The Firewire connectivity to the Audio equipment would be nice. But the variouse tuners that you would need to incorperate would add a lot of cost. As far as I know Satelite tuners are propriatary, and do not work with the current CATV systems availabe in TV's. Digital CATV uses a new set top box which has yet to be incorperated in new TV's. And HDTV tuners are not compatible with any of the others. So to have compatability with all of these systems you would need at least 4 different tuners, and a HDTV tuner adds about $400 premium to the cost of a projection TV at current prices, so this would be very cost prohibitive. Though I guess that they could use the PCI slots for the tuners.
The video system and CPU speed seem a little week in todays market. The GameCube uses a faster processor than 400mhz, and 32 MB video card is pretty low end., though having a DSP for DVD decoding would probably make up this.
<strong>One of the remaining areas Apple hasn?t built a digital lifestyles device or software for is home theaters. Currently setting up one is a nightmare with different cords, remotes and configurations.
Apple could capitalize on this area, especially if they produced a device that could use HDTV. Everyone will have to get a HDTV receiver by 2006 so why not sell one that is easy to use and offers way more features/integration?
The device would do what currently a whole rack of equipment is needed to do. (Imagine the ad, maybe something like the first iMac ads)
iTheater needs to be able to receive HDTV, play DVD?s, burn CD?s, connect with an iPod, display iPhoto pictures, play iMovies, and record TV. Plus it must be under 800 dollars. (maybe other more expensive models later with larger hardrives) Included with the device should be a remote with an LCD display that can easily control all Home Theater devices the minute it turns on with no setups. It should be usable without a Mac but having one increases the functionality.
I think the device should look something like the current xServe but be taller and less wide. Having hard drives that can be slipped in like the xServe would also be very cool and allow for expansion.
Here are the specs I think would be needed:
400 mhz G4 processor to use Altivc.
256 mb ram
32 MB specialized NVIDIA graphics card.
DSP chips to help the processor encode/decode HDTV and MPEG-2/4.
60 GB hard drive.
DVD/CD burner. (DVD?s can be burned on Mac)
4 firewire on back, 1 on front. Firewire connects to special Harmon Kardon Amplipher for high quality sound with only one cable.
1 USB on front, 2 on back.
Component and S-Video out
ADC out for connection to flat screen TVs / 23? Studio Display.
Digital and Analog sound out
Cable TV input (Functions as cable box/satellite/HDTV)
Updated Airport card (54 Mbs, device functions as Aiport base station)
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Connects to Macs using Rendezvous so all iTunes libraries/photos/movies are available.
Includes all needed cables.
User interface resembles OS X but can be displayed on TV. iTheater can control any Mac in the local network to access digital content. It can even uses a Mac to burn DVD?s of recorded programs. All content is stored as MPEG-4 material.
Do you think this is a viable product? If Apple every built something like this it should probably be released next October in time for the holiday buying season.
<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/jante99/device2.pdf"; target="_blank">PDF of concept</a></strong><hr></blockquote>
<a href="http://www.bose.com"; target="_blank">www.bose.com</a> At least for a Home theater that is easy to set-up. Couple that with an iMac and you can edit your movies burn them to DVD + your pictures and watch them on your home theater system. The reason that home theater is so desperate is because there are so many different pieces to combine to make the whole system. Much is changing as well, audio and display are in flux now. 5.1 vs. 7.1 THX Dolby II etc. Projection vs. plasma HDTV, 980i 1080i i'm sure there are dozens that I have missed. Too much flux right now.
I have to ask, why did you pick 55 secs?? Was it just arbitrary? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
Woo-Hoo, let's just liquidate the stock now.
iPod remote control? HAHAHA!!!. Remote battery life is measured in months, not hours. Nothing in there that couldn't just be in a computer. Computers have HDD's and videocards that can display HD quality video/frame rates. SOFTWARE could let you capture video to QT/MPEG2/4. A DVD/CD superdrive can let you burn it. All you need is a firewire A/V in and some software. Apple could finally add 5.1 out to all their macs. Right now it's in some sort of limbo (OSX supports it, but what about the DVD player and the digital output) ???
Nope, that idear's a BIG LOSER, because it cost way too much for anyone to actually buy. Macs already cost too much, but at least they form a computer you can use. This has all the expense of a computer and half the functionality. Thus, it's garbage.
Do I now have to start wailing on the HT geeks the same way I had to wail on the pocket super-computer/uber-pad geeks???
Get real.
Apple is actually pretty close to giving you what you want right now, but in the actually useful form of a computer. Forget the HDTV reciever for now, and just look at the computer. All they need to do is work out the surround sound output of the mac and a firewire A/V box and some software could take care of all your PVR/audio in-out/video burning needs.
Apple is not making teen boy super A/V consoles for the porn surfing pimpled faced dateless geeks out there. Sure a lot of you need such a porn box, but one of the side-effects of staying home wanking all day is that you'll never earn the money to actually afford it.
Get real...
End rant.