Apple Projector: For those who want to believe.

zab the fabzab the fab
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
http://www.osopinion.com/modules.php...ticle&sid=1456



I read the rumor which the writer refers to also, and it made me faint, it made me go to my alter of Steve jobs and pray that it was true. Time went by and reality came back...it probably wasn't going to happen. Just another "Mars Attack" piece of future hardware from the planet "COOL" that was never gonna see the light of day...DAMN YOU APPLE GRRRR



Fast forward to me reading this article.... you might as well call the blue van...



They're comming to take me away ha haa, they're comming to take me away ha haa, to the funny farm, where life is wonderfull all the time, they're comming to take me away ha haa....



Somebody please explain to me QUICK why this has no barring in reality... I need to sleep tonight.... somebody please ! ! ! !
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 71
    ensign pulverensign pulver Posts: 1,193member
    First of all, descriptive, correctly spelled thread titles are your friend.



    Second, am I missing something here or does this sound like a really dumb idea? This is a projector, right? Like the one my dad showed slides on 20 years ago? OK, so it's "digital" and "better", but is the idea that you shine the image on a blank wall?!!! What the hell is the point of that? People want to watch movies on TVs, big wide state of the art TVs, not some needless "update" to the YMCA rec room paradigm.



    And this is supposed to somehow be a headless iMac too? You shine your desktop and applications onto your bedroom wall?!?! I don't get it.
  • Reply 2 of 71
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    What could Apple bring to the projector market that isn't there today? Why would Apple want to enter into an expensive market with limited appeal? I could see a dlp rear screen projector, lcd, or plasma screen as a large screen, but a front projectors have a smaller market than these other systems due in part to the cost. Other problems are installation and "screen" placement/materials, as well as the need for a more controlled lighting environment. I've read that parts of the installation problems can be addressed with hardware/software, but I'm sure that this would add to the over all cost of the device. It seams to me that this would be a very limited market and therefore about as attractive to Steve as the tablet PC.
  • Reply 3 of 71
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,423member
    Yes very interesting but unlikely. Projectors that can display video well are expensive. The parts that are necessary are beyond Apples control to manufacture so their profits would be minimal compared to the effort required.



    Lovely idea but just not that probable right now.
  • Reply 4 of 71
    zab the fabzab the fab Posts: 303member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ensign Pulver

    First of all, descriptive, correctly spelled thread titles are your friend.



    Second, am I missing something here or does this sound like a really dumb idea? This is a projector, right? Like the one my dad showed slides on 20 years ago? OK, so it's "digital" and "better", but is the idea that you shine the image on a blank wall?!!! What the hell is the point of that? People want to watch movies on TVs, big wide state of the art TVs, not some needless "update" to the YMCA rec room paradigm.



    And this is supposed to somehow be a headless iMac too? You shine your desktop and applications onto your bedroom wall?!?! I don't get it.



    thanks on the spelling - I'm from Europe so we do what we can with our second, third and forth languages (what would be the correct spelling?)



    So you have really never tried to watch a movie on a projector? Well at least that's what it sounds like. YOU SHOULD REALLY TRY....then the blue van will come for YOU



    It is sooo cooool



    The reason people want to watch movies on a big screen tv is not that it's a TV but that it's BIG ! guess what, projectors take up less space and provide a bigger screeen, that's 2 major advantages for those who were counting
  • Reply 5 of 71
    zab the fabzab the fab Posts: 303member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by @homenow

    What could Apple bring to the projector market that isn't there today? Why would Apple want to enter into an expensive market with limited appeal? I could see a dlp rear screen projector, lcd, or plasma screen as a large screen, but a front projectors have a smaller market than these other systems due in part to the cost. Other problems are installation and "screen" placement/materials, as well as the need for a more controlled lighting environment. I've read that parts of the installation problems can be addressed with hardware/software, but I'm sure that this would add to the over all cost of the device. It seams to me that this would be a very limited market and therefore about as attractive to Steve as the tablet PC.



    Now I'm not saying this will happen, but have you read the rumor post he writes about in the article? Then you might have different ideas about setup. A small and expensive market? anything new is small and expensive, and that's when it's interesting! When it's big and cheap nobody makes a buck! Think about it, it's all about finding the next big thing. The question is, will Apple make this product and put a next gen. fast wifi technology inside, open the stream you movie iMovie store? I think Steve jobs would just love to let people sit in their Home iTheater and show their iMovies, but who knows? The Lord and Steve works in mysterious ways.....
  • Reply 6 of 71
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    1) Fixed the thread title.



    2) I've heard this rumor from more than one place, and some of them seem fairly reliable.



    3) The "headless Mac" is almost 100% likely to be an embellishment by one of those inveterate "headless Mac" zealots. If Apple makes a projector, it'll be a projector; it might have a little computer on board, like the iPod does, or like a decent laser printer does, but it won't be a Mac. In design, less is more.



    4) Apple had no control over the most crucial parts for: AirPort, the SuperDrive, the iPod and iPod mini (hard drives) and the Cinema Displays; but they nevertheless managed to offer revolutionary contributions at previously unheard-of prices for those technologies. Never underestimate Steve's talent at making deals when he really wants something.



    5) Don't forget the pro video space. There are a lot of people who would gladly spend multi-thousands of dollars on a projector that replaces something that previously cost tens of thousands of dollars. This doesn't have to be something you buy for your grandma, especially not at the first iteration.
  • Reply 7 of 71
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,423member
    Quote:

    2) I've heard this rumor from more than one place, and some of them seem fairly reliable.



    I want to believe!!!!



    Alan Gouger of AVS Science is not one to normally speculate about computer stuff. When he says something like this I know that it's not fluff I just can't get my head around what Apple would do for Projectors to show that "Apple Magic"



    Regardless within hopefully 5 years I'll be moving to a Front Projection system. There is nothing like seeing HDTV on an 8ft screen in a dark room with audio to die for and bass that'll kill you..or at least crack your sternum.



    I'm just racing think about what Apple would use.



    Would it be DLP using Texas Instruments chips



    LCoS, could Apple be partnering with Intel?



    Well I guess we'll have to wait and see.



    Here's a nice scenario.



    Steve is walking on stage at WWDC. Video of the presentation is playing behind him but the screen is is smaller than usual. At the end of his presentation he says



    "oh, and there's one more thing" Picture of Apple Projector pops up on the screen, "This show was broadcast on the new Apple iEye Projector, it's 1080P of brilliant video available in a month for $3499!" The crowd goes wild.
  • Reply 8 of 71
    cubistcubist Posts: 954member
    $3499, yes, that's about right. That would be a professional projector.



    How about the projector for the rest of us, 1024x768 (XGA) at $999? With DVI, SVGA, component and S-video inputs, and a built-in TV tuner.



    ... Nah.
  • Reply 9 of 71
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    I've read the rumors as well. I also see good points made here, and in the others threads that were on similar topics. As Amorph points out there have been many products that Apple has marketed that were not Apple technology, but Apple supplied superb integration for the components. Apple has also been able to come out with competitive prices for a number of their products like those mentioned, but lets not forget the 20" display which remains competitive. As hmurchison points out there are also new technologies that are out that have the potential to bring better quality at lower costs.



    What I don't see however is what Apple can bring to the table in integration that will make it a success. I also don't see the wisdom in entering a high cost niche market. Yes people spend big $ on these systems, they do on game systems as well and Apple isn't chasing that market down, and they bowed out of the tablet PC market for those reasons as well. Apple needs a success like the iPod, not the Cube (and before anyone flames me for that I am typing away on one, luv'em). I could see them doing this with a PVR or home video streaming device, but not with a projector that has a limited market space.



    And if they were to do it, they would be foolish not to support full HDTV resolution from the start. Not doing so would bring about too much whining from the press....
  • Reply 10 of 71
    zab the fabzab the fab Posts: 303member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Amorph

    1) Fixed the thread title.



    2) I've heard this rumor from more than one place, and some of them seem fairly reliable.



    3) The "headless Mac" is almost 100% likely to be an embellishment by one of those inveterate "headless Mac" zealots. If Apple makes a projector, it'll be a projector; it might have a little computer on board, like the iPod does, or like a decent laser printer does, but it won't be a Mac. In design, less is more.



    4) Apple had no control over the most crucial parts for: AirPort, the SuperDrive, the iPod and iPod mini (hard drives) and the Cinema Displays; but they nevertheless managed to offer revolutionary contributions at previously unheard-of prices for those technologies. Never underestimate Steve's talent at making deals when he really wants something.



    5) Don't forget the pro video space. There are a lot of people who would gladly spend multi-thousands of dollars on a projector that replaces something that previously cost tens of thousands of dollars. This doesn't have to be something you buy for your grandma, especially not at the first iteration.



    Thanks for the spelling assistance Ok, so everyone pretty much see the idea about a projector and watching movies, but Steve probably sees the big picture. Imagine projecting that iMovie you just did for the whole family or watching that slide-show from Africa....on a huge screen in your livingroom. Remember, it takes up less space than a TV and gives you a larger screen...



    Wireless transfer from you Mac for the slideshow. Maybe it would take next generation wireless FireWire before you can transmit your iMovie wireless?
  • Reply 11 of 71
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Zab The Fab

    Wireless transfer from you Mac for the slideshow. Maybe it would take next generation wireless FireWire before you can transmit your iMovie wireless?



    Now that could be a good innovation/evolution because the TV could then communicate directly with your computer via a high speed "FireWire" radio signal. Your computer could also take control of the tuner to record a show without requiring one to reside on the computer, and could stream directly to the projector so there is no need for an additional box to purchase, your TV and computer become the PVR. It would make sense for Apple to pick a product with this potential to highlight wireless Firewire. What doesn't make sense to me would be choosing a front projector model instead of the more widely marketed rear projection systems which tend to cost less, especially if you take into account "hidden" costs such as the price of the screen (would you really want to spend $4000 on a projector and settle with viewing it on the wall in your living room which probably has at best an off white color and a less than ideal texture for your viewing experience?)
  • Reply 12 of 71
    lucylucy Posts: 44member
    Bad idea maybe, but, if we're gonna speculate about an HDTV projector, maybe we can add in the old Apple PVR rumor. A combined PVR/projector might be able to provide Apple an integration edge that others may have difficulty matching. With iApp integration maybe?
  • Reply 13 of 71
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I think at best if there is a shred of creditability to this it's possible Apple ordered some more projectors for upcoming Apple Stores, and it was blown into this story. I have a projection TV, and I used to have a wall projector like the ones in Apple stores. I just don't see Apple selling them. Ahhhhh.. forget that shred of creditability. I say it's all BS. This is a joke.
  • Reply 14 of 71
    chris cuillachris cuilla Posts: 4,825member
    It's interesting that this subject comes up right now. I was just thinking about this very thing. A few things occurred to me. First, projectors are getting smaller and cheaper...and still have very good quality. Second, one thing Steve has said about the idea of iPod AV is that there is no "headphone equivalent" for video. This got me to thinking...what if Apple were to drive projection technology smaller, cheaper (though not likely "cheap"), combine it with the iPod technology (HD, chip, OS, etc.) and create a portable, high-quality, personal projector?



    It is just the kind of thing that would be totally unexpected from Apple, and yet somehow they would do it "just right" (like iPod).
  • Reply 15 of 71
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    I use projectors all the time at work, and if you haven't seen one before, good ones can be absolutely beautiful. They can project on just about anything and they are extremely crisp and sharp - even small spindly text is highly readable. But hmurchison is right, they're expensive. We're talking $1000 minimum. If they could do a good one, say 1152 X 768, for that price, it might be worth it. It's the kind of the Apple might do - there were plenty of music players before the iPod, and videocams before the iSight.



    It could have a dock connector for the iPod to sit right in it and play movies from the hard drive. Then if they just bundled it with DVD Backup 1.3, they'd make a killing.
  • Reply 16 of 71
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    I'll rehash this old position I've put forward... not saying it's likely, but possible:



    The big question that keeps coming up is: What could Apple *possibly* bring to the projector market? Plenty.



    What is the *number one* issue with projectors? They're difficult to set up.



    What is Apple's *number one* strength? Solving ease-of-use issues.



    So what does Apple have that can solve *this* problem? Again, plenty.



    Projectors are hard to a) align, b) focus, c) color balance. These are all image analysis issues... and Apple has image capture experience with the iSight, and ColorSync handles color calibration.



    Currently, to set up the average projector, you have to: find a suitable flat space to place the projector, aim it at the projection surface, manually view the test image, tweak the image geometry (hoping it doesn't too badly set some areas of the image different relative to others), tweak the color balances, focus, manually inspect - if okay, great, but often you find that some image regions simply won't converge nicely, and guess what - you have to find another surface to place the projector on. Repeat as necessary until you can live with it.



    This. Sucks. I've done this I don't know how many times, and every time I've cursed the designers.



    The solution is simple - bring the technologies available to bear, with an eye towards making this as auto-calibrated as possible.



    Apple has the technologies to allow a user to plop a projector down at odd angles, off-level, you name it, and have the image look right. They can even adjust automatically for color variances due to projection surface (off-white wall anyone? Light yellow?) and/or lighting technologies (sun, incandescent, florescent).



    Suddenly a projector moves out of the realm of professional equipment, or permanent installations to a portable consumer device that takes seconds to set up, and anyone can use.



    That's what Apple brings to the table, every time. Powerful technologies that are made easy to use.
  • Reply 17 of 71
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    I use projectors all the time at work, and if you haven't seen one before, good ones can be absolutely beautiful. They can project on just about anything and they are extremely crisp and sharp - even small spindly text is highly readable. But hmurchison is right, they're expensive. We're talking $1000 minimum. If they could do a good one, say 1152 X 768, for that price, it might be worth it. It's the kind of the Apple might do - there were plenty of music players before the iPod, and videocams before the iSight.



    It could have a dock connector for the iPod to sit right in it and play movies from the hard drive. Then if they just bundled it with DVD Backup 1.3, they'd make a killing.



    I havent priced front projectors in a while, but if you are suggesting that it would be possible to produce a good quality front projector with an integrated tuner for $1000-$1500 that would handle HDTV then it might be a viable product. Especially if they could add WiFi or wireless FireWire to it.



    I'm still skeptical about being able to make one that would be a success simply because of the limitations of a front projection design fitting into the average living/family room layout. Where would you mount it for everyday use? The ideal place, to limit keystoning, would be fairly high in the room and perpendicular to the wall that it is being projected to. That would also be where most people have a couch. Ceiling mounting would be ideal, but you would have to include optics that would correct the keystoning.
  • Reply 18 of 71
    zab the fabzab the fab Posts: 303member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Chris Cuilla

    It's interesting that this subject comes up right now. I was just thinking about this very thing. A few things occurred to me. First, projectors are getting smaller and cheaper...and still have very good quality. Second, one thing Steve has said about the idea of iPod AV is that there is no "headphone equivalent" for video. This got me to thinking...what if Apple were to drive projection technology smaller, cheaper (though not likely "cheap"), combine it with the iPod technology (HD, chip, OS, etc.) and create a portable, high-quality, personal projector?



    It is just the kind of thing that would be totally unexpected from Apple, and yet somehow they would do it "just right" (like iPod).



    UPS....and he stumbled onto something sexy..... ! I should have never started this thread... there goes my sleep for a week... THANKS A LOT MAN ! ...just kidding.



    The product you describe would be so uber cool that no words could ever do it justice! Hot mama!
  • Reply 19 of 71
    ensign pulverensign pulver Posts: 1,193member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Chris Cuilla

    It's interesting that this subject comes up right now. I was just thinking about this very thing. A few things occurred to me. First, projectors are getting smaller and cheaper...and still have very good quality. Second, one thing Steve has said about the idea of iPod AV is that there is no "headphone equivalent" for video. This got me to thinking...what if Apple were to drive projection technology smaller, cheaper (though not likely "cheap"), combine it with the iPod technology (HD, chip, OS, etc.) and create a portable, high-quality, personal projector?



    It is just the kind of thing that would be totally unexpected from Apple, and yet somehow they would do it "just right" (like iPod).



    Where the Hell is this idea that consumers want anything to do with projectors coming from? I don't care how simultaneously industry leading and comparatively inexpensive an Apple projector might be, it will still be a costly niche product that serves only its existing professional market segment. The idea that such a device could be used as the basis of a consumer product push is ridiculous.
  • Reply 20 of 71
    zab the fabzab the fab Posts: 303member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    I It's the kind of the Apple might do - there were plenty of music players before the iPod, and videocams before the iSight.





    So nice to see someone making a post who hasn't forgotten that this is Apple were talking about here.....

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