This makes a lot of sense... but, why build in a hard drive if you already have a hard drive readily available: your iPod.
What you do with your iPod when you get home? You either...
Connect it to your computer to sync/recharge it
Drop it into your iPod speakers or connect it to the stereo in your living room
Leave it on a flat surface somewhere
So if you think about it, if this mysterious wireless device can connect to your tv/sound system, recharge your iPod, and wirelessly communicate with your iTunes, then you'd be all set. And it makes complete sense to couple this with the other announcements: You download a movie from the new iTunes movie store for $9.99, sync it with your updated higher-capacity iPod via this wireless dock device that connects to your tv and speaker system. And when you leave the house, you just grab the iPod on your way out and you can still watch videos on the go. Bring the iPod over to a friend's, drop it in their wireless dock thingy, then watch it together.
Everything's on the iPod. Like we did with our CDs, we sell our DVD player and all our DVDs and replace them with digital versions. iPod becomes the center of digital entertainment. Game over.
If it is too dependent on the iPod or a Mac then it's ability to survive in the market will be questionable, not everyone has or want's one. It needs to be an almost stand-alone device that syncs with the computer in the home via a wired or wireless network connection. It should have a Windows as well as a Mac software component for integration into what ever system is in the home to maximize potential market. And most of all it needs to have a low enough price that it can compete against the current technology (DVD, DVR, Cable on-demand). That is not to say that it needs to compete against the lowest priced of these technologies, but it needs to have a compelling enough feature set to justify the price that it will have and attract customers to the new product today as well as in the future.
But what if this device was a reetooled mac mini to some extent and acted a a media system completely free of your computer. We know the ipod is so successful because it's both mac and PC complant (aside from it's other benefits) so whatever this TV top device is it has to either play well with both Mac's and PC's or it has to take them out of the equation altogether.
A settop media server that allows you to watch your own media as well as download both music, movies and TV shows from the Apple Media Store. You don't even need a computer to use with your ipod anymore, just hook it up to this device. And if this thign supports HD we could see the end of the HDDVD/Blu-ray format war.
Then this becomes a stand alone device and not a "value added" device that attracts people to the Mac platform the way that the iPod has done. You also have the additional cost of creating a more general computing device to handle all of the tasks that you need it to do. The most I think that it needs is a front-row interface, small HD for caching video files, wired and wireless network connection. On the computer side, which most people have already, you need a software component that instantly recognizes the media player on the network and integrates with it. It might be nice to have a larger hard drive, or even multiple hard drives for media storage that can free up your computer's hard drive but is linked to and cataloged on the computer's iTunes component, which stores the database and customer information for purchasing new content.
I don't think that this needs to be a full blown Mini, which would probably cost at least $699 and possibly closer to $1000.
Haven't heard this mentioned yet, but it would be awsome, if it streamed video both ways... so then you have PVR like functionality and can record your own tv show's to your computer... any chance of this happening?
I'm betting "pod" will be in the name somewhere. The lawyers have suddenly become obsessive compulsive about that word. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the ... AirPod.
Haven't heard this mentioned yet, but it would be awsome, if it streamed video both ways... so then you have PVR like functionality and can record your own tv show's to your computer... any chance of this happening?
That would be great, and I'm sure that most people would like that function. It would be another way to get content into iMovie and iDVD. I don't know if the networks would like it that well, and since they are supporting iTMS as a content delivery source then they might cry foul. It also might add more complexity and price to the device, especially for the initial release. Apple could always start out simple and get established then add the feature in a future model.
I'm betting "pod" will be in the name somewhere. The lawyers have suddenly become obsessive compulsive about that word. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the ... AirPod.
I'm looking forward to the audiophile edition iPod, y'know the tube-amp based one.
Remember there were rumors of the Mac mini originally having a dock on top.
What is Apple's new media center is basically a pimped up Mac mini with a full-size drive and an iPod dock on top. Apple could call it a iPod HD or whatever.
People think they are buying a iPod accessory when really they are buying a Mac.
This Mac could use a FrontRow like interface to allow you to browse Apple's movie catalog, watch previews, and purchase HD movies. Once you purchase a HD movie the iPodHD starts downloading the movie, it will be available to begin watching in less than an hour.
You can also put an iPod into this dock and the dock will upload a smaller version.
The iPodHD could also act as a backup device for all the users in the family in conjunction with TimeMachine. Anyone in the family can access their music, movies or pictures on the iPodHD even if their computer is turned off.
I'm not sure about that if the hardware is single purpose, like that in a DVD player, then it doesn't have to be expensive at all, there are DVD players out there for under $30 USD. If it is a more general purpose processor then it might need more power, but then the decompression can still be offloaded to dedicated circutry for that so that a less powerfull processor is needed.
Toshiba is losing money on their $500 HD-DVD player, it costs them $700 to make the player that they sell for $500 - and $200 of that is the HD-DVD transport (so $500 worth of parts, assembly and testing would be the same as the apple device, without counting the hard drive or wireless bits).
Assuming that it is MPEG-4 that gets streamed to the airport device, it would be the same as the HD-DVD player, except with a Wi-Fi connection and hard drive instead of the HD-DVD transport.
You are looking at around $600 as Apple's cost, or $800 - $900 retail.
Toshiba is losing money on their $500 HD-DVD player, it costs them $700 to make the player that they sell for $500 - and $200 of that is the HD-DVD transport (so $500 worth of parts, assembly and testing would be the same as the apple device, without counting the hard drive or wireless bits).
Assuming that it is MPEG-4 that gets streamed to the airport device, it would be the same as the HD-DVD player, except with a Wi-Fi connection and hard drive instead of the HD-DVD transport.
You are looking at around $600 as Apple's cost, or $800 - $900 retail.
If they pair it down to the bare minimum then then they should be able to get some of that cost down since they don't need the DVD drive, which probably accounts for the most of the cost, and it might not be ready for HD content this year anyway. Most HD screens available today are not 1080p so there is no need to fully support a standard that the vast majority of customers can't view anyway. Add 1080p in a year or so when the TV's are down in price and the networking technology is able to support it.
There is also backwards compatibility to address with DVD's as well as supporting various standards. Apple could simplify this by only supporting a few standards, or even 1 standard for streaming. iTunes can "convert" other legal media to the supported format similar to the way it RIPs CD's or imports MP3's.
I must have missed something about this video-enabled AirPort. What is the updated AirPort streaming to and from? I can see the advantage in streaming audio from a Mac to a home stereo, but video? If it's streaming from a Mac to a TV then you won't need a 23" HD iMac to watch the movie on. Surely you'd want to download the movie and then just watch it on the (extremely cool, by the sound of it) iMac. And if it's streaming (rather than downloading) from an iTMS server to the iMac then surely you're going to need one dang fast broadband connection.
I think an Airport Video would be perfect. You stream from a computer anywhere in your house to your TV. It's a great solution, and I've been suggesting it for a long time. Way better than a computer DVR in your living room since you can just have the streaming unit instead of a machine that costs hundreds of dollars.
The only issue I see is using a remote control with it. How do you select the show you want to watch, can they make a box that can run Front Row?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland
The point is I don't want to watch a movie on my TV, with my iMac humming, and wasting energy in the background.
You're probably in the minority. This box isn't for you. Most people want their computer in a different room than the big TV setup in the living room.
I see a box very similar to the current airport express, just with a video output, no hard drive. Just streams real time just like the current airport does audio. Decoding video isn't that tricky, it can be done with one chip that has the codec. If they can do it on an iPod for $299, they should be able to use similar technology to do it in an airport (minus the hard drive and screen, the most expensive parts).
Quote:
Originally Posted by thedonga
um, I already have this...it's called a networked dvd/media player. download any videos you want, and watch them on the home theater...oh and it's only 200 bucks.
Link? I'd be interested in something like that, but have never seen anything that really got it right.
If they pair it down to the bare minimum then then they should be able to get some of that cost down since they don't need the DVD drive, which probably accounts for the most of the cost, and it might not be ready for HD content this year anyway. Most HD screens available today are not 1080p so there is no need to fully support a standard that the vast majority of customers can't view anyway. Add 1080p in a year or so when the TV's are down in price and the networking technology is able to support it.
There is also backwards compatibility to address with DVD's as well as supporting various standards. Apple could simplify this by only supporting a few standards, or even 1 standard for streaming. iTunes can "convert" other legal media to the supported format similar to the way it RIPs CD's or imports MP3's.
Did you even read my post? The $700 is broken into two parts - $200 for the DVD drive, and $500 for all the other stuff that apple will need in their device.
It is true that they could save some of this money by cutting out HDTV functionality, but then they would lose a lot of early adopter customers (like me) and buzz.
An airport express in place of a mini-based media center serving font-row will also disappoint.
Why? Assuming it can run front row, the airport express could handle ALL the functionality you'd need. And the beauty of it is you can stream from ANY mac in your house. Your mac can be anywhere, and as a result it doesn't need to be mini at all, it could be any of the models. I think a streaming box makes much more sense, who wants to have hundreds of dollars of hardware hooked up to a TV in the living room, when it could be connected to a monitor in a room where you want a computer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by alexluft
-I have MacBook (mine) with Lost on it
-Wife is at home
-I leave on business trip with Lost on the MacBook
Wife has no way of watching Lost
Just copy Lost over to the computer you're leaving at home with your wife. Problem solved.
Quote:
Originally Posted by soonToBeMac
Haven't heard this mentioned yet, but it would be awsome, if it streamed video both ways... so then you have PVR like functionality and can record your own tv show's to your computer... any chance of this happening?
What would be the point? For recording, just put a tuner card or USB device on your computer. The only thing that would require another big step would be TIVO style recording while watching, with pausing and fast-forwarding "live" shows.
I think some people on here need to read the article again and settle down the imaginations. This article talks about an improved airport. There's no mention of a "media center" box. The whole point of an Airport Video is that it would need no hard drives, the computer elsewhere in the house does all the storage.
What if this device isn't a streaming/download device at all. What if this device is disc based like a DVD player. There are already DVD players on the market that support Divx playback and they sell for about $50 or so. Apple could be building a DVD player that supports some proprietary H.264 DRM encoded video that you downlod on your computer (Mac/PC) and burn using your DVD drive. Then you have a physical copy which is copy protected and only playable on your computer or your new Apple DVD player or your ipod if you allow itunes to downconvert it when you hook up your ipod. They could even do HD on DVD discs.
Probably not the best solution but definitely the cheapest.
Did you even read my post? The $700 is broken into two parts - $200 for the DVD drive, and $500 for all the other stuff that apple will need in their device.
It is true that they could save some of this money by cutting out HDTV functionality, but then they would lose a lot of early adopter customers (like me) and buzz.
Yes I read your post, though I honestly didn't know that you meant the drive was $200 as I had never heard it refereed to as a transport. I'm not sure what other complexity that they have built into those units, but it sounds like a lot given the cost of DVD's, DVR's, PVR's, and other similar devices. I find your figures a bit hard to believe, but I'm sure that you know better than me. I guess we will find out what Apple has in store for us next week.
What if this device isn't a streaming/download device at all. What if this device is disc based like a DVD player. There are already DVD players on the market that support Divx playback and they sell for about $50 or so. Apple could be building a DVD player that supports some proprietary H.264 DRM encoded video that you downlod on your computer (Mac/PC) and burn using your DVD drive. Then you have a physical copy which is copy protected and only playable on your computer or your new Apple DVD player or your ipod if you allow itunes to downconvert it when you hook up your ipod. They could even do HD on DVD discs.
Probably not the best solution but definitely the cheapest.
Apple make a DVD player? No way, it has too much competition from DVD players, and it has no real integration with any of the other apple gear.
I'd love to have ALL my content on hard drives, just turn on the TV and pick what I want from a menu. I don't think apple's going to do anything less than that.
I think an Airport Video would be perfect. You stream from a computer anywhere in your house to your TV. It's a great solution, and I've been suggesting it for a long time. Way better than a computer DVR in your living room since you can just have the streaming unit instead of a machine that costs hundreds of dollars.
Same as I've been saying for a long time, too. And doing for awhile with an EyeHome-based solution, described earlier in this thread.
Quote:
Most people want their computer in a different room than the big TV setup in the living room.
You'd never guess that based on comments in many forum threads (here and elsewhere) about this topic. Yeah, I really want my growing ~TB media library on hard drives attached to a computer in the living room.
Quote:
I see a box very similar to the current airport express, just with a video output, no hard drive.
That's basically an AirPort Express + EyeHome box, with video and UI improvements. A hard drive for permanent storage seems unnecessary but some temporary storage media (optional?) to cache content for offline playback makes sense.
I think a streaming box makes much more sense, who wants to have hundreds of dollars of hardware hooked up to a TV in the living room, when it could be connected to a monitor in a room where you want a computer?
Couldn't agree more, again.
Quote:
The whole point of an Airport Video is that it would need no hard drives, the computer elsewhere in the house does all the storage.
Some "caching" media storage would be useful, e.g. upload to it from an iPod. Whatever makes offline playback conveniently possible, too.
Anyone else shake their head in amazement at some of the proposed products here? I mean, certainly each of us has the best taste and everyone else is out their mind right?
But seriously. I was struck by the complexity of some of the suggested solutions. I have plenty of ideas but rather than go into them in detail, I'll just say this...
Apple succeeds by going with the solution that is simplest to use. If we're looking at some kind of streaming or media server device, we can rest assured that it will have next to no buttons. Settings? Nah. The optimal device would simply let you choose from a list of what to watch.
If they have to sacrifice AV fidelity for overall ease of use, they will. But in general, I think Apple has made better tradeoffs than other companies. While I personally will never buy a 320x240 video clip, it was probably the best format at the time it was chosen. They'll likely bump the resolution when it no longer comes with the same tradeoff.
I predict that any newly announced hardware will be nearly buttonless if not completely buttonless. I also predict that it will be light on the feature list. But in the end, it will still be the most enticing alternative.
Comments
This makes a lot of sense... but, why build in a hard drive if you already have a hard drive readily available: your iPod.
What you do with your iPod when you get home? You either...
- Connect it to your computer to sync/recharge it
- Drop it into your iPod speakers or connect it to the stereo in your living room
- Leave it on a flat surface somewhere
So if you think about it, if this mysterious wireless device can connect to your tv/sound system, recharge your iPod, and wirelessly communicate with your iTunes, then you'd be all set. And it makes complete sense to couple this with the other announcements: You download a movie from the new iTunes movie store for $9.99, sync it with your updated higher-capacity iPod via this wireless dock device that connects to your tv and speaker system. And when you leave the house, you just grab the iPod on your way out and you can still watch videos on the go. Bring the iPod over to a friend's, drop it in their wireless dock thingy, then watch it together.Everything's on the iPod. Like we did with our CDs, we sell our DVD player and all our DVDs and replace them with digital versions. iPod becomes the center of digital entertainment. Game over.
If it is too dependent on the iPod or a Mac then it's ability to survive in the market will be questionable, not everyone has or want's one. It needs to be an almost stand-alone device that syncs with the computer in the home via a wired or wireless network connection. It should have a Windows as well as a Mac software component for integration into what ever system is in the home to maximize potential market. And most of all it needs to have a low enough price that it can compete against the current technology (DVD, DVR, Cable on-demand). That is not to say that it needs to compete against the lowest priced of these technologies, but it needs to have a compelling enough feature set to justify the price that it will have and attract customers to the new product today as well as in the future.
But what if this device was a reetooled mac mini to some extent and acted a a media system completely free of your computer. We know the ipod is so successful because it's both mac and PC complant (aside from it's other benefits) so whatever this TV top device is it has to either play well with both Mac's and PC's or it has to take them out of the equation altogether.
A settop media server that allows you to watch your own media as well as download both music, movies and TV shows from the Apple Media Store. You don't even need a computer to use with your ipod anymore, just hook it up to this device. And if this thign supports HD we could see the end of the HDDVD/Blu-ray format war.
Then this becomes a stand alone device and not a "value added" device that attracts people to the Mac platform the way that the iPod has done. You also have the additional cost of creating a more general computing device to handle all of the tasks that you need it to do. The most I think that it needs is a front-row interface, small HD for caching video files, wired and wireless network connection. On the computer side, which most people have already, you need a software component that instantly recognizes the media player on the network and integrates with it. It might be nice to have a larger hard drive, or even multiple hard drives for media storage that can free up your computer's hard drive but is linked to and cataloged on the computer's iTunes component, which stores the database and customer information for purchasing new content.
I don't think that this needs to be a full blown Mini, which would probably cost at least $699 and possibly closer to $1000.
Haven't heard this mentioned yet, but it would be awsome, if it streamed video both ways... so then you have PVR like functionality and can record your own tv show's to your computer... any chance of this happening?
That would be great, and I'm sure that most people would like that function. It would be another way to get content into iMovie and iDVD. I don't know if the networks would like it that well, and since they are supporting iTMS as a content delivery source then they might cry foul. It also might add more complexity and price to the device, especially for the initial release. Apple could always start out simple and get established then add the feature in a future model.
I'm betting "pod" will be in the name somewhere. The lawyers have suddenly become obsessive compulsive about that word. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the ... AirPod.
I'm looking forward to the audiophile edition iPod, y'know the tube-amp based one.
What is Apple's new media center is basically a pimped up Mac mini with a full-size drive and an iPod dock on top. Apple could call it a iPod HD or whatever.
People think they are buying a iPod accessory when really they are buying a Mac.
This Mac could use a FrontRow like interface to allow you to browse Apple's movie catalog, watch previews, and purchase HD movies. Once you purchase a HD movie the iPodHD starts downloading the movie, it will be available to begin watching in less than an hour.
You can also put an iPod into this dock and the dock will upload a smaller version.
The iPodHD could also act as a backup device for all the users in the family in conjunction with TimeMachine. Anyone in the family can access their music, movies or pictures on the iPodHD even if their computer is turned off.
Unless they have developed some futuristic technology, its not going to work well.
All current Macs have 802.11g which can't handle high def video.
802.11n can I think, but are they going to introduce a new tech that most Macs can't upgrade to easily.
Apple solutions are plug and play, not plug, upgrade and play.
I'm not sure about that if the hardware is single purpose, like that in a DVD player, then it doesn't have to be expensive at all, there are DVD players out there for under $30 USD. If it is a more general purpose processor then it might need more power, but then the decompression can still be offloaded to dedicated circutry for that so that a less powerfull processor is needed.
Toshiba is losing money on their $500 HD-DVD player, it costs them $700 to make the player that they sell for $500 - and $200 of that is the HD-DVD transport (so $500 worth of parts, assembly and testing would be the same as the apple device, without counting the hard drive or wireless bits).
Assuming that it is MPEG-4 that gets streamed to the airport device, it would be the same as the HD-DVD player, except with a Wi-Fi connection and hard drive instead of the HD-DVD transport.
You are looking at around $600 as Apple's cost, or $800 - $900 retail.
Toshiba is losing money on their $500 HD-DVD player, it costs them $700 to make the player that they sell for $500 - and $200 of that is the HD-DVD transport (so $500 worth of parts, assembly and testing would be the same as the apple device, without counting the hard drive or wireless bits).
Assuming that it is MPEG-4 that gets streamed to the airport device, it would be the same as the HD-DVD player, except with a Wi-Fi connection and hard drive instead of the HD-DVD transport.
You are looking at around $600 as Apple's cost, or $800 - $900 retail.
If they pair it down to the bare minimum then then they should be able to get some of that cost down since they don't need the DVD drive, which probably accounts for the most of the cost, and it might not be ready for HD content this year anyway. Most HD screens available today are not 1080p so there is no need to fully support a standard that the vast majority of customers can't view anyway. Add 1080p in a year or so when the TV's are down in price and the networking technology is able to support it.
There is also backwards compatibility to address with DVD's as well as supporting various standards. Apple could simplify this by only supporting a few standards, or even 1 standard for streaming. iTunes can "convert" other legal media to the supported format similar to the way it RIPs CD's or imports MP3's.
I must have missed something about this video-enabled AirPort. What is the updated AirPort streaming to and from? I can see the advantage in streaming audio from a Mac to a home stereo, but video? If it's streaming from a Mac to a TV then you won't need a 23" HD iMac to watch the movie on. Surely you'd want to download the movie and then just watch it on the (extremely cool, by the sound of it) iMac. And if it's streaming (rather than downloading) from an iTMS server to the iMac then surely you're going to need one dang fast broadband connection.
I think an Airport Video would be perfect. You stream from a computer anywhere in your house to your TV. It's a great solution, and I've been suggesting it for a long time. Way better than a computer DVR in your living room since you can just have the streaming unit instead of a machine that costs hundreds of dollars.
The only issue I see is using a remote control with it. How do you select the show you want to watch, can they make a box that can run Front Row?
The point is I don't want to watch a movie on my TV, with my iMac humming, and wasting energy in the background.
You're probably in the minority. This box isn't for you. Most people want their computer in a different room than the big TV setup in the living room.
I see a box very similar to the current airport express, just with a video output, no hard drive. Just streams real time just like the current airport does audio. Decoding video isn't that tricky, it can be done with one chip that has the codec. If they can do it on an iPod for $299, they should be able to use similar technology to do it in an airport (minus the hard drive and screen, the most expensive parts).
um, I already have this...it's called a networked dvd/media player. download any videos you want, and watch them on the home theater...oh and it's only 200 bucks.
Link? I'd be interested in something like that, but have never seen anything that really got it right.
If they pair it down to the bare minimum then then they should be able to get some of that cost down since they don't need the DVD drive, which probably accounts for the most of the cost, and it might not be ready for HD content this year anyway. Most HD screens available today are not 1080p so there is no need to fully support a standard that the vast majority of customers can't view anyway. Add 1080p in a year or so when the TV's are down in price and the networking technology is able to support it.
There is also backwards compatibility to address with DVD's as well as supporting various standards. Apple could simplify this by only supporting a few standards, or even 1 standard for streaming. iTunes can "convert" other legal media to the supported format similar to the way it RIPs CD's or imports MP3's.
Did you even read my post? The $700 is broken into two parts - $200 for the DVD drive, and $500 for all the other stuff that apple will need in their device.
It is true that they could save some of this money by cutting out HDTV functionality, but then they would lose a lot of early adopter customers (like me) and buzz.
An airport express in place of a mini-based media center serving font-row will also disappoint.
Why? Assuming it can run front row, the airport express could handle ALL the functionality you'd need. And the beauty of it is you can stream from ANY mac in your house. Your mac can be anywhere, and as a result it doesn't need to be mini at all, it could be any of the models. I think a streaming box makes much more sense, who wants to have hundreds of dollars of hardware hooked up to a TV in the living room, when it could be connected to a monitor in a room where you want a computer?
-I have MacBook (mine) with Lost on it
-Wife is at home
-I leave on business trip with Lost on the MacBook
Wife has no way of watching Lost
Just copy Lost over to the computer you're leaving at home with your wife. Problem solved.
Haven't heard this mentioned yet, but it would be awsome, if it streamed video both ways... so then you have PVR like functionality and can record your own tv show's to your computer... any chance of this happening?
What would be the point? For recording, just put a tuner card or USB device on your computer. The only thing that would require another big step would be TIVO style recording while watching, with pausing and fast-forwarding "live" shows.
I think some people on here need to read the article again and settle down the imaginations. This article talks about an improved airport. There's no mention of a "media center" box. The whole point of an Airport Video is that it would need no hard drives, the computer elsewhere in the house does all the storage.
What if this device isn't a streaming/download device at all. What if this device is disc based like a DVD player. There are already DVD players on the market that support Divx playback and they sell for about $50 or so. Apple could be building a DVD player that supports some proprietary H.264 DRM encoded video that you downlod on your computer (Mac/PC) and burn using your DVD drive. Then you have a physical copy which is copy protected and only playable on your computer or your new Apple DVD player or your ipod if you allow itunes to downconvert it when you hook up your ipod. They could even do HD on DVD discs.
Probably not the best solution but definitely the cheapest.
Did you even read my post? The $700 is broken into two parts - $200 for the DVD drive, and $500 for all the other stuff that apple will need in their device.
It is true that they could save some of this money by cutting out HDTV functionality, but then they would lose a lot of early adopter customers (like me) and buzz.
Yes I read your post, though I honestly didn't know that you meant the drive was $200 as I had never heard it refereed to as a transport. I'm not sure what other complexity that they have built into those units, but it sounds like a lot given the cost of DVD's, DVR's, PVR's, and other similar devices. I find your figures a bit hard to believe, but I'm sure that you know better than me. I guess we will find out what Apple has in store for us next week.
What about this
What if this device isn't a streaming/download device at all. What if this device is disc based like a DVD player. There are already DVD players on the market that support Divx playback and they sell for about $50 or so. Apple could be building a DVD player that supports some proprietary H.264 DRM encoded video that you downlod on your computer (Mac/PC) and burn using your DVD drive. Then you have a physical copy which is copy protected and only playable on your computer or your new Apple DVD player or your ipod if you allow itunes to downconvert it when you hook up your ipod. They could even do HD on DVD discs.
Probably not the best solution but definitely the cheapest.
Apple make a DVD player? No way, it has too much competition from DVD players, and it has no real integration with any of the other apple gear.
I'd love to have ALL my content on hard drives, just turn on the TV and pick what I want from a menu. I don't think apple's going to do anything less than that.
I think an Airport Video would be perfect. You stream from a computer anywhere in your house to your TV. It's a great solution, and I've been suggesting it for a long time. Way better than a computer DVR in your living room since you can just have the streaming unit instead of a machine that costs hundreds of dollars.
Same as I've been saying for a long time, too. And doing for awhile with an EyeHome-based solution, described earlier in this thread.
Most people want their computer in a different room than the big TV setup in the living room.
You'd never guess that based on comments in many forum threads (here and elsewhere) about this topic. Yeah, I really want my growing ~TB media library on hard drives attached to a computer in the living room.
I see a box very similar to the current airport express, just with a video output, no hard drive.
That's basically an AirPort Express + EyeHome box, with video and UI improvements. A hard drive for permanent storage seems unnecessary but some temporary storage media (optional?) to cache content for offline playback makes sense.
I think a streaming box makes much more sense, who wants to have hundreds of dollars of hardware hooked up to a TV in the living room, when it could be connected to a monitor in a room where you want a computer?
Couldn't agree more, again.
The whole point of an Airport Video is that it would need no hard drives, the computer elsewhere in the house does all the storage.
Some "caching" media storage would be useful, e.g. upload to it from an iPod. Whatever makes offline playback conveniently possible, too.
But seriously. I was struck by the complexity of some of the suggested solutions. I have plenty of ideas but rather than go into them in detail, I'll just say this...
Apple succeeds by going with the solution that is simplest to use. If we're looking at some kind of streaming or media server device, we can rest assured that it will have next to no buttons. Settings? Nah. The optimal device would simply let you choose from a list of what to watch.
If they have to sacrifice AV fidelity for overall ease of use, they will. But in general, I think Apple has made better tradeoffs than other companies. While I personally will never buy a 320x240 video clip, it was probably the best format at the time it was chosen. They'll likely bump the resolution when it no longer comes with the same tradeoff.
I predict that any newly announced hardware will be nearly buttonless if not completely buttonless. I also predict that it will be light on the feature list. But in the end, it will still be the most enticing alternative.