The "Export to AppleTV" option outputs to the AppleTV's max of 1280x720, while the iPod w/Video maxs out at 640x320, a quarter of the resolution.
This can only be addressed by releasing a new iPod with higher resolution video capabilities. While I foresee full screen video iPod with higher resolution playback, It certainly won't support 720p. For reference, the iPhone will be 480x320. Apple can easily allow their portable video players to play 720p, but the problem lies with down converting to the display's resolution. it's a major tax on the processor, RAM, and battery. Possibly to the point of being unwatchable. I think it's better that Apple limits this in the SW.
Cool. Yeah I agree. Thanks for your help. All iPod video is moving to 640x480 (that's 480 pixels high wide, not 320 ... for 4:3 aspect ratio "old skool" non-widescreen stuff for the non-widescreen iPod video... eg. podcasts.mtv.com.
So... cool. Export from QuickTime to iPod goes straight to 640 wide by up to 480 high. "Convert selection for iPod" in iTunes does the same thing.
So we are looking at iPod video standardising to 640x(up to 480). So everything that can play on iPod, can play on AppleTV. The iTunes purchases and podcasts and iPod-trailers are 640x(up to 480) now. Yeah, purchasing movies and tv shows, "near-DVD" is the best that can be claimed, convenience over blockiness may indeed prevail as I mentioned earlier.
So Quicktime "Export to AppleTV" should give us 1280x720 , maxing out the 720p highest spec that the AppleTV can play. I checked my AppleTV .m4v file, it was 624pixels x 352 or something, that's 'coz that was the .xvid res. I am now trying a 720p trailer and convert to AppleTV....
Yeah, I think iPod video and iPhone etc, moving to a max spec of 480x(up to 320 etc) is pretty reasonable. 720p on a handheld is not that great.
So iTunes is in a bit of a flux, it's a one-size-fits-all 640x(up to 480) h.264 file that like the ad says, goes everywhere - computer, ipod, ipod-to-tv, appletv-to-tv, itunes shared library to another computer, etc. etc.
I think just as it took several years for higher-quality-DRM-free *MUSIC*, it may be end of the year *earliest* where you get to download 2 different versions if you like... 720p "HDTV" for computer and AppleTV, 640x(upto 480) for "handheld devices".......
....I think Apple has done well to make a product that will do what it claims (720p) despite the content not being available for purchase on the iTunes Store as of yet.
Yeah cool ...When the AppleTV gets to my lands we can fire it up and hook it up to the 30" plasma running off an iPod video with 320x240 encoded content in my reseller store (I haven't got round to uploading stuff on that iPod video, the regular geeks did well to load up a pretty damn good 320x(x) encode of FinalFantasy (the latest movie one in Japanese, which I have seen a dozen times here and there in Japanese * and * English and it still makes absolutely no sense to me...)..... But yeah, whip up a 720p AppleTV formatted file and onto the 30" plasma, sweet... ... no iTunesStore outside the US anyways... 2 new stores, hopefully we'll get 42-inchers for output from AppleTV and 640x(up to 480) iPod video, iPhone...(??)...
I wonder if the standard 720p trailers off Apple.com will work on AppleTV straight without having to be transcoded? Anyways I tested "300" -- the 720p trailer is 100mb or so, the "AppleTV" transcode is 70mb, quality is I would say "satellite TV 720p", and the iPod (640pixel wide) is 30mb.
I'm pretty happy about encode speeds for 44-minute episodes, or trailers, etc. Some DVDrips are pretty alright on this ol' MacBook Core[1]Duo 2ghz 2gb RAM.
Again, DO NOT GET A SONY BRAVIA. THE KEY IS a *HDTV that "scales" well from low-def stuff all the way up to BluRay - good, deep contrast without being too harsh, and intelligent upscaling and smoothing out*.
So we are looking at iPod video standardising to 640x(up to 480). So everything that can play on iPod, can play on AppleTV.
Will Apple only move to full DVD quality resolution of 640x480 or will they go they beyond that?
Quote:
Originally Posted by nvidia2008
I checked my AppleTV .m4v file, it was 624pixels x 352 or something, that's 'coz that was the .xvid res. I am now trying a 720p trailer and convert to AppleTV....
I forgot to mention, the QT Pro reset exporters will convert to H,264, obvoisuly, and down-conveting the resolution if it's above the target device's maximum. If you are under the limits, the resolution will stay as is.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nvidia2008
So iTunes is in a bit of a flux, it's a one-size-fits-all 640x(up to 480) h.264 file that like the ad says, goes everywhere - computer, ipod, ipod-to-tv, appletv-to-tv, itunes shared library to another computer, etc. etc.
This is a tricky place for Apple's simplistic model, and possibly why we haven't seen any higher videos on the iTunes Store. Current res looks bad on AppleTV and higher res will not play or even import into the iPod unless it's converted first. What will Apple do?
that seems like something that Apple has *got* to address. Even if an AppleTV formatted movie played back on the iPOd, it's still pretty huge in size relative to the iPod. But having an iPod version AND an AppleTV version is horrible, and you're wasting precious hard drive space to have redundant copies of the same thing.
What could they do to address this problem though?
Nah, two copies is not that big a deal. My estimates are having an iPod Video version adds 30% extra that needs to be downloaded. That is, a 100mb AppleTv fullspec 720p file, then the equivalent iPod video 640wide version is about 30mb. The computer is the central download hub.
So, if and when iTunes Store offers higher-res stuff, the iTunes Store should be smart enough to sync *only* the AppleTV version to the AppleTV, and sync *only* the iPod version to the iPod Video.
Going back on what I was saying earlier though, it is possible that if one purchased the 1280x720p HDTV file off iTunes Store, then there is no issue with syncing to AppleTV. For iPod Video 640x360etc... it will be transcoded down to iPod Video size and compression. So generally you only have *one" HDTV file in your iTunes on your computer. Of course, if you wipe the videos off your iPod, you will have to re-downconvert your HDTV files to iPod Video on resync.
There's some freakin' BEASTLY coding going on in Cupertino now on iTunes. A lot of stuff for it to do. Tons of potential though.......!
I think just as it took several years for higher-quality-DRM-free *MUSIC*, it may be end of the year *earliest* where you get to download 2 different versions if you like... 720p "HDTV" for computer and AppleTV, 640x(upto 480) for "handheld devices".......
That would suck in my opinion. I don't want to have to choose. I want a small file for my iPod and a large file for my Apple TV. I want BOTH, If they could both be embedded into one file that would be ideal. Then when you sync to Apple TV or the iPod it splits it up appropriately. how much would a smaller iPod sized version of the same movie add on to the file size?
Again, DO NOT GET A SONY BRAVIA. THE KEY IS a *HDTV that "scales" well from low-def stuff all the way up to BluRay - good, deep contrast without being too harsh, and intelligent upscaling and smoothing out*.
I don't think the Bravia is at fault here. I don't think any HDTV accepts an unscaled 320x240 video stream. I'm not sure how well HDTVs can take random stream resolution changes, AppleTV should be doing the scaling and outputting video that is native to the TV to prevent resync flicker.
Nah, two copies is not that big a deal. My estimates are having an iPod Video version adds 30% extra that needs to be downloaded. That is, a 100mb AppleTv fullspec 720p file, then the equivalent iPod video 640wide version is about 30mb. The computer is the central download hub.
So, if and when iTunes Store offers higher-res stuff, the iTunes Store should be smart enough to sync *only* the AppleTV version to the AppleTV, and sync *only* the iPod version to the iPod Video.
Yes! this sounds like a good solution. Let iTunes store two separate files but only list it as one file when browsing through iTunes, with one set of metadata. It might cause a headache for the people who insist on managing their music and movies in files and folders, but they've got to grow up someday.
Will Apple only move to full DVD quality resolution of 640x480 or will they go they beyond that?
........
This is a tricky place for Apple's simplistic model, and possibly why we haven't seen any higher videos on the iTunes Store. Current res looks bad on AppleTV and higher res will not play or even import into the iPod unless it's converted first. What will Apple do?
I think as I proposed above, eventually Apple *will* move beyond DVD quality up to "720p HDTV". Like music now, one can purchase the 720p HDTV version, OR, the iPod 640pixel-version.
As my thoughts form over these few posts, the deal will be this: you can buy HDTV version, or iPod [current] version. If you buy iPod version, that's all you get wherever you watch it (and it looks dodgy on big screens).
If you buy HDTV version, then no worries, you see that on AppleTV, or computer, but it will automagically downconvert to iPod video version for syncing to your iPod.
This is a very simple model, that I suggest Apple will eventually follow and integrate into iTunes/ iPod/ AppleTV/ iPhone. Remember that 1280x720p, H.264 medium-ly compressed, is still plenty data for sending down to a decent quality 640x360 (16:9) file.
So: the key is, HDTV version available, w00t!!, otherwise just iPod version, or, if HDTV version, w00t!, then
"auto-optimise" for iPod video/ iPhone when syncing. This is similar to how iPod video and nano handle the photos. It hardly bats an eyelid downsampling JPEGs, of course, in this day and age. In 2 years time, 1280x720p to 640x360 will be *so freakin' fast* we'll wonder what the big deal was.
I have to mention though that H.264 is fundamentally flawed in all current implementations from a cinematographer's point of view - shadow areas block up bad. As software and hardware encoders improve though, hopefully there's enough "jiggle room" in the specs for BluRay/HD-DVD/"AppleTV 720p" to display 1280x720p material with much cleaner shadow areas without just throwing a whole load of bitrate at it.
Yes! this sounds like a good solution. Let iTunes store two separate files but only list it as one file when browsing through iTunes, with one set of metadata. It might cause a headache for the people who insist on managing their music and movies in files and folders, but they've got to grow up someday.
Hmm.. yeah as my thoughts become clearer, as I mention more recently above, another option is iTunes will store the high-def file, no worries. Lower-def will be generated on-the-fly (in background... "optimising for iPod video" ...once dumped to your iPod video, the 2nd lower-res version is not kept on your main iTunes library. So no need to store two versions.
And yes... like the ol' adage... people need to give up Ctrl, and gain Command. ...Just freakin' let iTunes handle the whole thing, get out of that windows mentality. But it is tough. Time Machine scares the sh1t out of me because I'm like... but wait... I need to drag and drop the files themselves... what is this "automatically detecting when files are changed"... the reason we (well people that use PCs as well) don't trust it is because Windows has for years and years tried to do all this automatic stuff and it just fucks up everything anyway you end up micro-managing your files... iTunes is not perfect, but heck, it shure keeps them files organised for you quite well.
I think this is why iSteve is *pissed* when it comes to DRM. The amount of media and formats and devices that the new fantabulagic Apple,Inc. has to deal with, throw in DRM on top of it, and imagine *licensing and endlessly patching* DRM, is a lot of overhead that is just unnecessary pain for everyone involved.
I think as I proposed above, eventually Apple *will* move beyond DVD quality up to "720p HDTV". Like music now, one can purchase the 720p HDTV version, OR, the iPod 640pixel-version.
As my thoughts form over these few posts, the deal will be this: you can buy HDTV version, or iPod [current] version. If you buy iPod version, that's all you get wherever you watch it (and it looks dodgy on big screens).
If you buy HDTV version, then no worries, you see that on AppleTV, or computer, but it will automagically downconvert to iPod video version for syncing to your iPod.
This is a very simple model, that I suggest Apple will eventually follow and integrate into iTunes/ iPod/ AppleTV/ iPhone. Remember that 1280x720p, H.264 medium-ly compressed, is still plenty data for sending down to a decent quality 640x360 (16:9) file.
So: the key is, HDTV version available, w00t!!, otherwise just iPod version, or, if HDTV version, w00t!, then
"auto-optimise" for iPod video/ iPhone when syncing. This is similar to how iPod video and nano handle the photos. It hardly bats an eyelid downsampling JPEGs, of course, in this day and age. In 2 years time, 1280x720p to 640x360 will be *so freakin' fast* we'll wonder what the big deal was.
I have to mention though that H.264 is fundamentally flawed in all current implementations from a cinematographer's point of view - shadow areas block up bad. As software and hardware encoders improve though, hopefully there's enough "jiggle room" in the specs for BluRay/HD-DVD/"AppleTV 720p" to display 1280x720p material with much cleaner shadow areas without just throwing a whole load of bitrate at it.
I don't think automagically performing a video conversion on every sync to the iPod will ever be a convenient solution, at least not in the foreseeable future.
But after thinking about it, offering an HD version *and* a smaller size version in the store might not be a bad idea at all. 4.99 for an iPod sized movie or 14.99 for an HD 720p version. Your HD geeks are happy, (actually, they'll want 1080p), and the kids with the iPods will love getting movies at 5 bucks a pop.
I don't think the Bravia is at fault here. I don't think any HDTV accepts an unscaled 320x240 video stream. I'm not sure how well HDTVs can take random stream resolution changes, AppleTV should be doing the scaling and outputting video that is native to the TV to prevent resync flicker.
I'm not saying the "near-DVD" file encode is not-at-fault. It is somewhat dodgy, yes, for those more into looking at it carefully.
I am claiming two things here though:
1. Given an AppleTV HDMI output to a Sony Bravia 42", and an exact HDMI output to different brands of 42" LCD or Plasma, there will be a *very distinct difference* in viewing quality and "viewing impression". Some *may* like the Sony better, I surmise most when seeing side-by-side, will not like the Sony, with all due respect to the brand and other fine stuff they make.
2. Yes, maybe AppleTV should upscale better. However, I place the onus on the end-output device, in this case the HDTV. The AppleTV can upscale to the moon and back, but what happens when I pop in a DVD into my HDTV? Yes, you have a point, my source input needs to be as good as possible (better encoded, better upscaled AppleTV, progressive DVD player, high-quality not-too-mangled 720p satellite or terrestial HDTV, Playstation3, etc...). But I want my HDTV to be as smart as possible about handling a variety of sources, which for most people, is what a HDTV will have to do. When choosing a HDTV, I need to know it can play current sources well, upscaling pleasantly, and, in a few years time, handling high-spec stuff well too. Luckily I'm not in the market for a HDTV right now, and my dad has gone off the idea, firstly because there's no 720p or 1080i signal off any PayTV where I am right now, *and* there's no *decent* 720p/1080i Tivo-esque HDD recorder in the market.
I don't think automagically performing a video conversion on every sync to the iPod will ever be a convenient solution, at least not in the foreseeable future.
But after thinking about it, offering an HD version *and* a smaller size version in the store might not be a bad idea at all. 4.99 for an iPod sized movie or 14.99 for an HD 720p version. You're HD geeks are happy, (actually, they'll want 1080p), and the kids with the iPods will love getting movies at 5 bucks a pop.
Yeah... ...But certainly those buying the HD 720p version should be able to download the iPod video version for free then if they want. Otherwise they can just click the "convert to iPod" in iTunes and have iTunes do it...(?)... Heh... the "HD geeks" will be furious if their $14.99 didn't get them the iPod video version as well for no extra charge.
1080p is just not feasible within the next 2 years. Of course, we will all not be happy until fully-immersive-virtual-reality resolution/ experience ala jacking in to the Matrix.
At this stage I am highly sceptical of any BluRay or HD-DVD movie being 1080p. Apple movie trailers 1080p are really great content, but my HD-geek side cringes at even 1080p choking on low-contrast-shadow scenes...
Hmm.. yeah as my thoughts become clearer, as I mention more recently above, another option is iTunes will store the high-def file, no worries. Lower-def will be generated on-the-fly (in background... "optimising for iPod video" ...once dumped to your iPod video, the 2nd lower-res version is not kept on your main iTunes library. So no need to store two versions.
Well i still think it should store two versions. Maybe in a few years time when processors can handle the load it will be doable that way. But even with a Core 2 Duo you're talking about a good amount of time, what about the G4 users out there?
Quote:
Originally Posted by nvidia2008
And yes... like the ol' adage... people need to give up Ctrl, and gain Command. ..
Yeah... ...But certainly those buying the HD 720p version should be able to download the iPod video version for free then if they want. Otherwise they can just click the "convert to iPod" in iTunes and have iTunes do it...(?)... Heh... the "HD geeks" will be furious if their $14.99 didn't get them the iPod video version as well for no extra charge.
1080p is just not feasible within the next 2 years. Of course, we will all not be happy until fully-immersive-virtual-reality resolution/ experience ala jacking in to the Matrix.
Right, I think the iPod version would have to be included with the HD version. It would add to the amount of files you'd have to store, but anybody downloading HD content probably has a pretty good hard drive to be able to handle it.
If Apple could pull that off it'd be amazing, but what are the odds of the movie studios letting them sell iPod movies for 5 bucks? Disney would be in, but they might be hard pressed to get the others on the bandwagon. But it's time they realize the 10-12 bucks is not a value when compared to DVD. I can't ever justify the cost, it's just not worth it. I think 5 and 15 dollars would be perfect. Let's hope someone at Apple is reading this
Wait a minute, it's perfect! Offer the iPod version for 4.99 with an option to upgrade to the HD version for just 10 dollars more, within 3 months of purchase or something like that. Then you've got a virtual rental model. It wouldn't cost much more than a new release at Blockbuster, the only downside is the poor image quality, but hey, it's convenient and cheap. I could see that taking off like wildfire.
Comments
What made you chose the one over the one half the price?
I got it used for 8 bucks, just a couple bucks more than the others, and it looked better.
I *am* an Apple user, I appreciate good looking products
The "Export to AppleTV" option outputs to the AppleTV's max of 1280x720, while the iPod w/Video maxs out at 640x320, a quarter of the resolution.
This can only be addressed by releasing a new iPod with higher resolution video capabilities. While I foresee full screen video iPod with higher resolution playback, It certainly won't support 720p. For reference, the iPhone will be 480x320. Apple can easily allow their portable video players to play 720p, but the problem lies with down converting to the display's resolution. it's a major tax on the processor, RAM, and battery. Possibly to the point of being unwatchable. I think it's better that Apple limits this in the SW.
Cool. Yeah I agree. Thanks for your help. All iPod video is moving to 640x480 (that's 480 pixels high wide, not 320
So... cool. Export from QuickTime to iPod goes straight to 640 wide by up to 480 high. "Convert selection for iPod" in iTunes does the same thing.
So we are looking at iPod video standardising to 640x(up to 480). So everything that can play on iPod, can play on AppleTV. The iTunes purchases and podcasts and iPod-trailers are 640x(up to 480) now. Yeah, purchasing movies and tv shows, "near-DVD" is the best that can be claimed, convenience over blockiness may indeed prevail as I mentioned earlier.
So Quicktime "Export to AppleTV" should give us 1280x720 , maxing out the 720p highest spec that the AppleTV can play. I checked my AppleTV .m4v file, it was 624pixels x 352 or something, that's 'coz that was the .xvid res. I am now trying a 720p trailer and convert to AppleTV....
Yeah, I think iPod video and iPhone etc, moving to a max spec of 480x(up to 320 etc) is pretty reasonable. 720p on a handheld is not that great.
So iTunes is in a bit of a flux, it's a one-size-fits-all 640x(up to 480) h.264 file that like the ad says, goes everywhere - computer, ipod, ipod-to-tv, appletv-to-tv, itunes shared library to another computer, etc. etc.
I think just as it took several years for higher-quality-DRM-free *MUSIC*, it may be end of the year *earliest* where you get to download 2 different versions if you like... 720p "HDTV" for computer and AppleTV, 640x(upto 480) for "handheld devices".......
....I think Apple has done well to make a product that will do what it claims (720p) despite the content not being available for purchase on the iTunes Store as of yet.
Yeah cool
I wonder if the standard 720p trailers off Apple.com will work on AppleTV straight without having to be transcoded? Anyways I tested "300" -- the 720p trailer is 100mb or so, the "AppleTV" transcode is 70mb, quality is I would say "satellite TV 720p", and the iPod (640pixel wide) is 30mb.
I'm pretty happy about encode speeds for 44-minute episodes, or trailers, etc. Some DVDrips are pretty alright on this ol' MacBook Core[1]Duo 2ghz 2gb RAM.
Again, DO NOT GET A SONY BRAVIA. THE KEY IS a *HDTV that "scales" well from low-def stuff all the way up to BluRay - good, deep contrast without being too harsh, and intelligent upscaling and smoothing out*.
So we are looking at iPod video standardising to 640x(up to 480). So everything that can play on iPod, can play on AppleTV.
Will Apple only move to full DVD quality resolution of 640x480 or will they go they beyond that?
I checked my AppleTV .m4v file, it was 624pixels x 352 or something, that's 'coz that was the .xvid res. I am now trying a 720p trailer and convert to AppleTV....
I forgot to mention, the QT Pro reset exporters will convert to H,264, obvoisuly, and down-conveting the resolution if it's above the target device's maximum. If you are under the limits, the resolution will stay as is.
So iTunes is in a bit of a flux, it's a one-size-fits-all 640x(up to 480) h.264 file that like the ad says, goes everywhere - computer, ipod, ipod-to-tv, appletv-to-tv, itunes shared library to another computer, etc. etc.
This is a tricky place for Apple's simplistic model, and possibly why we haven't seen any higher videos on the iTunes Store. Current res looks bad on AppleTV and higher res will not play or even import into the iPod unless it's converted first. What will Apple do?
that seems like something that Apple has *got* to address. Even if an AppleTV formatted movie played back on the iPOd, it's still pretty huge in size relative to the iPod. But having an iPod version AND an AppleTV version is horrible, and you're wasting precious hard drive space to have redundant copies of the same thing.
What could they do to address this problem though?
Nah, two copies is not that big a deal. My estimates are having an iPod Video version adds 30% extra that needs to be downloaded. That is, a 100mb AppleTv fullspec 720p file, then the equivalent iPod video 640wide version is about 30mb. The computer is the central download hub.
So, if and when iTunes Store offers higher-res stuff, the iTunes Store should be smart enough to sync *only* the AppleTV version to the AppleTV, and sync *only* the iPod version to the iPod Video.
Going back on what I was saying earlier though, it is possible that if one purchased the 1280x720p HDTV file off iTunes Store, then there is no issue with syncing to AppleTV. For iPod Video 640x360etc... it will be transcoded down to iPod Video size and compression. So generally you only have *one" HDTV file in your iTunes on your computer. Of course, if you wipe the videos off your iPod, you will have to re-downconvert your HDTV files to iPod Video on resync.
There's some freakin' BEASTLY coding going on in Cupertino now on iTunes. A lot of stuff for it to do. Tons of potential though.......!
I think just as it took several years for higher-quality-DRM-free *MUSIC*, it may be end of the year *earliest* where you get to download 2 different versions if you like... 720p "HDTV" for computer and AppleTV, 640x(upto 480) for "handheld devices".......
That would suck in my opinion. I don't want to have to choose. I want a small file for my iPod and a large file for my Apple TV. I want BOTH, If they could both be embedded into one file that would be ideal. Then when you sync to Apple TV or the iPod it splits it up appropriately. how much would a smaller iPod sized version of the same movie add on to the file size?
Again, DO NOT GET A SONY BRAVIA. THE KEY IS a *HDTV that "scales" well from low-def stuff all the way up to BluRay - good, deep contrast without being too harsh, and intelligent upscaling and smoothing out*.
I don't think the Bravia is at fault here. I don't think any HDTV accepts an unscaled 320x240 video stream. I'm not sure how well HDTVs can take random stream resolution changes, AppleTV should be doing the scaling and outputting video that is native to the TV to prevent resync flicker.
Nah, two copies is not that big a deal. My estimates are having an iPod Video version adds 30% extra that needs to be downloaded. That is, a 100mb AppleTv fullspec 720p file, then the equivalent iPod video 640wide version is about 30mb. The computer is the central download hub.
So, if and when iTunes Store offers higher-res stuff, the iTunes Store should be smart enough to sync *only* the AppleTV version to the AppleTV, and sync *only* the iPod version to the iPod Video.
Yes! this sounds like a good solution. Let iTunes store two separate files but only list it as one file when browsing through iTunes, with one set of metadata. It might cause a headache for the people who insist on managing their music and movies in files and folders, but they've got to grow up someday.
Will Apple only move to full DVD quality resolution of 640x480 or will they go they beyond that?
........
This is a tricky place for Apple's simplistic model, and possibly why we haven't seen any higher videos on the iTunes Store. Current res looks bad on AppleTV and higher res will not play or even import into the iPod unless it's converted first. What will Apple do?
I think as I proposed above, eventually Apple *will* move beyond DVD quality up to "720p HDTV". Like music now, one can purchase the 720p HDTV version, OR, the iPod 640pixel-version.
As my thoughts form over these few posts, the deal will be this: you can buy HDTV version, or iPod [current] version. If you buy iPod version, that's all you get wherever you watch it (and it looks dodgy on big screens).
If you buy HDTV version, then no worries, you see that on AppleTV, or computer, but it will automagically downconvert to iPod video version for syncing to your iPod.
This is a very simple model, that I suggest Apple will eventually follow and integrate into iTunes/ iPod/ AppleTV/ iPhone. Remember that 1280x720p, H.264 medium-ly compressed, is still plenty data for sending down to a decent quality 640x360 (16:9) file.
So: the key is, HDTV version available, w00t!!, otherwise just iPod version, or, if HDTV version, w00t!, then
"auto-optimise" for iPod video/ iPhone when syncing. This is similar to how iPod video and nano handle the photos. It hardly bats an eyelid downsampling JPEGs, of course, in this day and age. In 2 years time, 1280x720p to 640x360 will be *so freakin' fast* we'll wonder what the big deal was.
I have to mention though that H.264 is fundamentally flawed in all current implementations from a cinematographer's point of view - shadow areas block up bad. As software and hardware encoders improve though, hopefully there's enough "jiggle room" in the specs for BluRay/HD-DVD/"AppleTV 720p" to display 1280x720p material with much cleaner shadow areas without just throwing a whole load of bitrate at it.
Yes! this sounds like a good solution. Let iTunes store two separate files but only list it as one file when browsing through iTunes, with one set of metadata. It might cause a headache for the people who insist on managing their music and movies in files and folders, but they've got to grow up someday.
Hmm.. yeah as my thoughts become clearer, as I mention more recently above, another option is iTunes will store the high-def file, no worries. Lower-def will be generated on-the-fly (in background... "optimising for iPod video" ...once dumped to your iPod video, the 2nd lower-res version is not kept on your main iTunes library. So no need to store two versions.
And yes... like the ol' adage... people need to give up Ctrl, and gain Command.
I think as I proposed above, eventually Apple *will* move beyond DVD quality up to "720p HDTV". Like music now, one can purchase the 720p HDTV version, OR, the iPod 640pixel-version.
As my thoughts form over these few posts, the deal will be this: you can buy HDTV version, or iPod [current] version. If you buy iPod version, that's all you get wherever you watch it (and it looks dodgy on big screens).
If you buy HDTV version, then no worries, you see that on AppleTV, or computer, but it will automagically downconvert to iPod video version for syncing to your iPod.
This is a very simple model, that I suggest Apple will eventually follow and integrate into iTunes/ iPod/ AppleTV/ iPhone. Remember that 1280x720p, H.264 medium-ly compressed, is still plenty data for sending down to a decent quality 640x360 (16:9) file.
So: the key is, HDTV version available, w00t!!, otherwise just iPod version, or, if HDTV version, w00t!, then
"auto-optimise" for iPod video/ iPhone when syncing. This is similar to how iPod video and nano handle the photos. It hardly bats an eyelid downsampling JPEGs, of course, in this day and age. In 2 years time, 1280x720p to 640x360 will be *so freakin' fast* we'll wonder what the big deal was.
I have to mention though that H.264 is fundamentally flawed in all current implementations from a cinematographer's point of view - shadow areas block up bad. As software and hardware encoders improve though, hopefully there's enough "jiggle room" in the specs for BluRay/HD-DVD/"AppleTV 720p" to display 1280x720p material with much cleaner shadow areas without just throwing a whole load of bitrate at it.
I don't think automagically performing a video conversion on every sync to the iPod will ever be a convenient solution, at least not in the foreseeable future.
But after thinking about it, offering an HD version *and* a smaller size version in the store might not be a bad idea at all. 4.99 for an iPod sized movie or 14.99 for an HD 720p version. Your HD geeks are happy, (actually, they'll want 1080p), and the kids with the iPods will love getting movies at 5 bucks a pop.
I don't think the Bravia is at fault here. I don't think any HDTV accepts an unscaled 320x240 video stream. I'm not sure how well HDTVs can take random stream resolution changes, AppleTV should be doing the scaling and outputting video that is native to the TV to prevent resync flicker.
I'm not saying the "near-DVD" file encode is not-at-fault. It is somewhat dodgy, yes, for those more into looking at it carefully.
I am claiming two things here though:
1. Given an AppleTV HDMI output to a Sony Bravia 42", and an exact HDMI output to different brands of 42" LCD or Plasma, there will be a *very distinct difference* in viewing quality and "viewing impression". Some *may* like the Sony better, I surmise most when seeing side-by-side, will not like the Sony, with all due respect to the brand and other fine stuff they make.
2. Yes, maybe AppleTV should upscale better. However, I place the onus on the end-output device, in this case the HDTV. The AppleTV can upscale to the moon and back, but what happens when I pop in a DVD into my HDTV? Yes, you have a point, my source input needs to be as good as possible (better encoded, better upscaled AppleTV, progressive DVD player, high-quality not-too-mangled 720p satellite or terrestial HDTV, Playstation3, etc...). But I want my HDTV to be as smart as possible about handling a variety of sources, which for most people, is what a HDTV will have to do. When choosing a HDTV, I need to know it can play current sources well, upscaling pleasantly, and, in a few years time, handling high-spec stuff well too. Luckily I'm not in the market for a HDTV right now, and my dad has gone off the idea, firstly because there's no 720p or 1080i signal off any PayTV where I am right now, *and* there's no *decent* 720p/1080i Tivo-esque HDD recorder in the market.
I don't think automagically performing a video conversion on every sync to the iPod will ever be a convenient solution, at least not in the foreseeable future.
But after thinking about it, offering an HD version *and* a smaller size version in the store might not be a bad idea at all. 4.99 for an iPod sized movie or 14.99 for an HD 720p version. You're HD geeks are happy, (actually, they'll want 1080p), and the kids with the iPods will love getting movies at 5 bucks a pop.
Yeah...
1080p is just not feasible within the next 2 years. Of course, we will all not be happy until fully-immersive-virtual-reality resolution/ experience ala jacking in to the Matrix.
Hmm.. yeah as my thoughts become clearer, as I mention more recently above, another option is iTunes will store the high-def file, no worries. Lower-def will be generated on-the-fly (in background... "optimising for iPod video" ...once dumped to your iPod video, the 2nd lower-res version is not kept on your main iTunes library. So no need to store two versions.
Well i still think it should store two versions. Maybe in a few years time when processors can handle the load it will be doable that way. But even with a Core 2 Duo you're talking about a good amount of time, what about the G4 users out there?
And yes... like the ol' adage... people need to give up Ctrl, and gain Command.
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ha ha, I like that.
Yeah...
1080p is just not feasible within the next 2 years. Of course, we will all not be happy until fully-immersive-virtual-reality resolution/ experience ala jacking in to the Matrix.
Right, I think the iPod version would have to be included with the HD version. It would add to the amount of files you'd have to store, but anybody downloading HD content probably has a pretty good hard drive to be able to handle it.
If Apple could pull that off it'd be amazing, but what are the odds of the movie studios letting them sell iPod movies for 5 bucks? Disney would be in, but they might be hard pressed to get the others on the bandwagon. But it's time they realize the 10-12 bucks is not a value when compared to DVD. I can't ever justify the cost, it's just not worth it. I think 5 and 15 dollars would be perfect. Let's hope someone at Apple is reading this
Here's the Apple TV ad in 1080p.
awesome.
my puny macbook screen wasn't big enough to show it all though.