Apple iTV availability to escape Macworld Expo

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  • Reply 61 of 188
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I can play all AVIs and Windows Media files in Quicktime and iTunes without issue.



    If iTV can't play the unprotected AVIs etc, I'm sure there'll be an app written very quickly that allows us to drop our files in a folder (on the PC/Mac), automatically re-encodes it and moves the show into iTunes for iTV access.
  • Reply 62 of 188
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I can play all AVIs and Windows Media files in Quicktime and iTunes without issue. If you need a list of these codecs, let us know.



    I expect the decoding (and authentication of iTS content) will take place on the computer the same way Front Row works... only over the network.



    Same goes for your DVDs. Just place the disc in the optical drive and iTV will play from its Front Row DVD menu. I beleive that MPEG-2 DVD have a max of about 10mb/sec. Which is easy for 802.11g, assuming that the iTV's port number(s) are given highest priority... which I'm sure Apple will do.







    Please do! I do have copies of flip4mac, divx, xvid(?), ffmpeg(?), and I just downloaded Perian (new to me). But I still find myself using VLC about 99% of the time.



  • Reply 63 of 188
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by franksargent View Post






    Please do! I do have copies of flip4mac, divx, xvid(?), ffmpeg(?), and I just downloaded Perian (new to me). But I still find myself using VLC about 99% of the time.







    You have one up on me as I've never heard of Perian. Do you have the latest Divx/Xvid codec?



    - http://n.ethz.ch/student/naegelic/index.php

    - http://www.divx.com/divx/mac/download/



    I've had zero problems playing AVIs in QT for the past 18 months. I hardly even consider using VLC these days, unless I want to play a partially corrupt file.
  • Reply 64 of 188
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GregAlexander View Post


    If iTV can't play the unprotected AVIs etc, I'm sure there'll be an app written very quickly that allows us to drop our files in a folder (on the PC/Mac), automatically re-encodes it and moves the show into iTunes for iTV access.



    They already exist. I beleive they are based off the same Unix tools. These are powerful apps. Super can even convert Real Media files and save streaming content, I'm not sure about ffmegX.



    OS X: http://homepage.mac.com/major4/

    Windows: http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html
  • Reply 65 of 188
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    You have one up on me as I've never heard of Perian. DO you ahve the latest Divx/Xvid codec? I've had zero problems playing AVIs in QT for the past 18 months. I hardly even consider using VLC these days, unless I want to play a partially corrupt file.







    Perian was mentioned twice in previous posts in this thread, it's version 0.5 and it's QT component, but I haven't actually tried it yet. Yes, I have the latest Divx codec installed, but now that I look, I don't think I have either Xvid (or ffmpeg) installed (although I've downloaded both). I do need flip4mac for wmv files (I have the HD version, which plays HD WMV's for the most part on my Quad G5). Can QT queue up a bunch of files for playback, I like that feature in VLC!



  • Reply 66 of 188
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by franksargent View Post


    Can QT queue up a bunch of files for playback, I like that feature in VLC!



    On the latest Windows version, nope. Can't speak for the Mac version right now.









    Oh yeah, I predict that when the iTV is released so will Closed Captioning for iTS purchased videos. However, Braille monitors are still a long way off.
  • Reply 67 of 188
    plusplus Posts: 54member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    QUESTIONS:



    Seems to me that we have a good cut an the answers to some of these questions simply by extrapolating from the existing ability to share iTunes across a LAN (and can do a lot better than just saying "wait til next Tuesday" ). To whit:

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    1) Will you be able to have all the accounts from all iTunes libraries on your LAN available for streaming to your iTV? If so, how will it deal with duplicate content?



    At a minimum, we should have access (via iTV) to whatever is being shared (full or partial library) from each instance of iTunes (and iPhoto) currently running on said LAN. Duplicate content is duplicate content--no special "deal" required so far as I can see. I guess the key issue here is whether the view that iTV presents to its user will explicitly identify which server is being viewed ... I am assuming that it will, in direct parallel with how iTunes and iPhoto currently identify the server whose "playlist" or "album" (respectively) is being accessed.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    2) Will there be an iTV sharing pane in iTunes to choose which playlists or types of content you which to share, if any, from an individual account to iTV?



    Um, why would the control of what is to be shared to an iTV client be any different than the existing sharing controls? From the point of view of the machine running iTunes and sharing some/all of its library (that is, the machine acting as a server), the iTV unit would look just like any other client on the LAN. Wouldn't it?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    3) Will there be a way to turn on a process that allows access to an account's iTunes library even when the account is not logged in?



    This part gets more tricky. As you've posed the question, I would predict not--at least, not in the early versions. Triggering a remote login raises all kinds of security issues that, IMHO, are best left unraised.



    The slight variant on your question that I would pose is whether there will be a way for the (iTV) client to wake up a given server (or all servers) on the LAN. In my household, we have our family machine upstairs in my wife's study, which is evolving into being our household media server. But most of the time, when we're downstairs (where the TV is and the iTV will be ), that household server is in sleep mode (for energy conservation, minimal wear and tear on the machine, and quietness), but with one of us logged in. Having to run upstairs to wake it up, simply to be able to pull media (music, photos, or (soon) video) onto the TV (or my laptop), is, um, less than elegant. \



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    4) Will you be able to have multiple iTVs on the same iTunes library? If, so will you be able to limit content to different iTVs (i.e.: parental controls)?



    For the first of these two question, I would think the more precise question would be whether one could have multiple iTVs on the same LAN (in the same household). We certainly can have multiple iTunes and iPhoto clients on a single LAN today, so I would be shocked if this multiplicity didn't extend to iTVs, too.



    As for the second part, I'm not sure I follow the question fully here. Are you envisioning, say, one iTV in the kids' room, which is to have restricted access to the family media library, whilst having another (obviously unrestricted) iTV in the parent's bedroom? Seems desirable and probably fairly easy, so I would be surprised if we don't get this kind of parental controls, although I also wouldn't be surprised if it weren't in version 1.0.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    5) Will iTunes for Windows be able to utilize iTV as its function is more like a wireless iPod than a media server?



    Are you asking whether iTunes for Windoze will be able to be a server to an iTV? Given that any instance of iTunes (for Win or Mac) can serve its library to any iTunes clients on the LAN today, it seems likely that said iTunes would also be able to serve iTV clients.



    Paul
  • Reply 68 of 188
    plusplus Posts: 54member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RolandG View Post


    I hope that finally Apple will unify the iTunes library for all users on a system or even for your entire private network, essentially storing everything in a single database giving each user an individual view allowing for parental controls and a further partitioning of your media assets. This will also solve the handling of duplicates as there won't be any.



    Basic library unification for multiple users on a single machine is already supported by iTunes.



    Even before it was explicitly supported, it was pretty easy for anyone with basic UNIX familiarity--I set up a shared library for my wife and myself back when I got her her 3rd-gen iPod, just by placing a couple symlinks (pointing to the shared library) in place of our personal iTunes libraries. (Oh, and had to relax the file permissions so that all files in said shared library are readable and writable to a "group" of which we are both members.)



    It's easier now, from what I've read, since you can do it directly from iTunes, without going into the Terminal/shell. The way I set mine up, we have one common set of playlists, and just name them to keep straight whose is whose. But I think the builtin method available now has separate playlists for each user, more like you're describing here (but not sure, since I haven't tried that method).



    As for per-user parental controls, that makes sense, although may require some work for Apple to provide.



    Unifying media assets across multiple machines, OTOH, seems like a very thorny problem ... better to just make it easy to have a master household server, while still accommodating multiple servers, thereby leaving it up to the users to decide which method works best. (Also could be labeled "punting" on a difficult design challenge. )
  • Reply 69 of 188
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Louzer View Post


    Man, I hope that's not what Apple is planning on that USB port for. Who the hell wants to start attaching extra components/hard drives to the entertainment center? (Well, except Apple, who apparently believes all users want external storage, and internal storage is like so 1990s).



    And then consumers, who've already spent the $250 for the iTV, then the $150 for the Apple-branded external drive, need to spend another $500+ for some RAID system? Exactly when does this thing become cost-effective?



    I'll come back to my original idea expressed several months ago here.



    If Apple makes these devices stackable, then they would have a very good home component system for computing, audio and video.



    Stack the iTv on the bottom as the base unit. That would be the main output in give input as well.



    On top of that, stack a new more media savvy Mini for the computing functions realized visually through the iTv to the hi def Tv.



    On top of that can be the tuner module. You know what that's for.



    This would work well and could be acquired a piece at a time so the investment won't have to come all at once.



    Apple could even add a power amp module to fit between the Mini and the iTv.



    The resulting stack would look good, not take up much space, and be individually upgradable. Need more channels, add another amp, etc.



    The computer takes care of all the setting up, sub compensation etc.



    A wireless keyboard and mouse would let you work from your coffee table.



    You could even do system auto eq with this. It's just software. Apple already has the D/A's.



    This was my business for years.



    I know more than a few people who would be interested.
  • Reply 70 of 188
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by franksargent View Post






    Please do! I do have copies of flip4mac, divx, xvid(?), ffmpeg(?), and I just downloaded Perian (new to me). But I still find myself using VLC about 99% of the time.







    You don't have problems with VLC? I find it crashes a lot, or simply doesn't play.
  • Reply 71 of 188
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    However, Braille monitors are still a long way off.



    Heh heh!
  • Reply 72 of 188
    jvbjvb Posts: 210member
    Braille monitors would be really really cool. Does anyone know how they would even approach to accomplishing that?
  • Reply 73 of 188
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jvb View Post


    Braille monitors would be really really cool. Does anyone know how they would even approach to accomplishing that?



    Only possible for motionless purposes, though small areas under the fingers could change in real time, if it is slow.
  • Reply 74 of 188
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jvb View Post


    Braille monitors would be really really cool. Does anyone know how they would even approach to accomplishing that?



    You don't need a Braille monitor... visual input translated into a touch-readable surface is already possible, and I understand there are text to Braille devices. I think they use a pin matrix. I have heard of them... If we have any Braille-reading folks visiting these boards, perhaps they could enlighten us further.
  • Reply 75 of 188
    sjksjk Posts: 603member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    3) Will there be a way to turn on a process that allows access to an account's iTunes library even when the account is not logged in?



    Interesting question/idea. I'm hoping "iTV" won't require iTunes to be running on "server" system(s).



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Louzer View Post


    Man, I hope that's not what Apple is planning on that USB port for. Who the hell wants to start attaching extra components/hard drives to the entertainment center?



    I have no reason to want permanent storage connected to "iTV" but can imagine temporarily attaching devices for non-networked media access, e.g. an iPod. I have the impression Steve Jobs wants to keep hardware around the entertainment center to a minimum.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I beleive that MPEG-2 DVD have a max of about 10mb/sec. Which is easy for 802.11g, assuming that the iTV's port number(s) are given highest priority... which I'm sure Apple will do.



    My suboptimal 802.11g WLAN was sufficient for streaming MPEG-2 video and DTS audio to EyeHome (before it died a couple months ago, giving me another reason to replace it with "iTV"). Pause/resume worked fine; fast forward/rewind were sluggish. One feature I'd really like is the ability to resume playback at one or more marked locations between sessions, like conditional memory (or whatever it's called) with regular DVD players or Apple DVD Player bookmarks. Then I wouldn't mind (as much) if my wife wanted to interrupt me in the middle of a movie to watch something else.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GregAlexander View Post


    If iTV can't play the unprotected AVIs etc, I'm sure there'll be an app written very quickly that allows us to drop our files in a folder (on the PC/Mac), automatically re-encodes it and moves the show into iTunes for iTV access.



    Such apps already exist, as was mentioned. But re-encoding isn't something I'd expect most people would want to do, especially the less technically inclined "mainstream" or when quality is degraded. And obviously there's the time factor for larger content. Still, EyeTV can automatically encode recordings for iPod usage so it's not out of the realm of possibility to make it convenient with other content.



    Speaking of EyeTV recordings, I'd sure like "iTV" to support direct playback since lack of the capability would be a downgrade from EyeHome. I don't foresee any future EyeHome development from Elgato and hopefully Apple doesn't make it difficult or impossible to integrate EyeTV with "iTV".



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    You don't have problems with VLC? I find it crashes a lot, or simply doesn't play.



    Never crashes for me since I never bothered to reinstall it after upgrading to Tiger.
  • Reply 76 of 188
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    You don't need a Braille monitor... visual input translated into a touch-readable surface is already possible, and I understand there are text to Braille devices. I think they use a pin matrix. I have heard of them... If we have any Braille-reading folks visiting these boards, perhaps they could enlighten us further.



    I had someone working for me that needed one. They only do text, and some very simple, and small graphics, more like Ding Bats, really.



    I've seen experimental models working electronically that are pretty interesting, but that are not out yet.
  • Reply 77 of 188
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    You don't have problems with VLC? I find it crashes a lot, or simply doesn't play.







    It does occasionally crash, from my experience I'd say 1-2% of the time I'll get random crashes, usually I'll just restart the same video file, and it will play just fine. I have no idea why it crashes when it does, seeing as a redo usually will work. For me it's been reasonably stable since at least version 0.84 (currently using 0.86).



    Except for WMV files, it's played most everything I've thrown at it, I use flip4mac when I have WMV files. And I have thrown a lot (~10,000+) of video sources at VLC (if you know what I mean).



  • Reply 78 of 188
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    You don't need a Braille monitor... visual input translated into a touch-readable surface is already possible, and I understand there are text to Braille devices. I think they use a pin matrix. I have heard of them...



    Yes, apparently the net was amazingly useful for blind people for many years. I don't know the full details.



    Text-only interfaces translate really well (the simplest websites, text files, text-chat, etc), really enabling blind people. But as graphical interfaces became increasingly popular it once again became difficult to transform for blind people.
  • Reply 79 of 188
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by franksargent View Post


    And I have thrown a lot (~10,000+) of video sources at VLC (if you know what I mean).



    You pervert



  • Reply 80 of 188
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GregAlexander View Post


    Text-only interfaces translate really well (the simplest websites, text files, text-chat, etc), really enabling blind people. But as graphical interfaces became increasingly popular it once again became difficult to transform for blind people.





    Jobs did preview Leopard's new text-to-speech features at the WWDC last August and I know Quicktime will soon support Closed Captioning, so perhaps this will be an option for iTS video downloads.
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