2nd Generation Apple TV
I'm curious. What will the 2nd generation of Apple TV look like? Taking into consideration Apple's strategy here with the Apple TV. They clearly want to make the computer the feeder of this device. Thefore I think the following WON'T be in the 2nd gneration
I think we might see
- No DVD player - Clearly a last century device they're not going to mess with.
- No iTunes Store - If you added an iTunes store it would have to sync up whatever you buy with the computer, and they'd have to provide a convenient way for you to navigate the store, add a keyboard for entry, all that junk. It's a pain I don't see them worrying about.
- No DVR - It detracts from the whole point of the iTunes store.
I think we might see
- Increase to 1080p
- Ability for iPhone to act as a source
Comments
I believe the second gen Apple TV, will be a television. 32", 42", or 50" black Apple televsion with side-slot-load DVD player, Apple TV Edition Remote and Apple iTV inside with 100GB HD. That would be special.
I agree. Why else would you call a non-TV an "AppleTV", when a Mac is a Mac, and a phone is an iPhone. This sub-par 1st gen product will eventually be replaced with an all-in-one real TV product.
I agree. Why else would you call a non-TV an "AppleTV", when a Mac is a Mac, and a phone is an iPhone. This sub-par 1st gen product will eventually be replaced with an all-in-one real TV product.
Yahoo!
Imagine.. 100GB to store most small DVD collections on, any Youtube or Google video, any video podcast, any TV Show, or any Movie, with some live content for news etc. I say I say, shall we throw out or digital cable box honey? That and this damn thing even plays DVD's. And with streaming from a computer with say a 500GB hard drive, what more could one want, woot!
I agree. Why else would you call a non-TV an "AppleTV", when a Mac is a Mac, and a phone is an iPhone. This sub-par 1st gen product will eventually be replaced with an all-in-one real TV product.
hmm... haven't thought of that. I still doubt they'll have the slot load DVD, unless it's Blu-Ray.
But even if they do that, they're not going to replace the current device with the TV.
I'd like to see it include a router, much the same way the airtunes was included with airport express. I was personally surprised they put a hard drive in the thing - I'd prefer leaving that out and instead allowing people to attach larger hard drives for storage if they want. Now that they've done it, I don't see them taking it out, but they could let users attach a hard drive via USB for greater storage and back up.
I have doubts about that. It seems like it would undercut the value of the Airport too much. And then you'd also be prone to network usage interrupting your TV.
I am still curious about that USB port. I suspect Apple has something up it's sleaves with that. Maybe it can be used for increased storage and they're just not telling anyone. It doesn't make sense to have it there for administration only. What could you do through the USB that you couldn't do wirelessly?
I believe the second gen Apple TV, will be a television. 32", 42", or 50" black Apple televsion with side-slot-load DVD player, Apple TV Edition Remote and Apple iTV inside with 100GB HD. That would be special.
So basically a 32", 42", and 50" iMac with a different form. Personally that's what I'd like. Then, can I have a 13" tablet I can use as a second monitor-slash-remote input device?
I'd be happy if they combined the Apple TV with the Airport Extreme and added Air Tunes.
Hey Ireland. Is "Ireland" your screen name on Digg? I see an Ireland there alot I'm just wondering if it's you.
That's me!
So basically a 32", 42", and 50" iMac with a different form.
No, not an iMac. Just as Apple refuses to call the iPhone a computer. I hope they will refuse to call this an iMac or a computer. This is a Television, and should be thought of a such, and hope they marketed it that way. This is the first of the next generation of TV's. In other words; No firewire ports, no DVi ports, though it may have one or two USB's. Just ports like the iTV. Like the iMac it will have no external powerbrick. This is a streaming, storing TV with a built-in DVD player, it's not a computer, it wont have Mac OS X on it, just front Row 2 or 3.0.
Add a second USB, a second HDMI, and a heavier power cord (like the iMac's) to this image, and possibly a scart or two;
..and you have the ports I would expect on such a device from Apple.
One other thing I hope they do is make it a plasma TV as the qualtiy of plasma kicks the living crap out of LCD's when it comes to televisions.
I'd pay between €1,400 and €2000 for the 32" version of this device, and I think they could easily sell in that ball park.
Finalized 802.11n spec, 1080p (powered by faster CPU/GPU), and larger hard disk are virtually guaranteed. I think enough people will bemoan over it lacking 5.1-channel audio that both QuickTime (H.264 AVC) and iTunes Store will add 5.1-channel audio. Less likely but should items include gigabit Ethernet, WAN port so that Apple TV can become AirPort Extreme Base Station, and USB port that can connect to iPod, printer, and external hard disk.
The HDMI port should be able to handle multi-channel audio. Gigabit should have been on the first generation product IMO. I think Apple should have had a firewire port and flash memory card slots as well.
The HDMI port should be able to handle multi-channel audio. Gigabit should have been on the first generation product IMO. I think Apple should have had a firewire port and flash memory card slots as well.
Yah, but TV episodes and movies from iTunes aren't 5.1 are they? I think this is the biggest disadvantage to converting DVDs with handbrake and using it as a media hub like I plan to do. I lose the good audio. What's the point of the audio features on the Apple TV if there's no media to take advantage of it?
"Do you see the Apple TV a niche platform or broad platform?
A: We see it as the DVD player of the 21st century. So clearly not a niche."
Yahoo!
Imagine.. 100GB to store most small DVD collections on, any Youtube or Google video, any video podcast, any TV Show, or any Movie, with some live content for news etc. I say I say, shall we throw out or digital cable box honey? That and this damn thing even plays DVD's. And with streaming from a computer with say a 500GB hard drive, what more could one want, woot!
The technology is all there and I hope they do it. That would be a sweet product
Thefore I think the following WON'T be in the 2nd gneration
No DVD player - Clearly a last century device they're not going to mess with.
Apple can't compete in the dvd space because they don't make their own and can't offer it as cheap as the heavyweight CE companies and now next gen formats are on the way, so it's out of the question.
No iTunes Store - If you added an iTunes store it would have to sync up whatever you buy with the computer, and they'd have to provide a convenient way for you to navigate the store, add a keyboard for entry, all that junk. It's a pain I don't see them worrying about.
On screen keyboard al-la most video games is pretty easy to implement and all it'd have to do is let you choose the option of either download to the ?tv itself or download to the comp of your choice and then stream or sinq to ?tv, it's not that hard.
It's pretty goofy to have to go on the computer for a few mins and then go to your tv each time you want to watch something new. That's not an elegant solution imo.
No DVR - It detracts from the whole point of the iTunes store.
of course not ?tv is a dvr for your computer and itunes in a sense.
I think we might see:
Increase to 1080p
definetly, but it might be possible through firmware since the proc is clocked down.
Ability for iPhone to act as a source
only if future wireless ipods get the same treatment, but even then there isn't much cool about such a feature, unless a friend could come over and show me something she/he's got on their ipod/iphone.
That's really all that I can think of for them to add. I'm beginning to think this isn't going to be a major product that sees a lot of refreshes. More like, a utility. Similar to the Airport Express. It serves it's purpose, what more can it do?
It can't have a lot of refreshes, people don't replace things like that often or for no reason. How ofter do you buy and new vcr? A new dvd player? A new reciever? That's the kind of environment the ?tv is destined for, refreshing it often would just piss off consumers. The only way I can see around this is price brackets, like lower the ?tv's price after a while and debut a new one with 1080p and bigger HD and couple of extra gimicks for the current or higher price.
I agree. Why else would you call a non-TV an "AppleTV", when a Mac is a Mac, and a phone is an iPhone.
Why would you call a non-iPod device an "iPod hi-fi"?
IF Apple makes TVs it won't be for a long time.
Yah, but TV episodes and movies from iTunes aren't 5.1 are they? I think this is the biggest disadvantage to converting DVDs with handbrake and using it as a media hub like I plan to do. I lose the good audio. What's the point of the audio features on the Apple TV if there's no media to take advantage of it?
Um yeah they are, or at least I think they are.
It's been a long time since I streamed the It's Showtime video, but I remember Steve mentioned something about Dolby Digital something being in Movies.
Sebastian
I remember Steve mentioned something about Dolby Digital something being in Movies.
No, I'm pretty sure the movies are in Dolby Surround sound. That kind of 4-channel signal (left, center, right, mono rear) can be carried in a stereo signal.
On screen keyboard al-la most video games is pretty easy to implement and all it'd have to do is let you choose the option of either download to the ?tv itself or download to the comp of your choice and then stream or sinq to ?tv, it's not that hard.
It's pretty goofy to have to go on the computer for a few mins and then go to your tv each time you want to watch something new. That's not an elegant solution imo.
An onscreen keyboard may be easy to implement, but so would a tiny PDA-like keyboard. But Apple didn't do that because they're a pain to use. Just like an onscreen keyboard is. Using a remote to move around a keyboard is a royal pain in my opinion. I just think there's no way Steve would let Apple make something like that. Going to the computer for a few minutes and then to the TV is alot less goofier than trying to type with an onscreen keyboard.
Now I could see them maybe doing an iTunes store with it set up to just browse through everything the same way you do your own music collection. So, I guess that's not quite as far fetched as I thought if they go that route.