Apple TV's USB port -- no longer for service only?
Apple TV's Tech Specs page used to say "USB 2.0 (only for service and diagnostics)". Now it reads simply USB 2.0.
Am I reading too much into this? Does anyone know if the original spec still applies?
Perhaps the text has changed so that Apple can charge $2 to allow iPod charging over Apple TV's USB port.
Am I reading too much into this? Does anyone know if the original spec still applies?
Perhaps the text has changed so that Apple can charge $2 to allow iPod charging over Apple TV's USB port.
Comments
Apple TV's Tech Specs page used to say "USB 2.0 (only for service and diagnostics)". Now it reads simply USB 2.0.
Am I reading too much into this? Does anyone know if the original spec still applies?
Perhaps the text has changed so that Apple can charge $2 to allow iPod charging over Apple TV's USB port.
yeah, good catch, they have dropped the service/diag blurb. hmmmm, could be good things coming.
Seems like most of the things that people wish the ATV would do (be an airport based station, be a DVR) would be handled in software, and the thing is designed around wireless I/O, so.....
So what are we figuring a regular old USB port would be used for on an ATV?
Seems like most of the things that people wish the ATV would do (be an airport based station, be a DVR) would be handled in software, and the thing is designed around wireless I/O, so.....
It's so you can attach that USB Humping Dog thing I saw on Gizmodo, I'm sure of it.
So what are we figuring a regular old USB port would be used for on an ATV?
Seems like most of the things that people wish the ATV would do (be an airport based station, be a DVR) would be handled in software, and the thing is designed around wireless I/O, so.....
One possibility is that you could expand on the internal storage with an external hard drive.
One possibility is that you could expand on the internal storage with an external hard drive.
Jeez, the shortcomings of AppleTV are so vast, the add-ons and kludges sound mandatory!
One possibility is that you could expand on the internal storage with an external hard drive.
Yeah, I though of that, but without a DVR I kinda don't see the point of doing that-- the whole idea is that the big files are resident on your desktop or server and the on-board disc is just for short term syncing. In fact, I don't really get the drive at all-- they talk about it like it was a big iPod, but the reason an iPod has a drive is that you take it with you. The ATV will always be in range of your files wirelessly, so what's the point of "syncing" it with your desktop? It would be like putting a little drive on the Airport Express.
Even so, I bet it won't be that hard to swap the HDD inside, with a little determination, if that's what you want.
Yeah, I though of that, but without a DVR I kinda don't see the point of doing that-- the whole idea is that the big files are resident on your desktop or server and the on-board disc is just for short term syncing. In fact, I don't really get the drive at all-- they talk about it like it was a big iPod, but the reason an iPod has a drive is that you take it with you. The ATV will always be in range of your files wirelessly, so what's the point of "syncing" it with your desktop? It would be like putting a little drive on the Airport Express.
Even so, I bet it won't be that hard to swap the HDD inside, with a little determination, if that's what you want.
Well, a wild guess would be that the only computer(s) available are portable ones, and if someone in a household wants to listen to some music while the host computer is somewhere else, the HDD would make sense. If it only could stream media, you would need a computer running in the house whenever someone wants to use the aTV.
Something that has been on my mind lately about the ATV is if the 720 resolution is a limit of the hardware or the software? I don't know if there is enough information out yet but it would be nice to know. I have to replace a TV and will get a new HD set. I have been looking at the Samsung and Mitsubishi DLP sets and contemplating the resolution question.
Right now the HD content is limited on Cable, Satellite, OTA, removable media, and downloadable soucres. This is especially true for the 1080 media. The 720 is a lot better than what I have had, and a lot more than the DVD's that I will most likely be buying or renting for the next few years. There is no guarantee that the cable companies will offer any more programming in HD, let alone 1080p, than they are today. There is a good chance that iTMS will up the resolution to 720p when the ATV is released, but again it might be a few years before they make the next step to 1080p. Based on this I'm not sure that it is worth it to get a 1080p set today.
The main advantages that I have found in them is that they are more likely to have a FW port on them than the 720p sets, which can plug into a Mac and be used to record video using software from Apple's FW development set. Then again the Cable companies are supposed to give you a cable box with an operating FW port if you request it.
Unless the idea is to keep all of my video files local to the ATV, but then the whole wireless/streaming thing is redundant and I would be much better off with a Mini.
1. It cannot and will not be a DVR. The Apple TV has no inputs, it's aweful hard to make a DVR without being able to take in signals! The USB port could be used for this purpose, but it's unlikely given the small Hard Drive size that it would make sense unless the inputs were also attached to an external drive. That's a 'kludgy' and non-Apple solution, and it doesn't fit Apple's strategy which is to provide 'a la carte' TV programming so you can cancel your Cable/Satellite connection. Of course, you need reguar TV for Live Sporting events and News, 2 things that will be the focus of Apple's IPTV solution coming with Apple TV 2.0. Only then will the drive be big enough and capable of recording IPTV streams to disk.
2. The USB port will be useless to start, but will likely be enabled to pass the Apple TV interface to another device, or as a sync-station for the iPod. The 'pass' idea would enable Apple to partner with a set top box maker and integrate the Apple TV into their offering. Not likely, but an option. A larger HD is possible, but doesn't seem necessary.
3. Will it SLEEP? Will it ever turn off? My hope is that there is a way to get the Apple TV to stop outputting a signal over its HDMI output when 'asleep'. My DVR does this, so even if it'srecordng a show it lets me shut it 'off' and therefore free up my 'shared' HDMI/Component inputs. There are a lot of devices that wlll get caught up if Apple TV is perpetually outputting a signal over HDMI.
4. No doubt 720p is coming, but how soon? Apple really should've announced it aready, which is concerning. The TV shows shouldn't be a problem, and the movies aren't a problem because of bandwidth (see XBox360 HD movies) but more because the studios want a RENTAL program not a BUY program for downloadable HD content. They're dumb, because I bet most people are like me. They see a film in the theater and decide to buy it. If they haven't seen it they rent it. They rarely do both. I consider iTunes movies to be perfect as rental replacements, yeilding more money for the studios - the convenience (and the ability to watch it again if I ever want to) is worth the extra 6-11 dollars vs. a Rental. Apple TV needs 720p TV and movies, and soon.
5. What will Leopard enable? I suspect Apple has even bigger plans for the iPod and Apple TV in Leopard. Not that they want to 'cripple' the Windows experience (still a larger market), but phase 2 of the iPod effect is to get those on the fence for buying a Mac to get more value out of their existing Apple devices: iPod/Apple TV. I have no idea what, but I suspect some cool functions are coming.
One possibility is that you could expand on the internal storage with an external hard drive.
Well, one point-if apple was planning on this, I think they would have a firewire port on the atv also.
It's so you can attach that USB Humping Dog thing I saw on Gizmodo, I'm sure of it.
brilliant! i'm definitely buying one of each.....
has USB Humping Dog thing 2.0 come out yet? so you can daisy chain them???
I would never buy the first iteration of a USB Humping Dog after that whole Firewire Beaver fiasco.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWCSPkJwQdI
if so the usb must be for a web cam ........
any takers ???
didn't a thread mention that one of the features of leopard was the ability to stream over ichat ???
if so the usb must be for a web cam ........
any takers ???
Now there's a thought.
but the iSight is a FW device !
It is now, but Apple seems to be deprecating firewire somewhat.
The points about caching and household computer use make sense regarding the ATV's existing hard drive. I still can't see where I'd particularly want or need to augment that drive using the USB port and additional storage.
Unless the idea is to keep all of my video files local to the ATV, but then the whole wireless/streaming thing is redundant and I would be much better off with a Mini.
Well you could keep all of your video and music on the ATV and have it play on your tv AND stream back to your computers when you want and they could possibly see it as an external drive for regular files too. Making the atv you both your player and your home server. Like airport extreme's airdisk feature for people that don't own airport.
I wouldn't mind that possiblity because the most modern machine in my house and the one that does the bulk of the real tv, video, etc downloads is my mbp. And I'd much rather attach an external drive to ATV then have to attach it to my mbp everytime I want to watch something.