Apple delays Apple TV launch till mid-March

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  • Reply 21 of 135
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by chabig View Post


    I don't understand. Your Mac has a CD/DVD drive and you can stream from the Mac to the TV. I'll bet Apple TV will be released with a new version of iTunes so that you can play video from the Mac's drive on your TV with full control.



    Don't count on it.
  • Reply 22 of 135
    I just checked my account. The new ship date is: Ships by: Mar 20; Delivers by: Mar 23.



    That stinks....
  • Reply 23 of 135
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by chuckf11 View Post


    I just checked my account. The new ship date is: Ships by: Mar 20; Delivers by: Mar 23.



    That stinks....



    mmm, maybe you'll get Apple TV rev. 2.0. snicker snacker.
  • Reply 24 of 135
    Minimum of 20 days late in shipping. There is noting special about the hardware, or the software really as far as we know. Everything that they are doing with this device (and a lot more) has more or less been done by apple already in existing software and hardware. And what hasn't has been done by a lot smaller companies than Apple successfully for a while now. Sure there might have been some catastrophic bug that has surfaced, or more likely a shortage of some component. I would speculate that this has something to do with either adding more capability to the initial spec based on consumer reaction or more likely working out availability of 720p content for availability on iTMS and probably adding another studio. Sure they could release it without this content, but they will get a much more friendly press/consumer reaction if this content is ready for download the same day.



    Another possibly delay is upping bandwidth and storage for the upgrade to 720p content. iTMS seems slow lately so they might need to upgrade.
  • Reply 25 of 135
    So those of us that have laptops have no use for this product?
  • Reply 26 of 135
    tbagginstbaggins Posts: 2,306member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iDave View Post


    Calendar year vs. fiscal year, get it? Who cares, anyway? I got the point.



    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=that's+what+I'm+saying



    8)



    .
  • Reply 27 of 135
    I doubt the issue is hardware. The hardware is pretty straight forward. However, contrary to what others have speculated here, I don't believe the software/firmware is the least bit trivial if they are striving for an "Apple-like" user experience (it "just works").



    I don't care what anyone says - streaming anything approaching high-def video over wireless is asking for trouble. My bet says they are tweaking the heck out fo their software (in iTunes) and firmware (in the AppleTV) to try to handle error conditions reliably without dropouts.



    I've been streaming video for a long time. Wired - it is very reliable. Wireless - it is highly problematic. Don't believe the bandwidth specs you see for 802.11g & 802.11n. Those are theoretical values which don't take into account interference.
  • Reply 28 of 135
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by IndyLions View Post


    Wired - it is very reliable. Wireless - it is highly problematic. Don't believe the bandwidth specs you see for 802.11g & 802.11n. Those are theoretical values which don't take into account interference.



    Thank you for that fantastic point. I've always thought something like that would be the case. (Got flamed for bringing his up on Ai a while ago..... but your obvious technical background gives it much more credibility).
  • Reply 29 of 135
    Amazing. Apple TV launch is delayed a couple of weeks.



    I'll bet there are a lot of families out there tonight only wishing that their sons and daughters return from Araq would be just as short. Or had government leaders, news media or lawyers as honest as Steve Jobs and Company.
  • Reply 30 of 135
    louzerlouzer Posts: 1,054member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TBaggins View Post


    Who didn't see this coming? Doesn't really matter, unless they miss calendar Q1 altogether, in which cast it'll impact their financials a tad.





    .



    The AppleTV will have very little effect on their financials. Its overpriced and under-featured. Past the "I've got to have it because Apple made it!" crowd, there's no current market for this device.
  • Reply 31 of 135
    louzerlouzer Posts: 1,054member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by chabig View Post


    I don't understand. Your Mac has a CD/DVD drive and you can stream from the Mac to the TV. I'll bet Apple TV will be released with a new version of iTunes so that you can play video from the Mac's drive on your TV with full control.



    First problem with this device. It requires a mac/pc to actually work (so its not a $300 device, its a $1000 device).



    Second problem. You go down to your entertainment center and get a DVD. Go upstairs, pop open the box, turn on your Mac, pop DVD into mac. (Make sure you've got your firewall set up correctly!). Go back downstairs, get comfy on the couch. Grab the remote, hit play. Damn, you put in the extras disk! Get off the couch, climb back up the stairs, pop out the disk, put in other disk, go back down, get comfortable again, hit play, fall asleep in five minutes from all the stair climbing.



    If Apple's trying to get into the entertainment center, they should look into replacing the DVD player, not try to force your hand to buying digital stuff on their store.



    (And what's the deal with this thing not having an off switch? What reason does it need to run 24/7 for?)
  • Reply 32 of 135
    hegorhegor Posts: 160member
    I fail to see why this delay was needed given the technology in the Apple Tv. Perhaps Apple needs extra time to finish encoding a bunch of 720p content? I wish!
  • Reply 33 of 135
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Louzer View Post


    First problem with this device. It requires a mac/pc to actually work (so its not a $300 device, its a $1000 device).



    Second problem. You go down to your entertainment center and get a DVD. Go upstairs, pop open the box, turn on your Mac, pop DVD into mac. (Make sure you've got your firewall set up correctly!). Go back downstairs, get comfy on the couch. Grab the remote, hit play. Damn, you put in the extras disk! Get off the couch, climb back up the stairs, pop out the disk, put in other disk, go back down, get comfortable again, hit play, fall asleep in five minutes from all the stair climbing.



    If Apple's trying to get into the entertainment center, they should look into replacing the DVD player, not try to force your hand to buying digital stuff on their store.

    )



    I don't think anyone would use this for DVDs... not when you can buy one for $40 and hook it right to the TV. It is for streaming iTunes video, which you control at the Apple TV, not your Mac.
  • Reply 34 of 135
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Louzer View Post


    The AppleTV will have very little effect on their financials. Its overpriced and under-featured. Past the "I've got to have it because Apple made it!" crowd, there's no current market for this device.



    ... in your opinion ... which I disagree with ... since I have ordered one... so "no" market is (as is often the case) hyperbole...
  • Reply 35 of 135
    Could this be part of the delay... http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-968...ml?tag=nl.e722
  • Reply 36 of 135
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Louzer View Post


    First problem with this device. It requires a mac/pc to actually work (so its not a $300 device, its a $1000 device).



    Do you use this logic in the supermarket, too? "Oh, I need an oven to cook this chicken... so it really costs $506, not $6."



    You already have an oven. You don't factor it into every item you use in conjunction with it. Likewise, you already have a computer.



    Quote:

    Second problem. You go down to your entertainment center and get a DVD. Go upstairs, pop open the box, turn on your Mac, pop DVD into mac. (Make sure you've got your firewall set up correctly!). Go back downstairs, get comfy on the couch. Grab the remote, hit play. Damn, you put in the extras disk! Get off the couch, climb back up the stairs, pop out the disk, put in other disk, go back down, get comfortable again, hit play, fall asleep in five minutes from all the stair climbing.



    Why would you use this as a DVD player? What, 80% of American's have a DVD player? Why would you even try to use this as one? Just use your DVD player.



    Quote:

    If Apple's trying to get into the entertainment center, they should look into replacing the DVD player, not try to force your hand to buying digital stuff on their store.



    This does replace the DVD player. Why would I go to Walmart when I can have an instant download playing immediately? Physical media is a thing of the past.



    What you're asking for is for an option on the Ford Model T to still be drawn by horses.



    Also, the Apple TV isn't just for videos from the iTunes store. You can play podcasts, any iPod-ready video, and, if you're willing to transcode, any movie file.



    Quote:

    (And what's the deal with this thing not having an off switch? What reason does it need to run 24/7 for?)



    Does it seriously not have an off switch? What's your source on that?
  • Reply 37 of 135
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gregmightdothat View Post


    This does replace the DVD player. Why would I go to Walmart when I can have an instant download playing immediately? Physical media is a thing of the past.



    That's not quite right. How is an iTunes download stored again? On the ethereal drive?



    I don't know about you, but I do go places to get supplies such as food, I usually don't go anywhere to buy a DVD by itself. I personally don't see a point in buying $10 for just the movie when there better featured DVDs of big, though old catalog, releases to be had for half that.



    Quote:

    Does it seriously not have an off switch? What's your source on that?



    There may be a point there, but that concern may be overblown. None of the diagrams or pictures show an off switch or any kind of button on the box. I don't expect for the thing to be fully on all the time, if they do it right. There are plenty of power management techniques. There can be a supervisor chip that watches the IR receiver and turn on the unit when it sees valid codes, behaving much like current IR controlled devices do.
  • Reply 38 of 135
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gregmightdothat View Post




    Does it seriously not have an off switch? What's your source on that?



    It might well not have an on off switch. Does your Airport base station have an on off switch? Does your alarm clock have an on-off swtich? Does your DVD player have a 'real' on off switch? The one on your DVD player doesn't really turn off power to the player. It turns off the lights on the front, and that's about it. The power consumption of the devices is minimal at best when idle.



    An on-off switch would not provide significant savings in power to make a difference.
  • Reply 39 of 135
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bjojade View Post


    It might well not have an on off switch. Does your Airport base station have an on off switch? Does your alarm clock have an on-off swtich? Does your DVD player have a 'real' on off switch? The one on your DVD player doesn't really turn off power to the player. It turns off the lights on the front, and that's about it. The power consumption of the devices is minimal at best when idle.



    An on-off switch would not provide significant savings in power to make a difference.



    It would if DVD players were constantly pumping out HD resolution graphics constantly.



    I guess I'm just imagining my XBOX 360 running at full speed all the time, which even when not playing games is a very effective, if noisy, space heater.
  • Reply 40 of 135
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    That's not quite right. How is an iTunes download stored again? On the ethereal drive?



    What's your point? Hard drive space is around 40¢ a gigabyte right now and dropping fast.



    Quote:

    I don't know about you, but I do go places to get supplies such as food, I usually don't go anywhere to buy a DVD by itself.



    I don't get what you're trying to say here.



    Quote:

    I personally don't see a point in buying $10 for just the movie when there better featured DVDs of big, though old catalog, releases to be had for half that.



    Find me a place that sells non-used, non-rented DVD's of feature films for $5, every day. Even Walmart I don't think goes below $8 or $9.
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