Bad move to make it HD only. I know they want to be Hi Tech but the video looks like crap. They have no HD content and yet they made it available for HD TV's only. The video they supply would look fine on a regular TV, plus their target audience would quadruple.
Bad move to make it HD only. I know they want to be Hi Tech but the video looks like crap. They have no HD content and yet they made it available for HD TV's only. The video they supply would look fine on a regular TV, plus their target audience would quadruple.
Only the original 320 x 240 videos look blurry. The 480p ones look fine, and they'll have 720p within a year.
I was suggesting to *really* mod the Mac Mini and route the wire outside.
The Mac mini has both FW and USB ports that support external drives already. I think you mean the ATV... in which case, if you have the case open, why not just replace the drive with a bigger one, or enable USB drive access so you never have to open it again? A dangling cable seem like the worst of all worlds...
Bad move to make it HD only. I know they want to be Hi Tech but the video looks like crap. They have no HD content and yet they made it available for HD TV's only. The video they supply would look fine on a regular TV, plus their target audience would quadruple.
Nitpick: It's not HD only. It's HDMI/component only. There are SDTVs with component inputs. Not many, but some. Few enough that it makes the distinction a fine one, but there is a difference.
Wouldn't it be possible to modify the Mac Mini to use an external 3.5" 500GB/750GB drive?
All you have to do is reboot from a firewire drive, that is already available in all Mac's with firewire, you can use any external firewire drive size you like.
Abster2core, "talking out of his ass" simply means making assertions without supporting evidence. It does not mean the speaker is correct, or incorrect, only that they are saying things that may or may not be true, but furthermore, that they're not in a position to know definitively about without providing said evidence.
Mossberg was, based on his lack of evidence in his article, subject to being accused of talking out of his ass.
What's your obsession with this, anyway? It's kind of creepy, at this stage.
The Mac mini has both FW and USB ports that support external drives already. I think you mean the ATV... in which case, if you have the case open, why not just replace the drive with a bigger one, or enable USB drive access so you never have to open it again? A dangling cable seem like the worst of all worlds...
What's your obsession with this, anyway? It's kind of creepy, at this stage.
How many times do I have to say it? Mossberg did not say what he is being accused of saying. So how the hell could he be talking out of his ass in the first place. If you are going to accuse anyone get your facts straight.
Considering Mossberg had been given the product for over 10 days prior to anybody else that we know of, for the sole purpose to run it throught the mill, and being reputed as one of the leading tech writers in the industry, it just bugs the hell out of me to have some idiot spue his mouth off, maligning with predjuice and accusing somebody for something they never did or say in the first place.
Does it not seem weird to you that Mossberg has since been proven correct and that the accuser(s) has never supplied evidence to the contrary for something he never claimed in the first place?
Actually the current max is 200GB. Fujitsu will soon offer a 300GB.
The question though is of AppleTV power and heat limitations. At what point does the drive draw too much power and generate too much heat for the small case.
How many times do I have to say it? Mossberg did not say what he is being accused of saying. So how the hell could he be talking out of his ass in the first place. If you are going to accuse anyone get your facts straight.
3rd paragraph from Mossberg's article, emphasis mine:
"Apple TV is tiny, just about eight inches square and an inch high, far smaller than a typical DVD player or cable or satellite box, even though it packs in a 40-gigabyte hard disk, an Intel processor and a modified version of the Mac operating system. And it has a carefully limited set of functions."
What was it that you think he was 'accused' of saying that he didn't?
Quote:
Considering Mossberg had been given the product for over 10 days prior to anybody else that we know of, for the sole purpose to run it throught the mill, and being reputed as one of the leading tech writers in the industry, it just bugs the hell out of me to have some idiot spue his mouth off, maligning with predjuice and accusing somebody for something they never did or say in the first place.
Again, what is it that you think he did not say, that he was 'accused' of? I thought the entire point was that someone asked "Does he have proof of [the emphasized clause regarding the OS], or is he just talking out of his ass?" (paraphrasing), and you took exception, for whatever bizarre reasons. It's a valid question.
Quote:
Does it not seem weird to you that Mossberg has since been proven correct and that the accuser(s) has never supplied evidence to the contrary for something he never claimed in the first place?
Again, you're missing the point completely. It was never about correct/incorrect, it was about supporting evidence. For the above emphasized statement, direct from Mossberg's article, he offered no such evidence. It was an unsubstantiated statement, and while likely true based on his track record, was presented in such a manner that it left him open to claims of unjustified assertion. That is all. Let it go.
Actually the current max is 200GB. Fujitsu will soon offer a 300GB.
The question though is of AppleTV power and heat limitations. At what point does the drive draw too much power and generate too much heat for the small case.
The other thing is thickness. Fujitsu's 200 GB is 12.5mm high, AppleTV's drive is 9.5mm.
Those who hack the Apple TV must feel pretty stupid not getting a Mac mini instead. If you're going to buy an Apple TV, replace the HD, hack in new codecs, why not just get the Mac mini...it'll be more powerful, will have more HD storage space, will support more codecs without hacks, and will allow the user to play games or browse the web...
…and have significantly worse picture quality. I'd suggest that picture quality on a video-playing device should be a priority.
Fujitsu's 200 GB is 12.5mm high, AppleTV's drive is 9.5mm.
Yep that too.
Quote:
It was never about correct/incorrect, it was about supporting evidence. For the above emphasized statement, direct from Mossberg's article, he offered no such evidence. It was an unsubstantiated statement, and while likely true based on his track record, was presented in such a manner that it left him open to claims of unjustified assertion.
We went through this with the HD also. When Disney CEO Iger first said there was a HD. Because Apple had not publicly stated that AppleTV would have an HD many people assumed it was speculation at best and he did not know what he was talking about at worst.
What's likely the truth is that Apple told Iger it had an HD and Apple told Mossberg that it runs OS X, they both publicly stated what Apple had told them, only Apple had not yet publicly confirmed either.
I'd suggest that picture quality on a video-playing should be a priority.
You don't get to have everything at once. You don't get top notch video quality and top notch streaming quality at the same time.
In Pogue's review of AppleTV and the Xbox, he stated streaming movies through AppleTV worked with no problems, while he would get error codes while streaming HD with the Xbox.
You don't get to have everything at once. You don't get top notch video quality and top notch streaming quality at the same time.
Oh really?
My point was that AppleTV video output quality when playing Apple-supported codecs (MPEG-4 part 2 and part 10) is much higher than a Mac Mini playing those same files*. Whether the files are being streamed or played direct from the built-in HDD is irrelevant.
* By virtue of the fact that the AppleTV has the GeForce Go 7300 with all its wizzy HD-video handling features (motion-compensated de-interlacing, high-quality scaling, hardware H.264 decode etc. etc.), and the Mac Mini has a GMA950 with utterly shitty video handling features.
My point was that AppleTV video output quality when playing Apple-supported codecs (MPEG-4 part 2 and part 10) is much higher than a Mac Mini playing those same files.
How does that account for the fact that the mini will be the very device sending said video to AppleTV?
Quote:
Mac Mini has a GMA950 with utterly shitty video handling features.
Good thing it has those two processors to do the video decoding.
Actually thinking about this further this is intended for PC's also. And most of the PC world is rife with integrated video with even less capability than GMA 950. Apple does not list a limit for computers capable of working with AppleTV. Outside of having the minimal ability to run XP.
Comments
Wouldn't it be possible to modify the Mac Mini to use an external 3.5" 500GB/750GB drive?
I think it is, but so far, none of those hacks have been pretty.
If you take an Apple TV with an upgraded HD into a store, will they refuse to fix it?
Would you?
http://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/hardware.html
vmardian: So far, the USB port has resisted attempts to make it support external drives. I don't think it will be long now though.
I was suggesting to *really* mod the Mac Mini and route the wire outside.
Bad move to make it HD only. I know they want to be Hi Tech but the video looks like crap. They have no HD content and yet they made it available for HD TV's only. The video they supply would look fine on a regular TV, plus their target audience would quadruple.
Only the original 320 x 240 videos look blurry. The 480p ones look fine, and they'll have 720p within a year.
I was suggesting to *really* mod the Mac Mini and route the wire outside.
The Mac mini has both FW and USB ports that support external drives already. I think you mean the ATV... in which case, if you have the case open, why not just replace the drive with a bigger one, or enable USB drive access so you never have to open it again? A dangling cable seem like the worst of all worlds...
Bad move to make it HD only. I know they want to be Hi Tech but the video looks like crap. They have no HD content and yet they made it available for HD TV's only. The video they supply would look fine on a regular TV, plus their target audience would quadruple.
Nitpick: It's not HD only. It's HDMI/component only. There are SDTVs with component inputs. Not many, but some. Few enough that it makes the distinction a fine one, but there is a difference.
Wouldn't it be possible to modify the Mac Mini to use an external 3.5" 500GB/750GB drive?
All you have to do is reboot from a firewire drive, that is already available in all Mac's with firewire, you can use any external firewire drive size you like.
This sentiment was also made by Chucker, pmjoe and DeaPeaJay as well, in the same thread, so why didn't you mention them in your list?
Becuse they didn't say, acknowledge or condone in any form that he (Mossberg) was "talking out of his ass."
Mossberg was, based on his lack of evidence in his article, subject to being accused of talking out of his ass.
What's your obsession with this, anyway? It's kind of creepy, at this stage.
The Mac mini has both FW and USB ports that support external drives already. I think you mean the ATV... in which case, if you have the case open, why not just replace the drive with a bigger one, or enable USB drive access so you never have to open it again? A dangling cable seem like the worst of all worlds...
Oops. Yeah I meant Apple TV.
It uses a 2.5" drive and those max out at 160GB.
What's your obsession with this, anyway? It's kind of creepy, at this stage.
How many times do I have to say it? Mossberg did not say what he is being accused of saying. So how the hell could he be talking out of his ass in the first place. If you are going to accuse anyone get your facts straight.
Considering Mossberg had been given the product for over 10 days prior to anybody else that we know of, for the sole purpose to run it throught the mill, and being reputed as one of the leading tech writers in the industry, it just bugs the hell out of me to have some idiot spue his mouth off, maligning with predjuice and accusing somebody for something they never did or say in the first place.
Does it not seem weird to you that Mossberg has since been proven correct and that the accuser(s) has never supplied evidence to the contrary for something he never claimed in the first place?
It uses a 2.5" drive and those max out at 160GB.
Actually the current max is 200GB. Fujitsu will soon offer a 300GB.
The question though is of AppleTV power and heat limitations. At what point does the drive draw too much power and generate too much heat for the small case.
How many times do I have to say it? Mossberg did not say what he is being accused of saying. So how the hell could he be talking out of his ass in the first place. If you are going to accuse anyone get your facts straight.
3rd paragraph from Mossberg's article, emphasis mine:
"Apple TV is tiny, just about eight inches square and an inch high, far smaller than a typical DVD player or cable or satellite box, even though it packs in a 40-gigabyte hard disk, an Intel processor and a modified version of the Mac operating system. And it has a carefully limited set of functions."
You can verify this for yourself at: http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/solution-20070321.html
What was it that you think he was 'accused' of saying that he didn't?
Considering Mossberg had been given the product for over 10 days prior to anybody else that we know of, for the sole purpose to run it throught the mill, and being reputed as one of the leading tech writers in the industry, it just bugs the hell out of me to have some idiot spue his mouth off, maligning with predjuice and accusing somebody for something they never did or say in the first place.
Again, what is it that you think he did not say, that he was 'accused' of? I thought the entire point was that someone asked "Does he have proof of [the emphasized clause regarding the OS], or is he just talking out of his ass?" (paraphrasing), and you took exception, for whatever bizarre reasons. It's a valid question.
Does it not seem weird to you that Mossberg has since been proven correct and that the accuser(s) has never supplied evidence to the contrary for something he never claimed in the first place?
Again, you're missing the point completely. It was never about correct/incorrect, it was about supporting evidence. For the above emphasized statement, direct from Mossberg's article, he offered no such evidence. It was an unsubstantiated statement, and while likely true based on his track record, was presented in such a manner that it left him open to claims of unjustified assertion. That is all. Let it go.
Actually the current max is 200GB. Fujitsu will soon offer a 300GB.
The question though is of AppleTV power and heat limitations. At what point does the drive draw too much power and generate too much heat for the small case.
The other thing is thickness. Fujitsu's 200 GB is 12.5mm high, AppleTV's drive is 9.5mm.
Those who hack the Apple TV must feel pretty stupid not getting a Mac mini instead. If you're going to buy an Apple TV, replace the HD, hack in new codecs, why not just get the Mac mini...it'll be more powerful, will have more HD storage space, will support more codecs without hacks, and will allow the user to play games or browse the web...
…and have significantly worse picture quality. I'd suggest that picture quality on a video-playing device should be a priority.
Fujitsu's 200 GB is 12.5mm high, AppleTV's drive is 9.5mm.
Yep that too.
It was never about correct/incorrect, it was about supporting evidence. For the above emphasized statement, direct from Mossberg's article, he offered no such evidence. It was an unsubstantiated statement, and while likely true based on his track record, was presented in such a manner that it left him open to claims of unjustified assertion.
We went through this with the HD also. When Disney CEO Iger first said there was a HD. Because Apple had not publicly stated that AppleTV would have an HD many people assumed it was speculation at best and he did not know what he was talking about at worst.
What's likely the truth is that Apple told Iger it had an HD and Apple told Mossberg that it runs OS X, they both publicly stated what Apple had told them, only Apple had not yet publicly confirmed either.
I'd suggest that picture quality on a video-playing should be a priority.
You don't get to have everything at once. You don't get top notch video quality and top notch streaming quality at the same time.
In Pogue's review of AppleTV and the Xbox, he stated streaming movies through AppleTV worked with no problems, while he would get error codes while streaming HD with the Xbox.
You don't get to have everything at once. You don't get top notch video quality and top notch streaming quality at the same time.
Oh really?
My point was that AppleTV video output quality when playing Apple-supported codecs (MPEG-4 part 2 and part 10) is much higher than a Mac Mini playing those same files*. Whether the files are being streamed or played direct from the built-in HDD is irrelevant.
* By virtue of the fact that the AppleTV has the GeForce Go 7300 with all its wizzy HD-video handling features (motion-compensated de-interlacing, high-quality scaling, hardware H.264 decode etc. etc.), and the Mac Mini has a GMA950 with utterly shitty video handling features.
My point was that AppleTV video output quality when playing Apple-supported codecs (MPEG-4 part 2 and part 10) is much higher than a Mac Mini playing those same files.
How does that account for the fact that the mini will be the very device sending said video to AppleTV?
Mac Mini has a GMA950 with utterly shitty video handling features.
Good thing it has those two processors to do the video decoding.
Actually thinking about this further this is intended for PC's also. And most of the PC world is rife with integrated video with even less capability than GMA 950. Apple does not list a limit for computers capable of working with AppleTV. Outside of having the minimal ability to run XP.