Would putting a standard slot-loading DVD drive in the Apple TV make sense right now?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Please read this post before voting - thank you.



Myself and 'gugy' have been arguing this one to no end in that other thread. I started this poll because of how strongly I feel on the subject. Gugy thinks putting a slot-loading DVD drive in an Apple TV doesn't make sense for Apple because it would compete with their whole downloading movies over the internet through iTunes strategy.



I disagree though, here's why:



Apple could sell millions of these things if it could play peoples DVD's, it's not hard to imagine. They could chuck their old, bulky DVD player, and go with this modern easy-to-use, minimal, understated set-up. Without a DVD slot, right now, it's just a fancy media streamer--a niche product--they'll be very lucky to sell over two million of them. When we get to a point when downloading movies makes more sense than physical disks, then he'd have a point, but even at that people would still need an additional device taking up space in their set-up to play their DVD's. Right now, and in the future putting a DVD slot in this device just makes sense, it's that simple.



More people are starting to choose downloading music over buying CD's now cause it makes more sense. Yet they still have the option of doing the latter, their computers have the drive to play and rip that content. They choose to download cause it's quicker, easier, and more efficient. The same would be true for Apple TV at a point, even if it could still play regular old DVD disks too. Downloading movies over using DVD's doesn't make sense right now, we're just not there yet, infrastructure-wise or content-wise. And in the mean time, Apple aint selling many Apple TV's.



Oh, and here's how it could look:





Gugy you may as well vote no now and get it out of the way.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 162
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    This you may find humorous, or interesting, or perhaps, a bit of both.
  • Reply 2 of 162
    shady104shady104 Posts: 332member
    nope will never happen. maybe in 5 years a blu ray drive.
  • Reply 3 of 162
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Until they get more studios involved - yes - they need something. That BOX needs a purpose. Even though I voted yes I think a DVR (tivo) would be better.
  • Reply 4 of 162
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    Until they get more studios involved - yes - they need something. That BOX needs a purpose. Even though I voted yes I think a DVR (tivo) would be better.



    I appreciate you voting yes, but with iPTV as a dead certain down in the pipeline, we wont need a DVR in the future.
  • Reply 5 of 162
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    I appreciate you voting yes, but with iPTV as a dead certain down in the pipeline, we wont need a DVR in the future.



    Whatever iPTV is - unless it can record all my stuff while I'm out of town, sleeping, watching another program, or just too busy to watch, I don't see the popularity of DVR's going anywhere but up.



    [edit] I don't think so. IPTV sucks ass. I just read a bit of wiki on it, and I think anybody with half a brain is going to tivo their programming rather than pay PPV pricing for every show they want to record. \
  • Reply 6 of 162
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    Whatever iPTV is - unless it can record all my stuff while I'm out of town, sleeping, watching another program, or just too busy to watch, I don't see the popularity of DVR's going anywhere but up.



    [edit] I don't think so. IPTV sucks ass. I just read a bit of wiki on it, and I think anybody with half a brain is going to tivo their programming rather than pay PPV pricing for every show they want to record. \



    Well the current model for iPTV is PPV, but future models could be pay monthly viewing. Two packages. One for a lot of TV, and one a normal amount. So when you want to watch that show, you use your Apple TV, find the show you want to watch over a direct internet connection and watch it.
  • Reply 7 of 162
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Well the current model for iPTV is PPV, but future models could be pay monthly viewing. Two packages. One for a lot of TV, and one a normal amount. So when you want to watch that show, you use your Apple TV, find the show you want to watch over a direct internet connection and watch it.



    Again - Monthly Package vs. Free??? I don't think so.
  • Reply 8 of 162
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    Again - Monthly Package vs. Free??? I don't think so.



    You get your TV programming for free?
  • Reply 9 of 162
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    I voted no. Really I think a blu ray drive makes WAY more sense. I'm sure the optical bashers will come soon and give their 2 cents.
  • Reply 10 of 162
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    I voted no. Really I think a blu ray drive makes WAY more sense. I'm sure the optical bashers will come soon and give their 2 cents.



    I agree, to a point, but Blu-ray drives simply aren't cheap enough at this point. Which is why we aren't seeing them in Macs yet. I'm talking about the Apple TV as it stands right now, not at a point in the future when Apple could sell them with a Blu-ray drive, and still make it some way affordable.
  • Reply 11 of 162
    AppleTV needs to replace the functionality of all content source media -- in other words, it needs to be able to replace your DVD player and your TiVo, and it should have an internal HDTV tuner. Getting rid of all those cruddy boxes for one sleek entertainment media source would give it a real reason to exist.



    You know how iTunes rips a CD to your harddrive when you put in an audio CD? AppleTV needs to do the same thing, but with video. The truly killerapp for AppleTV is to have it rip an inserted DVD to its harddrive.
  • Reply 12 of 162
    spindriftspindrift Posts: 674member
    I voted no, although I am truly on the fence with this one. Although I can see where Ireland is coming from, I voted no because I personally wouldn't buy one with a DVD drive. If there was the choice, I'd still by my regular AppleTV. The main reason for this is that I wouldn't want a cheap slot loader replacing my NAD DVD player and what's the point in having 2?



    Now if Apple TV came with a Blu-ray drive I'd buy another (even if it needed to be £400) and stick my current AppleTV in the bedroom.
  • Reply 13 of 162
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Please read this post before voting - thank you.



    ...



    Oh, and here's how it could look:





    Gugy you may as well vote no now and get it out of the way.



    Jeez, did you need to start another bleeding thread? And no it isn't how it bleeding looks because all you did was take an aTV and add a slot. There's no room in the current case for a optical drive.



    And also, given the voting is ahead on "no" at this moment (10 to 9) Gugy isn't the only one to disagree.



    Vinea
  • Reply 14 of 162
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    I agree, to a point, but Blu-ray drives simply aren't cheap enough at this point. Which is why we aren't seeing them in Macs yet. I'm talking about the Apple TV as it stands right now, not at a point in the future when Apple could sell them with a Blu-ray drive, and still make it some way affordable.



    Sure they ain't cheap. But I'd be willing to pay $1000 for a blu ray ATV, whereas the current ATV doesn't quite get me to open up my wallet at $299.
  • Reply 15 of 162
    corkurkcorkurk Posts: 90member
    I've always thought that adding a DVD drive would have made more sense and been a more attractive offering for most people. Like Killerapp mentioned - being able to replace all those ugly boxes that sit under most TVs with one sleek "all-in-one" device would be great. There are plenty of us out there who might still chose a dedicated device to perform each function, but I can think of countless people (my parents and many people their age - 50's-60's) who would love to turn on the TV and then have all their media controlled through one device with one remote. No more messing with the "TV input" button on your 5 remotes to find the right source anymore.



    Front Row is already set up to handle DVD's so adding the extra menu option to ATV would make things even more seamless between your PC and your TV. DVD drives are dirt cheap. I think the whole thing would make perfect sense for Apple.



    I don't think we'll see DVD ripping to the ATV hard drive anytime soon (Apple sponsored that is) due to the movie studio's paranoia, but that's another thread altogether.
  • Reply 16 of 162
    visionaryvisionary Posts: 118member
    My vote is for BR-DVD instead of just a DVD.



    Maybe Apple should offer three versions - one the way it is now, one with a DVD player, and one with a BR-DVD. Then people can jump in at the level they want. Shouldn't be too hard for Apple to do.
  • Reply 17 of 162
    bitemymacbitemymac Posts: 1,147member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    I voted no. Really I think a blu ray drive makes WAY more sense. I'm sure the optical bashers will come soon and give their 2 cents.



    Make no sense to add any type of optical drive solution to appleTV. The appleTV was made to support iTunes with your HDTV as a streaming hub and that's all it's good for. If you want an optical drive...then get one via external solution....or get a mac/macmini instead....



    BTW, the PQ out of AppleTV is horrible. Apple needs much work to improve driver support and software support in the HTPC area. Most HDTV has better video processor that performs 100x better than how AppleTV handles the video right now. Therefore, adding any type of drive to this horribly performing AppleTV that cost $599 to $699 with HiDef optical drive would equal a product failure.
  • Reply 18 of 162
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bitemymac View Post


    Make no sense to add any type of optical drive solution to appleTV. The appleTV was made to support iTunes with your HDTV as a streaming hub and that's all it's good for.



    The ATV doesn't make sense now. Let's see, I have a device that requires an HDTV to work but can't really get any HD content. It has to get media from itunes store which has limited studio support. Does that make sense?



    While Blu ray and HD DVD make be the end of optical media, they will still be around for another 10 years IMO. Just because Steve said this will be this last optical media format doesn't mean that it's going away tomorrow.
  • Reply 19 of 162
    gordygordy Posts: 1,004member
    If a DVD drive were added, it would double its height, at least. Cost is also an issue. With those two in mind, you're looking at a 3G Mac Mini--a product that will never see the light of day. I think the current form is fine for its purposes.



    I have a DVD player I can hook up if I ever have the need to watch one. Funny, that need has not presented itself yet.
  • Reply 20 of 162
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gordy View Post


    If a DVD drive were added, it would double its height, at least. Cost is also an issue. With those two in mind, you're looking at a 3G Mac Mini--a product that will never see the light of day. I think the current form is fine for its purposes.



    I have a DVD player I can hook up if I ever have the need to watch one. Funny, that need has not presented itself yet.



    Saying you don't get it may sound a bit condescending, so I wont go there. What I will say is this; Apple makes far more money on hardware than it does selling any form of downloadable media, far more. DVD drives are dirt, dirt cheap, and if you were fully aware of the size they can be, you wouldn't have said it would double the height of the Apple TV.



    If Apple did include a DVD drive, many more people would buy them, as they would be much more useful to people, and would give them more functionality, a nicer, more user-friendly experience, and a cooler, cleaner set-up. Then, when the bandwidth infrastructure is there, and more importantly, when quality content is there, people could get their new movies and such from the Apple store using the same Apple device. And they would choose to download then, just as they do now with music, for the simple reason, it would be more convenient, and probably cheaper too. If that's not a win win for everyone, including Apple, I don't know what is.



    The Apple TV would then be a nicely profitable DVD player for Apple, that is software up-datable, future-proofed, and future-ready. And compatible with all your old content too.
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