Join the TV tuner petition!

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
There ought to be an affordable Firewire TV tuner solution available for the Mac. A trimmed down version of Formac Studio DV/TV without the unnecessary DV stuff selling for $149 would be great. It seems to me that more people want to watch TV on their computers than mess with conversion of analog video. With proper integration of Keyspan's Remote control I wouldn't hesitate a second in buying one. Just imagine this setup on one of the new iMacs.



Unfortunately Formac is not planning such a product - I've asked them some time ago. Maybe if more of us e-mailed them they would perhaps change their minds. E-mail [email protected], label it "We want a $149 FireWire TV tuner solution". Feel free to link to this topic.



This is my e-mail message to Formac.



[quote]

Dear Formac,

would you please consider a somewhat less expensive version of Studio DV/TV but without the DV support. A $149 FireFire "Studio TV" would be the perfect member in your product family.



I believe many Mac users place their stylish computers in prominent places, like their living rooms for example. Watching TV on them seems natural. Especially considering how competetive the new iMacs are priced versus traditional flat screen TV solutions (plasma & LCDs). Add to this Steve Jobs' intentions not to create a digital hub device for the TV media.



Drivers for OS X and intergration with Keyspan's Remote control would make this product a winner.



Best regards,

/Richard

<hr></blockquote>
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    [quote]posted by Aphelion:

    <strong>Petition for an Apple set-top box. Integrated personal video recorder, iTunes, iMovie, & iPhoto TV/HDTV tuners ect. Licence Moxi, TiVo, or buy Sonic Blue. Go for it Apple! add the missing link to your digital hub.

    </strong><hr></blockquote>
  • Reply 2 of 21
    It's easier to make Formac do it. They've already got the products. They just need to shave it off some...
  • Reply 3 of 21
    [quote]Originally posted by richard788:

    <strong>It's easier to make Formac do it. They've already got the products. They just need to shave it off some...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Apple could do it better! SuperDrive, FireWire, GigaWire?, Gigabit Eithernet, Airport, S-video oh my!
  • Reply 4 of 21
    Yeah, but they probably won't. SJ has a dislike for TV on computers for some odd reason.



    The way I see it TV is the missing link in the digital hub.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    davegeedavegee Posts: 2,765member
    [quote]Originally posted by richard788:

    <strong>Yeah, but they probably won't. SJ has a dislike for TV on computers for some odd reason.



    The way I see it TV is the missing link in the digital hub.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    He does eh? Well then I wonder how he feels about this new iPod addon that will let your iPod act as a universal remote control?



    <a href="http://www.cableone.net/charpie/sanfran/Thursday11.html"; target="_blank">http://www.cableone.net/charpie/sanfran/Thursday11.html</a>;



    and



    <a href="http://www.cableone.net/charpie/sanfran/Thursday12.html"; target="_blank">http://www.cableone.net/charpie/sanfran/Thursday12.html</a>;



    Griffin Technology are the folks doing it...



    Dave
  • Reply 6 of 21
    That's great because I've heard that theKeyspan remote isn't such a great product.
  • Reply 7 of 21
    gustavgustav Posts: 827member
    [quote]Originally posted by richard788:

    <strong>That's great because I've heard that theKeyspan remote isn't such a great product.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I heard it was really good. I've never seen a bad review of it. The only time I saw a negative comment was that it didn't have OS X drivers, which is BS. The person was wrong as there are OS X drivers on their web site.
  • Reply 8 of 21
    ferroferro Posts: 453member
    Why does it need to be FireWire?



    2nd part "---deleted---"



    E PLURIBUS UNIX

    -----------------------------





    [ 01-19-2002: Message edited by: FERRO ]</p>
  • Reply 9 of 21
    crusadercrusader Posts: 1,129member
    I want a firewire Direct TV turner.
  • Reply 10 of 21
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    Streaming video will replace the standard 'television' in less than 10 years any way. So why bother? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
  • Reply 11 of 21
    [quote]Originally posted by Fran441:

    <strong>Streaming video will replace the standard 'television' in less than 10 years any way. So why bother? :confused: </strong><hr></blockquote>





    The computers & accessories being sold today aren't expected to last for 10 years, so why not introduce features now that won't be obsoleted for 10 years?
  • Reply 12 of 21
    Fran441 - Because I'd have to wait 10 freakin' years to get it?



    I would like a FW TV tuner. I have a TiBook but no TV, so this would be a significant improvement. Video Capture abilities would be nice as well. But that would probably make it too expensive.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    I'd like to see a PCI or AGP TV tuner/video in/out card that actually has good drivers for X. Something like the ALL-IN-WONDER® RADEON? 8500DV:

    <a href="http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/aiw_radeon_8500/index.html]http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/aiw_radeon_8500/index.html"; target="_blank">http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/aiw_radeon_8500/index.html]http://www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/aiw_radeon_8500/index.html</a>;



    This would be very cool for the Mac.



    [ 01-20-2002: Message edited by: AsahiToro ]</p>
  • Reply 14 of 21
    Why Firewire? Because roughly three quarters of Apple's sales lack PCI.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    [quote]Originally posted by richard788:

    <strong>Why Firewire? Because roughly three quarters of Apple's sales lack PCI.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    You're right. A slot version wouldn't help out the iMac folks. I edited my last post to include AGP. If something with the horsepower of the ATI AIW 8500 would make it to the Mac, it would definitely be AGP. A similar card(regular Radeon AIW?) for PCI as a second video card would be nice for the towers.
  • Reply 16 of 21
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    TV tuner to me seems a no brainer. It IS the consumer hub. Apple could have a jump on other companies. User interface is the biggest hangup with current systems.



    There really is no real reason not to offer it for petes' pants.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    Steve Jobs thinks that people watch tv to turn off their brains, and they turn on their computers to use their brains. I'd have to agree with him.



    Having no TV on my Mac is a blessing. I hate TV, and I can only envision it doing bad things to computing and the internet in general. But I can understand how lots of consumers would eat it up.
  • Reply 18 of 21
    gustavgustav Posts: 827member
    [quote]Originally posted by Junkyard Dawg:

    <strong>Steve Jobs thinks that people watch tv to turn off their brains, and they turn on their computers to use their brains. I'd have to agree with him. </strong><hr></blockquote>



    I don't see what the big deal is - why do you need a Firewire TV tuner? Given the quality of broadcast and analogue cable, a USB device, which are plentiful already, is all that is needed.



    If you don't like TV, so be it - I don't care. But to say people become stupid when watching TV is kind of insulting. This "TV is mind trash" garbage is elitist BS. TV is simply bringing performances and information into your living room. If you believe TV is mind trash, then so is the world wide web, going to a play, a concert, or any other one-sided medium.



    That's not to say there's not a lot of garbage on TV - sure there is. There's also a lot of garbage on the radio, on the web, and in print. You just gotta learn how to filter it out.

  • Reply 19 of 21
    I doubt USB can provide the throughput necessary to accomodate 1280x1024 for example. One's usually stuck on 640 or 800.



    Buying a flat screen TV is very expensive. Getting a 17" LCD and a old PowerMac G4 to serve as TV is much less expensive.
  • Reply 20 of 21
    gustavgustav Posts: 827member
    [quote]Originally posted by richard788:

    <strong>I doubt USB can provide the throughput necessary to accomodate 1280x1024 for example. One's usually stuck on 640 or 800.



    Buying a flat screen TV is very expensive. Getting a 17" LCD and a old PowerMac G4 to serve as TV is much less expensive.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Most analogue TV signals are barely 640x480 quality.



    When HDTV becomes a little more prevalent then you there will be a need. But for now, I don't see it's utility.
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