Mac DVR ala TiVo
Greetings,
What would you think of a TiVo style device from Apple that also let you burn selected programming to DVD? What would you say if it cost about $200?
Would you go for it?
Do you think the average person on the street would care for it?
Do you think it would get more people to switch?
na
What would you think of a TiVo style device from Apple that also let you burn selected programming to DVD? What would you say if it cost about $200?
Would you go for it?
Do you think the average person on the street would care for it?
Do you think it would get more people to switch?
na
Comments
DVD Recorder = $400-$2000
DVD-R = $10 per disc (4 half hour shows tops)
* 1.2 (20% profit margins, remember, it's Apple)
= $2000 system and a charge of 5 bucks to record just one episode of Saturday Night Live.
I'm sorry for my bluntness, I'm generally not the type to squash down someone's idea, but for a DVD-R changer that automatically records shows, and prints on each one so you can recognize it, it's gonna be expensive. And what happens if it wastes $50 of DVD-Rs recording something you don't really wanna even watch (a la TiVo). I don't really see it happening within the next couple of years. <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
<strong>TiVo console = $300-$500
DVD Recorder = $400-$2000
DVD-R = $10 per disc (4 half hour shows tops)
* 1.2 (20% profit margins, remember, it's Apple)
= $2000 system and a charge of 5 bucks to record just one episode of Saturday Night Live.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well, I think that a price of $500 would be about right for such a device, but it wouldn't have the Superdrive in it - it would shove that off to your Superdrive equipped Mac via Rendezvous to be rendered there.
It'd do the same for audio, serving as an MP3 jukebox component for your stereo that you feed and control via iTunes on your Mac and as a slide show thingy from iPhoto.
Needs a regular remote and TV interface, though. But that'd be a kick-ass digital hub device.
Basically a bottom-end iMac without the display. It'd be tough getting it down to $500... maybe $700 is closer. And it requires some back-end infrastructure for directory information, etc. Quartz Extreme would sure help that bugger out - transparent menus over the video stream, etc. But it could also be an Aiport base station, file server, etc.
Oh, you should be able to drop your iPod into it like a cell phone charger to sync it up.
Might be a good value at $700 the more I think about it - and very hub-like.
Update: <a href="http://www.elgato.com/eye.html"; target="_blank">These guys</a> apparently are releasing PVR software at the Expo. Cribbed from Macintouch:
On July 17th El Gato Software will release a brand new product for the Macintosh called Eye TV. Eye TV turns your Mac into a full-featured digital video recorder at a fraction of the cost of set top DVR boxes with NO monthly service fees!
With Eye TV you can:
? Watch TV on your Mac in a window or full screen just like a TV set
? Automatically record programs to your Mac's hard disk
? Search the program guide for shows that interest you by title, actor, or genre
? Pause "Live" TV - Don't let anything interrupt your favorite show again
? Use the jump button to skip commercials or use instant reply to quickly repeat a scene
? Fast Forward, Fast Reverse, Slow Motion or watch it backwards- You fully control your TV viewing experience
? Archive programs onto VideoCDs that are playable in your home DVD player
Eye TV frees you from TV schedules by helping you find shows you want to see and letting you watch them when you want to watch them.
[ 07-12-2002: Message edited by: johnsonwax ]</p>
1) use HD space as a vault for your mp3 collection. play out through your stereo system. use airport to wirelessly sync your mac to your vault (like the ipod)
2) pump itunes visuals through your tv set
3) take your i-movies and wirelessly transfer them via airport to your PVR and then play your home movies directly out from your television
4) share imovies with friends by using itools as a conduit. you get to share the kids on vacation while you retrieve your daily tv schedule
5) record tv shows.
An Apple DVR has to be net-connected and able to access the millions of TV and radio channels that will be created soon and streamed via MPEG4.
This is the new "killer app." The way Pagemaker and the laser printer created desktop publishing, Quicktime, FCP and MPEG4 will usher in a new age of Desktop Video.
Cable companies should be scared, very scared. They're about to become extinct.
<strong>Forget regular TV. 500 channels ain't enough!
An Apple DVR has to be net-connected and able to access the millions of TV and radio channels that will be created soon and streamed via MPEG4.
This is the new "killer app." The way Pagemaker and the laser printer created desktop publishing, Quicktime, FCP and MPEG4 will usher in a new age of Desktop Video.
Cable companies should be scared, very scared. They're about to become extinct.
__________________
Dude, you're going to hell.....
</strong><hr></blockquote>
nice sig.... <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
<strong>Forget regular TV. 500 channels ain't enough!
An Apple DVR has to be net-connected and able to access the millions of TV and radio channels that will be created soon and streamed via MPEG4.
This is the new "killer app." The way Pagemaker and the laser printer created desktop publishing, Quicktime, FCP and MPEG4 will usher in a new age of Desktop Video.
Cable companies should be scared, very scared. They're about to become extinct.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's not bad. Let's assume for a second that Canyon24 actually knows something. I base this solely on her confidence and manner of describing the new case and innards.
She describes major changes to iTools (which we know from the .mac rename) and speculates at an online calendar system. This makes sense and if their webmail is any indication, they'll do a damn good job of it. She calls it more of a .NET done right, and the stuff Apple pulled in from NeXT sure as hell is what you want on your side if you're building the better .NET.
She also hints at an iDevice which does straight DV recording to HD. 'Shoot, Edit, Play' 20GB iPod indeed... This has been speculated at length, with some good arguments pro and con.
The new shared slideshows from Jaguar indicate that Apple has certainly got things set up so that you could easily put your video out there for the family to share. MPEG-4 makes it possible along with all the nifty bits and pieces in Quicktime. QuicktimeTV comes to fruition.
She also points at a PDA that hooks to iTools. Sure. iWalk meets Inkwell meets our calendaring doo-dad up there and Palm comes along for the ride somehow maybe through their wireless services.
So, to sum up. Nothing she says is out of the realm of the possible right now. DV camera to a HD is, IMO, not that hard to pull off now that we have small HDs, cheap CCD, and presumably enough CPU power to do the encoding. Don't expect 10 hr battery life, though... PDA or tablet isn't hard for Apple, they've had that tech longer than anyone else. It all comes down to whether or not the pricing and functionality are ready and if it makes sense for Apple to do.
But if we saw all that next week, that afternoon conference call would be fun to listen to...
na
<strong>Cant imagine Apple making such a product. It would not be really worth their while, and honestly (dont get me wrong) but apple make computers, thats what they are best at not this style of thing. I couldnt see the sense in Apple making such an item.</strong><hr></blockquote>
It is part of creating a user experience, itools -> .MAC are value added pieces to a complete Digital Lifestyle solution, brought to you by Apple. The iApps are not worht our while financially. At least in the terms of selling machines. Of the thousands of machines we sell every year, how many are bought JUSt because of iMovie, or iTunes?
SO: 40 GB HD, DVD drive, Gamecube mainboard, Firewire, hopefully Airport. Remember, Nintendo said they'd turn a PROFIT on Gamecube hardware at $199 within a year from launch - they don't bleed on every console sale like Sony and Microsoft. So we've got some idea of how much the Gamecube innards must cost. Plus the GC is already engineered for a network adapter, so they wouldn't have to hack that in. I guess memory would be the biggest concern.
Whaddya think?
<strong>Cable companies should be scared, very scared. They're about to become extinct.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Not if they're the ones powering the broadband connections to these so-called "killer apps."
<strong>
Not if they're the ones powering the broadband connections to these so-called "killer apps."
You make a very VERY good point..It's the transmission connection that the powers of profit are trying to control. How do we stay ahead of this and not become limited like we are now in the Cable, Broadcast & DSS setups? I have Earthlink now, and it works great..But they have a clause that states that they can terminate my connection from restricted content, and can cancel my account without explanation. Because they are not a regulated industry, they can do this. I belive the larger broadband providers will one day use this power to control content and increase their profits. They will not win though...the future is too big!!