It would seem as though the xBox from MacosX also has FireWire onboard so that it would make me think that it was intended to plug into a computer as well.
The inclusion of FireWire makes a cheaper version ($200?) possible. Use the Airport Extreme, hard drives, and DVD burners in your Macintosh and save some money.
This cheap disk-less version is a slam dunk for the techno geeks out there (all of us) who would just buy it bare and add our own superdrive and hard disks while we install an Airport Extreme card.
Apple would skim the cream off the market by selling the fully equipped versions at the higher price points, but expand the market by offering it cheap enough that we would all get one.
By eliminating the monthly service charge that TiVo requires (I paid $250 up-front for a lifetime membership) Apple would bring down the barriers to having a PVR (and more!).
Quote:
The iBox plugs into your TV and acts as a hub for your digital devices and computers. Unlike the EyeTV from Elgato, the iBox is a standalone machine, not something to plug into an existing computer. The iBox can be scheduled to record TV, but unlike TiVos it does not serve as a "what's on and when" service rather a hard drive / media based recording device (new aged VCR). With its [/B]built in 802.11b & 802.11g[/B] from its AirPort Extreme card, one can access the home folders of any user on any wirelessly networked Mac or PC. The iBox has its own version of the popular iPhoto and iTunes software which is a welcoming plus to Mac OS 10 veterans and easy for Windows users to adopt as well.
The iBox has a built in hard drive meaning it can be used as a network's hub for homes or offices which would like to share photos, music, or other files. Not only does it act as a hub which can connect wirelessly or by Ethernet, it also calls upon its hard drive to record live TV. The iBox has its own on-screen set up and scheduler, but you also have the option of setting the iBox remotely.
While I realize that this is not an Apple press release, I notice a theme in the article of this device as a Hub. It has both wireless and wired standard networking. The Firewire and USB are added in so that you can interface with cameras and iPods. And I doub't that Apple will build a bare bones box that can be easily upgraded and loose the profits of selling the higher price/higher profit margin products. I could see the following product tier for this device:
Level 1
Ethernet, DVD ROM, HD
Level 2
Ethernet, Airport, DVD Rom, larger HD
Level 3
Ethernet, Airport, DVD r/rw, even larger HD
Since the Airport is a card it could be added to the first level, but there would be no supported upgrade of the first 2 for DVD recording, unless it could be supported via a firewire DVD burner. In fact I think that it might be better to keep the price to a minimum and get ride of the SuperDrive, the burning can be done at your computer when you want to burn a DVD.
As for programing services, if they include AppleScript support I would imagine that it would be a short time before someone comes up with the neccessary scripts/Studio application to mine this data off the web free of charge.
... The Firewire and USB are added in so that you can interface with cameras and iPods. And I doub't that Apple will build a bare bones box that can be easily upgraded ...
As for programing services... application to mine this data off the web free of charge.
1). If FireWire is present it can be used by more than cameras and iPods.
2). Apple needs to think outside the box to capture market-share.
3). Watson does this nicely now, all that's needed is a script to link it.
1). If FireWire is present it can be used by more than cameras and iPods.
Yes it can, and I do see some logic to MacOS Rumors device, it would be a FW 800 device. Apple could really use one of these that takes full advantage of the spec. To date I don't know of any device that makes FW 800 a "Must Have" interface, we may have to wait for the next generation of high end digital cameras for this.
2). Apple needs to think outside the box to capture market-share.
The device described by MacOS Rumours is not thinking outside the box, as I read the description it is just a FW800 A/D converter as opposed to a USB, USB2, or FW400 A/D converter. The iBox is thinking outside the box. It incorperates a list of features not available together into a system that integrates the AV experience of the TV into the Network space, taking advantage of the Mac to interface, catalog, and control the device.
3). Watson does this nicely now, all that's needed is a script to link it.
This is a good example of the advantage of such a system over TiVo or similar "subscription" based solutioins. In fact, even if Apple went under a Watson/AppleScript solution would work while if TiVo or Replay TV goes under their programing service most likely would as well.
Macrumors has a "page two" story that might tie in to this "iBox" rumor.
Quote:
Last minute rumors continue to roll in...
According to an anonymous report... Optibase has been collaborating with Apple on a DVD authoring tool. The product of this venture is said to be released at MacWorld Expo.
The company appears to be involved in MPEG encoding and content creation applications. How this affects Apple and their existing DVD Authoring applications (iDVD and DVD Studio Pro) is unclear.
A quote from Optibase's site concerning one of their products:
Quote:
MGW 2000e transmits multiple channels of live TV and video over IP networks. It can receive up to six live analog or SDI signals, encode them in real-time to MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 and then stream them over an IP network in multicast or unicast mode. With MGW 2000e , organizations can utilize their IP networks for business TV, training, and corporate communications.
The 8500av has the same exact video and audio jacks that the GameCube uses for output. Those, on a PCI card instead of a "personality card," would be awesome. Why do I need digital output on the GameCube? I think it already has a digital output port - right next the the analog AV out port there's another port for digital AV out.
Are these considered "component" video out? I thought they would be considering there are three things that plug in, but only one handles video, and the other two handle the left and right audio channels. I'm not totally up on electronics-speak, so maybe I'm wrong in saying that these are component video out. Either way, I'd like the same thing except in the form of an input card for my tower, and I'm still confused as to why an 8 year old PowerMac 8500 has them but I can't get one for my semi-new G4.
On the back of the GameCube, there are three ports. There's the power, there's the composite A/V multi-port and there's the digital video port. You can buy a component video adapter that plugs into the digital video port and component inputs on your TV. You'll still need the composite A/V adapter to use the audio.
For consumer applications, component video cables are typically terminated with the same style of RCA plugs as composite cables and not the BNC connectors you might find in the back of expensive computer monitors.
Looks like a color-inverted picture of the old LC line. They had '030 or '040LC CPUs, depending on the model.
Upon further inspection, I don't see the monitor or SCSI ports. The rest of the ports don't look quite right for an LC either. There are two blanking plates there that could have been edited in, but I'm no longer certain it's what I think it is.
"This item was part of Apple's entry into the digital interactive cable/satellite TV market, and was developed in conjunction with British Telecom circa 1995. The hardware was deployed in trials in limited areas of Europe and the United States, and it went through several phases, of which the unit I owned was the "final" version. The very first units were demonstrated in off-the-shelf steel prototype boxes. Those early units had floppy drives and their boot OS was on flash memory. There were several intermediate versions, and then the final version illustrated above, which has a production-quality injection-molded housing"
Comments
Originally posted by Aphelion
It would seem as though the xBox from MacosX also has FireWire onboard so that it would make me think that it was intended to plug into a computer as well.
The inclusion of FireWire makes a cheaper version ($200?) possible. Use the Airport Extreme, hard drives, and DVD burners in your Macintosh and save some money.
This cheap disk-less version is a slam dunk for the techno geeks out there (all of us) who would just buy it bare and add our own superdrive and hard disks while we install an Airport Extreme card.
Apple would skim the cream off the market by selling the fully equipped versions at the higher price points, but expand the market by offering it cheap enough that we would all get one.
By eliminating the monthly service charge that TiVo requires (I paid $250 up-front for a lifetime membership) Apple would bring down the barriers to having a PVR (and more!).
The iBox plugs into your TV and acts as a hub for your digital devices and computers. Unlike the EyeTV from Elgato, the iBox is a standalone machine, not something to plug into an existing computer. The iBox can be scheduled to record TV, but unlike TiVos it does not serve as a "what's on and when" service rather a hard drive / media based recording device (new aged VCR). With its [/B]built in 802.11b & 802.11g[/B] from its AirPort Extreme card, one can access the home folders of any user on any wirelessly networked Mac or PC. The iBox has its own version of the popular iPhoto and iTunes software which is a welcoming plus to Mac OS 10 veterans and easy for Windows users to adopt as well.
The iBox has a built in hard drive meaning it can be used as a network's hub for homes or offices which would like to share photos, music, or other files. Not only does it act as a hub which can connect wirelessly or by Ethernet, it also calls upon its hard drive to record live TV. The iBox has its own on-screen set up and scheduler, but you also have the option of setting the iBox remotely.
While I realize that this is not an Apple press release, I notice a theme in the article of this device as a Hub. It has both wireless and wired standard networking. The Firewire and USB are added in so that you can interface with cameras and iPods. And I doub't that Apple will build a bare bones box that can be easily upgraded and loose the profits of selling the higher price/higher profit margin products. I could see the following product tier for this device:
Level 1
Ethernet, DVD ROM, HD
Level 2
Ethernet, Airport, DVD Rom, larger HD
Level 3
Ethernet, Airport, DVD r/rw, even larger HD
Since the Airport is a card it could be added to the first level, but there would be no supported upgrade of the first 2 for DVD recording, unless it could be supported via a firewire DVD burner. In fact I think that it might be better to keep the price to a minimum and get ride of the SuperDrive, the burning can be done at your computer when you want to burn a DVD.
As for programing services, if they include AppleScript support I would imagine that it would be a short time before someone comes up with the neccessary scripts/Studio application to mine this data off the web free of charge.
Originally posted by @homenow :
... The Firewire and USB are added in so that you can interface with cameras and iPods. And I doub't that Apple will build a bare bones box that can be easily upgraded ...
As for programing services... application to mine this data off the web free of charge.
1). If FireWire is present it can be used by more than cameras and iPods.
2). Apple needs to think outside the box to capture market-share.
3). Watson does this nicely now, all that's needed is a script to link it.
Originally posted by Aphelion
1). If FireWire is present it can be used by more than cameras and iPods.
Yes it can, and I do see some logic to MacOS Rumors device, it would be a FW 800 device. Apple could really use one of these that takes full advantage of the spec. To date I don't know of any device that makes FW 800 a "Must Have" interface, we may have to wait for the next generation of high end digital cameras for this.
2). Apple needs to think outside the box to capture market-share.
The device described by MacOS Rumours is not thinking outside the box, as I read the description it is just a FW800 A/D converter as opposed to a USB, USB2, or FW400 A/D converter. The iBox is thinking outside the box. It incorperates a list of features not available together into a system that integrates the AV experience of the TV into the Network space, taking advantage of the Mac to interface, catalog, and control the device.
3). Watson does this nicely now, all that's needed is a script to link it.
This is a good example of the advantage of such a system over TiVo or similar "subscription" based solutioins. In fact, even if Apple went under a Watson/AppleScript solution would work while if TiVo or Replay TV goes under their programing service most likely would as well.
Sony seem to think it is a good idea:
http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Pr...0310/03-1007E/
Last minute rumors continue to roll in...
According to an anonymous report... Optibase has been collaborating with Apple on a DVD authoring tool. The product of this venture is said to be released at MacWorld Expo.
The company appears to be involved in MPEG encoding and content creation applications. How this affects Apple and their existing DVD Authoring applications (iDVD and DVD Studio Pro) is unclear.
A quote from Optibase's site concerning one of their products:
MGW 2000e transmits multiple channels of live TV and video over IP networks. It can receive up to six live analog or SDI signals, encode them in real-time to MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 and then stream them over an IP network in multicast or unicast mode. With MGW 2000e , organizations can utilize their IP networks for business TV, training, and corporate communications.
The plot thickens ...
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
Huh?
The 8500av has the same exact video and audio jacks that the GameCube uses for output. Those, on a PCI card instead of a "personality card," would be awesome. Why do I need digital output on the GameCube? I think it already has a digital output port - right next the the analog AV out port there's another port for digital AV out.
Are these considered "component" video out? I thought they would be considering there are three things that plug in, but only one handles video, and the other two handle the left and right audio channels. I'm not totally up on electronics-speak, so maybe I'm wrong in saying that these are component video out. Either way, I'd like the same thing except in the form of an input card for my tower, and I'm still confused as to why an 8 year old PowerMac 8500 has them but I can't get one for my semi-new G4.
On the back of the GameCube, there are three ports. There's the power, there's the composite A/V multi-port and there's the digital video port. You can buy a component video adapter that plugs into the digital video port and component inputs on your TV. You'll still need the composite A/V adapter to use the audio.
Originally posted by curiousuburb
component refers to three separate, usually screw lock connectors.
different variants use R B-Y or G-Y cables with colour and luminance on different wires.
composite refers to three RCA plug push connectors, like some tv/vcr/camcorders, red/white audio, yellow video
coaxial single connection from cable looks more like component end, but threaded rather than lockscrew
</thinks about linking to av cabling website (with pictures of ends)>
For consumer applications, component video cables are typically terminated with the same style of RCA plugs as composite cables and not the BNC connectors you might find in the back of expensive computer monitors.
Coax is usually terminated by a male F-connector.
new apple iBox?
Originally posted by Aphelion
Macrumors has a "page two" story that might tie in to this "iBox" rumor.
A quote from Optibase's site concerning one of their products:
The plot thickens ...
wow, that does look suspicious. good call.
More here.
It's even brushed metal and not white!!
What precisely is that?!
Originally posted by MacsRGood4U
MacOSX.com has posted the following artist rendering. If true, maybe AI will receive a cease and desist?
More here.
Just like the iPod eliminates the need to burn CDs, this iBox should eliminate the need to burn DVDs.
Originally posted by richardb
HOM!
What precisely is that?!
Looks like a color-inverted picture of the old LC line. They had '030 or '040LC CPUs, depending on the model.
Upon further inspection, I don't see the monitor or SCSI ports. The rest of the ports don't look quite right for an LC either. There are two blanking plates there that could have been edited in, but I'm no longer certain it's what I think it is.
Edit: Oh, it's from here.
LOL
Here's the link to the Apple set-top box
"This item was part of Apple's entry into the digital interactive cable/satellite TV market, and was developed in conjunction with British Telecom circa 1995. The hardware was deployed in trials in limited areas of Europe and the United States, and it went through several phases, of which the unit I owned was the "final" version. The very first units were demonstrated in off-the-shelf steel prototype boxes. Those early units had floppy drives and their boot OS was on flash memory. There were several intermediate versions, and then the final version illustrated above, which has a production-quality injection-molded housing"
Been there, done that?
edit: Whisper beat me to it
And of course, the AppleInsider original story.