[hillstones]

An unfortunate useless product in the age of HD programming. Apple does not sell any HD content. The content is 480 resolution, and all the TV content is in 4:3 ratio, yet he brags about connecting the device to a widescreen TV. That makes no sense at all. Also, none of the TV content is in Stereo, it is all Mono.
Movies. At least those are offered in Widescreen, but no Dolby 5.1 sound. Another useless sale.
Since none of the content offered is in HD, only 480, upscaling to 720p is NOT an HD broadcast.
This device unfortunately will not meet the needs of most who have HDTV's and enjoy HDTV broadcasts.
The TiVo Series 3 beats the pants off the Apple TV.

[ccurtisny]

but the tivo 3 is $800, not $300, and the itunes store videos are stereo (dolby pro-logic surround actually), not Mono...

[trip1ex]

Apple TV is a nice product. It's a bit high end, but it seems like if you have alot of digital content than this is the product to have. I imagine it will be alot nicer to use than alternatives.
I think some folks forget that iTunes content isn't hd and dd 5.1 because most folks don't have the bandwidth to download that stuff in a timely manner. I'm sure that Apple will gradually introduce that content though. Also how much hard drive space do most folks have? HD video takes up a god awful lot of room even when compressed.
That's another reason this thing is 720p. Apple wants the thing to work and work well. I know some companies would have put 1080p in even if it didn't work well.
I am disappointed that this device seemingly won't work with my Sony 480i TV. And the price is high considering it's much cheaper just to put a DVD in a DVD player.
That's where I don't think this thing will take off anytime soon. IT's not much of a hassle to pop in a DVD since you only have to do it every 2 hours.
Music was a different story. I was switching cds all the time while listenting to music and constantly trying to find a disc I wanted and having to organize them constantly yada yada yada. Digital was the way to go.
Ultimately I think it will be the way to go with movies, but for now I don't think it's as much a positive as it is with the Ipod/music streaming.
OF course this Apple TV does music too. Let's not forget that that will be a nice feature in and of itself.
I have airport expres and it's great, but I don't have a visual interface on my TV. This Apple TV provides that.
OH I can stream music to my Tivo through my Mac, but it doesn't work that great. IT's pretty darn slow for one thing. And you can't find music too easily.
So imo other solutions will be cheaper, but I think Apple's product will be best.
Also it's never going to have a dvr because Apple wants to encourage you to buy iTunes content.
And in some ways you could almost bypass your cable company.
News can be had on the web.
And if you're paying $50 for cable/month exactly how many tv shows are you watching? You could subscribe to season passes for at least 12 different TV shows off iTunes for the same price.
That leaves sports. Well the free on air network signals would take care of some of that. Mind you they are digital now and if you can get them they come in crystal clear. And even iTunes offers some sporting events. But ok that's maybe the only thing Itunes might have trouble being a substitute for.
ON top of it you're doing all this without commericials. That's a big bonus imo. YOu also don't need a DVR when you have iTunes. The drawback is CAble offers you the ability to surf and sample a variety of content. Of coures in ITunes you can do that by paying $2 a show or so.
I don't think it's a stretch to see that Apple can somewhat stealthily move into a position in the future where they have power to control media content like cable companies do. Some folks compare them to Wal-mart or Best Buy in terms of selling media content like a retailer. But when you're getting this content in near realtime than isn't that like what your Cable company offers?
Ok another difference is you own Itunes content whereas you don't own Cable movie content. YOu do get a variety of movies to watch in cable though which would cost a ton of dough to buy through iTunes. Still it's something to think about.

[Arne]

OK, I am officially confused by what and what not have been said and published.
My situation:
Living in a country where (or better being in the possession of a credit card so that ) I can access the iTunes Store to buy music but no movies, I do just that (and still hope that the movie store will come to Europe, soon). I also have 500 music CDs, all ripped into iTunes, and 200 movie DVDs sitting in a shelve and waiting to be de-dusted every now and then.
In order to listen to my music over the stereo, I have bought two Roku Soundbridge which play all but ITS DRM music wireless and also give me control about what to listen to with a remote and not always have to walk to the computer to change the song (like with an Airport Express). The bummer is that I have to burn music bought via the ITS on CD and consequently re-rip it before I can stream it to the soundbridge, but since Apple does not licence the DRM out it's something I have learned to live with.
To watch a DVD I actually have to find the DVD I am looking for, put it in the player and watch it on my wide-screen LCD TV. Pretty much old school.
With the (Apple-Logo)-TV I was hoping of ripping my DVDs (please no moral discussions about this here and at this point) and having access and being able to play them from the (Apple-Logo)-TV. I realise that by doing this I would loose the ability of having access to subtitles as well as extra content of the DVD. But aside that, I still have a couple of questions and even though I know that some of them cannot be answered until the (Apple-Logo)-TV product is out and one can actually put his/ her's hands on it, I will ask them here and hope for input from your side:
What about those TV series DVDs that I possess with more than one show on it; would I have to rip them in separate files or can I keep them together?
As mentioned by others before, it would be nice to connect a bigger external HD to the (Apple-Logo)-TV to increase it's storage capabilities. Another solution, which I actually very much favour, would be to also buy the new Airport Extreme Base Station with its network storage capabilities and connect my external 400GB HD to it where I can store all my music and all (ripped) DVDs on it. Would a device like this been seen by iTunes on my PowerMac G5 and would I be able to play music from it? Even better, would the (Apple-Logo)-TV see this storage and would I be able to stream music as well as movies directly from this HD?
Would I be able to connect the (Apple-Logo)-TV to my stereo to listen to music instead via the TV speakers?
Finally, but this is already very much off topic, will I be able to upgrade my 2x2Ghz G5 with a new Airport card to get the higher speed (and therefore making movie streaming possible) as well as to get the better range cover?
Questions over questions, and I would be very thankful if some of you could fill me in with some answers...
Cheers,
arne

[LeoO]

An external hard drive meant to store audio and video, from Apple, without FireWire. That seems to me to be the real death knell for FireWire. I'm not saying that with relish; I'd like FireWire to thrive and even win.
For more proof on how much of a high priority FireWire is, visit Apple.com/FireWire -- the page talks about eMacs and PowerMacs as if they are current machines, and even claims that (current?) iPods support FireWire.

[dsaponaro]

Anyone know if you will be able to stream from itv to airport express? As of now I stream to multiple airport's throughout my house but have to go to my computer and use itunes to change songs etc... I wouldd love for there to be a speaker setting that you could turn certain ones on and off on the itv just like in itunes. Seems only logical to me but I am slowly looseing hope with no mention of this anywhere.
I want to place an order but wont unless It streams to multiple Airport Express instead of being limited to only playing through my home theatre system.
Can someone at the expo check this out?
dsaponaro

[hillstones]

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but the tivo 3 is $800, not $300, and the itunes store videos are stereo (dolby pro-logic surround actually), not Mono...

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The TiVo Series 3 does so much more than the AppleTV. Also, I watched Lost Season 2 from an iPod Video and all sound came from the Center Channel in Dolby Surround mode. I pulled the iPod off the dock and listened through headphones and there was no stereo separation whatsoever, not even with music. All the episodes were in MONO, despite QuickTime's info claiming Stereo. In addition, the video quality was like watching VHS, not even close to DVD quality. I don't want to stream low quality video to an Apple TV.
I can stream my music and photos to the TiVo Series 3 (MP3's anyway) from the Mac, and record 30 hours of TRUE HD broadcasts. AppleTV: upscale 480 content to 720p, and prohibited from recording any type of content...sorry, worthless in my book.
People will still buy the actual DVD's over content from iTunes. Why would anyone buy crippled DRM low quality content for the same price as a real DVD with extra content, better picture quality, and 5.1 surround? There might be a small market that may enjoy it, but the majority won't see the need for it.
Also, why would anyone spend $300 to stream their music to their stereo when all they have to do is connect an iPod Dock for $39 to their Home Theater system! I can also control my iPod from my Universal Remote since I taught it the remote commands from my iMac's remote!

[gut_guido]

... if you can't buy video content online?
Just saw the AppleTV available for order where I'm at, which is Hong Kong.
When Apple sells the AppleTV in places without iTS access, what are they expecting people to do with the AppleTV really?
Rip DVDs (but lose flexibility with subtitles, additional features, etc.) into mp4 so that I can play them from the ATV when I could have just popped the DVD into a DVD player?
Watch 30 second movie trailers?
Downloaded pirated content and converted it into iTunes friendly files? Oh but wait, I don't do that, so by being a good citizen, I'm shafted.
Sorry if I'm missing something but I just feel annoyed that this product is being offered at all, when the biggest source of content is even available! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Machound]

I smell a flop with AppleTV. As one of the faithful I hate to say it, but the odor I perceive is unpleasant.
The comments made about TiVo Series 3 apply equally well to our EyeTV 500 coupled with our CoreDuo Mac Mini. Obviously, this combination costs more than $300. But with EyeTV 500 Mini chain of Firewire drives we have virtually unlimited storage, we can play most available video formats (excluding AVCHD), and we have an unrestricted path to future improvements.
After being spoiled by our HTPC Mac Mini DVR I can't imagine accepting anything less. Maybe it would be ok for the family that watches 1-3 hours of TV per month. How many American households fit that description?
Apple, Inc., should go back to the drawing board on this one. It reeks of 'too little, too late.'

[wolfneuralnet]

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Recording over the air HDTV broadcasts consumes up to 9 GB of disk space per hour. So I don't want to spend time converting at all. I would just like to be able to play the videos in their original file format.

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I do believe you just answered your own question as to why this unit will not play the native file format. Can you imagine trying to stream NINE GIGABYTES AN HOUR LIVE wirelessly? I think that even under ideal network circumstances that would be difficult if not impossible to achieve.
Ronald Schoedel

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Actually, with some buffering, you should be able to "stream" 9Gigs an hour over the "n" protocol no problem. Also, if they had put a gigabit port in there you could copy that 9Gig movie to the AppleTV in under 10 minutes and then play it.
Apple is not looking at what the consumer wants on this device, they are just promoting iTunes at this point. Very disappointed with rev.1.0 - they were clearly focusing their design energy on the iPhone.

[Machound]

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Apple is not looking at what the consumer wants on this device, they are just promoting iTunes at this point. Very disappointed with rev.1.0 - they were clearly focusing their design energy on the iPhone.

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Well stated. Unfortunately, I don't see any likelihood a rev. 2.0 would change the basic equation. Sure, they'll add a bigger HD down the road and maybe 1080i/p. But it's a box to sell iTunes Store content and not much else.
This is very heavy handed marketing. It bodes poorly for Front Row getting much investment of energy, as that would be perceived by Apple leadership as internal competition with AppleTV. I hope I'm wrong about the last point, but that's how it looks.

[LeoO]

For me it's actually more about the audio. Now my blushing bride can fill our condo during the day with her iTunes music and podcasts via our new HDTV in a user-friendly way.

[Plan_K]

To answer my own questions, it seems to me that it would be a good idea for someone in my position to upgrade from their old 2002-era Airport Base Station to the new 802.11n Airport Extreme if I plan on using Apple TV. Without the "n," I fear Apple TV may be too slow and frustrating to sync.
Also, after some research, it seems that I also cannot hook Apple TV to my old TV because the TV does not have HDMI or composite video ports. It is obsolete. And only 9 years old!
So Apple TV will be a great economical product for me. RIght after I buy a new TV and base station.

[memyselfandi]

I just don't get it, the main attraction for me of the Apple TV is classy interface to your photos and music, not video content. Most people already have capable DVD player/DVR set ups. No more 5 friends huddled around computer screen looking at slideshows. " Here my shots from Yellowstone last fall" all displayed on widescreen with a killer interface with the Apple GUI magic. And the added bonus of having your music as a backdrop, even purchased music.
Plus just as a juke box for music it will rock, a real Apple juke box finally, Fairplay and all. My Tivos stream music but suck miserably at it, plus can't play Fairplay, usually just plug my ipod in via stereo cable and call it good.
Other use i see for it is loading up all the kids videos and have them there and ready to play at their whim " over and over again" with no gummy bear gunk ever on the orig DVD. Quality would be all the little ones would ever need. Nothing on the box could be messed up by them, even the 4 year olds.
Everything i can see about box looks classy, from the slideshows to the screen saver. To me it's not about it being a DVR, it's about it being a extension of iLife for your TV. It's a video iPod for your TV with a super interface and a remote.
Imagine this, it's Xmas, all the family/friends are coming over. You make slideshow of hand picked pics of them all, everything from the 70 yo pics of great grandparents wedding all the way to the new babies 1st pics, you make a playlist of all your fav Xmas music and assign it to the slideshow. When everybody arrives you've got it playing and I guarantee it will be the highlight of the evening. Everyone from Grandma to your siblings will be glued to that 47" widescreen LCD and sound system for at least a couple hours. Grandparents 50th ... Ditto. Daughters graduation party ... all those embarrassing/precious childhood pics playing to "Daddys Little Girl" .... "priceless".
True I wish they would have taken the Mini and made it standard component width, gave it a real SATA drive, a real video card, card slots, etc. etc.. even added itunes games, web browsing, email and widgets and pasted on the interface magic that the Apple TV has and they would have had a winner for sure in my opinion.
Anyway thats what i feel the niche of the Apple TV would be, not a DVR, there plenty of other solution out there already for that.