Apple TV Update

[Tilpots]

Of course, Apple has no track record of ever consolidating many features into one device for convenience. Come on, That's pretty much what Apple is known for.

If Apple used that logic there wouldn't be an iPhone. If you want Safari, Calendar, Mail, Contacts buy a mac. If you want iPod functionality but an iPod. If you need to make a call, buy a phone.

The idea is that you take the things that are successful on other Apple platforms & bring them to all of the products.

If it flies on the iPhone, chances are good it will on the ATV as well.

You need to re-read the entire post, quoted parts and all.

You will find no bigger proponent of an TV with ALL the extras then me. Search my posts. I'm tired of posting the same argument to people who don't realize the value of a DVR for themselves or Apple. iTunes would be the biggest beneficiary of a DVR, but many people don't have the mental capacity to grasp that concept.

 

[jmorrow76]

You need to re-read the entire post, quoted parts and all.

You will find no bigger proponent of an TV with ALL the extras then me. Search my posts. I'm tired of posting the same argument to people who don't realize the value of a DVR for themselves or Apple. iTunes would be the biggest beneficiary of a DVR, but many people don't have the mental capacity to grasp that concept.

I don't think anyone is discounting the value to Apple to add this functionality or least not me. It's just not something that I personally will benefit from in anyway.That's not to say that others won't find such a feature very useful.

It just seems to me that this is no different then Apple offering up integrated access to PirateBay within iTunes. Why would you offer a way to bypass your own bread & butter.

Why must we all want DVR functionality? I personally have no need for such functionality as I don't watch enough TV or really care for anything on air that much to fret over recording it.

If they were to add this hopefully they wouldn't force feed everyone this functionality.

 

[fivepoint]

ALL of my video content is ripped with the AppleTV preset in Handbrake or purchased directly from iTunes. It is all formatted the same, includes album art, appropriate tagging, etc.

I wouldn't let DVR content TOUCH my video library with a 10ft. pole. It's too pristine. Too free of ads and crappy signal.

I think Apple's idea for AppleTV is to get BEYOND cable. To get BEYOND watching shows at specific times and get BEYOND having to manually record content. The whole idea here is to sell content through iTunes, to have that content be of high (or at least consistent) quality, and have it be worthy of archiving for future viewing (including artwork, tagging, etc.)

If Apple adds a DVR to AppleTV, I'll eat my hat.

 

[jmorrow76]

ALL of my video content is ripped with the AppleTV preset in Handbrake or purchased directly from iTunes. It is all formatted the same, includes album art, appropriate tagging, etc.

I wouldn't let DVR content TOUCH my video library with a 10ft. pole. It's too pristine. Too free of ads and crappy signal.

I think Apple's idea for AppleTV is to get BEYOND cable. To get BEYOND watching shows at specific times and get BEYOND having to manually record content. The whole idea here is to sell content through iTunes, to have that content be of high (or at least consistent) quality, and have it be worthy of archiving for future viewing (including artwork, tagging, etc.)

If Apple adds a DVR to AppleTV, I'll eat my hat.

I agree. I think Apple's intention is to move beyond cable & DVR functionality is based on cable. I'm sure there is a good chunk of people that simply use the ATV so that they can create a library of their fav shows to watch later but that carve out is not going to propel the ATV to a living room fixture for the masses.

The idea behind the ATV is to reinvent how we watch tv, not add another layer of complexity to the same old process.

To be honest, to really stay ahead of the game Apple needs to develop a full size TV line with ATV functionality built in. I'm not saying to replace the set top box, but to add as an option. People hate wires & tons of set top boxes cluttering the living room. Especially when you have that 50" plasma mounted & still require a dumpy tv stand to hold all of the devices.

Companies are already moving in this direction & it's only a matter of time before internet functionality within TV sets are the norm. It just fits.

 

[kolax]

I wouldn't let DVR content TOUCH my video library with a 10ft. pole. It's too pristine. Too free of ads and crappy signal.

I think Apple's idea for AppleTV is to get BEYOND cable. To get BEYOND watching shows at specific times and get BEYOND having to manually record content. The whole idea here is to sell content through iTunes, to have that content be of high (or at least consistent) quality, and have it be worthy of archiving for future viewing (including artwork, tagging, etc.)

The BBC (UK) is a completely ad-free channel (that's why we pay the £140/year TV license). But I don't have an issue with TV ads, as I'd easily be able to skip them. In fact, they could provide a sort of editor to edit out adverts in your TV shows (like you can in EyeTV) - it estimates where they could be, you move to that point, and mark it and so on and all gone. Also, since everything is digital, I don't know what you are on about crappy signal?

I fail to understand why you'd want to purchase a TV Show on iTunes where you'd be able to record it and archive it for free?

What if you wanted to record something that isn't on iTunes? I miss Match Of The Day a lot if I'm out on a Saturday night, and this isn't available on the BBC iPlayer because of the Premier League footage rights, so the only way I can watch it is to record it.

If you don't need a DVR, good for you, but there is plenty demand for it, especially if the Apple TV is to filter down the boxes you have under your tele.

 

[fivepoint]

The BBC (UK) is a completely ad-free channel (that's why we pay the £140/year TV license). But I don't have an issue with TV ads, as I'd easily be able to skip them. In fact, they could provide a sort of editor to edit out adverts in your TV shows (like you can in EyeTV) - it estimates where they could be, you move to that point, and mark it and so on and all gone.

Would you like adverts in your music then, too? The only reason you don't "mind them" on TV is because you're used to them. If you would purchase all of your content over iTunes, and then try and switch back to cable, you would go out of your mind!

Also, since everything is digital, I don't know what you are on about crappy signal?

Are you serious? When digital signal cuts out, it's just annoying as analog signal loss... more so sometimes because if you begin to lose it, you lose everything! I have Dish Network right now, and all sorts of my shows will be interrupted half way though with a 10 second garbled gap, and believe me, it's annoying!

]I fail to understand why you'd want to purchase a TV Show on iTunes where you'd be able to record it and archive it for free?

Since when is cable free? I pay over $70/month for mine. I could EASILY get just the shows I wanted through iTunes for less than that. The only think holding me back is content. iTunes doesn't have agreements with everyone yet.

What if you wanted to record something that isn't on iTunes? I miss Match Of The Day a lot if I'm out on a Saturday night, and this isn't available on the BBC iPlayer because of the Premier League footage rights, so the only way I can watch it is to record it.

I don't know, what happens to you when you schedule to record something, and there is a news alert on instead for some reason... or the schedule is messed up and you miss the first 10 minutes of the show? At least with iTunes you KNOW what is available and what is not. You're never surprised. And if you pay money for a specific show/service. You GET IT. In a consistent quality.[/QUOTE]

If you don't need a DVR, good for you, but there is plenty demand for it, especially if the Apple TV is to filter down the boxes you have under your tele.

Nobody ever said there wasn't demand for it. What people said was that DVR went against the seamless model that Apple is trying to create. DVR is not the wave of the future. Nobody wants to pay hundreds per month for a bunch of stations they don't watch.

I have a DVR. I use it. I like it. But if I can, I am going to transfer over to AppleTV as soon as possible. As soon as there is more content available it won't be hard to do. I've already reduced my subscription. In a year or so, maybe I'll be able to get rid of it all together and save thousands of dollars every couple of years.

 

[jmorrow76]

The BBC (UK) is a completely ad-free channel (that's why we pay the £140/year TV license). But I don't have an issue with TV ads, as I'd easily be able to skip them. In fact, they could provide a sort of editor to edit out adverts in your TV shows (like you can in EyeTV) - it estimates where they could be, you move to that point, and mark it and so on and all gone. Also, since everything is digital, I don't know what you are on about crappy signal?

I fail to understand why you'd want to purchase a TV Show on iTunes where you'd be able to record it and archive it for free?

What if you wanted to record something that isn't on iTunes? I miss Match Of The Day a lot if I'm out on a Saturday night, and this isn't available on the BBC iPlayer because of the Premier League footage rights, so the only way I can watch it is to record it.

If you don't need a DVR, good for you, but there is plenty demand for it, especially if the Apple TV is to filter down the boxes you have under your tele.

By no means am I saying nobody wants it or needs it. Why would I buy from iTunes? Because I don't have cable any longer and save alot of money doing so. My point is that the apple tv is meant to replace cable so why would apple add functionality to support it? I think your missing the point of what the device is for.

Why would you need to buy or record a tv show of you have cable? You've already seen it if you have cable. And if you miss it, then you just need a dvr. Apple tv is not competing with TiVo, it's intent is to eliminate the need for TiVo along with cable.

 

[kolax]

Would you like adverts in your music then, too? The only reason you don't "mind them" on TV is because you're used to them. If you would purchase all of your content over iTunes, and then try and switch back to cable, you would go out of your mind!

No I wouldn't. I'm not prepared to pay such high prices for TV Shows. And I already said, what iTunes offers is good, but there is location based TV Shows and events/documentaries that I want to record and keep. I'll never, ever be able to get anything like that from iTunes. If it was a concert on TV (T in the Park for example, good highlights), football match, anything. This is when a DVR is the ideal solution.

Are you serious? When digital signal cuts out, it's just annoying as analog signal loss... more so sometimes because if you begin to lose it, you lose everything! I have Dish Network right now, and all sorts of my shows will be interrupted half way though with a 10 second garbled gap, and believe me, it's annoying!

I have yet to experience that. There is the odd flicker when obviously the signal has been broken up, lasts for a fraction of a second and is extremely rare. In fact, now I'm using an indoor aerial and have it in the perfect position, I get 100% signal constantly without glitches.

Since when is cable free? I pay over $70/month for mine. I could EASILY get just the shows I wanted through iTunes for less than that. The only think holding me back is content. iTunes doesn't have agreements with everyone yet.

Did I say cable was free? I'm talking about terrestrial TV channels (we have around 40 in the UK) that are free (with the exception of the BBC's TV license that you have to pay, cable, freeview or not). Yes, I will use iTunes for the occasional TV Show, but if I already legally have to pay for a TV license, why the heck would I waste even more money on iTunes when I could record these TV shows "for free" as part of my yearly TV license fee?

I don't know, what happens to you when you schedule to record something, and there is a news alert on instead for some reason... or the schedule is messed up and you miss the first 10 minutes of the show? At least with iTunes you KNOW what is available and what is not. You're never surprised. And if you pay money for a specific show/service. You GET IT. In a consistent quality.

Yes, but how rare is it for a TV schedule to run 10 minutes behind? And because it is an electronic program guide, if there was a delay, the guide should update itself. If I miss a recording of a TV show that is available on iTunes, yes, I'll by it. But iTunes will never be my first place to go. I will always record things.

Nobody ever said there wasn't demand for it. What people said was that DVR went against the seamless model that Apple is trying to create. DVR is not the wave of the future. Nobody wants to pay hundreds per month for a bunch of stations they don't watch.

I have a DVR. I use it. I like it. But if I can, I am going to transfer over to AppleTV as soon as possible. As soon as there is more content available it won't be hard to do. I've already reduced my subscription. In a year or so, maybe I'll be able to get rid of it all together and save thousands of dollars every couple of years.

So, in your words, DVR is not the wave of the future, because no body wants to pay for TV stations, therefore the existence of TV Channels will begin to drop?

Maybe it is different in the UK that all the major TV channels are free (ex. TV license) - fair enough you have your Sky Sports, Sky Movies, Sky One (that has some mainstream stuff) but aside from that, all these are subscription free channels. That is what I'm implying.

Maybe this example will help you understand my stance on it all: I'm a big fan of How I Met Your Mother. This is shown in the UK, but not the up to date season or anything on FreeView. So, I'd happily pay for this on iTunes. However, what about stand up comedy on a Friday night? What about football games? What about a documentary? Even a film?

That is why I want a DVR. It doesn't mean I'd abandon the iTunes Store - because I don't use it for TV Shows much anyway. I just use my Mac to record a TV show, and I create an archive of those.

The box set for the TV show: The Inbetweeners is £20! Why on earth would I pay £20 for something I've recorded, cut out the adverts on for free?!

Go educate yourself on the UK's FreeView selection. You'll understand me.

 

[Tilpots]

I'd quote previous individual threads but my post would be like ten pages long, so I'll try to keep this short.

Please sit and think for at least a minute or two before you reply. Please?

iTunes could replace cable, and i stress could, but it will never, ever, ever ever ever replace the major networks that come into most homes FREE over the air. Just think on that for a moment. Right now, a vast majority of the world's TV viewing population has access to FREE over the air TV. Soon it will even be completely digital here in the US. Who in their right mind would pay for something they get for free? A DVR on the TV would let people watch this FREE content whenever they wanted AND let them rent other TV shows not available over the air AND let them rent movies from iTunes.

Now, please explain to me how this addition of a DVR hurts the iTunes store, especially when the number of TV users and iTunes store users increases exponetially because of the DVR addition.

PS- TV and movies are not music so any iPod comparisons will be totally irrelevant.

 

[fivepoint]

Kilamite, I think you've made good points, and really... I think we're on the same page here. You're not saying you need DVR and cable, just DVR for OTA (over the air) local broadcast stations. I agree. I think AppleTV replaces CABLE and not DVR. My optimal setup has always been an AppleTV with a HD OTA setup.

I'd quote previous individual threads but my post would be like ten pages long, so I'll try to keep this short.

Please sit and think for at least a minute or two before you reply. Please?

iTunes could replace cable, and i stress could, but it will never, ever, ever ever ever replace the major networks that come into most homes FREE over the air. Just think on that for a moment. Right now, a vast majority of the world's TV viewing population has access to FREE over the air TV. Soon it will even be completely digital here in the US. Who in their right mind would pay for something they get for free? A DVR on the TV would let people watch this FREE content whenever they wanted AND let them rent other TV shows not available over the air AND let them rent movies from iTunes.

Now, please explain to me how this addition of a DVR hurts the iTunes store, especially when the number of TV users and iTunes store users increases exponetially because of the DVR addition.

PS- TV and movies are not music so any iPod comparisons will be totally irrelevant.

Tilpots, you bring up an excellent point about the majority of the population. I think most people on these threads don't even think about that most of the time. The VAST MAJORITY of the world hasn't even HEARD of an AppleTV or similar technology. Broadcast TV is not going to die in the foreseeable future, for sure... I think we can all agree upon that.

Something that IS going to change though is people paying $50-$200 per month for a bunch of stations they don't watch. Apple and companies like it are going to make more of an a La Carte' setup where we pay for the shows we watch and nothing more. That, combined with viewers fast-forwarding over most commercials through DVR, and this is going to have obvious repercussions in the advertising industry... the years to come are going to be very interesting.

Now, back to implementing a DVR in an AppleTV... I guess I could potentially see this happening, but to me it won't be any time soon. If implemented now, it would only serve to cannibalize Apple's own iTunes sales. In the future when more people are using a combination of iTunes Store and OTA content, I could see Apple adding a DVR function to make it 'everything for everybody'. Even that, though, is a stretch. It seems as if Apple has put all of its eggs in the digital download basket and I think they will continue to pull those strings until they are successful or the strings snap due to pressure.

 

[kolax]

To be honest, the only reason I want a DVR in my Apple TV is because it takes so long to convert a 30 minute TV show with my EyeTV software. This is just the limitation of technology (I don't fancy buying an 8-core Mac Pro for that) at consumer level.

If I was able to remotely control my MacBook Pro easily to schedule recordings and they exported within 5 minutes and were ready to be played on the Apple TV, then I wouldn't have an issue.

It is just the time it takes to do all that - if you had the Apple TV record it, then it is there, ready to play instantly.

 

[ipedro]

How a DVR would hurt iTunes...

Now, please explain to me how this addition of a DVR hurts the iTunes store, especially when the number of TV users and iTunes store users increases exponetially because of the DVR addition.

Gladly: by adding a DVR to TV, people will of course record their shows, which means they don't buy them on iTunes. The TV studios therefore lose the incentive to have their shows on iTunes (they're not making money) and pull them from the service. iTunes loses its video content which is the major foundation of TV. Without that iTunes content, TV fails and is discontinued.

 

[kolax]

Gladly: by adding a DVR to TV, people will of course record their shows, which means they don't buy them on iTunes. The TV studios therefore lose the incentive to have their shows on iTunes (they're not making money) and pull them from the service. iTunes loses its video content which is the major foundation of TV. Without that iTunes content, TV fails and is discontinued.

They might have missed the TV show, might not be available or an up-to-date episode of where they live. I guess that is irrelevant if you live in the US.

It'll sell them more Apple TV's though, one device to rule them all (if they included a DVD drive, or some remote way of playing it), and also promote Movie Rentals.

 

[Tilpots]

Gladly: by adding a DVR to TV, people will of course record their shows, which means they don't buy them on iTunes. The TV studios therefore lose the incentive to have their shows on iTunes (they're not making money) and pull them from the service. iTunes loses its video content which is the major foundation of TV. Without that iTunes content, TV fails and is pulled.

iPedro,

I thought me an you were gaining some ground together. I know you have gone cable-less, but don't you get TV free OTA? If so why would you pay for it? Also, the DVR is not a new concept. Many people who have cable or satellite already have a DVR, and yet the iTunes Movie and TV store exists... SHOCKER!

Something that IS going to change though is people paying $50-$200 per month for a bunch of stations they don't watch. Apple and companies like it are going to make more of an a La Carte' setup where we pay for the shows we watch and nothing more. That, combined with viewers fast-forwarding over most commercials through DVR, and this is going to have obvious repercussions in the advertising industry... the years to come are going to be very interesting.

Spot on. This is what would make the iTunes store attractive. People will get their big networks free, and get everything else a la carte from iTunes; movies, old/missed/new-to-me tv shows, and stuff not available for free. Buh-bye cable. Buh-bye paying for thousands of programming hours a month that you don't watch. That's the point. That's why DVR would make the masses swith to the TV.

And as I said above, DVR and skipping commercials is nothing new. Advertisers will handle the evolving, not viewers.

 

[ipedro]

I know you have gone cable-less, but don't you get TV free OTA? If so why would you pay for it?

If you have TV free OTA, why would you buy a TV show DVD? Why would you buy a movie DVD if that movie will probably be running on TV for free?

I'll gladly pay for the convenience of pre-selecting what shows I want to watch and then have them pop up, ready to watch when I sit at the TV.

Also, the DVR is not a new concept. Many people who have cable or satellite already have a DVR, and yet the iTunes Movie and TV store exists... SHOCKER!

You didn't understand my point regarding the Apple + TV studios relationship: If Apple were to kill the sales of its clients' TV shows by letting TV users get that content for free, those clients would most definitely break the relationship and leave the iTunes Store without content.

TV would become no more than just any other DVR on the market without content on iTunes to differentiate it.

There are complex and fragile agreements in place that need to be maintained and respected. Apple would love to offer DVD ripping in iTunes like they have for CDs. Adding that capability would of course piss off the movie studios and they'd pull their content. The same goes for adding a DVR vis-a-vis TV content on iTunes. Break the demand for purchasing shows on iTunes and those content providers have no reason to be on there.

I don't dispute that there is a demand for a DVR, heck I wouldn't mind it, but I much rather prefer the iTunes model of pay for what you watch. Both cannot co-exist because you can't have a DVR without cutting the sales for iTunes content and pissing off the content providers who sustain TV.

 

[jmorrow76]

I'm not arguing the fact the some find the addition of DVR functionality useful. I'm also not implying the Apple TV will take over cable & the DVR business.What I am stating is that 100% that's Apple's intent. But in reality even if they get the techie population on board that's an accomplishment that I'm sure they are happy with.

As for living on ATV alone, it depends on the person.
I for one don't spend allot of time watching TV but do have a handful of shows I like to watch from time to time. Consider the following..

I'm a news junkie, I watch all of my news via Podcasts which works out quite well. Between that & reading news online I'm content.

All of the shows I do watch are on iTunes. I purchase what I want & don't have to deal with paying for a bunch of crap I don't watch. Don't have to worry about commercials either.

DVR functionality, already built in for me. The shows I buy I can watch whenever I want, never miss a show. I can pause my shows & rewind my shows. All included in the price of my iTunes purchase.

So, I have all of the advantages of cable (the shows I want), the advantages of DVR (never miss a show & watch it whenever I want) as well as access to HD content & premium channel shows. I don't have to pay a cable bill, premium channel costs, commit to all HD, purchase a Tivo box, pay a monthly Tivo fee or have 2 additional boxes in my living room. I don't even have to set anything up to get the shows I want.... I just click buy.

 

[ipedro]

DVR functionality, already built in for me. The shows I buy I can watch whenever I want, never miss a show. I can pause my shows & rewind my shows. All included in the price of my iTunes purchase.

So, I have all of the advantages of cable (the shows I want), the advantages of DVR (never miss a show & watch it whenever I want) as well as access to HD content & premium channel shows. I don't have to pay a cable bill, premium channel costs, commit to all HD, purchase a Tivo box, pay a monthly Tivo fee or have 2 additional boxes in my living room. I don't even have to set anything up to get the shows I want.... I just click buy.

Couldn't have said it better.

 

[Tilpots]

You didn't understand my point regarding the Apple + TV studios relationship: If Apple were to kill the sales of its clients' TV shows by letting TV users get that content for free, those clients would most definitely break the relationship and leave the iTunes Store without content.

The major studios, right now and every day since TV has been invented, have been giving away their content for free. For the studios, selling a show on iTunes is a bonus, not what they're counting on for income. Let's say you didn't watch Heroes for the first two seasons but everyone you know says it's the greatest show ever. You want to check it out, get in on what you've been missing. Then you can buy the previous seaons on iTunes and then start watching the free shows as they air. This would thrill the studios! More money and viewers for them (which sells more advertising, too), more money for iTunes, and you get to watch the show that you've been missing. Everybody wins. Everybody.

TV would become no more than just any other DVR on the market without content on iTunes to differentiate it.

No. It would be a DVR with access to iTunes. It'd be the best game in town.

Both cannot co-exist because you can't have a DVR without cutting the sales for iTunes content and pissing off the content providers who sustain TV.

DVR and the iTunes store co-exist right now. Ask around.

 

[Tilpots]

All of the shows I do watch are on iTunes. I purchase what I want & don't have to deal with paying for a bunch of crap I don't watch. Don't have to worry about commercials either.

How many shows do you buy from iTunes are available free OTA? I want a number, becasue an antenna costs $30 or less and it's a one-time payment. If you pay for more than 10 shows a year that come free OTA, you're throwing money away.

 

[jmorrow76]

DVR and the iTunes store co-exist right now. Ask around.

They do coexist right now but so does Blockbuster & Netflix. That doesn't mean one doesn't overlap on the others territory.

The fact is that adding DVR functionality to the Apple TV might sell more Apple TVs. But think about how much they make off of one person that purchases an ATV.... 229. Now think about how much apple makes from iTunes TV Shows off of that one person over a year...300, 400, 900?

Add in DVR & Apple is making 229. Leave out DVR & the user is forced to purchase the shows which is a much bigger profit then what they would get from an ATV purchase.

You are never going to see a company provide an avenue for getting the content they are selling for free. the only reason the cable company does it is because you've already purchased it...you just missed it.

Not to mention...how would it sound to the studios if Apple said they were going to offer their customers a way to get their content free?

 

[jmorrow76]

How many shows do you buy from iTunes are available free OTA? I want a number, becasue an antenna costs $30 or less and it's a one-time payment. If you pay for more than 10 shows a year that come free OTA, you're throwing money away.

An Antenna, really? Who watches TV over a frickin antenna? This isn't the 80's. Hell even in the 80's most people had cable. The discussion was about cable & ATV, where the hell did antennas come into play.

How am I throwing away money by dishing out 600 (20+seasons) a year for TV Shows that I can pick & choose, watch whenever I want to & keep as long as I want? A cable bill with HD, Premium Channels & DVR is way more then that.I was paying over 1g a year to have the same thing with commercials & bunch of remotes & boxes all over my living room.

I'll tell you what, if your antenna picks up HBO, History Channel, Discover Channel, Showtime, Comedy Central & Nick (I have a kid) then that's one magic antenna you got there & I'm ready to sign up for that.

Look I'm not trying to sell people on the idea of the ATV over cable, I'm just saying that it's doable & much cheaper for some of us. But I just don't see how it would be beneficial for Apple to offer DVR.

 

[fivepoint]

How many shows do you buy from iTunes are available free OTA? I want a number, becasue an antenna costs $30 or less and it's a one-time payment. If you pay for more than 10 shows a year that come free OTA, you're throwing money away.

Tilpots. Watch it now... you're dead wrong on that one. That's like saying that purchasing a TV show DVD is throwing away money, or buying a Hollywood DVD is throwing money away if it is on tv 2 years later.

It's a simple cost/benefit analysis. For many people, having consistent quality content they can keep forever on a HD, watch any time they want to, with no reception problems, with artwork, chapters, tagging information is WELL WORTH the $2/episode.

Hell, for some shows I might pay twice that.

Besides, watching some shows on TV isn't HALF the experience as watching it via DVD. Shows like Lost, 24, BSG come to mind. Watching one after another like a long movie is awesome! I can barely watch LOST any more after I got caught up on the first few seasons. I just wait until the DVDs come out.

 

[fivepoint]

An Antenna, really? Who watches TV over a frickin antenna? This isn't the 80's. Hell even in the 80's most people had cable. The discussion was about cable & ATV, where the hell did antennas come into play.

How am I throwing away money by dishing out 600 (20+seasons) a year for TV Shows that I can pick & choose, watch whenever I want to & keep as long as I want? A cable bill with HD, Premium Channels & DVR is way more then that.I was paying over 1g a year to have the same thing with commercials & bunch of remotes & boxes all over my living room.

I'll tell you what, if your antenna picks up HBO, History Channel, Discover Channel, Showtime, Comedy Central & Nick (I have a kid) then that's one magic antenna you got there & I'm ready to sign up for that.

Look I'm not trying to sell people on the idea of the ATV over cable, I'm just saying that it's doable & much cheaper for some of us. But I just don't see how it would be beneficial for Apple to offer DVR.

I wouldn't DREAM of dropping cable without having a decent OTA HD setup in place first. Local news, special broadcasts, etc. You're over-simplifying the issue. OTA should definitely be part of this conversation.

Also, antennas being 80's technology? You are living in the twilight zone man... I would bet good money that 90% of this world does not have Satellite or Cable television.

 

[Tilpots]

An Antenna, really? Who watches TV over a frickin antenna? This isn't the 80's. Hell even in the 80's most people had cable. The discussion was about cable & ATV, where the hell did antennas come into play.

How am I throwing away money by dishing out 600 (20+seasons) a year for TV Shows that I can pick & choose, watch whenever I want to & keep as long as I want? A cable bill with HD, Premium Channels & DVR is way more then that.I was paying over 1g a year to have the same thing with commercials & bunch of remotes & boxes all over my living room.

I'll tell you what, if your antenna picks up HBO, History Channel, Discover Channel, Showtime, Comedy Central & Nick (I have a kid) then that's one magic antenna you got there & I'm ready to sign up for that.

Look I'm not trying to sell people on the idea of the ATV over cable, I'm just saying that it's doable & much cheaper for some of us. But I just don't see how it would be beneficial for Apple to offer DVR.

Obviously you have no idea what OTA stand for and how a DVR works without cable and satellite. Oh well.

Tilpots. Watch it now... you're dead wrong on that one. That's like saying that purchasing a TV show DVD is throwing away money, or buying a Hollywood DVD is throwing money away if it is on tv 2 years later.

I was just trying to make the point that buying shows that are availble for free is a waste of money. That's all. Maybe didn't do the best job with that one.

 

[mandoman]

I would bet the next major update to TV is iphone/itouch Apps compatibility. I can picture these apps working on your TV screen with your iphone/itouch as the input device. They will probably throw in a browser too.

The new Apps store is a big revenue stream for Apple. They'll do anything to bolster that revenue stream AND sell more TVs.

They will not add DVR or blue-ray, sorry, that cuts into their itunes store revenue stream...