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Future Features You want to see for :apple:TV

patrick0brien

patrick0brien

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Oct 24, 2002
3,246
9
The West Loop
Hey, that rhymed.

Well, a thread like this would start eventually, so I'll give it a go...

The :apple:TV software is at 1.0, but it does have the hardware chops to do pretty much anything we want, HDMI Certification, Digital Optical out, etc. Meaning that 5.1 Digital is essentially forgone conclusion with an update (and content), also we all know we need true 1080iHD Content.

In addition, what is on your lists of future stuff you'd like to see?

1. USB 2.0 connectivity to External HDD (durr)
2. On demand Purchasing. We know it's possible as iTunes "Favorite Music", "and "Favorite TV Shows", "And movie Trailers" are already served up - simple matter to include the control to purchase.
3. On demand Streaming. Not up to the box of :apple:TV, but big iron servers at the mother ship, but hey...
4. More screensavers - preferably user installable.
5. More while-playing-music Album Artwork burn-in prevention motions - that back-and-forth flippy thing is a bit hokey, and for we guys with LCD's, I'd like to actually turn it off.
9. Option to have the startup movie play whenever I wake it from sleep, e.g. 'turn it on'. It's beautiful. I want to blow away my friends...
... all the time.


What's on your minds?

(Hoping Apple spiders this thread for idea-farming - you listening Uncle Steve?)
 
DVR function....
some kind of great feature that makes it worth $300 like it is currently.
 
In terms of software-

1. when browsing the long list of artists, it only speeds up. it would be great if a big letter appeared allowing you to select the first letter of the artist - just like on an iPod.

2. On the go playlists, a must. to a lesser extent, party shuffle anyone?

3. TV show sorting: by season in chronological order, just like front row. right now it just lists them all in reverse chronological order.

4. buying music/tv shows/movies from appleTV.




In terms of hardware-

1. external hard drive support, yes. i actually find the streaming to be great though.

2. i still think a dvd drive would have been great.
 
1. An elegant way to get non-iTunes content into the right format (bundled and not bought, like I felt compelled to with VisualHub). One would think QT Pro would come with a $299 purchase, for instance.

2. 5.1 audio

3. Visualizers

4. On-demand purchases from the machine in a quality that motivates me to not buy DVDs (also see #10).

5. On-demand rental service and a monthly one reminiscent of NetFlix.

6. Streaming photos.

7. iCal and address book integration with family calendar displays.

8. Live sports content on iTunes so that I can finally dump cable.

9. A larger HD.

10. RIAA and MPAA to finally figure out that the copy protection schemes on their content is keeping honest people from fully utilizing their bought content. Now that I'm juggling a DVD collection, AppleTV, iTunes content, several iPods in the family, etc., I'm getting more and more irritated. I'll buy movies from iTunes when I can burn them to DVD and play them in our DVD player in our vehicle for our kids.

It is sad that I have to burn songs to disk and reimport them. It is sad that Mac the Ripper has to exist. Nonsense.
 
bajjab99 said:
1. when browsing the long list of artists, it only speeds up. it would be great if a big letter appeared allowing you to select the first letter of the artist - just like on an iPod.

3. TV show sorting: by season in chronological order, just like front row. right now it just lists them all in reverse chronological order.
Click to expand...

Scratch my last comment, these are great points
 
I'd like the ability to stream audio to airport express. Have to pump that sound all through the house.

A lyric widget equivalent. I'd pay an extra dollar for lyric down loads from Apple.
 
TV SHOWS
We already have the streaming trailers.
Why not have streaming TV shows?
We can either watch the full broadcast version with commercials for free or use a subscription system to have access to the shows without commercials.

PHOTOS
Streaming photos like music.
When I stream to another computer I don't have access to their iphoto albums?

Select individual songs from the playlists.
Right now you can only select a playlist and it randomly picks a song. Some photo albums I'd like specific songs but I don't want to create individual music playlists for them with only one song.

Off Topic
I think the photos function is a hidden gem. For those with LOTS of family photos and albums, the $299 is worth it just to be able to finally see and show everyone your photos. Really nice for everyone to sit around and watch. Ken Burns effect really makes the photos come alive.
 
I'd like to be able to connect my EyeTV Hybrid to it and receive/record digital over-the-air HD television.

The :apple:TV has a USB port, and it runs Mac OS X... so I wonder if there's a way to hack this to work...
 
I know it's not a huge feature, but i would love a volume control and better TV show sorting options, like by season in chronological order, right now it just lists them all in reverse chronological order.
 
HelixOmnimedia said:
I know it's not a huge feature, but i would love a volume control and better TV show sorting options, like by season in chronological order, right now it just lists them all in reverse chronological order.
Click to expand...

Volume control can't be built in because that's part of the TV... the streaming media file gets a straight playback.
 
princealfie said:
Volume control can't be built in because that's part of the TV... the streaming media file gets a straight playback.
Click to expand...

-princealfie

Well that, and the digital outs' volume, like HDMI and SPDIF, well I've never heard attenuated.

:apple:TV is really designed as a component feeding a receiver.
 
- Better sorting of media. Something more like the album view in iTunes would be better. Its hard when you have many episodes and seasons of a show. Trying finding an episode you want in 16 seasons of the Simpsons. You will be scrolling for a month.

- Volume controls, not sure if they can but it would be nice.
- Merge shared sources (don't list duplicates). Would be nice to get a list of what's available without seeing who has it. Me and my girlfriend have a shared iTunes account. We both have our laptops. We can't sync everything to the AppleTV. Would be nice if it was a seemless list of what's on the network (and cached locally) that I can view.
- More screen savers :D
- Larger more detailed views of what I want to watch or what I am playing. Display tags slightly larger. Front row handles playing audio much nicer.
- Customizable Themes :D
- Would be nice to be able to stream FROM the AppleTV. Lets say I push a video to the AppleTV. I am at work with my laptop, my GF should be able to watch the video on her laptop if she wants. Just adds some more flexibility.

I know its a version 1.0, so I am hoping they do some work on the interface. The AppleTV is nearly perfect just needs some touch up work for displaying content.
 
I don't think we'll ever see the ability to buy movies and TV shows from AppleTV – that's what your Mac is for. DVR functionality seems bleak too, since Apple is going to make sure you purchase content digitally, and it adds another layer of complexity to the average consumer.

The future features I want to see are the most obvious omissions: 1080p and 5.1 AC3 and DTS support.
 
spicyapple said:
I don't think we'll ever see the ability to buy movies and TV shows from AppleTV – that's what your Mac is for. DVR functionality seems bleak too, since Apple is going to make sure you purchase content digitally, and it adds another layer of complexity to the average consumer.
Click to expand...

I disagree with the buying from itunes, but strongly agree with the DVR (unfortunately, as that's the one feature that might get me to buy one). The big difference is that allowing purchases from itunes helps integrate apple's business plan, which is to become your primary provider for entertainment content. Adding DVR directly thwarts this objective by allowing a user to go to an outside content provider.

So in short, while DVR is the one feature that might make me like :apple: TV enough to buy it, I think it will never happen. Purchasing directly from itunes, OTOH, I expect to see, and not in the distant future.
 
QCassidy352 said:
I disagree with the buying from itunes, but strongly agree with the DVR (unfortunately, as that's the one feature that might get me to buy one). The big difference is that allowing purchases from itunes helps integrate apple's business plan, which is to become your primary provider for entertainment content. Adding DVR directly thwarts this objective by allowing a user to go to an outside content provider.

So in short, while DVR is the one feature that might make me like :apple: TV enough to buy it, I think it will never happen. Purchasing directly from itunes, OTOH, I expect to see, and not in the distant future.
Click to expand...

Why not turn your existing Mac into a DVR with Eyetv?
 
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