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Should "AppleTV" be an OS X App?

KittyKatta

KittyKatta

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 24, 2011
1,058
1,212
SoCal
I have a Mac Mini I use as a server and have 2 AppleTV's that I love. I've tried putting Front Row back on the Mini but it's discontinued and missing so many Apple TV features and Apps. Ive installed Plex and it's very powerful but the controls are very "un-Apple". So it had me wondering why Apple doesn't simply make an "AppleTV" App?

Apple still sells remotes, Apple didn't eliminate the IR port on the Mini and Apple put an HDMI port on it so they know that many people use Mac Mini's as home theater machines. So rather than having us rely on 3rd party apps to access our iTunes Library on the TV then why not just make AppleTV an app that they sell in the Mac App Store?
 
KittyKatta said:
I have a Mac Mini I use as a server and have 2 AppleTV's that I love. I've tried putting Front Row back on the Mini but it's discontinued and missing so many Apple TV features and Apps. Ive installed Plex and it's very powerful but the controls are very "un-Apple". So it had me wondering why Apple doesn't simply make an "AppleTV" App?

Apple still sells remotes, Apple didn't eliminate the IR port on the Mini and Apple put an HDMI port on it so they know that many people use Mac Mini's as home theater machines. So rather than having us rely on 3rd party apps to access our iTunes Library on the TV then why not just make AppleTV an app that they sell in the Mac App Store?
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because that would decrease the sales of AppleTVs which is already one of their lower selling items
 
Definitely. Given the removal of front row, I'm actually surprised that it isn't. Apple also needs to get a bluetooth remote out soon. I hate that I can use my remote to give presentations in school like with my old MacBook pro.
 
Not sure how the Plex controls are un-Apple like?

I've got Plex running on an iMac, MBA, aTV and iDevices and its great. Works just like Front Row used to and can use Apple remote on iMac and aTV.
 
KittyKatta said:
Huh? Decrease the sales of $99 AppleTVs and increase the sales of $599 Mac Minis? Why would Apple be against that?
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because right now to do what your hoping for you need both thats $699, which is still peanuts

the appletv @ $99 is dirt cheap for what it does and what its capable of doing, if it was an app? than anyone with a mac mini or even a mbp(it has IR sensor) would never buy an appletv

apple has never been "mr nice guy" you want something from them get ready to pull out mr.Visa
 
KittyKatta said:
I have a Mac Mini I use as a server and have 2 AppleTV's that I love. I've tried putting Front Row back on the Mini but it's discontinued and missing so many Apple TV features and Apps. Ive installed Plex and it's very powerful but the controls are very "un-Apple". So it had me wondering why Apple doesn't simply make an "AppleTV" App?

Apple still sells remotes, Apple didn't eliminate the IR port on the Mini and Apple put an HDMI port on it so they know that many people use Mac Mini's as home theater machines. So rather than having us rely on 3rd party apps to access our iTunes Library on the TV then why not just make AppleTV an app that they sell in the Mac App Store?
Click to expand...

I agree with this 100%, would gladly pay for this app.

would like an easy way to play Netflix in a small screen on the iMac. We all (our family) love the ATV Ui so an ATV app would work out great for us.

We have the iMac in our kitchen and it serves as the kitchen TV (using EyeTV) but since we do not have cable we often turn to iTunes or Netflix for something to watch (or at least play in the background) while cooking etc..

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MonkeySee.... said:
My Aluminium remote is useless at the moment.
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You can donate it to me :D, our new puppy got ahold of one of ours and chewed it up pretty good.
 
if you have any iOS device, get the Remote App. It lets you control what iTunes is playing on the computer as well as what an ATV is playing. It even has a button to put the display in full screen mode.
 
Panch0 said:
if you have any iOS device, get the Remote App. It lets you control what iTunes is playing on the computer as well as what an ATV is playing. It even has a button to put the display in full screen mode.
Click to expand...

My wife doesn't have an iPhone so she can't control it when i'm not home.
 
iisforiphone said:
the appletv @ $99 is dirt cheap for what it does and what its capable of doing, if it was an app? than anyone with a mac mini or even a mbp(it has IR sensor) would never buy an appletv
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No.i have a mini and a MB and still prefer an ATV hooked to every TV in the house. I would have no interest in an Apple TV app as I have no interest ever connecting any of my computers directly to a TV.
 
marzer said:
No.i have a mini and a MB and still prefer an ATV hooked to every TV in the house. I would have no interest in an Apple TV app as I have no interest ever connecting any of my computers directly to a TV.
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Im not wanting to connect my iMac to my tv, i want my iMac to be my TV. An AppleTV app that plays in a small window (expandable as needed).
 
iisforiphone said:
because right now to do what your hoping for you need both thats $699, which is still peanuts

the appletv @ $99 is dirt cheap for what it does and what its capable of doing, if it was an app? than anyone with a mac mini or even a mbp(it has IR sensor) would never buy an appletv

apple has never been "mr nice guy" you want something from them get ready to pull out mr.Visa
Click to expand...
Um..... how many TV's do you have in the house? Because it's not abnormal in 2012 to own more than one.

In the Home Theater crowd then many of us manage iTunes libraries with a Mac Mini that acts as a server with AppleTV's streaming media to all the other TV's.

I'm not sure why it is that people worry so much about Apple getting paid, but in this scenario then Apple gets $599 for the Mini, $99 for each AppleTV and $10 for an AppleTV.app. So whats the downside of allowing an app when it would only encourage the sale of more expensive hardware and create an ecosystem where AppleTV's would be the optimum satellite boxes for additional TV's?
 
KittyKatta said:
Um..... how many TV's do you have in the house? Because it's not abnormal in 2012 to own more than one.

In the Home Theater crowd then many of us manage iTunes libraries with a Mac Mini that acts as a server with AppleTV's streaming media to all the other TV's.

I'm not sure why it is that people worry so much about Apple getting paid, but in this scenario then Apple gets $599 for the Mini, $99 for each AppleTV and $10 for an AppleTV.app. So whats the downside of allowing an app when it would only encourage the sale of more expensive hardware and create an ecosystem where AppleTV's would be the optimum satellite boxes for additional TV's?
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because people who buy an apple tv already own a computer or they obviously don't know how an apple tv works, so its still $99 vs $10, why do you think people in the apple tv market would suddenly buy a mac mini?
 
Crazy Badger said:
Not sure how the Plex controls are un-Apple like?

I've got Plex running on an iMac, MBA, aTV and iDevices and its great. Works just like Front Row used to and can use Apple remote on iMac and aTV.
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I think the problem with Plex is that it can not play all iTunes Content, right? I am talking about the DRM Movies I buy. And of course the problem with AppleTV is that it can't play a lot of other things like Hulu (without Jailbreak).
 
iisforiphone said:
because people who buy an apple tv already own a computer or they obviously don't know how an apple tv works, so its still $99 vs $10, why do you think people in the apple tv market would suddenly buy a mac mini?
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Wow. Your logic is just bonkers.

You can't cannibalize a product that isn't selling in the first place. Apple would probably make more money and market penetration on selling the app than the AppleTV. And in the end, offering it to Mac users would introduce people to the dedicated AppleTV hardware which would probably spur sales. Win - Win.
 
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Front Row wasn't valuable to OS X. It was an app you came across only if you happened to look in the Applications folder, otherwise it wasn't really marketed. I used it a few time, but only when I was laying in bed or cleaning my room. Not even the kids at my school who always had their iTunes opened all the time in the classrooms even used it.

Cover Flow lagged on a lot of people's machines too, so most people immediately turned it off when it was introduced. We have newer machines now, but it still it isn't that great when you have a huge library of stuff because the images have to render every time you open it.

I'd rather see the individual apps come to OS X and not the whole thing. Netflix would be nice in a non-browser view.
 
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