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What Ultimate NEW Apple TV Feature Would You Add (other than DVR)?

Cleverboy

Cleverboy

macrumors 65816
Original poster
May 25, 2007
1,435
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Pocket Universe, nth Dimensional Complex Manifold
Other than DVR (already talked to death), what ultimate feature would you like Apple TV to have. I basically ask this, because I honestly have one that would completely change things. YouTube was nice. RSS feeds and web browsing would be pretty cool too no doubt.

Here's my pitch. SCREEN MIRRORING. Basically in iChat, we see Apple supporting screen mirroring for other iChat watchers. While its not exactly super-ideal, I'd love to be able to choose a monitor on my computer to "SEND TO APPLE TV" (I have multiple-monitors). It would make Apple TV an EXCELLENT presentation tool, and make ANY computer/web content instantly available on the television.

I mean, I'm sitting here right now using Netflix's "WATCH IT NOW" feature, and I'm thinking, man... its not rocket science. If I had an Apple TV, how nice would it be to go into iTunes, and tell it to send my right monitor's screen to Apple TV?

Moreover, if I was playing a DVD or Quicktime movie fullscreen on my laptop, wouldn't it be nice to just shoot that screen over to the television? Or, better yet, if I was demonstrating a web page, I could hook an Apple TV to the digital monitor and use my laptop (on the same network) to demo from half a room away. I think that would be powerful and UNIQUE... and most importantly, a software update away.

Sure, maybe the frame rate might be a point of contention, but I'd like to see it attempted.

EDIT: It would be a nice "parent" feature too, if kids are browsing the Internet, and you can "tune in" on them from the television set whenever you wanted (pass-protected of course).

~ CB
 
I would love to be able to purchase an add-on drive for either of the two HD dvd formats (though I would prefer BluRay) similar to what the Xbox 360 has. If they add the ability to purchase similar quality versions via iTunes and I can avoid the whole process of buying a next gen DVD player then that'd be fine as well.
 
I'd like it to have a blu ray dvd player and the ability to buy tv shows, movies, songs and podcasts on apple tv, all in full 1080p. And that when you subscribe to a podcast or buy a season pass that it automatically downloaded straight to apple tv. And a computer could browse an apple tv's drive, like if a friend came to your house and wanted to get a song off your apple tv.:D
 
barijazz said:
I'd like it to have a blu ray dvd player and the ability to buy tv shows, movies, songs and podcasts on apple tv, all in full 1080p. And that when you subscribe to a podcast or buy a season pass that it automatically downloaded straight to apple tv. And a computer could browse an apple tv's drive, like if a friend came to your house and wanted to get a song off your apple tv.:D
Click to expand...

That pretty much sums up what I want too. Maybe add the feature to share from :apple:TV to :apple:TV
 
I would like widgets, it sounds crazy but hear me out. I do not just sit and watch a movie, I am always doing something else, its the ADD in me.

1. I usually watch tv when I have dinner so the egg timer widget would be handy, put the tv dinner in the oven, set the timer, and when its done you hear a ding and a picture of the egg in the top corner.

2. New mail. I am constantly checking my email on my MB, I would like to see a little mail icon pop up when I get new mail.

3. Clock, hit a button and see the digital clock flash across the screen.

4. There would be a setting to toggle this on and off and set it up in the settings. But weather would be nice, stock ticker, scores of college and pro games, and news.

Everything convenient so I do not have to get up and use my MB.
 
nick.hobbie said:
I would like widgets, it sounds crazy but hear me out. I do not just sit and watch a movie, I am always doing something else, its the ADD in me.

1. I usually watch tv when I have dinner so the egg timer widget would be handy, put the tv dinner in the oven, set the timer, and when its done you hear a ding and a picture of the egg in the top corner.

2. New mail. I am constantly checking my email on my MB, I would like to see a little mail icon pop up when I get new mail.

3. Clock, hit a button and see the digital clock flash across the screen.

4. There would be a setting to toggle this on and off and set it up in the settings. But weather would be nice, stock ticker, scores of college and pro games, and news.

Everything convenient so I do not have to get up and use my MB.
Click to expand...

I like the Widgets Idea....
 
The Widgets on your TV idea is a keeper.

The big thing I would want is a full functioning computer. I can buy a wireless keyboard and mouse and surf the web from the TV, or more importantly buy content from iTunes, download it and watch it right there.

Just give me a Mini with the ports of the Apple TV
 
Digital Skunk said:
The Widgets on your TV idea is a keeper.

The big thing I would want is a full functioning computer. I can buy a wireless keyboard and mouse and surf the web from the TV, or more importantly buy content from iTunes, download it and watch it right there.

Just give me a Mini with the ports of the Apple TV
Click to expand...

Somebody misses their WebTV :p

I am about to buy me a new TV and :apple:TV but am waiting for macworld to see if anything happens to it, update-wise. If I could choose something to be added to the basic functionality of an AppleTV it would be "DVD Player.
 
Wheres my Internet Radio

All these features sound great but I'd be happy if they'd just add webradio! :( I know that we're "supposed to buy all our music from iTunes"...but its kinda rude to cripple the AppleTV just to try to increase iTunes sales.
 
All of these suggestions/desires sound great. But I wish they would fix the simple things first:

1. Dobly Digital/DTS/5.1 output
2. HD Def iTunes content (preferably 1080p, but I would settle for 720p for now)
3. Ability to add your codecs so we can watch some xvid/divx (.mkv?) on AppleTV (although I doubt this would ever happen)
 
shiseiryu1 said:
All these features sound great but I'd be happy if they'd just add webradio! :( I know that we're "supposed to buy all our music from iTunes"...but its kinda rude to cripple the AppleTV just to try to increase iTunes sales.
Click to expand...
I'm liking the list so far.

  • Widgets (Clock, Egg timers, Weather, Stocks, Flight planner, etc)
  • Safari Web Browser
  • RSS Reader
  • Screen Mirroring / Presentation & Parental Monitoring
  • Web Radio
  • iTunes WiFi Store /w Podcasts
  • USB Add-on Drive Integration (DVD,Blu-Ray,HD DVD)
  • *iPhone/iPod Touch visual remote application

*NEW ONE! I think an application can be created for the iPod/iPhone that gives you a visual remote control with more advanced features. For instance, it let's you JUMP to different sections of Apple TV very easily. Gives you "pinch/zoom" controls on the web browser, let's you "scrub" through videos... dragging the playhead to where you want instead of "FastForwarding", etc.

Ok. I'm seeing the potential. Tre kewl. I'm kind of against it being just a computer connected to the television. I don't think people should be writing e-mails or running Microsoft Word on it or anything. I think its great as a consumer appliance with "extras". The interface is great... as much as possible, I don't think it should force you to do anything you can't comfortably do with the minimalist Apple remote (or iPhone/iPod Touch visual remote application.) :)

Good stuff!

~ CB
 
These are all excellent and reasonable suggestions. May fav's are:
- web radio
- bluray
- using iphone/Touch as "enhanced" remote
- widgets
- 5.1 sound output
- :apple:TV to :apple:TV sharing & DVR functionality. You know, the living room records the content and you could play back on any of the :apple:tvs in the house. I currently have 0 :apple:tv's, but I'd buy 2 right off with this kind of functionality.
 
if the :apple:tvs could buy content off itunes (with a wireless mouse and keyboard) then the :apple:tv to :apple:tv would be so much cooler. My whole family is constantly buying songs off itunes and if we could use :apple:tv as a server to sync all our libraries, well, that'd be damn cool.:D
 
External drive support
Get rid of the Authentication so I can stream off of my ReadyNAS
More Codec support

Its getting to the point where my PS3 can do more than my ATV can...
 
Cleverboy said:
Other than DVR (already talked to death), what ultimate feature would you like Apple TV to have. I basically ask this, because I honestly have one that would completely change things. YouTube was nice. RSS feeds and web browsing would be pretty cool too no doubt.

Here's my pitch. SCREEN MIRRORING. Basically in iChat, we see Apple supporting screen mirroring for other iChat watchers.
Click to expand...

If the ATV update includes Leopard, it might be there already with Screen Sharing.

Here's what we really need:
  • Software update to Quicktime to do audio file passthrough.
  • HD video content of 720. Although the ATV can decode 1080 video, I'm not sure the hardware itself can deliver 1080. Apple's spec is 720 only. The gpu is capable of 1080 resolution, but can it deliver at 24 fps?
  • Dolby Digital or DTS (or similar 5.1) encoded audio to go with that 720/1080 HD video.
  • Movie rentals from the ATV. Most likely to the ATV's hard drive for temporary storage. I suspect that movie purchases would still have to be made from the computer (then streamed or sync'd with the ATV), otherwise a purchase made to the ATV would have to be back-sync'd to the iTunes library computer.
  • Turn on the USB port. External hard drives and other devices (e.g., Eye TV, Blu-Ray, HD-DVD) become available. This would also likely require software access by third-party vendors.
I really doubt we'll see a DVD, BluRay or HD-DVD hardware update to the ATV. It does not fit Apple's business model of downloadable content. We also will not see DVR functions unless Apple releases a new version of the ATV hardware. But who knows, maybe Stevie will surprise us.
 
Cave Man said:
If the ATV update includes Leopard, it might be there already with Screen Sharing.
Click to expand...
Well, that's why I called it that, and not VNCtv. :) The main obstacle of course, would be that the system would need to integrate with iTunes so that it is platform agnostic. Because AppleTV uses MacOS, its got MUCH of these pieces almost ready to go.

~ CB
 
Organize Movies

I have 170 movies streaming to my Apple TV, and I'm adding more movies every week. It's getting painful to scroll through the flat list of movies. The Apple TV needs a better movie browser.
 
I really can't see Apple adding an optical drive to the AppleTV it would defeat to purpose of it. It was called "DVD player for the 21st century" now added an optical drive to it would be a step back in that statement. It would also take away from potential movie sales/rentals through the iTunes store.

What I expect to see is

1. Rentals through AppleTV
2. 720P HD Content! Finally (It may not be 1080P but it still a huge upgrade from DVD quality)
3. Maybe an Display on the AppleTv for playing music without your TV.
4. Widgets (Weather, News, Sports etc)
5. Browse iTunes store, make any purchase all form your remote
 
billabong said:
I really can't see Apple adding an optical drive to the AppleTV it would defeat to purpose of it. It was called "DVD player for the 21st century" now added an optical drive to it would be a step back in that statement. It would also take away from potential movie sales/rentals through the iTunes store.

What I expect to see is

1. Rentals through AppleTV
2. 720P HD Content! Finally (It may not be 1080P but it still a huge upgrade from DVD quality)
3. Maybe an Display on the AppleTv for playing music without your TV.
4. Widgets (Weather, News, Sports etc)
5. Browse iTunes store, make any purchase all form your remote
Click to expand...

Ditto on these.

Add:

6. 5.1 Surround sound.
7. Ability to sync with your iPod/iPhone - now, you don't even need a Mac or PC!
 
I would like my Apple TV to be able to display all the album artwork that iTunes can (mine won't display my jpegs of the Star Trek III and RoboCop soundtracks).

That and play back all the HD podcasts, such as Trailercast HD 720p available in iTunes (mine won't play back newly posted trailers, such as Rambo).

Just do what it's supposed to do. Then I'll get my hopes up about HD movies.
 
1) Third Party DVR via USB and a plugin
2) Blu-Ray or HD-DVD
3) YouTube (like on the iPhone)
4) Google Maps (ditto)
5) .Mac integration, for remote streaming of other peoples photos
6) Movie Rentals a click away
7) Web Radio
8) Proper HD content on iTunes (or any content at all for those of us outside the US!!!)
9) USB powered (HD)iSight and full iChat A/V use - imagine chatting full screen on a 50 inch HD flatscreen!
 
Cable Card

I don't have an Apple TV, but if they ever added a Cable Card interface, I would by it.
 
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