“Apple’s surprise announcement of a $299 ‘iTV’ set top box was a confusion for some because Apple didn’t call it what it really is: the Video Airport Express. Here’s a closer look at the new device, and how it fits in with Apple’s online media strategy,” Daniel Eran writes for RoughlyDrafted.
“Apple didn’t advertise the full specs on the device, only showing off what looked like a thin slice of a Mac mini, with networking, USB, audio and video ports, and a brief demonstration of its extended Front Row interface. Sometimes saying a little says a lot,” Eran writes. “This isn’t a Mac. There isn’t room for an optical drive; its nearly the size of one itself. Further, there isn’t enough room inside for a general purpose Intel Core processor and necessary cooling, or other typical PC hardware. It even has the power supply transformer built in, so it only uses a thin power cable.”
Eran writes, “This is an appliance, the video Airport Express: it lacks everything else. It has no dedicated display, and no user interface beyond the simple TiVo-like Front Row. It uses a remote control, not a keyboard, so it only needs a single USB port, possibly for printer sharing or disk storage. This is designed to stick next to a TV, just as the AirPort Express hid behind a stereo.”
Eran writes, “Apple’s new iTV is being held up [due Q1 2007], I believe, because Apple is waiting to deliver 802.11n, the next major jump in wireless networking. As I noted earlier, the n standard isn’t going to be finalized until early 2007. While some vendors are releasing “pre-n” wireless equipment in advance of the standard, I believe Apple is holding off to make sure their equipment will be widely compatible and not interfere with existing networks.”
More in the full article here.
Steve Jobs gives sneak peek of Apple’s “iTV” wireless set-top box:
Related articles:
How will Apple’s ‘iTV’ work? – September 13, 2006
Apple eyes living room market with device codenamed ‘iTV’ – September 12, 2006
Analyst: Apple ‘s iTunes+iPod+iTV model ‘the gold standard for the digital home of the future’ – September 12, 2006
The Motley Fool’s Lomax: Apple news ‘mostly underwhelming, with some potential future bright spots’ – September 12, 2006
Analyst: Apple ‘s iTunes+iPod+iTV ‘will be hard for other players to match’ – September 12, 2006
Apple gives sneak peek of ‘iTV’ set-top box to debut Q1 2007 (with images) – September 12, 2006
Apple’s QuickTime stream of Steve Jobs special event now live – September 12, 2006
NFL and Apple team up to offer 2006 NFL game highlights via iTunes Store – September 12, 2006
Cringely on Apple video experiment, future 802.11n Apple Video Express, Sony TVs in Apple stores – October 14, 2005
Apple pushes for next-gen 600Mbps Wi-Fi standard as member of Enhanced Wireless Consortium – – October 10, 2005
This is spot on. Aitport Express v2
Apple could really help us out though with an add-on external BlueRay/HDDVD drive in the same form factor that plugged into that USB port.
Interference seems to be the main reason the 802.11n standard is being held up.
from wiki:
“According to the IEEE 802.11 Working Group Project Timelines,[2] the 802.11n standard is not due for final approval until July 2007.
It has been reported that 802.11n interferes with existing 802.11b and g wireless networks. It has also been reported that the range of the 802.11n has reached up to 1/4 of a mile. Interference on this scale is a major setback for 802.11n”
Makes sense to me.
If anyone wants a good laugh visit the BBC forums and look at what people have written about the iTV, some people need to learn to READ before they type…
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=3793&&edition;=1&ttl=20060913144449
hahah jim, that is funny, though ya kinda gotta blame the crap bbc coverage for not explaining what it is, they all think its subscription on demand
Oh boy they are going to sell like hotcakes. Talk about taking the wind out of Vista’s sails.
No way am I selling my stock now.
I wonder if it is possible to use this device bi-directional…..what do you think? IS it possible to send video signal from mac to TV BUT also send a TV signal (any) back to the mac for recording??? What if iMovie wil act as a VCR feeded by the iTV???? Question is: where is the de-/encoding. To me this looks a bit like an Elgato Eyetv device….only with wireless capability!
If this is the case it would be perfect….no mac, no recording. No iTV no movies on your TV….gee what a concept!
MacB, Netherlands.
IMO, the brightest on the BBC forum:
“I have a widescreen cable TV, I have a dvd player, I have more than one computer. Can someone please explain to me why on earth I would need to buy into iPod, and watching tv/video on a 2″ square screen? The shops are full of things I don’t want or need, and this will just be added to the list. I’ll bet I’m not the only person who thinks like this.”
Elaine Grant, Letchworth Garden City, United Kingdom – Sorry, Elaine. We checked. You’re the only one.
“Who needs a TV? You can watch it on the computer anyway, or burn it to a DVD if you want to watch it on TV.”
[tre-cool] – Yes, you are.
“Since when is this new?
“You can stream audio, and (I think) video from your computer with an X-Box 360 already!
And there’s already software out there that allows you to connect your computer to your TV to watch DVD’s etc.
Besides, you’re guaranteed that Apple will make this a subscription service.”
Sethaen, Kent, UK – Subscription service? Wha?
If this is all that it ends up being then it’s too little too late. There are already other devices that can stream the content on your computer to your TV with more options and flexibility.
I love my video iPod 60G. It saves my sanity on 8 to 13 hour plane flights. At 12″ fmf (from my face) the screen is larger than a 28″ CRT TV at 10′ fmf (I recently verified this while staying at a Hampton Inn in Canada).
Combine the video iPod with a set of Bose QC2 headphones and you’ve got a fantastic tiny entertainment system that won’t weigh you down when traveling.
Comment:
From: Greg M
Sep 13, 06 – 10:20 am
If this is all that it ends up being then it’s too little too late. There are already other devices that can stream the content on your computer to your TV with more options and flexibility.
So Greg…the iTV is not for you, is it? Personally I will wait with conclusions….there are tons of other mp3 players as well but me and my family have iPods…
If the new iTV device is going to use the new 802.11n wireless device, does that mean that whatever computer the content is streamed from need to upgrade their wireless card?
Ok, Roughlydrafted has been right once this month. We can now stop discussing his stuff until next month. (Seriously, the guy is a cra*tastical blogger.)
My only concern is how does the information get transmitted. Maybe I’m a little ignorant on such issues but if the Mac can only transmit at 802.11g speeds, does it matter that the iTV is 802.11n receiver?
Confusion about what? It is not a released product so why worry about it. When they announce it at MacWorld with its true name then everyone will know. I don’t see this as a big deal at all. I don’t think it is going to use N for wireless otherwise there isn’t a single Mac product that could use it because non of the currently released products have wireless with the N standard built in that I’m aware of. This would be a big mistake on Apple’s part if they were to use N as there would be few that would buy the iTV that could actually use it.
I like this iTV, and for those of you wanting a drive, memory, keyboard, display, etc, why don´t you get an Mac Mini! it has the dvi output delivering expectacular images, and it cost a little more than the iTV, I think the strategy is perfect. For those who don´t want another computer in their living room, buy iTV, for those who want a computer in their living room, buy a Mac Mini, and if you have your multimedia files in another mac somewhere in your home, access the files with front row and Bonjour….!
“There are already devices that stream to the TV.”
“This is will be a subscription service.”
“I already havea computer to and DVD player.”
Every one of these comments, and more like them, come from niche’s in the market place.
1. Techno-geeks who like to use their PC as a hobby-toy, and spend more time configuring than using.
2. People that are slanted towards Microsoft pretty much not matter what. That’s fine, but it does not represent the masses, but a loyalist niche, much like the Apple group-eez.
3. Many have DVD players, and that’s great. Many won’t get what this does for a while. In six-months from now when HD hits iTunes (probably 720p), along with a full-screen 720 x 400 iPod video, and the VideoExpress can stream HD to the HDTV, people will slowly start to understand. “Ah, I need not go buy a $400 HD DVD player, or $600 Blue-Ray player. This does all that, and the movies are much less on iTunes. I can start watching in a few minutes.”
The one remaining issue? Rentals. Rental activity, while not as profitable, contains 4x that activity/viewing vs. purchasing. Renting makes this device worth it for me (and millions of others), but not until then…
Count on a rental scheme in place by next fall (with a bittorrent-like soltuion, sharing your upload bandwidth with the iTunes “network” to speed download and cover the costs of bandwidth for Apple to make rentals happen).
Why has Apple not yet launched this? Coding. Apple likes the bittorrent idea, but is building their own technology – keeping it in-house means Apple can control the technology, not license it.
iTV needs owners to have a very big data pipe into their house because video is Gb a factor of 10 greater than audio. If this pipe arrives at my telephone point why would I want to stream it between mac and Tv rather than plug it into my TV directly ?
So to save buying the physical DVD, I’ve got to invest in an iTV and a new airport working at the new ‘n’ standard. DVD’s are $20. Downloads are $12-14. That’s an awful lot of downloads before I see any financial benefit compared with a slot loading DVD player ( £40) or Blu-Ray equivalent for HD TV in future.
read 1000’s not 10’s
iTV already exists for a far cheaper price: Wireless Media MVP from Hauppauge for $149.
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_mediamvp-w.html
Listen to and watch digital music, videos and pictures on your TV set, from your PC over your home network. Listen to Internet radio too.
Connects to 802.11G wireless networks.
Optionally uses wired 10/100Mbit Ethernet networks for the best performance with any type of digital media.
Up to four wireless MediaMPVs or twenty four wired MediaMVPs can be used on a single network. Send digital media to every TV set in your home!
Wireless MediaMVP has composite and S-Video output, plus stereo audio out to TV sets or home theater systems.
Watch digital camera pictures on your TV set. Play slide shows with music, too!
Plays MP3 and WMA music, either individual titles, all the music titles in a directory or M3U, B4S, PLS and ASX playlists.
Plays MPEG recordings made with the Hauppauge WinTV or WinTV-PVR’s. Will also play most other MPEG-1/2 and DivX® video files. Pause, rewind and fast forward through your recorded videos.
Listen to Internet Radio stations via MediaMVP. MediaMVP opens a special link to the Internet radio station, and then “streams” audio from the Internet radio station over the network to the MediaMVP, where the audio is output to the TV set.
Remote control for easy access to your PC media from your TV set. MediaMVPs remote control allows you to navigate through your PCs disk drives, and displays media names, directories and other information on the TV set.
Automatically search for music, video and pictures on your PC with our ‘Search for Media’ application (included).
Apple is a joke.
Agree. I am becoming increasingly disappointed with Jobs et al with each new “Special Media Event”. Nothing special here.
It should be called AirTV or TV-Port or iCrap. Not iTV.
I think they had to make the announcement about the “upcoming” product in order to prevent investors from losing much confidence. This was nothing more than a event promoting a new version of itunes.
The piece-of-crap from Hauppauge requires Windows and Internet Explorer. Sorry, but I’m not switching back to a total crap OS and an even more total crap browser, just so’s I can watch teevee.
I’d really like an iTV. Unfortunately, it looks like it will require a new television set. I’m not ready to dump the money on a new one just now. (I will eventually, but I just don’t need one now.) Is there a device that will convert component to composite so I can use this with my regular set?
hmm,
iTV > Media MVP because
h.264 > WMA
optical audio > analog stereo
HDMI > composite/S video
hows that?
Okay, Steve made it clear during the keynote that iTV is the code name…even going as far as to say that they needed to come up with a better name. Check out the actual keynote – it’s even printed clearly on one of the slides.
On another note, Airport Express – we know it as a little white box that allows us to route our internet and network connections wirelessly. As of the release of Mac Pro we also know it to be a future wireless card that is mentioned several times in the tech notes.
I think Airport Express = The name for the new 802.11n wireless standard card that Apple will ship in it’s future computers.
Thats great!
But I want it to play Blu-ray DVDs and have a built in hard drive to record tv (of course the scheduling would be done through the wireless internet) Like Tivo but much much better.