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done right is right

*drool* good thing im buying the new imac

Will the new Apple remote work with other bluetooth enabled Apple hardware? here's hoping for compatibility with my powerbook... fingers crossed.

Now just put that on a Mac Mini and you have your home server that is connected to a TV and not a monitor ... I cannot wait for that ... Until then this is a great step forward and makes me think about getting an iMac

This is what I think of the all the announcements

http://www.johnwilliams713.com/horns.mov

What? Done right? How is that? It requires you to buy an iMac to put where in your living room? Right next to your HDTV which is more than 2X as large so that you can play your video content on a little screen next to your $3000 television?

Insta-dud.

If I'm wrong and you can use Front Row with other Macs, name the Mac mini which would be the appropriate Mac for Front Row, then I'll run out and buy the software and the remote...

But seriously where am I going to put an iMac so that I can use my sofa to listen and watch?

I buy an iMac to put in home theatre? I don't think so.

OK, someone figure out an Apple like way to hook one up to a cable or satellite box and use it as a HDTV and I am there.

I will order one tomorrow if I can make it double as a HDTV.

I hope they offer Front Row as a separate package. With a Mac mini I will be all over it.

Media Center done right? It doesn't even have the capability to be a PVR which is the main selling point of Windows Media Center. Instead you can pay $1.99 per episode of shows you already get on cable, yea right. Also, the main reason Windows Media Center remotes have so many extra buttons is because it doubles as a television.

Now if only Apple would build a portable LCD projector with a built-in Mac so we could project our movies on a whopping big pull down screen.

Of course, the missing link right now is TV INPUT, NOT Output. Surely the company could build this into its computers. Then, with the equivalent of a 35 mm projector screen built in to the combined device, who would bother buying a tee vee? Apple could put out models with or without monitors...the without model, for example, could be taken on trips for presentations in boardrooms. Only one bag to carry on the 'plane not two.

Note: No new technology required: just combine two existing devices in one and simplify controls. Watch HP to INVENT this before Apple, which sends any and all user suggestions to REJECTION HEAVEN. Last suggestion they got from me, three years ago, was to put a hard drive in a video camera. Now JVC has several models of its Everio, etc. Will they never innovate using existing technology?

Open Source
Free
Runs on all modern Macs

http://www.centerstageproject.com

almost there, but not yet, give me a reason to replace my TIVO

I have been waiting, so close....

if it plays divx/xvid as well and there comes an updated airport that does A/V then this would be the perfect xmas gift from me to myself

Or even better. I can sit 24inches away from my new iMac and point my remote at the screen to start a song. Then leave my desk to do some work and then run back into the room and grab the remote and click to find the next song I want to hear and put the remote back down and leave the room.

Later I will tell my wife that I'll see her later because I am going to the office to watch some video that I downloaded. She'll ask me why I bought an expensive new computer to watch video's on when I already have a plasma TV in the living room. To which I will respond:

"...uh, because Steve Jobs told me it was cool and I..." cue John Williams horns.

Plextor makes a "Tivo" like box which connects to cable outlet and is powered by El Gato software and Titan TV for scheduling TV recordings. Front Row software and and the remote would be nice for the Mac mini. I think it will come soon. These are "baby steps". You can bet they will get into the set top box with the Intel transition. Right now the iMac solutions are targeted to students in dorms and second media stations in the house.

MW: much. Much more to come.

someone suggested the remote was bluetooth - is it? can't find it on apple.com :(

is frontrow free/ sold as a package/ only with an iMac?

Media center ... really?

Why didn't they offer a Mac Mini with that remote and put TV menu into that beautiful Front row interface? I would much rather use just a small box alongside my HDTV than bring in some display-integrated system and make my home look like a space station.

Well maybe some day.

Where are the new, faster power macs? Sheesh!

LOL, GO TO O'GRADY'S SITE ... THAT MORON POSTED THAT APPLE ANNOUNCED QUAD MACS!

WHAT A DUMBASS!

For those of you who were dissapointed that SJ didn't announce new pro machines (I for one am STILL wating for that powerbook upgrade) don't forget that Macworld expo 2006 is just three months away.

Maybe there will be another announcemnt in a few more weeks that reads:

"Oh, and I forgot to mention, one more thing..."

it is infrared.

You can buy the Apple remote separately. But what about FrontRow?

Mirrored output? Puh-leez that video card could drive three monitors.

Where's my dual monitor hack?

I'm surprised they didn't add a TV input to the computer - the old 8500 used to have them. If they had that one these, it would be a perfect digital hub. Now, it almost works, but there just isn't a good built in way to get the digital media (i.e. TV programs) onto the machine. If/When Apple has deals with more media companies (I can't wait for the SciFi channel to sign up so I can drop cable), then it might work since you could download your shows. Maybe this will stop IPTV before it takes off....

"Media center done right" is a major overstatement. This functionality needs to be on the Mac mini, and it needs video input with the ability to record. If this had been an Mac mini-based PVR, I would have gone to the Apple Store and bought one on the spot.

I've already got an iMac G4 that doesn't see much action and a PowerBook that does all my day to day work. With the features on this new iMac (as cool as they are), I can't justify a new purchase – especially when the iMac is upstairs and the TV is downstairs. And don't bitch about Airport Express. I'm not streaming video on my wireless network – I still have an older Airport (lower bandwidth) and I don't see the need to upgrade that either.

Guys:

This ISN'T a media center done right. It's not a media center done at all.

Unless you keep your computer in the living room, it'll look pretty retarded next to your TV. And don't start all the talk about the Mac mini -- FrontRow uses IR for the remote, something the mini lacks.

Second, there is NO support for TV. Yes, you can download music vids and TV episodes from the iTunes store, but they come in beautiful QVGA -- 320 x 240 resolution. Perfectly sized for the new iPod, but pretty friggin' crappy for an screen larger than 2.5". That's why there are only six buttons on the remote. No need to have numbers to change channels. BECAUSE YOU CAN'T. It is a very nice way to manage your songs from across the room. Even DVD's. But it isn't a media center.

PS: When Apple copies MS (and does a pretty lame job, at that), why is everybody talking about Apple finally "doing it right" and "re-inventing". Cupertino, fix your copy machines. They aren't working.

What is still missing is:

1. An Airport Video Express with Bluetooth for the Apple remote and WiFi to connect to the iMac (or any other Mac) in another room, and/or

2. A faster Mac mini (or a mini with an H.264 decoder chip) and Front Row so I can put the mini in the living room next to the HDTV.

Apple is taking this one slow step at a time. When oh when will that Broadcom H.264 chip show up in a product?

If the remote is infrared then that sucks unless you're looking right at the monitor.

Seems to me that this is a trial for a full blown media center. Apple rolled out the management software, a remote device and updated iTunes software to buy new content.

The current offering is ideal for students whose main room is their bedroom. Not much use for a living room where you would want to watch content on a large screen TV.

But a few modifications and it would be ready for main stream usage.

A few peeves that I have -

the remote should use RF or bluetooth.

Who would want to buy content for stuff they can record on DVR at full resolution with their existing cable / sat connection? Obviously free content is still in the works and will be coming once Apple solve the ability to connect to cable etc.

"the Apple Remote, which has only six buttons, compared to remote controls for Microsoft’s Media Center which typically have over 40 buttons."

Um, what the writer forgot to mention is that Media Center remotes can actually control things like your Stereo/TV/DVD Player/Etc. See, that is because MS Media Center OS was made to use, get this, in your living room.

This is made for a dorm. It is NOT a media center.

Just wanted to point out that Apple's vision of the media center will have nothing to do broadcast/cable/satellite TV. There is no such thing as changing channels or recording. That's old school and you should just use TiVo or MC. Just like the Apple's vision of iPod audio has nothing to do with radio.

Apple's media center vision is focused on the soon-to-come transition to the Internet, and Internet delivery of content. It's not fully here today (content availability and pricing, bandwidth, etc) but it's coming; it's already happening in other Europe, but not in the US. In Apple's vision, there will be free content (i.e., video podcasts) that content-producers will use to build brand awareness, and there will be paid content (sales or subscriptions).

Unlike MS, Apple is not interested in being all things to all people. They are focused on the vision of the future and are building pieces as the technology makes it possible to get there.

Isn´t This thing just a remote control to turn on and off a movie on your computer....wtf?

It's a shame that you guys in the US don't have digital terrestrial television like we do in the UK.

Look what we can buy from the UK Apple store …
http://tinyurl.com/cwkka

It's a complete digital TV tuner that's the same size as an iPod shuffle. It comes with a ( huge ) remote control. You connect it to a USB2 port, plug in the antenna and then you get to use it much like a TiVo.

I just watched the Quicktime movie of Steve's presentation.

I couldn't watch it on my 2 year old iMac because Quicktime 7 would not work on the OS that came with the computer.

So I used my 4 year old Windows XP laptop. Quicktime 7 and iTunes 6 downloaded for free and worked fine on that POS.

WTF I guess Apple wants me to spring for a new OS or a new computer. I think I'll just use my Windows POS instead. Treating Windows users better than Mac users. That's what it's all about anymore. Anything to sell iPods.

many are missing the point here .... plenty of imacs will end up in student dorms, kids bedrooms, etc ... front row is great for these (smaller) environments. its not a replacement tv ... its an enhanced computer

Darren's exactly right. Jobs wasn't saying we should have one of these in our living room. But, as a college student I can see how this computer fits the dorm/apartment room like a glove. I'd buy one of these right now if I hadn't just spent a bunch of money on a nice monitor.

College students typically watch movies and play music on their computers.
College students buy a lot of Macs.
College students all have broadband connections (for iSight).

It's just a step closer to a living room media center (for those who have living rooms) but for college students it IS a media center.

Considering nobody has played with Front Row yet, why is MDN trumpeting the "media center done right"? For heaven's sake even one of the CenterStage developers admitted Front Row is better than CenterStage yet still has growth to do before truly taking on the MS Media Center.

Front Row is a compelling first step, but we haven't even used it see if it's "done right".

What's all the fuss about? This seems to be a rip-off the Windows MCE interface and other similar third party interfaces from ATI et al, without the TIVO ability or ability to play to a proper TV. Too little too late. Disappointing attempt from Apple - let's hope version 2 shows some real innovation.

Hi folks,

This is really late, but...

I'm an Apple customer too (I'm from the WebTV acquisition, which was mostly Apple and Sun people). I sometimes think this 'Apple does no wrong' and 'MS is always crap' is a little lazy for such a smart group of folks. The 'media center done right' and ESPECIALLY the 'typical 40 buttons' comments are really pushing it and making it hard for me to point out the good things about Front Row to people at Microsoft.

I had the new iMac very early and i'm in firm agreement its a solid v1. That's it. They were very smart just doing 'enjoyment' of content, and not taking on 'futzing' with it (moving, copying, editing, etc) with the remote control.

However.... The remote is a little wonky. The buttons are extremely overloaded, and I mess up at least once every time, even a couple weeks after having it. The perf is horrible. I have the MyTV app and tuner and it has never successfully recorded a TV show. You can sort of piece together media center, but not really. That's just not 'Apple'. They nail it usually. iTunes reminds me now of other hard-to-understand media apps that are out there. "Where's the video window going when i click this button" historically wasn't the type of question I'd ask myself on my Mac.

The comments about Media Center could be really discouraging for those of us trying to adhere to a new design model at Microsoft. The remote control, for example, is decided by the OEM. We make 2 reference design remotes at Microsoft. The large one is often compared to the TiVo remote, and we have a small, very streamlined version with like 10 buttons on it. What HP and Toshiba decide to implement is not really our decision, and frankly, they are the experts on what their customers want.