“Apple pinned the tail on Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger this week, announcing that the new version of the operating system will go on sale April 29… I’m excited about three new features: Spotlight, a systemwide, speedy search feature; iChat AV 3.0, which lets you chat via audio with up to nine other people and video with up to three others; and QuickTime 7, featuring the H.264 video codec,” Jeff Carlson writes for The Seattle Times.
“The latter sounds like a geeky choice, but I believe it will have long-term significance for Apple. It provides very high quality video and audio that can be easily scaled while maintaining relatively small file sizes, and is due to be the basis for the next generation of high-definition DVDs,” Carlson writes. “If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, consider that a scalable, small-size format could be used for distributing movies or other video content with the ease that the iTunes Music Store delivers music. Apple, of course, is mum on all future product plans, but pieces are falling into place to suggest that Apple isn’t going to be satisfied with its dominance in the music market.”
Full article here.
Find out more about QuickTime 7 and the H.264 video codec here.
More detailed information about H.264 here.
Watch a movie of QuickTime 7 in action here.
I wonder if OSX 10.39 update is to add QT7 support to Panther so we all can play along with the new Imovie store from Apple?
It is obvious that Apple and Sony are up to something like an iTunes-Movie-store..
To mmadden:
I think it’s very possible. Not necessarily just for an online movie service from Apple, but just because of the fact that many Panther users would riot if Windows 2000 and XP (both older than Panther) got QT 7 and they were stuck in the cold.
I think we should expect QT 7 available for Panther, Win 2000 and XP around April 29. I wouldn’t hold my breath for Jaguar, however.
^ “around April 29” = April 29 or later
no matter how great this codec might be, they better come up with a nicer name, like IEEE1394 was named FireWire. H.264? Right, like some none-tech person is going to remember that name.
Link to full article is WRONG; he writes about the Mac’s menu bar!
Will Apple be offering DVDs with H.264 video on them the way MS does with its codec? To bad Apple does’nt have an HD QuickTime 7 keynote at this year’s NAB.
http://www.wmvhd.com/
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/content_provider/film/ContentShowcase.aspx
Will this version of QT play AVIs, or will we still have to use third-party software?
As it is integral to Quicktime I am not sure a new fancy name is required, indeed it might even confuse. Other users of the codec might suffer however so yes it will be interesting to see what they do.
пустая головка,
Read the whole article to which MDN linked. Hint: the stuff about QT and H.264 is at the bottom of the page.
“Will Apple be offering DVDs with H.264 video on them the way MS does with its codec? To bad Apple does’nt have an HD QuickTime 7 keynote at this year’s NAB.”
It’s not up to Apple to produce DVD’s with H.264, both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are going to be using H.264 for video (along with others) on their next-gen DVD’s.
As far as the stream of the Keynote, I don’t remember if Apple has ever broadcasted the NAB Keynote in the past and even if they haven’t, who’s to say that they won’t have a Keynote posted after the even thas occured?
Jake-ums – AVI has been discontinued (by Microsoft) for eons. Welcome to the 21st century.
http://www.updatexp.com/codec-for-windows-media-player-10.html
Everyone keeps talking about how even broadband is too slow for a movie store. I have been wondering if Apple could use some of the technology being developed for the Internet2 in their Movie Store. Have you seen the recent stories about students illegally downloading movies from the new Internet2 like this one: http://thebosh.com/archives/2005/04/internet2_hot.php.
Snippets:
“The lightening-fast network, used primarily by participating colleges and universities for academic research, is the next generation of the Internet that, when used for legitimate purposes, offers an exciting tool for researchers.
Through the use of a file-sharing application known as i2hub, students are “hijacking” Internet2 to illegally download copyrighted songs and other works on a large scale, Mr. Sherman continued.
Downloading from i2hub via Internet2 is extremely fast – in most cases, less than five minutes for a movie or less than 20 seconds for a song. The RIAA said students find i2hub especially appealing because they mistakenly believe their illegal file-sharing activities can’t be detected in the closed environment of the Internet2 network.”
Then look at the FAQ from the Internt 2 site: http://www.internet2.edu/about/faq.html
Is Internet2 a separate network? Will Internet2 replace the current commercial Internet?
Internet2 is not a separate physical network and will not replace the Internet. Internet2 brings together institutions and resources from academia, industry and government to develop new technologies and capabilities that can then be deployed in the global Internet. Close collaboration with Internet2 corporate members will ensure that new applications and technologies are rapidly deployed throughout the Internet. Just as email and the World Wide Web are legacies of earlier investments in academic and federal research networks, the legacy of Internet2 will be to expand the possibilities of the broader Internet.
How will Internet2 benefit current Internet users?
Internet2 and its members are developing and testing new technologies, such as IPv6, multicasting and quality of service (QoS) that will enable revolutionary Internet applications. However, these applications require performance not possible on today’s Internet. More than a faster Web or email, these new technologies will enable completely new applications such as digital libraries, virtual laboratories, distance-independent learning and tele-immersion. A primary goal of Internet2 is to ensure the transfer of new network technology and applications to the broader education and networking communities.
Apple has consistently said that video is not meant to be mobile, that viewing on a postage stamp-sized screen sucks. They know enough not to build an vPod with a small screen and a big screen won’t sell either because I might as well get an iBook. But screens are already EVERYWHERE so ditch the screen in building a vPod. Make it a video player that works on all platforms (just like iTunes), can drive ANY monitor or display, be compatible with Windows, use QuickTime 7 for better quality, they would be forced to use USB-2 for the FireWire-less PC losers, eh, users, sorry about that, include FireWire for higher throughput on the Macintosh showing yet another reason to switch hardware, include the funtionality of the iPod regards music and the iTunes Music Store, et voilà
I will leave it to Apple to work out the incomprehensible content/distribution question, which I suggest is the more difficult thing.
My bottom line: for a vPod, DITCH THE SCREEN and make sure you can drive any monitor through either OS. A video PLAYER and not a video VIEWER.
I expect Apple movie/tv store to be more of a hybrid: ability to both buy content and rent streamed content. The streaming would be much like the streaming offered by Pay-Per-view channels on tv but include a huge range of content not usually available on ppv. I want old movies, world content, language and subtitle choices, classics, HDTV and regular format. It will gobble up storage but provide increadible access. Perhaps the cost should be per minute of screen time but the same cost for everything like iTunes.
“A video PLAYER and not a video VIEWER.” What a lovely idea, sign me up!
Request to Apple: Allow Quicktime 7 to play in full screen. Thats not a Professional feature! Every other player out there allows it.
This is where a subscription service makes more sense. People are not complaining about their DVD buying experience, but the DVD rental business is in a state of change with “by mail” rental subscription services which take several days for you to get your selections.
Apple wants to sell boxes like the iPod since it doesn’t make much money on the iTMS. How about a monthly rental service tied to a hard drive based player of 100GB or more (which you buy or rent) that allows you to keep your downloaded content on the drive for instant play back of your favorites.
Todays broadband speeds are more than enough to load the drive with all the content you could want. The real kicker would be Apple’s drop dead gorgeous user interface. You surf the movie site from iTunes on your computer and see clips of content and learn about other video you would be interested in viewing. Airport tells the vPod to start downloading. SD, High Definition and beyond with up to 24 tracks of surround sound of course.
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Internet 2 is not for the general public or commerce.
We will not use it for downloading movies.
It takes about 40 minutes to download a full-length audio book on broadband. Think about how long it would take to download a full-length HD movie.
Even with .264 it won’t be like the iTunes music store. The best you can hope for is to watch while downloading. Add 6 channel surround sound at 64kbps per channel and you probably won’t be able to watch while it is downloading.
This is sort of like Apple’s “mother of all thermal challenges” for getting a G5 in a notebook.
Apple says it can produce a HD image at 6Mbps. It would take 6hrs to download a 2 hr. movie at that rate. If it takes 10hrs. to download a higher quality version of the movie it will still give you over 4hrs. of content per day. Want to watch the latest release with your friends? Have the vPod pre load it for the day of release.
Today’s broadband speeds would limit how much new content you could download from the “all you can eat” service which would suit Apple and the content providers just fine. When HD players come out later this year people will have to fork over alot of cash. The 2 competing disk formats HD-DVD and Blue-Ray will scare away may potential buyers. With the vPod it won’t matter. Why not buy a vPod instead!
“This is the year of HD” Steve Jobs
“This changes everything.” Frank Casanova
The Internet2 FAQ page says “Internet2 brings together institutions and resources from academia, industry and government to develop new technologies and capabilities that can then be deployed in the global Internet.” They make it clear that they are working with the business world to develop stuff that will eventually be available to the general public. Just as the Internet was develped by academia and is now used by the general public.
the 10.3.9 update does not bring QT7 along but it may be able to support it now. I just downloaded it.
The subscription system would work best for video downloads. Like Steve Jobs said years ago, you watch a movie once or maybe ten times if you really like it. If he really believes that then why offer the same as iTunes for movies? I would not need to own a movie but I would be willing to rent it for the one time I would watch it.
Sol.. er.. yeah.. why did you use the word downloads.. that just sound’s confusing.. SUBSCRIPTION.. as in VIDEO RENTALS STREAMED..
of course.. the 99 cent price point would be amazing.. wouldn’t it?
Screw mobile video.. it’s not wanted..
The real question is.. a) how can apple DRM the stream. That’s a little beyond my technical know-how..
b)how can Apple convince people to get a stream to their TV sets.. and away from their Macs..
Apple has been AGAINST the media center PC for a while now.. well.. now they’ve got to put out a Digital Appliance that will connect their computer (bonjour/rendezvous?) to their tv set wirelessly..
hrmmmm… how can they convince people to pick up a device that will stream movies, show slideshows and play music through the entertainment set.. (and be hooked up through an AirTunes-like, interface to your computer?)
So called vPod should definitely have have a video screen.If not for viewing outright (which it is perfectly adequate for),it is useful for preview, editing and as a viewfinder when recording video, stills, navigating files etc (e.g.Archos).