“Apple TV works with most standard definition TVs that have component video inputs, but as [an earlier article] Inside Apple TV points out, it’s an embedded Mac. That means it can be used to convert an existing Cinema Display or other DVI monitor into an HDTV. Here’s an overview of Apple TV, and how even non-TV watchers might find it handy,” Daniel Eran writes for RoughlyDrafted.
Eran writes, “Plugged into a DVI display, the Apple TV simply recognizes it automatically and sets the resolution to 1280×800. Apple makes no mention that I saw of this video setting, nor any comments about the ability to plug the Apple TV into any DVI monitor supporting that resolution, but it does work.”
Eran writes about yesterday’s news that HP has dumped Microsoft’s Media Center, “That’s right, the most prolific PC seller in the world just unplugged itself from Microsoft in the home media entertainment field to pursue a strategy more like the Apple TV. Wow — big news! Cue the media silence.”
“If the number one cheerleader for a platform dumps it unceremoniously, while happening to also be Microsoft’s largest and most visible licensee for MCE PCs, it most certainly is a statement about Media Center PCs,” Eran writes. “The fact that HP is now launching a strategy that looks a lot like Apple’s is also an endorsement of the direction of Apple TV.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz,” “LinuxGuy and Mac Prodigal Son,” and “Formica” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
HP exits Media Center PC business, drops Digital Entertainment Center line – March 28, 2007
Hacking Apple TV: Joost successfully run on Apple TV – March 28, 2007
Apple TV software hints at future DVR functions? – March 28, 2007
Ten Apple TV myths – March 28, 2007
Ars Technica in-depth review: Apple TV ‘impressed all those who touched it’ – March 27, 2007
The chips inside Apple TV – March 27, 2007
Analyst: Apple TV is a platform, not a single product – March 27, 2007
Digital Trends reviews Apple TV: 7 out of 10, ‘huge phenomenon will challenge conventional thinking’ – March 26, 2007
Automatically convert video files for Apple TV with Apple’s Automator – March 26, 2007
Apple TV, iTunes, iTunes Store: BusinessWeek’s Wildstrom blows it – March 26, 2007
iLounge gives Apple TV a ‘B’ in hands-on review: ‘recommended’ – March 24, 2007
CNET reviews Apple TV: ‘Very Good’ – 7.7 out of 10 – March 24, 2007
Video: Apple TV menu and interface walkthrough – March 23, 2007
Analyst: Apple TV will change the TV business – March 23, 2007
G4’s ‘Attack of the Show’ host Olivia Munn licks Apple TV – March 23, 2007
Xvid fully functional on Apple TV – March 23, 2007
Apple TV does not require Widescreen TV or HDTV, works with standard TVs – March 23, 2007
CBS looks at Apple TV on ‘The Early Show’ (with video) – March 23, 2007
Scoble: ‘Apple TV rocks’ – March 23, 2007
Apple TV hard drive upgrade works – March 23, 2007
Apple TV dissection photos – March 22, 2007
Apple posts Apple TV User’s Guide online – March 22, 2007
Enderle: ‘Apple’s attractive and well packaged Apple TV likely to set the pace’ – March 22, 2007
David Pogue demos Apple TV in humorous NY Times’ video – March 22, 2007
PC Magazine review gives Apple TV 4 out of 5 stars – March 22, 2007
NY Times’ Pogue: ‘Apple TV offers a gracious, elegant, effortless, delightful experience’ – March 21, 2007
Mossberg hands-on with Apple TV: ‘beautiful design, easy-to-use, classic Apple: simple and elegant’ – March 21, 2007
Apple TV projected to surpass TiVo, Netflix – March 20, 2007
Former Microsoft ‘Enthusiast Evangelist’ Gartenberg looks at impact of Apple TV – March 20, 2007
Apple TV ships – March 20, 2007
Yeah, the HP news is a LOT bigger than HP, Microsoft, or, seemingly, the press is letting on.
As others have noted, if Apple were to eventually license their OS, HP would be the obvious choice. Perhaps they can do an “Apple TV from HP” device like they did with the iPod back when??
sweet…maybe my next tv will be an apple cinema display.
Getting pretty hard to find anything but bad news about Microsoft these days.
MS could stand to be taken down few dozen billion notches.
The MS PR dept is undoubtedly very busy planning scripted interviews for Gates and Ballmer especially when their cash cows start losing their steak. The MS astroturf masters still have plenty of dead people to poll.
Perhaps they can do an “Apple TV from HP” device like they did with the iPod back when??
Only if the bring back Carly Fiorina. <shudder)
Which means it ain’t gonna happen.
Also, remember HPCEO Hurd’s dissing the analysts covering HP who were using Mac laptops, back about the beginning of the year? I’m sure SJ does.
I am no fan of Microsoft but the do have some tools that are interesting, such as MS Projects and i like excel on the PC a heck of a lot more than excel for mac. As for apple tv, im still not convinced that it has enough features to warrant the asking price, if im able to stream from my mac to the tv through it anyway than the HD is pretty much useless. On top of that, for another 3 hundy i think id rather have a full fledged mac mini, now those things are SWEET, have you seen the size of those things?
“As others have noted, if Apple were to eventually license their OS, HP would be the obvious choice. Perhaps they can do an “Apple TV from HP” device like they did with the iPod back when??”
John, I think you might have just hit something there, it would seem Apple is developing a number of ‘versions’ of OSX, the mainstream OS, the iPhone OS and now the ATV OS. Licensing a stripped down version would not cannibalise the top level OS sales, this maybe some way down the tracks, but having different levels and complexities of the OS allows a more flexible approach to licensing without eating into Apple’s hardware sales
I’m really beginning to believe that Apple TV is a trojan horse, and I was skeptical. Mike said maybe his next TV will be a Cinema display, I might be in the same court now. I have been satisfied w/ Direct tv service, but I am picturing ripping that dish off of my facia board right now, and it feels good. The proposition of all ala carte and integration with Joost (or equivalent) opens up a lot of possibilities.
“The fact that HP is now launching a strategy that looks a lot like Apple’s is also an endorsement of the direction of Apple TV.”
Well HP and Apple used to tight, with HP installing iTunes on all new PC’s and even having iPod docks on HP machines. It was looking like Steve was hedging his bets on selling Apple Computer to HP, much like he sold Pixar to Disney.
But since the blowout in HP HQ, now things are differnet and HP is pursuing a “go it alone” stragety.
HP is actually a rather large threat to Apple, since it bought Compaq and has been increasing it’s market share in the PC market.
I still think the two remain friendly, since HP sells a lot of printers.
Rob D makes an interesting point. Imagine if what Apple did license was an OS for home media appliances. That would kick MS Media Center right in the ding ding and could be used to stratify peoples home media. If the UI is the normal Apple deliciousness and people see how easy it is to use, more people may gravitate to the computers. Talk about halo effect.
huh?
how do you connect the apple tv to a cinema display?
The apple tv has no DVI out? do you use an HDMI/DVI adapter?
then use tslink for audio into your mac?
but if the apple tv is connected to the mac, then the cinema isn’t, so how would you change the settings on your mac to accept toslink in as the audio? or use your mac at all? a kvm switch?
i’m LOST
This is a stupid title.
Without an ATSC or QAM HD tuner, the AppleTV most certainly does not turn your computer display into an HDTV!
It displays computer content.
Turn the AppleTV into an HD Replay/Tivo?DVR with an HD tuner for $299, and I might be interested.
As it is now, it’s worthless to one who has three OS X Macs. The Mini on my “real” HDTV is far more functional.
well Joe
it is interesting that you “like excel on the PC a heck of a lot more than excel for mac.” The difference in the experience is purely because Microshaft builds it that way on purpose, they have been subtly ( and obviously ) sabotaging their software on the Mac platform for years, there is absolutely no reason for the lack of parity of features EXCEPT that they are doing it intentionally. Now add to that the fact that Excel was written FIRST for the Mac platform, before Windows even existed and maybe your eyes will open and see the truth, but then again you can’t handle the truth!
No, not an HDTV. A “TV” has a tuner. This is the Consumer Electronics Definition. Keep it straight – the audience gets confused easily. AppleTV + Monitor = Monitor with content – whatever that is. When Apple sees fit to either include a tuner OR open that USB port up to Miglia, El Gato, or other tuners, then we got’s ourselves a TV.
Lemmiwinx – I concur. My mini is hooked up to my 37″ Aquos and I’ve gotten rid of my cd player, dvd player and vcr. I bought the EyeTV Hybrid and it works flawlessly. I bought a 500GB FW disk from OWC to warehouse all my goodies and I’m slowly ripping all my cds and dvds and putting them away in my closet. I crank it all through my Harman/Kardon tuner and it rocks!
Apple TV is cool and all but there is a more comprehensive solution.
Yawn.
Still talking about a downloading future for television? I thought the irrational exuberance would have worn-off by now.
This is a stupid product in an even stupider product category. Move along, folks. There is literally nothing to see here.
informed was informed by the great book of talking points from chair man Ballmer.
@Informed:
Please come back to bed. Remember, it’s my job to look like a total douche, and you’re just there to back me up.
Excuse me, Big Al.
How exactly is my ridicule of the computer-to-TV marriage made in hell a Ballmer talking point?
I ridicule the product category because it is utterly a waste of time. Not because I feel Apple has some edge over Microsoft or visa versa.
This is about having to decide what you MIGHT want to watch in advance, buying it, downloading and/or converting it into iTunes and then watching on your TV.
For all the time you’ve wasted, you could just check the TV guide and record what you want onto a TiVo or some other more flexible device. I don’t hear Ballmer making that argument.
For that matter, I don’t hear any level-headed “analysts” making it either. Everyone seems to think the internet is going to make cable or satellite TV obsolete. Yeah, right. Tell that to the couch taters.
I love when the sexually insecure make gay jokes. It is so clear what they either fear or lust after.
And it exposes their complete lack of critical thinking skills.
FUDsucker Proxy how long you been using mac? 3 years? maybe 6?
I have being using macs since 1987 when i first got the SE
Excel had a good presence on the PC back then, but back then Lotus 1.2.3 was the main thing for pc’s
AND NO excel was not out on the mac before the pc. Excel is software that was written because lotus took a long time to port to windows and MS was looking for more bucks.
As for functions? Its not a lack of functions that make me use the pc version over the mac, its the layout. Whether that has to do with something intentional or not is not what i care about.
@ OBill-Wan Kenobi: “… My mini is hooked up to my 37” Aquos and I’ve gotten rid of my cd player, dvd player and vcr. I bought the EyeTV Hybrid and it works flawlessly. I bought a 500GB FW disk from OWC to warehouse all my goodies and I’m slowly ripping all my cds and dvds and putting them away in my closet. I crank it all through my Harman/Kardon tuner and it rocks!
Apple TV is cool and all but there is a more comprehensive solution.”
Absolutely correct. When I look at what you did, and consider how freakin easy it would have been for Apple to put the same package together 1) cheaper and 2) so much more integrated … well, it actually kinda pisses me off.
MESSAGE TO STEVE JOBS: Thanks for going the xtra 1/2mile and all, but you still got half the distance to go. Use the above example as a template PLEASE!!!
1) Without a tuner Apple TV does nothing to turn a DVI monitor into an HDTV.
2) HP is not stopping selling media center PCs. It’s stopping selling one version which looks like an audio component, probably because it costs twice as much as the same functionality in a standard small form factor HP desktop.
3) if Apple TV were actually a DVR and could record/play 1080i content, and had either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, it could be a winner. For now it costs too much for too little.
I see the advantage for people like me who have forsaken conventional TV/Cable/Dish. My wife and I have only one show (Lost) we download from itunes and what a pain for the family to gather around the computer to watch a show. Much more convenient to sit in the livingroom…For $300 not that expensive of a way to watch downloaded shows/movies as well as stream my pictures and music to the TV/stereo. I may be outside of the norm but watching a program without commercials is sweet and difficult to go back to conventional programming with commercials after 6 years of no cable. Just my 2cents
the tv will evolve of course but i think its not so much a trojan as a neccesary part of the equation.
Apple is selling alot of content on itunes, and they needed to provide a solution so that people could actually watch this content in the living room, not just their computer.
what some people are not happy about is that it seemingly ties the tv into just the itunes content, and not the other content that people may have in different formats. Im sure this is for copyright reasons and also in apples best interests, at least short term.
People are already hacking tv so it plays other video codecs. it wont be long until the process is very easy, albeit not condoned by apple.