“Start-ups and tech giants alike are offering what they say are easy ways to pipe shows and movies to a TV, hoping to win over people who might want a cheaper or more diverse alternative to cable and satellite service,” Wortham reports. “These companies have a lot of convincing to do. Most people do not have the tech-savviness to tackle the hardware and software setup that these products often require. And the companies are not able to offer access to many shows and channels that are on traditional pay TV, nor bundle services like phone service and Internet access at a discounted rate, as TV service providers do.”
Wortham reports, “Even Apple has struggled with Apple TV, a $229 set-top box that is its attempt to bring its iTunes software and store to the heart of home entertainment. ‘People love Apple, but we’ve seen a low adoption of their Apple TV,’ said Jonathan Hurd, director of Altman Vilandrie, a Boston consulting firm that studies media habits. ‘Setup is a big factor. It’s typically more complicated than the average consumer is willing to put up with.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Yeah, you have to plug it into the wall. Then there’s that tricky HDMI cable between Apple TV and the TV set… Oh, wait, we’re all-Apple. Most people are constantly trying to get their crappy no-name Wi-Fi base station to work. Getting Apple TV to join their slipshod network is probably what’s killing them. So, Apple’s best bet at idiot-proofing would be to offer TVs with Apple TV built-in that comes with not only an Ethernet jack, but also a small Wi-Fi base station that’s preset to talk to the Apple TV. That way, these average idiots, er… “consumers” will only be challenged with plugging the thing into the wall and plugging in the base station and then… Oh, whoops, it’s already too complicated for the mouth-breathers. Okay, how ’bout this? Introducing Apple’s personalized Apple TV installation service, available at Apple Stores worldwide. Free installation with annual subscription. Coupon for a free six-pack of Brawndo, too! 
Wortham continues, “There is speculation that Apple may be gearing up to take another shot at the market with a new device.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Glenn H.” for the heads up.]
I have trouble falling off a log.. Could ya make it even simpler? Hey, what’s this then , an iPad? Kinda looks like a big remote control.. I get it!!
I worked in the A/V installation field back when HDMI was first introduced. We all thought we’d be out of a job, as it simplified hookup to the point of ridiculous ease.
But the A/V install business is still alive and well, and booming nonetheless. It’s amazing how terrified people are of connecting *one* cable between their device and TV. And yet these same people have no problem connecting 12 USB devices through three separate hubs to their PC’s…
What channel will “Ow! My Balls!” be on?
Mouth-breathers .. Lol .. Classic
1: Apple doesn’t own the cable lines. It’s fast, good for video, until it gets saturated eventually of course.
2: DSL needs a phone line and a phone company owns them. It’s slow, good if you like waiting 20 minutes for your show to download.
3: A iTV with integrated modem would have to use DSL. Cable co’s won’t allow it on their networks.
4: A iTV with integrated DLS modem would likely require another phone line and internet service. Unless one can tap it for other uses.
5: All above is involved and quite complicated, nerdville. Not consumer friendly.
6: Cable companies already have access to all customers houses and a digital box, to temporarily record, rewind and pause pay per view shows.
7: For those who can understand and set it up, Netflix/Roku or a PS3 with Netflix disk is dirt cheap at $9 or so a month. Soak it up before cable companies get saturated and lower monthly bandwidth allowances like AT&T is doing.
Oh please, MDN, get off your AppleTV bandwagon. In its current form, AppleTV is a joke. My Roku box does 200 more things than AppleTV could ever do, and it only cost me $60. Roku did this right, Apple doesn’t have a clue in this market.
No one cares about about web content to TV–that’s OLD HAT. What the world needs TV (live streaming) to the Web–TV ANYWHERE–in my car–at work–in the bathroom–everywhere. Mobile TV anywhere–done right. Period.
@MacBill
Bill, you’re right on a few points, although I would not be so vociferous on the MDN acrimony. I have an AppleTV and I’m thinking about getting another device to stream, however I am waiting on Apple’s new device before doing so. Here’s why.
My biggest complaint with the AppleTV is the lack of formats that it is willing to accept. I bought into the notion that MOV, QTime and MV4 formats were the best and that’s why Xvid and AVi were not included. I no longer believe that to be the case and most of my videos (many from digicams, and other sources) are in Xvid or AVI formats. The idea of having to transcode all of my videos to this one proprietary format is ridiculous.
When I saw Windows 7 streaming and added to an entertainment server, playing everything, including MV4, Qtime, MOV, I changed my tune about the exclusion of AVI,Xvid. We are installing an entertainment center this winter and the AppleTV was to be the center of it, but we are reconsidering either purchasing a MacMini or (God Forbid) a more reasonably priced Windows 7 Server system. But I am waiting for the new iteration of AppleTV to come out before making a decision. The reason being that there is a program on the iPad that allows for Xvid files to play on the iPad through iTunes. If the new AppleTV carries iOS4, then that program should port over to the new device. Additionally, if they could just put PERIAN on it, all would be solved. Just my 2 cents.
“Additionally, if they could just put PERIAN on it, all would be solved.”
Apple and Free? You must be intoxicated.
It’s Apple and Control. Like in Get Smart.
That’s why there is such Chaos.
@MDN: Seriously, until tv actually replaces something then it’s an utterly worthless box.
This iOS device has been available for some time now. Apple has held it back. Apple needed to complete the supportive backbone of an expanded iTunes system. The new server farm was started a year ago, has 400% to 500% greater server capacity than what Apple has been using, I believe it is on line now. (See: Billion dollar server farm in Maiden NC http://techblips.dailyradar.com/video/apple-data-center-maiden-nc/ ) It is a half year old video at this time, but seem like the talking heads don’t see the importance in why Apple built it. THEY WILL!
I hate to say it but the coward is right. Comcast is already choking the pipe in suburban Minneapolis.
Well sorry some of you folks don’t see anything useful in the AppleTV. I loved mine and used it all the time. Of course, I have a huge iTunes library, so the two went hand in hand and worked seamlessly together.
I never understood all the whining and complaining about the AppleTV either… it does exactly what it’s supposed to do, play your iTunes content on your TV. Seems like a lot of people wanted it to be more than that and fault it for not being so.
@AC’s #7 point is key….
If streaming TV gets hot, all broadband will be metered, then it won’t be hot.
(I’m enjoying Netflix on the Wii and Mac mini right now, but it will go if I have to pay Time-Warner another dime for their overpriced broadband.)