http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/ Engadget HD Comments for Apple TV; an HD perspective http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
Now I can get a single solution to move my DRM'ed iTunes content to my home theater AND turn my iLife stuff into HD content with out burning HD/BluRay discs. There is a lot here for existing Mac users out of the box. I'm glad I held off getting that mac mini. This is a better value.

For the record, I'm cool with 720p. I hope the "1080p-or-death" crowd doesn't start their crying *again*.]]>Jan 9th 2007 5:12PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/Jan 9th 2007 5:17PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/Jan 20th 2007 10:25PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
Instead of whining about the fact that some of us are disappointed in the lack of quality vendors supporting the best available products why don't you just be satisfied with what you've got and let the rest of us tell the industry what we want?

It's too bad. You either have a lack of interest in better quality, or simply don't have the finical ability (could be desire but then that would imply humility which you obviously don't have) to afford the best products out there.

Assuming that's the case, it's truly unfortunate and I wish you all the best, but instead why don't you just accept that some of us would prefer to have the best quality available when shopping in the market and are disappointed at the lack of quality vendors in the market at the moment.

If you really are tired of hearing about it then perhaps you should join the crowd pushing for it (it would at least be more productive then whining about the existence of those who do) so that the industry finally delivers something to those that aren't satisfied with mediocre HD (and 720p IS mediocre in the world of HD).]]>Jan 9th 2007 8:01PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
I do agree I'm disappointed the iTV tops out at 720p.]]>Jan 15th 2007 1:39PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/Jan 9th 2007 10:27PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/Jan 9th 2007 10:41PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
Also, HD (even 720P) over wireless is way to flakey & constrained to 1 stream - max. ]]>Jan 9th 2007 11:48PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
JM, if you hadn’t noticed, Apple has a 1080p device (via DVI) that does all the AppleTV stuff plus runs Microsoft Office. It’s called a Mac Mini. You can buy today it and smooch its 1080p goodness all night long. So go on and express to world how much you need 1080p in an Apple product so 1080p can breathlessly call your name out it in middle of night so you can have happy life.

Quote “You either have a lack of interest in better quality, or simply don't have the finical ability…”

Wow I hit a cord there. You must have a thin ego, JB. You must be very insecure about how much you like to cry like a baby. (Whaaaaaaaaa!!!! NOOO THEY LEFT OUT 1080P!!! I NEED MOMMY!!! Bad, Apple! Bad, bad boys!) Instead of insulting a perfect stranger’s financial ability (I hope you and Trump enjoy your cozy yogurt sponge bath together in Martha’s Vineyard and laugh at all the “little people”), let’s review business 101.

Businesses are in business to make money. Economies of scale are the most efficient way to make that money. To get an economy of scale you need mass consumption. To get mass consumption (in order to make money, not technical 1080p excellence) you need a value proposition. (Here comes the math, JB, hold on tight) Value = quantity (pixel count, in this case) multiplied by quality (user interface), and multiplied by price. In order to make money via economies of scale (remember our $ goal here), you need to hold the price point down (let’s say $299). Now, JB, if Apple’s goal is to maintain their value proposition *and* maximize user the interface (which is their core competency and their whole reason for living), what’s gotta take a hit? Hmmm? Yeah, it’s pixel count, Scooter. Anybody shocked? Anybody having another heart attack over this?

Quote“…perhaps you should join the crowd pushing for it…and 720p IS mediocre in the world of HD.”

Reality check time, dude. Sorry to have to do this, man. In the USA: FACT: 720p is minimum HD ATSC resolution mandated in by the FCC in the Code of Federal Regulations which is legally binding (47CFR73.682-- Sec. 73.682 TV transmission standards). FACT: the FCC was created by Congress so they wouldn’t have to be bothered with these little details. FACT: To “push” for 1080p (or raise the minimum standard) you have lobby the FCC change the CFR (which they like to do every 50 years or so) or get Congress to pass a law to make the FCC do it even if they don’t want to. (And I know you have the financial means to effectively lobby the 110th Congress to make this happen because you told this forum that you have money than God and have a palace wallpapered with 1080p displays).

In the USA 720p is legally HD. Suck it up, boys. Just because everybody might want to round a mile up from 5,280 feet to 5,300 feet, does not make it a mile. The law is written in black and white not in wishes and gum drops. Sorry to bring the bad news.]]>Jan 10th 2007 12:24AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
Wow. You've really been doing your homework.

I don't think that this issue here has anything to do with the legal definition of HD. The USDA has minimum requirements that define what can and cannot legally be called a hot dog, but that doesn't mean that all hot dogs are the same (even though they pretty much all taste the same. Mmmmmm.)

I'll go out on a limb here, but I doubt that Congress is doing anything to require companies to produce content in 720p, which probably explains why my Cox HD Digital Cable is in 1080i. All they're doing is clarifying the terminology that companies are allowed to use to define the capabilities of their products.

Going further, it's the customers (not the FCC) that will determine what resolution will prevail, assuming that we're given a choice. The current "best of the best" is 1080p. Bemoaning a brand new device that doesn't support that 1080p is, in my opinion, justified...even if I don't yet own a device that can output that resolution (outside of my computer monitor, that is).

Is it "HD?" Yes. Does it offer the "best of the best?" It doesn't look like it. Will it grow with my home theater setup? Given the latest news, that's questionable.]]>Jan 10th 2007 2:06AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
I could use this box to watch my dvd movies if I converted them to mpeg-4 using Nero.

The 40GB hard drive sets it apart from the other media streamers.]]>Jan 10th 2007 9:40AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
Should I have to pay more for the privilege? No, and here's why: unless this device is going to break inside 18 months, it should be future proof for two years. 1080p is the the incoming standard; why start at a disadvantage, especially seeing as Microsoft intends to bring us IPTV via the Xbox 360 which has been 1080p capable since Novemeber 2006?
]]>Jan 10th 2007 8:43PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/But I do care whether I will end up with some electronics that do not fulfill my needs from the start.

I waited for the specs of the iTV, since I have great respect of the innovations coming from Apple. And they delivered, just not for the upper end of the scale... yet.

Unfortunately, I am in the market for a streaming solution right now, and it has to be 1080p with the major codecs supported. Therefore, it will not be the ?TV, even if that would have made #10 of my Apple products.
Guess the iPhone will have the celebratory honors of being #10.
]]>Jan 10th 2007 9:27PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
I want this sort of solution for my two LCDs, but I'll wait for the right technology/product at the right price, I'll wait six months before buying this either way. ]]>Jan 11th 2007 2:01PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/Jan 16th 2007 3:20AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/choosing between Direct or Dish?
Peechus]]>Jan 13th 2007 1:53PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
For those of you thinking that you won't stream HD content, you'll just play it off the HDD... think again. That puny 40GB hdd will most likely hold less than two 720p feature length films, so streaming of HD is going to be critical.

Also, for those with a 1080p display, 720p on a 1080p display looks great. It scales quite nicely (an easy 3:2 scaling ratio) so it doesn't take a lot of processing power. With the potential for dropped frames on 1080p, you'd probably choose 720p anyway.

The *REAL* bitch of a thing with the aTV is it's limited codec suite. By some accounts it seems that you will NOT be able to back up your own DVDs and play them over the aTV... if true that will suck big time. The whole point of a digital media center is to put one's whole library of discs on a HDD and be able to play them on the home theater. If I can't do that with my own DVD's, I'm not interested.]]>Jan 18th 2007 12:34PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/My home TV is a Sharp 27F631. Though not HD, it has component video inputs and a 16:9 widescreen mode. I can't imagine why it would not function with Apple TV -- but I'll be darned if I will place my order for one until I am certain it is compatible.
Does anyone have any real knowledge about this?
Major MacRant - http://www.majormacrant.com]]>Jan 23rd 2007 11:26PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/Jan 24th 2007 8:09AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/Jan 28th 2007 7:22AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/09/apple-tv-an-hd-perspective/
rip your dvd with handbrake... it comes out as a itunes/ipod/appleTV compatible format... I dont know about 720p and all that but it comes out looking neato if done right.

but ripping a 480p DVD and expecting it to come out keewwwllll on your 720p HDTV is just loco!

Loco I tell you... LOCO!!!]]>Feb 10th 2007 10:52PM