Apple TV Hacks - Latest Comments in Waiting for the new Apple TV

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

NoahKaOi — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:01:57 -0000

Here my edits to the list above:

- Media streaming (Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, etc.) : May happen via App. See below (App Store)
- Blu-Ray/DVD/ BD drive: Not going to happen - Downloaded/streaming media is the future
- App Store access with ability to run iPhone apps on Apple TV: Should actually happen... Next iPhone SDK will support bigger screen resolutions, so that should be the key feature for this to be possible.
- App/widget channel for news, sports, etc.. : Can be done as an App. See above (App Store)
- Live TV ability: Can be done as an App, if approved. See above (App Store)
- Expanded gaming ability: Can be done as an App. See above (App Store)
- Full Social Networks support: Can be done as an App. See above (App Store)
- Support for 1080p content: Likely to happen, but results in larger downloads. We've had 720p for almost 2 years now, it should happen within 12 months.
- TiVo functionality: Highly obsolete. See above (App Store)
- HD video chat: Highly unlikely. Camera would have to be separated from hardware, not user friendly
- ISO files: are you kidding me? not gonna happen
- Desktop support and flash enabled web browser: Of course not. See above (App Store)
- iPhone dock and sync: why??? it already syncs with your computer master itunes. I'd rather expect the home sharing feature to expand to allow wi-fi sync of iPhone
- Dual Cable Card slot: not gonna happen. cable tv is obsolete and cannibalizes the online / downloadable content
- Price staying around 200-300: very likely to happen

Overall, it seems to be that the App Store expansion to the Apple TV is the missing key feature for most wishes above. It's likely to happen because both the iPhone and Apple TV are based on OS X. Also, with the next version of the SDK, larger screen sizes are being supported.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

Nemesis — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:36:24 -0000

Netflix is a competitor of iTunes Store... they won't enable that

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

kith — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:52:27 -0000

Netflix! Hello?

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

Shaun — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:52:06 -0000

A large hard drive to support the BD capability 1-2TB should do

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

David — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:15:41 -0000

U guys are on crack, apple isnt gonna let u install anything that is going to take from the itunes revenue. plus half the updated would make the thing cost atleast 500 to 600 dollar, which they would never recoop if they added blue ray and boxee, since u wouldnt be buying movies from itunes. i think there gonna update the ram, processor, and video card(true hd). At the very best and i mean this is a complete long shot they might enable afp and of the new ceo of apple was on crack a divc codec(never gonna happen lol)

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

charltonmonsanto — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:29:28 -0000

Hello, ATV Newbie here but have 2 and love them. Un-hacked. Recently did something stupid. Posted the following on Apple Discussion Forums, wondering if anyone here can give me some guidance. "Wrote over my master iTunes library. No, the same volume was also the Time Machine Back Up volume. Yes - stupid. However, I do have 2 ATVs, and they have the Movies, Photos, TV Shows that were previously synching with my Master Library. Is there anyway for me to pair up one of the ATVs with my Mac, and tell iTunes to import/copy all media from the ATV down to the new iTunes library?

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

Mathew — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:51:44 -0000

The one major thing I wantto see with a new AppleTV is the ability to playback files with bitrates over 2500kbps. As a projector owner who recompressed all my own DVD content, I took it to 3500kbps before I could no longer see compression artifacts on the big screen. Apple TV capable of playing these files would be bliss! At the moment, I have a Mac Mini and 4TB of HDDs in the living room acting as a media centre.. would be great to tuck this away in the office and justlet the AppleTV do the playback.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

Jeff — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:06:06 -0000

Add Safari and Mail. A wireless keyboard(rechargeable battery) with built-in trackpad. App store access. A 'last component in the chain' mode with HDMI input and output so apps could be developed to overlay whatever you're watching(Cable, Satellite, DVD, etc.) with graphics- imagine ESPN News HD, but instead of the talking heads, you could be watching Mad Men in the picture window. Make a customizable ESPN Bottom Line overlay whatever you're watching. World of possibilities there.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

versacenl — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:42:54 -0000

* Connect external hard disk
* Being able to stream directly from a wireless hard disk without having a computer on

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

kimj — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:00:57 -0000

If it truly is a cable replacement, I don't mind paying big bucks for it. It is a one time charge. Then you just pay as you go and that would be soooo much cheaper. My cable bill each month is astronomical and I hardly use it. If this apple tv truly has all of the capabilities that we are hoping for AND it does not have a monthly charge, then $1000 is nothin' !!! I would get rid of my cable and have it paid for in less than a year!!!

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

andre12345 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:45:26 -0000

An Apple Teleportation device..! in competition with the airlines and perhaps call it the iline..??

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

markomarkomarko — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:48:02 -0000

hurt?

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

RobbyB02 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:27:22 -0000

IT SHOULD HAVE A BLUETOOTH REMOTE RATHER THAN AN IR REMOTE... FOR THAT MATTER, EVERY NEW ELECTRONIC DEVICE SHOULD..

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

facebookfan — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:26:49 -0000

The thing about streaming content and the app store would be great, I emailed Apple a while back and sugested a few of these sugestions you have listed. I currently use boxee on my appletv so I can get more out of it, It has the potential to be a major contender in the living room if apple will open it up to more uses, just like the iphone.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

marks — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:43:11 -0000

We´re curious. Impatiently waiting...

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

davilla — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:18:02 -0000

Hehe, if things go right with certain 3rd party devs, in a month or so, the AppleTV will be able to play VC1 1080p Blu-ray content with 100 percent hardware decode. Stay tuned.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

Nick Ward — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:42:13 -0000

Remember Steve Jobs called blu-ray a "bag of hate"

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

Charlie — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:50:57 -0000

I need it to be able to stream from Hulu/Netflix. This is the way technology is moving, and I'll happily watch commercials so I can get content on demand.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

David Levinson — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:01:43 -0000

These are some suggestions for improving the AppleTV device:

(1) Option to go to full screen. Auto-detect black bars on side (typical with 4:3 movies) or bottom and stretch intelligently

(2) Option to stream DVDs from attached computers, thus I can eliminate the need for an extra DVD player by the TV

(3) I should be able to stream pictures from iPhoto. I can stream iTunes media, but must copy my files to the AppleTV for pictures.

(4) Ability to use external hard drives on Apple TV (to avoid streaming overhead). Using RAID so they all appear as a single HD. There is already a USB port, I shouldn't have to hack AppleTV to take advantage of it.

(5) There should be a robust plug-in architecture for other video/music/picture sites

(6) You should add Safari for Apple TV, with optional remote control keyboard (or iPhone/iPod Touch)

(7) There should be an ability to use TV as extra monitor driven by connected computers

(8) Podcast directory should clearly distinguish video and audio podcasts

(9) You should be able to browse Internet Radio from the Apple TV

(10) You should Add Pandora or similar (see plug-in architecture above)

(11) Improve Stability (Crashed and had to reboot already)

(12) Build in =Hand-brake, EasyWMV programs or equivalents for format conversion. (i.e. DVD ripping (not all of which is illegal) and conversion of downloaded windows media files to a better format.

(13) Should be able to buy movies via AppleTV (as with iTunes on Mac). Should be able to upgrade from rental to purchase with a discount (like iTunes Plus), apply rental price to purchase.

(14) iTunes shouldn't need to be on for AppleTV to read the iTunes library from attached computers.

(15) Better Browsing options, I have 33,000 items in my music collection in iTunes, it is a pain to scroll through on the TV.

(16) VPN is a pain ... it disconnects the computer from the AppleTV.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

Bob Forsberg — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:38:38 -0000

"frequently repeated expectations:".......

Dream on.....What are you guys smokin'?....and the next 26" MacBook Pro will be under $500.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

Doug — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:42:33 -0000

Could care less about Blu-Ray (If I ever buy a blu-ray disc, it will be to rip to a hard drive)
Unless someone knows a way to make my current total of nine DVD players play Blu-Ray or tells me that every blu-ray disc comes with an itunes compatible file or dvd track on a second disc?

Here are the things I would like to see in the next Apple TV
Memory card slot - add photos and video straight to my computer from ATV
External Drive Capability
Extend Wireless network
Share network to devices using WiFi or Ethernet
iPhone games with iPhone or Wii remote as controller
HD Recorder (don't need a tuner as long as something like 'hd home run' can be controlled)
eSATA

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

K30NCH — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:19:08 -0000

New apple TV would be really good if had Ethernet client support like an airport express does...

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

John M. — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:10:21 -0000

More RAM, faster processor, bigger HD.

Oh, and buy Boxee and open an App store.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

brindy — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:55:02 -0000

How about a much bigger hard drive and/or the ability to add an external drive.

Re: Waiting for the new Apple TV

MacBook — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:36:53 -0000

Now ATV is very nice device, but without true HD support. New ATV with true support of 1080p and Dolby Digital without firmware hack and good HD content in iTunes Store - its the most really evolution of AppleTV in near future