Apple TV struggling

[Hulk]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=9780

While no exact sales numbers are available for the Apple TV, which first came out in March, the new device is getting from holiday shoppers, according to analysts, the same reception the device has been getting throughout its brief history -- a bunch of static.

"That category of devices is so nonexistent," said Ross Rubin, an analyst with The NPD Group, one of America's top market research firms.

Very interesting. As is the following.

Much of the problems seem to stem from a combination of a small market segment and simple consumer ignorance. To start, only a certain percentage of users have enough computer content to warrant such a device.

And finally...

The other major factor that has led to the device floundering is Apple's insistence on keeping it proprietary. The device is currently only compatible with free video from YouTube and paid video from iTunes, further cutting down its market base. By doing this, Apple increased its control over the device as the expense of sales. With TV studios bringing a wealth of content online, for the first time, Apple's device locks its users out of experiencing these new sources of media.

[Nowhere]

Since Jerry Jones will arrive here shortly disputing conclusions you've quoted, I'd like to post preemptively...

Disco! Disco! Disco!

[Hulk]

Impossible for him to dispute.

Those are quotes thus indisputable.

[Jerry Jones]

What is this news article suggesting?

If APPLE TV were a total failure, then why are so many copying the concept?

APPLE TV: http://www.apple.com/appletv/

1. APPLE iTunes TV shows and movies:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/movies.html

2. Wal-Mart TV shows and movies:

http://mediadownloads.walmart.com/mmce/jsp/storeHome.jsp;jsessionid=HrwWmG9qnlj9fGrjkqT8Yybvn2QMhB1gpWLFrSKdrcHjJTppJ9x8!1881264002

3. Xbox 360 LIVE Marketplace:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/marketplace/moviestv/

4. GUBA:

http://www.guba.com

5. VUDU:

http://www.vudu.com

6. AxiomTV:

http://www.axiom.tv/

7. Akamai:

http://www.thehdweb.com/

8. Movielink:

http://www.movielink.com

9. Amazon unbox:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/video/help/faq.html/104-0508629-0067901?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0KF7QXH1GPVWAK9GXS00&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=298517001&pf_rd_i=16261631

10. FANFARE:

http://www.sandisk.com/fanfare/intro/

11. FiOS TV:

http://www22.verizon.com/content/fiostv

12. AT&T U-verse TV:

https://uverse1.att.com/un/loadSelectOfferAction.do?From_UMA_Iframe=True&UMA_Launch_Url=/uma/RetrieveCatalogContent?ITEMTYPE=COMPONENT&ITEMID=104297&DOCTYPE=LEARNMORE&FORMAT=IFRAME&APPID=AMSS

13. TiVo HD:

http://www.tivo.com/whatistivo/tivohd/index.html

14. Joost:

http://www.joost.com/

15. hulu:

http://www.hulu.com/

16. Babelgum:

http://www.babelgum.com/

17. Veoh Networks:

http://www.veoh.com/

DOWNLOADS!



APPLE isn't the only company involved in offering hard disk and wireless media streaming technology.

1. SanDisk TakeTV:

http://www.take.tv/

2. ARCHOS TV+:

http://www.archos.com/products/gen_5/archos_tv/index.html?country=global&lang=en

3. TViX HD M-5100SH:

http://www.tvix.co.kr/Eng/products/5100sh.aspx

4. TViX HD M-4000PA/M-4000SA

http://www.tvix.co.kr/Eng/products/HDM4000.aspx

5. TViX HD M-4100SH:

http://www.tvix.co.kr/Eng/products/4100sh.aspx

6. D-Link DSM-520:

http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=438

7. D-Link DSM-510:

http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=542

8. D-Link DSM-750:

http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=547

9. http://www.sagetv.com

The field just keeps growing!



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Nowhere]

Almost on time...

[Hulk]

You're right Jerry you can't trust everything you read.

[paulw]

I'm nor surprise that apple TV is not doing to well. In my opinion below are the reason.

1. It's content only is avalable to US iTunes store users..
2. No HD content for US users apart from movie trailers.
3. It's playback codecs so limited it rules it out for most users.
4. In my part of the work it's a $500 paper weight

Looking at Jerry's list there are better media players out there.

[Elie]

The internet simply does not have the bandwidth, so all those internet based streaming video stuff will suffer and not work.

mark my words

[Tjalfe]

Elie, you know logic has nothing to do with internet based streaming videos

[Hulk]

I'm nor surprise that apple TV is not doing to well. In my opinion below are the reason.

1. It's content only is avalable to US iTunes store users..
2. No HD content for US users apart from movie trailers.
3. It's playback codecs so limited it rules it out for most users.
4. In my part of the work it's a $500 paper weight

Looking at Jerry's list there are better media players out there.

And it won't play resolutions over 720p.

[Sasq]

I'm nor surprise that apple TV is not doing to well. In my opinion below are the reason.

1. It's content only is avalable to US iTunes store users..

Never had a problem uploading anything from the Japanese Itunes store, or anything in my itunes folder actually

2. No HD content for US users apart from movie trailers.

Incorrect, load a movie into your itunes up it goes

3. It's playback codecs so limited it rules it out for most users.

little bit of tweaking and I have had zero problem with most codecs on the planet

4. In my part of the work it's a $500 paper weight

pretty much your decision there, though please to be correct with the prices.

[Sasq]

And it won't play resolutions over 720p.

well semantic argument, but I have had no problems setting it to 1080i

The other major factor that has led to the device floundering is Apple's insistence on keeping it proprietary. The device is currently only compatible with free video from YouTube and paid video from iTunes, further cutting down its market base. By doing this, Apple increased its control over the device as the expense of sales. With TV studios bringing a wealth of content online, for the first time, Apple's device locks its users out of experiencing these new sources of media.

rather misleading comment there, as stated above, i have had no problem uploading movies to the machine from my itunes.
then again, I own one, so meh some new writer obviously has more experience.

while Jerry's fanyboyism for mac's even drives me batty, no Mark, you can't trust everything you read.

[Jerry Jones]

The internet simply does not have the bandwidth, so all those internet based streaming video stuff will suffer and not work.

mark my words

http://pressmediawire.com/article.cfm?articleID=3840

Published 11/26/2007 - 2:04 a.m. GMT

(PressMediaWire) NEW YORK - Millions of consumers now can take advantage of ultra-fast Verizon FiOS Internet upload speeds that blow cable away.

Starting today, Verizon is offering its high-speed symmetrical FiOS Internet services to consumers in 16 states served by its advanced, all-fiber-optic network. The symmetrical services make possible equally fast downstream and upstream connections of up to 15 megabits per second (Mbps) or up to 20 Mbps depending on the state where the service is sold.

At the same time, Verizon also has dramatically increased the upload speed of its fastest FiOS Internet services across its FiOS Internet service areas. These new services offer consumers downstream/upstream connections of either up to 50 Mbps/20 Mbps or up to 30 Mbps/15 Mbps depending on the state where the service is sold.

"Millions of households no longer have to settle for cable upload speeds that can't deliver the most interactive online experiences," said Susan Retta, vice president, broadband solutions for Verizon. "With FiOS you can choose ultra-fast uploading that makes sending information as quick and easy as receiving it.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

well semantic argument, but I have had no problems setting it to 1080i



rather misleading comment there, as stated above, i have had no problem uploading movies to the machine from my itunes.
then again, I own one, so meh some new writer obviously has more experience.

while Jerry's fanyboyism for mac's even drives me batty, no Mark, you can't trust everything you read.

Hey if a device is working for you then that's great no one can argue with that point. The Apple TV is a great idea but for me to bite it would have to overcome a few limitations.

1. It only supports a 5Mbps bit rate for 1280x768 resolution at 24fps for H.264 video. This is a big drawback in my book.

2. It only supports 960x540 resolution at 30fps.

3. It only plays Apple's version of the H.264 video codec which means you can forget about playing back ANYTHING not acquired from the i-Tunes store UNLESS you go though a lengthy transcode process. And you can't go above the pretty weak resolution, fps, and bitrate figures I've posted above.

4. A 702MB Xvid file takes 55 minutes to transcode on a 3.0GHz Mac Pro system as reported by one test site I read.

5. No volume control on the remote. Yes that is a minor point.

So for me the biggest problem is that the processor in the Apple TV is too underpowered to decode HD content with any decent bit rate.

[Sasq]

actually with a little err tweaking anything you can play on VLC you can play on the atv
with of course some bit rate limitations.

I will grant it can be a little underpowered, but then again, so was first gen ipods. for me the biggest problem with the atv is it being a *locked* box unless you get around apples design.

I think by the time they hit 3rd gen they will be 'cooking with gas'. though depending on what equipment you have in your living room, you could be just as well grabbing a mac mini (assuming you want a mac solution)