AppleTV the HD-DVD / Blu-Ray / Cable and Satellite Destroyer?

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AppleTV the HD-DVD / Blu-Ray / Cable and Satellite Destroyer?

I was reading with some excitement the announcement on Apple’s Website about AppleTV. I don’t have one yet, but it seems like a great solution to the HD-DVD / Blu-ray debate. NEITHER! With all major movie production companies supporting AppleTV and HD movie downloads directly to your widescreen TV, what’s the point in purchasing a $900 combo or two less-expensive players to have all of the options…. Then worrying about which will be around in a few months? Why not just download the movies and watch at your leisure?

Currently, they’re slating their movie rentals at a higher-than-rental store price of $3.99 for standard/new releases and $4.99 for HD movie downloads. If they could get their heads on right and make a flat-fee service something like what Netflix is doing with their rental program, they could take over the TV / Cable / Netflix / Satellite networks overnight. Just imagine! No more watching all of those commercials! No more waiting for the new release to show up in your mailbox! No more being stuck with a paltry selection of movies in the “Watch Now” or “On Demand”. This is the TV that everyone’s been wanting for decades! … that is if they can get rid of those super-high rental fees.

I’m thinking that if they were to do a program like the basic which gives the customer access to everything, rentals come at a fee just like they have now, with no monthly fee. Then they offer a deluxe package which includes 12-20 rentals (either Standard or HD) per month for $12.99 / month or so, in addition to all of the other features. They could also offer an Unlimited package for something in the neighborhood of $21.99 or up to as much as $25 a month and I think we’d see people switching over to AppleTV in droves. This could be the iPod of TV only with QUALITY audio and video. Bye-Bye Comcast Cable, DirecTV, Dish Network, Netflix, Blockbuster, RedBox and Hollywood Video. Hello AppleTV!

Custom PC, Windows XP Pro, AMD 64X2 Workstation

Posted on Jan 22, 2008 9:36 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 22, 2008 9:50 AM in response to efischn

Welcome to the  Discussion Forums.

I'm sure that  will provide sterling competition for other download services but the people who will be using blu-ray and the people using download services are likely to have much different requirements. I'm sure HD on the tv will be good but it's not likely to satisfy videophiles who will only settle for blu-ray.

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Answer 2

efischn Author

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Jan 22, 2008 10:15 AM in response to efischn

I can't find any specifications for the AppleTV HD movies. I would assume that you're correct in the fact that they currently are not delivering a full 1080p download quality nor will there be uncompressed Dolby Ditital TrueHD or DTS-HD available, but in comparison with the highly-compressed HD video and Audio that will be delivered via Satellite or Cable it's probably very similar. It'll certainly be a step up from standard DVD. This will be an accessory for my Theater Room, and I consider myself to be an audio/videophile so I'm very excited to see what AppleTV does as it goes on. If they were to market themselves properly with an updated box that will deliver lossless audio via HDMI and 1080p video this would take the home AV market by storm!

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Answer 3

Jan 22, 2008 10:41 AM in response to efischn

the rentals will be a good choice for many, including myself, but at 720 it won't replace high def discs...casual renters will enjoy it but for those who want to own the movie, a hard disc not only gives better picture/sound but also lots of extras etc that you won't get in a one-time rental...its going to be like renting vs buying is now i suspect. we'll have to see how this pans out up against sat/cable HD rentals which you can keep on your DVR for extended periods of time (if not indefinitely)!

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Answer 4

Jan 22, 2008 7:05 PM in response to airguitar

The start up costs for blue ray are daunting. I frankly can't see jumping in. My cable company offers on demand movies and on demand HD. Trick is the offerings are small. For apple to make a big splash it has to offer alot of choices. TV channels only broadcast at 720. Many have foretold that they have no plans on upgrading in the upcoming years. The one and only attraction for me wit the discs is the interface and extras. STILL...that price. Yikes. I am only talking blueray...cause HD is on life support. It only has one studio left pushing for it. That spells death for HD and hurrah for blu-ray. Sony lost to VHS...it's looks to win this one.
One last thing..I don't see how the appleTV competes with dishes or cable?

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Answer 5

Jan 22, 2008 7:28 PM in response to Brett Grossmann

Right now, video rentals via Apple TV is light years ahead of what DirecTV is offering with its video on demand (VOD) service.

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Answer 6

efischn Author

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Jan 22, 2008 7:54 PM in response to Brett Grossmann

In answer to my opinion on how it could compete with Dishes or Cable... that is up to Apple. As of now, there's no way they could. An average TV watcher (household) watches at least 5 hours of TV daily. If that watcher were to slush their schedule so that they were to watch Today's scheduled offerings TOMORROW (as AppleTV says they're capable of) in the future, you could be watching everything from 24 to American Idol, along with your movies. But at approx. $15 / day to watch the shows and a movie, the price is astronomical compared with cable or Satellite. It's possible if they were to GREATLY expand their offerings and increase speed on their end so that people with broadband internet could take full advantage of their 10MBS speed, that option could be feasible.

Personally, I've not subscribed to cable/dish since the late 90s and am not planning to go back anytime soon. I have been subscribing to Neflix for several years now and am able to go through approx. 12-20 discs per month so my price is anywhere from $0.80 per disc to $1.25 or so. At least half of the discs I rent are TV programs (CSI, Bones, Jericho, etc.) which have 4-5 episodes of TV on them, are in widescreen, 480P, Dolby Digital and have special features. Currently, I'm watching a season behind what's on actual TV, but if I were to be a DAY behind for a marginally higher cost, with additional features, I'd be all over it.

Another thought occurred to me too. The equipment costs might be prohibitively large for some families, but what if Apple were to offer a 1-year or 2-year program wherein the subscriber were to have a contract of $25 / month and equipment were free similar to Cell phones or Satellite programs of old.? That might encourage even more to jump on the bandwagon. Apple is always thinking outside the box, but they need to be thinking that this "box" has the potential to be the only "box" that most people would need... they just need to market it as such.

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