Apple Inc Unleashes Apple TV - Previewed Earlier
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Apple TV was announced on September 13, 2006 at the Macworld expo and is currently on sale. Orders are being taken, and it was supposed to start shipping in February 2007. We will take a look at one innovation that makes this a cutting edge product, then some of the basic technical specs, and how Apple's incursion into the living room is set to bring them into conflict (again) with archrivals Microsoft and consumer electronics giant Sony. Is the Apple TV really going to make any impact in the living room of users? Do users want a convergence product? Is Apple’s foray into consumer electronics going to end well long term?
The Beginning
When talking about the Apple TV (codenamed the iTV in September), Steve Jobs commented that "You can take a movie, download it to a computer, and put it on your iPod. But what about that big flat screen TV you just bought last weekend? You need a box to drive that big screen TV. How's the box going to talk to the computer? Do I want to string cables throughout my house? So I'm going to talk to it using a wireless network, to get the content from the computer to the box, from the box to the TV."
The Cutting Edge
The most interesting thing there is the word "wireless." What kind of connection would you need to transfer near DVD quality video and audio wirelessly over short distances? That is where the IEEE wireless standard 802.11n for wireless networking comes in. Apple is fast becoming the biggest distributor of music online with their iTunes music store, and they are aiming at becoming the biggest distributor of audio and video content online. This product ties into their plans for that, but before it was launched Apple had to come up with a standard that could transmit at a minimum data transfer rate of 100 Mbps speed without wires. Wires are not cute, plus they are inconvenient -- you should see my workstation(s), a wired mess.
In comes the standard that solves all of Apple's streaming problems. When the Apple TV was initially announced, the IEEE 802.11n wireless standard was not ready yet. Wireless streaming technology then available for commercial distribution could only stream VCR quality data (Sony’s LocationFree) to the TV or remote laptop. Sony limited the effective bit rate to 33 kbps. It was okay, but Apple’s TV raises the standards, with near DVD quality and Dolby surround audio. Before this, Apple's streaming technology was similar to what LocationFree offered, and was designed for the iPod.
Simply put, for the cadre and level of users Apple is targeting, VCR quality streaming is not adequate. The DVD quality video will deliver quality from a Mac to stereo and TV. In fact, it is designed for widescreen television.
It is this high speed wireless streaming and the fact that it supports HDMI that makes the Apple TV a product apart from all current commercially available products (though there are some modified tools which stream some formats of content).
Next: Technical Specifications >>
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