Apple planning High-Definition Video Network via satellite and Internet?

MacOSRumors.com ^ | March 23, 2005

[HAL9000]

More dirt about Apple's HD Video Network initiative

The more we look into these developing rumors of Apple's planned HDVN high-defintion content delivery system, with each new report this is becoming one of the biggest stories in our 11 years dishing dirt -- right up there with Mac OS X, the iMac, the iPod....yeah, that big. Seriously.

Apple's interest in satellite HD content delivery has become more than obvious. Just a note to Phil Schiller and company: your (potential) competitors are taking notice!

Just because Apple rebuffed Sirius is by no means an indication that Apple isn't interested in satellite content delivery. Apple just doesn't want to piggback on someone else's network -- they're interested in building their own on existing satellites and potentially launching more than one of their own in the next few years as well.

This "HDVN" will not just be through satellite however. The same service will be available over the Internet and as a "drop in, plug in, tune in" service at its retail stores.

Having learned the digital middle-man game with iTunes, Apple is eager to get a piece of the larger multimedia content pie but doesn't want to go directly head-to-head with services like Blockbuster's new flat-fee unlimited internet rental system.

Apple believes that this network will drive sales of Macs, but also create a market for low-cost home devices which act as a sort of "video iPod" without actually handling display duties -- that's up to your HDTV or Apple Cinema Display.

The company has long struggled with what form that hub device should take -- and has settled on a system that emphasizes being a source for low-cost (or free) High Definition content that just isn't readily available from Digital Cable or traditional Satellite TV systems. The best of the Internet and traditional HDTV brought together plus that little something extra - Apple style.

Getting that content to your computer(s) by wired/wireless networking, to your recording/burning devices by HDMI, Component or S-Video and 5.1 Digital Audio (coax/optical), and being able to store it locally without the help of any one particular client device (e.g. a large on-board hard disk drive) seem to be the emphases of the project from what we've heard.

These days more than ever we value the relationships we have with our sources and never encourage anyone to break an NDA or other legal obligation. We certainly don't offer any enticement, financial or otherwise, for information. Because of the sensitivity of Apple's projects in the HDVN arena we are very intentionally working from non-"insider" reports and everything we know can be turned up without resorting to NDA-breaking by anyone who looks in the right places....

We'll be posting much more about Apple's HDVN initiative in the days to come so stay tuned!

[HAL9000]

Here's the basic concept - a Mac Mini (the small box on the right side of the shelf) attached to an HDTV and a satellite receiver -

I think that Sony Wega monitor is displaying in 720p mode. The picture should be even better when on the 1080p monitors.

With Apple committed to adding Blu-Ray discs, and apparently developing a multimode HD video network, the Mac mini is bound to be a popular accessory for HDTV owners.

[Swordmaker]

Apple plans possible HDTV role PING!

IF you want on or off the Mac Ping list, Freepmal me.

[cmsgop]

HOLY SH$T! THATS SO COOL!

[Terpfen]

Yeah, that's 1280x720. You can tell because everything looks way too damned large. A shame that more TVs don't support 1920x1080.

At least this explains Jobs' "2005 is the year of HD" comment. Gotta say, though, I'm more excited about HD coming up in the next-generation of game consoles.

[Yossarian]

Ah, from Mac OS Rumors - in other words, direct from Ryan's crack pipe. MOSR isn't just the bottom of the barrel in the rumor marketplace, they're the moldy floor rotting under the barrel....

First, you have the current example of VOOM, the HD satellite system. People just aren't buying into it. By contrast, the iPod was an accessory to a wildly booming mp3 (pirate) market.

Secondly, the satellite vendors are going to be switching to advanced codecs like AVC (from MS) or H.264 (part of upgraded MPEG4). I suspect they can execute this switch much faster than Apple can build a whole new business, launch birds, sell set top boxes, etc. Unless, of course, they buy ailing VOOM and Tivo. Then they get a leg up. If that happens, all bets are off.

[HAL9000]

Ah, from Mac OS Rumors - in other words, direct from Ryan's crack pipe. MOSR isn't just the bottom of the barrel in the rumor marketplace, they're the moldy floor rotting under the barrel....

That's their reputation. But I can independently confirm that Steve Jobs has been considering satellite media distribution for a couple of years.

Unless, of course, they buy ailing VOOM and Tivo.

I could see Apple buying VOOM from Cablevision at a firesale price with a partner like - Sony.

[SunkenCiv]

Digital TV: What Are We Waiting For?
Erin Biba, Medill News Service
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,120155,00.asp

[snip] Broadcaster opposition, consumer confusion are slowing the transition from analog to digital... The FCC's timetable called for analog broadcasts to stop on December 31, 2006, but with the digital transition taking longer than anticipated, that date is likely to change. [unsnip]

Sounds like Apple will be well positioned. Since my analog TVs are going to need some sort of black box to feed them the new signal in a usable form, I guess I'll be getting a new computer in 2007. ;')

[Swordmaker]

I could see Apple buying VOOM from Cablevision at a firesale price with a partner like - Sony.

Or Disney... or Pixar... or all three.

[af_vet_rr]

Gotta say, though, I'm more excited about HD coming up in the next-generation of game consoles.

I saw a demonstration of this "Gran Turismo" game, on a Playstation2 on an HDTV.

I was fairly stunned. I hadn't realized just how far they've come (and the Playstation2 has been out for a few years, if I'm not mistaken).

[Terpfen]

Gran Turismo 4. It's alright, but Polyphony Digital (the game's creator) did some tricks regarding it. Officially, GT4 has a 1080i mode. In actuality, that mode is available only in races (not in menu screens or anything else), and it's only an upscaled 480p.

None of the current consoles have the power necessary to output good-looking games at anything above 480p.

The upcoming Xbox2's launch titles will be a pretty good demonstration of what HD can do--Microsoft is requiring every developer to support 720p and 5.1 Dolby Digital sound.

[af_vet_rr]

It looked incredible (even if it was upscaled). The 2005 Mustang the person was driving around, while not quite photo-realistic, looked good enough that I could tell what it was from quite far away.

If they have something like this now, I imagine that it will be photo-realistic in a few years. It made me want to get a Playstation2, just for this one game.

[Terpfen]

Well, go for it, if you want to.

Personally, I just think about how much better it could look if it was true 1080i, or even 1080p, and then I kind of lose my enthusiasm for the game's 1080i hack. Gran Turismo 5, on the PlayStation 3--now there's something that'll have a true 1080i mode.

And as for photorealism... I thought Max Payne 2 was much better in that department.