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March 14, 2008

apple_tv

Apple TV DVR patent; an upcoming “Take 3” or just deleted scenes?

Posted Mar. 14, ’08, 10:00 AM PT by Aayush Arya
Category | Apple TV

Apple TV DVR patentA recently uncovered patent filed by Apple in October 2006 reveals that the company might have been planning DVR (Digital Video Recorder) like functionality for the Apple TV.

The detailed filing shows an iPod nano-esque remote that would allow the user to program data for upcoming shows while on the commute. On returning home, it could be synchronized with the Apple TV, which would record the shows accordingly. Or something like that.

The Apple TV itself would have either a Mac OS X like Dock or a menu like the one in Front Row that would allow the user to perform various functions such as recording live television and searching for content, both among the channel listings and on the iTunes Store.

As with every Apple patent uncovering, the rumor web is abuzz with theories of how this could be Apple’s next step—an Apple TV “Take 3”, if you will. However, this blogger begs to differ. To me, it looks like an idea they might have toyed with first but one that was replaced with the Apple TV’s current iteration.

Given the rave reviews all around and the general feeling of contentment among consumers, I don’t think Apple would want to jeopardize the revenue stream they’ve crafted out of the device. Like a wise man once said, why fix something that aint broke!

If you aren’t planning to purchase an Apple TV, would Apple’s turning it into a DVR be likely to change your decision? Or if you already own the device, is DVR capability something you’ve been longing for? Let us know in the comments.


11 Comments

fletcher Author Profile Page said:

Rave reviews? General feeling of contentment? I must say I can't see the point of the Apple TV product at this time. I'd like to come up with a reason to buy one, but I just can't see how the money is worth it.

If iTunes were price competitive with RedBox ($1/day rentals), had as deep a catalog as NetFlix, or even had a more comprehensive collection of television shows then it would be more compelling. DVR would be very compelling. Otherwise, it feels like I'm buying in to a relatively expensive, feature limited, limited content ecosystem.

Compare with my iPod. iTunes has an amazing music catalog which continues to grow. iTunes is price competitive at $10/album and $1/track. And I ripped my entire CD collection in to start. I just don't see the AppleTV winning in any particular area.

March 14, 2008 10:26 AM
nwmike said:

My family are Apple TV lovers. We put all of our DVD's, music and Podcasts on the thing and we can stream any of that content to any TV we have the APple TV's connected to. The 160GB is in our living-room and 40's are on the upstairs and downstairs SD TV's. It's great. We have Tivo and FiOS TV so if we really want something off of there on the other TV's we just download it to the Mac and convert it. Now we don't have any CD's or DVD's cluttering up our living space, we never have to search for missing discs and the kids can't break/lose them. We are very happy with our Apple TV's. The ability to do DVR doesn't really matter to me. At this point anyway.

March 14, 2008 10:52 AM
Peter said:

The future for me would be what I can replace my tape vcr with.

Whatever station I'm on, I can just hit record and away we go. Input a recording start/finish time and away we go.

I don't care about the quality as much as most, I just want it to record.

I hardly use it anyway, pure convenience. My wife wants to watch one thing, I want to watch another. I go to another TV, record it, then watch it later.

That's it for me.

March 14, 2008 11:35 AM
Anonymous said:

I have DVR through my satellite provider in HD so I don't need that functionality.

I have streaming photos and music with my PS3, so I don't need that functionality.

I rent 1080p Blu-ray movies from Blockbuster, so I don't need to rent 720p movies from Apple for the same price.

I don't need an Apple TV.

March 14, 2008 11:46 AM
Plan K said:

I held off on buying EyeTV until after Jobs' keynote this year because I was sure he would announce DVR capability in the Apple TV 2.0. He didn't, so I got EyeTV and hooked it up to my computer.

In my setup, EyeTV records TV to my computer's hard drive, then they are automatically converted into a file that will play on the Apple TV, then that version automatically syncs to my Apple TV connected to my television upstairs.

However, it takes a lot of time for that file to convert to be used on Apple TV, plus that file is compressed, so the quality is not as good as it could be.

Don't get me wrong, EyeTV is great, but it just seems that an EyeTV-like DVR device that would attach to the Apple TV (say, via the mysterious USB "service" port) or be included in the next iteration of Apple TV, would be better.

My way of recording TV shows via EyeTV is simply too nerdy to be adopted widely. Jobs said one reason the first version of Apple TV "failed" was because people did not want to have to use their computers to get content on their TV. It was easier to do it all at the TV. Now you can rent movies and buy music and TV shows from iTunes from your TV. And I think coming generations of Apple TV (hopefully next year's) will include capability where you can record TV from where you most likely watch it--your TV.

March 14, 2008 12:58 PM
Farhan Author Profile Page said:

I already own and AppleTV, so the added DVR functionality would be good to have; but I don't have much use for it now.

My primary use of the AppleTV is ripping my own stuff (using Handbreak) and having it available at a touch of a button. As for the iTunes Store, the only shows I get from it are: The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and Family Guy (and now maybe Futurerama).

iTS rental service is good and HD quality is great; but I find NetFlix much cheaper; but the convinence of AppleTV+iTS Rental is really tempting.

March 14, 2008 1:59 PM
Len Banks said:

If Apple TV would have had DVR to begin with I would have definitely bought it!!! In fact I chose not to solely because it didn't. I want a device that takes media both directions. I have instead gone to TiVo with the Toast utility that brings content from the DVR to be edited on my computer and made portable. I can also listen to all my iTunes and view photos from my computer in my AV system. In my book Apple TV missed it and now that I have invested heavily in TiVo, I won't be switching any time soon if Apple TV does include DVR.

March 14, 2008 10:45 PM
Dave-O said:

Since DVR functionality would be a hardware upgrade, it would be Apple TV version 2 (or 2nd draft to maintain the metaphor) rather than Take 3.

If Apple went this route (I think the thought of dealing with Satellite set top boxes, Cable CARDs, and proprietary signals make it unlikely), it would have one significant advantage over TiVo--Apple Stores. When the hard drive in my TiVo failed, I was able to replace it only with the help of a friend who has the same model and a PC (you can't do it on a Mac, key software is not available). If I could have taken it to an Apple Store, I would have been so much happier.

March 14, 2008 11:41 PM
Anonymous said:

This would, actually, push me to buy an AppleTV! I currently use a ReplayTV, and can't think of watching tv without it. I have been considering going with TIVO for the HD ability. If Apple could combine the ability to view various video formats from our computers on the HDTV in the front room with the ability to time shift, and zip through the commercials, I would purchase it immediately. It would need the ability to use MCards (CableCards 2.0) to obtain cable access. If so, sign me up!!!

March 15, 2008 6:29 PM
Anonymous said:

My family loves the Apple TV, but many of my friends and colleagues are still luke-warm on the device for lack of features. These are the following that I'd like to see:

- Internet Radio (so we can finally put our stereo away!)
- DVR (why not, the device is perfectly placed in the living room, and making this a smoother TIVO would go a long way to convincing new users)
- Ability to play Keynote files directly from the CPU client (awesome for commercial application.)
- Remote DVD connection (like the MacBook air) allowing you to play DVD's on the computer (if you're not wanting/waiting to rip)
- Built in blue-ray would be another slam-dunk (even as a similar slim device that sits under the Apple TV, connected with the USB cable.)

Anyway, that's my few cents. Short answer *yes* a DVR function would be awesome and I know that it would make the device a hot possibility.

March 16, 2008 9:08 AM
John Boatwright said:

DVR would push me into buying one (assuming of course it is implemented well and not crippled in some way).

As it is now I just don't see it as a useful device. Too many cheaper options exist for renting movies.

March 16, 2008 2:15 PM

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