News, info, and opinion by Mac users, for Mac users.

March 3, 2006

hardware

Schiller says “No DVR for you”

Posted Mar. 3, ’06, 2:53 PM PT by Derik DeLong
Category | Hardware

TiVo My hopes and dreams for the Mac mini have been tied up in TiVo functionality being added to the computer. I want to add one as the total media solution for my living room, supplying music, photos, DVD playing, my own iMovies, and TV. I wouldn’t need anything else. I could add hard drives to add storage to grow the media center with me.

Those hopes were dashed by Apple’s Phil Schiller, quoted in a USA Today article.

Adding video recording functionality would have made the Mac Mini too complicated, says Phil Schiller, Apple senior vice president

“We’re not trying to replace the TiVo,” he says. “This is about taking the media from your computer and accessing it via the TV.”

Apple is clearly missing out on a big market by ignoring the DVR market. I could understand if they were holding off until they could figure out a way to access HD content from cable and dish providers in a user friendly way (whether it be a Cable Card or IR blaster solution), but not even attempting to move into a market that there is clear customer demand seems near sighted.

El Gato is going to be king for now. If only they had a TiVo-like interface for use with a TV.

[via Mac Observer]


4 Comments

PM said:

Remember when Steve Jobs said there wasn't a market for video on iPods?

March 3, 2006 5:42 PM
Ted said:

I just want to know when I will be able to stream video from iTunes to my TV via a new AirportExtreme Video adapter.....

March 3, 2006 5:47 PM
oliver said:

I'm more concerned with the fact that they still haven't made an airport express that does video (and boots into Front row).

I don't want a whole computer next to my TV. I'm never going to check my email or built a website from behind my TV. I only want to have access to my music/movies/photos. Surely I'm not alone in this.

March 3, 2006 11:53 PM
Dan Author Profile Page said:

The main reason we won't be seeing a DVR from Apple is because it would mean competing with themselves. Why provide people the option of recording their own TV when you're selling it at $1.99 a pop online? Sure, you can charge more of a one-time cost, but renewable income is oh so much better.

Along the same lines, with TV increasingly becoming a time-shifted (or even time free) activity, tying yourself to an antiquated distribution model like broadcast would be less than forward thinking for Apple. The future is TV on-demand, and Apple's already there as far as they're concerned. So, for the time you'll have to stick to third parties, like El Gato. From Apple, I'd look forward to something like what Oliver and Ted have suggested above. I'm rather surprised a video AirPort Express hasn't made an appearance yet, but I think it's only a matter of time.

March 4, 2006 8:09 AM

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