Apple VP: No current plans for TiVo-like Mac mini

Despite earlier assertions from other publications, Apple Computer is currently not interested in releasing a version of its Mac mini with digital video recording (DVR) capabilities, a high level company executive explained on Thursday.

Commenting on the company's new Intel-based Mac mini to USA Today's Jefferson Graham, Apple Senior Vice Present of Worldwide Marketing, Philip Schiller, squashed rumors of a Mac mini with built-in DVR capabilities.

Adding video recording functionality would have made the Mac mini too complicated, Schiller told the publication. "We're not trying to replace the TiVo," he said. "This is about taking the media from your computer and accessing it via the TV."

Those statements should enable TiVo to "breathe easier," says The Motley Fool's Tim Beyers. He believes Apple might have given TiVo a run for its money, but notes the newly announced Mac mini offers the most compelling evidence yet of the DVR pioneer's continued health and survival.

In the weeks leading up to January's Macworld, as well as Apple's late-Feb. media event, anticipation of a Mac mini with DVR integration ran extremely high due to a number of unsubstantiated Web and analyst reports.

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99 Comments

hmurchison

said about 18 years ago

Apple's not stating that they won't do a DVR. They are simply saying "don't expect the Mac mini to morph into a DVR"

This makes sense because a DVR circa 2007 should have. a. The right form factor. 17 inches wide with capable remote.

b. Cablecard 2.0 support for direct linking to CableCo service

c. Low cost dedicated chipset. There's a company that makes a low cost realtime h.264 encoder. Intel ICD/ICS chips are too expensive. You need focused hardware for a DVR not a general use CPU. I'd rather Apple make a DVR when the ingredients are there. And I think they will.

ecking

said about 18 years ago

They probably won't make a dvr because they have itunes and soon movies. Why would they want to make a dvr when people can buy tv show from them, and movies from them?

That being said if you need something like that a core duo mini and some sort of eyetv shouldn't be more expensive than a win media center pc anyways.

What I think apple should do is make the above combination in a deal with elgato and sell bundles as well as demo that at apple stores that way people that don't have downloads from itunes don't think they have to look elsewhere. Because many people don't know about eyetv and won't buy a mini at all thinking there is nothing for it.

onlooker

said about 18 years ago

This is Apples biggest FU¢K-UP in years.

What the people want, and what the people have to choose from are the worst of both worlds.

Obviously we like the Video iPod

Obviously we like the TIVO.

Best of both worlds. Bring back the Apple Cube with DVR, and be able to transfer your TV shows off the CUBE. Create Video compatible iPod movies that you missed because you need to go to bed before 24 comes on, and watch them on the subway, (or where ever) on your way to work, or in a plane. You could do this from within the CUBE I guess, but I would prefer transfer it to my PowerMac, and reduce it there instead. But you should be able to dock an iPod into the CUBE (Media CUBE), and it should encode your selections that you want in your iPod by the time your ready in the morning. YOu could preset the shows you want encoded for iPod and have them ready to load (or already loaded if you left it docked overnight) every morning when your ready to leave.

But now Apple is selling video from the iTMS so Mac users are now confined like Apple has never let them be before. It's not in Apples best interest to have a DVR because they are selling TV shows, but it is also not in the Mac users best interest to use a Mac if what I said above is what they want to do. Apple painted themselves into a corner, and they painted us in there with them. What a FU¢K-UP.

tenobell

said about 18 years ago

Quote:

This is Apples biggest FU¢K-UP in years.

Not really people need to peek their heads up from the internet and out into the real world. There really is not much of a viable DVR market right now.

Tivo is not a profitable company, they loose money most of the time, and barely break even at the best of times.

Microsoft is going to include Media Center with Vista because that's the only way they are going to sell. Extremely few people are actively buying a Windows Media Center. Most people that have bought it don't even know they did and don't use it.

On top of that Windows Media Center is not plug and play in the least. You have to go through a number of steps to synch everything up. From what I understand can be difficult for the average consumer to navigate.

What motivation does Apple have to enter a market that is not making much money?

onlooker

said about 18 years ago

Quote:

Originally posted by TenoBell
Not really people need to peek their heads up from the internet and out into the real world. There really is not much of a viable DVR market right now.

Tivo is not a profitable company, they loose money most of the time, and barely break even at the best of times.

Microsoft is going to include Media Center with Vista because that's the only way they are going to sell. Extremely few people are actively buying a Windows Media Center. Most people that have bought it don't even know they did and don't use it.

On top of that Windows Media Center is not plug and play in the least. You have to go through a number of steps to synch everything up. From what I understand can be difficult for the average consumer to navigate.

What motivation does Apple have to enter a market that is not making much money?

Tell me. How much money was in the MP3 player market before Apple entered it? It was dying. Apple made the market. Don't throw TIVO, and Microsoft Media Centers at me when you know that is totally irrelevant when it comes to Mac users, and Apple.

Apple just painted us in with them on this, and it was a fu¢k up on their part. I doubt they planned it, but they did it.