Too many limitations,

Unfortunately, the Apple TV is completing with Media Center, and for whatever reasons Apple TV doesn't have all the features people want. I can only imagine these limitations placed on them by external forces for them NOT to have some sort of DVR built into it. Adding that feature would have sold me on it for sure.

Add some Tivo intigration, Tivo to go like and some recording / capturing feature. One shop stop.

Apple TV is is an incomplete idea. It needs dvr functionality, cable card slot/s, and 1080P to make it a product that consumers will truly understand.

The state of the AppleTV is 100% due to Apple failing to give a crap about it. Sure, it's a tough sell considering this is basically a BYOS (Bring Your Own Screen) iPod. But did they even try doing what was necessary to make this thing enticing to anyone other than the highest level of Mac enthusiasts?

While I love the things it CAN do, I absolutely hate it for what it CAN'T. And with the Xbox 360 now offering DivX/XviD support then not only does the Xbox give us total codec support, it also plays games.

I have no interest in being a "gamer" but I'm very tempted to selli the AppleTV and buy an Xbox purely for streaming video. Heck, it beats being a guinea pig for what Apple deems to be a dead "hobby".

(Yes, I've tried unlocking it but for weeks I've gotten nowhere. Maybe Apple should just quit being so tight with these ignored products and just unlock the darn thing so it can do what it's capable of doing.)

I have one but don't find myself using it very often.
I have a decent stereo system and it's an easy way to play music .
Visitors love looking at full screen photos. Every visitor thinks it's incredible.


Would I buy it again? Yes!



What's missing:
...HDTV

I considered the Apple TV. For about 10 seconds. And then I sold my Series2 TiVo's and got me some HD Series3 lovin' going on in my bedroom (TiVo HD) and living room (Series 3 HD).

With Amazon Unbox and the new offerings TiVo keeps rolling out (Music Choice, DesktopToGo, etc.), the Apple TV fades further and further away in the rearview mirror of choices.

I agree with this. I've been saying the same thing. Apple hasn't done anything with the ATv to make its purchase meaningful. They did increase the size of the HDD, and update the firmware, but that's not much.

They also have to learn to play nice with their content suppliers, like it or not.

My wife buys the occasional show. But, in some cases, she now watches the commercially sponsored versions, as they are not on iTunes. Whether we are happy about it or not, people are used to watching commercials. If they can learn to do that with internet offerings, then the pay sites, like iTunes, will have a hard time of it.

I think we can all suspect that the other Tv companies are closely watching what is happening with NBC, and Universal. If they look to be making a success of it, Apple might see more follow their example. And, actually, some of the companies who do sell content on iTunes are already following their example.

Apple better get its ass in gear. What they have to understand, is that internet sales are still a very small portion of the content company's total income. While that remains true, they can experiment, and leave, with little loss to themselves. If Apple sees its way to understanding their needs, sales may rise to the point where they can't as easily leave.

As these companies are either charging no more than Apple is, or offering content for free, ad supported or not, we can see that price is not really the entire issuecontrol is. no business wants to have its pricing controlled by its retailers. It just doesn't happen.

Hmm let's see what went wrong here...

iTunes video is low-quality & too expensive. Plus watching video is more of a commitment than listening to music. It requires your attention, unlike music. Not to mention that a TV show lasts 22 minutes or more, whereas a song lasts roughly 4 minutes. For this reason, it's unrealistic for people to want to own video, as there's less time to watch it. Renting is the obvious answer to this problem. Cheaper and less committal.

Then there's aTV. TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE! For that price it should have a DVD player, and/or DVR. I know those technologies compete with the iTS, but it would still mean extra $$ in Apple's pocket. With the iTS video aisle the way it is, I'd say screw it and include these technologies. If Apple had a DVR that could capture and export to iTunes quickly and easily, so that you could upload to your iPhone or iPod........ now THAT would be a technology worth purchasing.

aTV and the iTS video section are both failures in my eyes.

I would've liked to have had an aTV too... except I'm resorting to a Mini so I can have DVR.

-Clive

Why does AI keep posting this Apple Bashing tripe from a known Apple Bashing hate group?

Let's see, they pulled an arbitrary number out of their ass and now they jump all over Apple because they didn't meet this number?

How freaking simplistic can you be?

Edit: Why don't we revisit Forrester and their past fiascos? Anyone remember the doom and gloom that Itunes was dead? This group has less than Zero credibility!