Steve Jobs wants to sit on your couch

[Boyd Ostroff]

http://yahoo.smartmoney.com/Techsmar...story=20051208

Does Intel's newfound friendship with Apple marginalize Microsoft? In a sense, yes. Especially since Microsoft's Media Center software has received a lukewarm reception at best. If Apple, having linked arms with Intel, is a success, "it would showcase how another vendor, by being focused on the customer experience, was able to be successful in a segment that Microsoft just hasn't been," says Enderle.

[Konrad Haskins]

OK I'm confused. When AMD overtook Intel in sales last quarter, it was reported that one of the reasons was that a new HP Media Center computer was a top seller. Dell is also making XP Media center a default choice on many PC's.

[Christopher Lefchik]

I don't want either Steve Jobs or Bill Gates sitting on my couch. I want my home theater components to just work. Computers are too complex for that. The more complex something is, the more likely it is that something will go wrong with it.

[Konrad Haskins]

Originally Posted by Christopher Lefchik

I don't want either Steve Jobs or Bill Gates sitting on my couch. I want my home theater components to just work. Computers are too complex for that. The more complex something is, the more likely it is that something will go wrong with it.

Good Luck! Content protection will make this interesting. There are reports of HDCP and HDMI not working across brands. Not to mention how will the yet to be finalized AACS work with HDMI or DVI-HDCP. $399 for a hacker box of questionable legality to convert DVI-HDCP to DVI for a DVI only display. How do you get protected content into a component only display???

The good news is I'm sure Steveb blew a gasket on Friday night when he got the call from Time Warner that Google had once again snatched what he wanted from him. FYI I worked for the evil empire for 5 years.

[Christopher Lefchik]

Originally Posted by Konrad Haskins

Good Luck! There are reports of HDCP and HDMI not working across brands.

Those are just connection standards, not entire components. Still, that kind of makes my point, in a way. With the coming of digital to home theaters comes additional complications, of which HDCP and HDMI are a part. Now, sure, there are benefits to the digital revolution. I like DVD players/recorders as much as anyone. But who needs to deal with maintaining an entire computer just for entertainment purposes? Not me. The last thing I want to see when I sit down to watch a program or movie is an error message when I try to boot up a computer.

[Konrad Haskins]

Originally Posted by Christopher Lefchik

Those are just connection standards, not entire components.

I understand what they are but if the connections don't work the components are worthless. Having a media center computer of some kind has value as more content is delivered online and I love my two DVRs. A buddy who still works at MS has media center and I see the value. Many rumors are the new miniMac will be a media center style unit.

[Jack Zhang]

The new iMac G5s seem really similar to a Media Center PC, it would be a media center mac if it could record TV.

http://www.apple.com/imac/

[Christopher Lefchik]

Originally Posted by Konrad Haskins

I understand what they are but if the connections don't work the components are worthless.

And media computers will solve that problem?

Originally Posted by Konrad Haskins

Having a media center computer of some kind has value as more content is delivered online and I love my two DVRs.

Most of the media content available online at this point isn't high enough quality to need the home theater treatment. In fact, playing it on a home theater system would probably be the worst thing that could happen to it, as all the compression problems would be painfully apparent.

DVR units are basically computers, but they only have to perform one task so they are less complex then a Windows or Mac computer.

Originally Posted by Konrad Haskins

A buddy who still works at MS has media center and I see the value. Many rumors are the new miniMac will be a media center style unit.

I still say computers are too unreliable at this point. Do you really want your DVD watching experience to be interrupted because the computer decided it was time to download and install the latest critical security updates? And there are myriad other big and little things that go wrong with computers every day, precisely because they are such complex beasts.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Well the nice thing is.... you don't have to buy one if you feel this way! I certainly don't plan to either. But I don't even own an iPod. Personally I think Apple will do very well with a "media center" type product, despite the issues that you raise.

[Christopher Lefchik]

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Well the nice thing is.... you don't have to buy one if you feel this way!

Certainly true!

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

I certainly don't plan to either. But I don't even own an iPod.

I don't own an iPod, either. (I have nothing against flash/hard drive personal media players. I just don't have a need for one.)

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Personally I think Apple will do very well with a "media center" type product, despite the issues that you raise.

Probably true.

[Joe Carney]

I get a lot of people asking me about which HDTV to buy..
I tell them if they have the room, get a relatively low cost 480p/1080i RPTV.
Most have both component, and HDMI connections , the newer ones are getting cable card slots which eliminate the need for a set top box. They always look surprised, then I tell them that that type of set handles the most popular formats and that a lot of confusion is coming down the road while manufacturers and Content creators work out their problems.

I tell them that with that particular setup they can wait for the sets that support more formats in their native resolution (480p,720p,1080i/p in one set) and for the prices to drop and the issues to be worked out. Otherwise they are going to spend a lot of money for something that could be obsolete in less than 2 years.

If they have their heart set on a $6K plasma that 'will not' be compatible with future copy protection schemes, I just smile, say have a good day and walk away.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Joe: did you perhaps post your message to the wrong thread?... trying to figure out what this has to do with media centers and Steve Jobs... :-)

Maybe you were thinking of this thread? http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...t=56193&page=2

[Joe Carney]

Sorry, meant to post in fake hdtv.
Could you move it over there? Thanks