Comments on: Mac Mini TiVo http://www.command-tab.com/2006/03/04/mac-mini-tivo/ Technology and Mac geekery. One part exuberance, two parts obsession. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:30:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Aaron http://www.command-tab.com/2006/03/04/mac-mini-tivo/#comment-13677 Aaron Mon, 03 Apr 2006 17:13:47 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=267#comment-13677 Apple did TV way back when {AppleTV, 5200-6500PPCs] not sure if they will want to go back to this type of functionality in there current line up?? But My PPC 5500 PVR works great! Here is an article from oreilly's on Building a Mac PVR: http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2005/01/26/hacktv.html Apple did TV way back when {AppleTV, 5200-6500PPCs] not sure if they will want to go back to this type of functionality in there current line up??

But My PPC 5500 PVR works great!

Here is an article from oreilly’s on Building a Mac PVR:

http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2005/01/26/hacktv.html

]]> By: Jamison http://www.command-tab.com/2006/03/04/mac-mini-tivo/#comment-13676 Jamison Mon, 03 Apr 2006 14:58:41 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=267#comment-13676 Making a mac into a DVR seems the wrong way to go about this. Tivo keeps getting held up as an example, and I really miss Tivo, but they are having a hard time competing against cable companies who bundle DVR service for just a few more dollars a month than normal service. And would Apple want to get into this kind of monthly service? Any monthly service charge, or requiring a .mac membership would be a barrier. What seems more likely is Apple letting you control a stand alone DVR through Front Row, not much different than how Front Row brings together media stored locally as well as shared iTunes and iPhoto libraries and trailers off the iTunes store today. As csipod pointed out many digital cable and DVR boxes have firewire out and I've been told with a couple hacks you can get video off of the Comcast DVR to watch on a mac so it doesn't seem so much further to add this directly into Front Row in the video section. Even better would be to setup and program your DVR through Front Row or even watch live TV through the box. This could be very appealing to cable companies and Tivo if they see it as a way to bring in more DVR users (since you'd still have to have their box and pay for their service) and Apple would only have to build and support the application, not the service. Making a mac into a DVR seems the wrong way to go about this. Tivo keeps getting held up as an example, and I really miss Tivo, but they are having a hard time competing against cable companies who bundle DVR service for just a few more dollars a month than normal service.

And would Apple want to get into this kind of monthly service? Any monthly service charge, or requiring a .mac membership would be a barrier.

What seems more likely is Apple letting you control a stand alone DVR through Front Row, not much different than how Front Row brings together media stored locally as well as shared iTunes and iPhoto libraries and trailers off the iTunes store today.

As csipod pointed out many digital cable and DVR boxes have firewire out and I’ve been told with a couple hacks you can get video off of the Comcast DVR to watch on a mac so it doesn’t seem so much further to add this directly into Front Row in the video section.

Even better would be to setup and program your DVR through Front Row or even watch live TV through the box.

This could be very appealing to cable companies and Tivo if they see it as a way to bring in more DVR users (since you’d still have to have their box and pay for their service) and Apple would only have to build and support the application, not the service.

]]> By: csipod http://www.command-tab.com/2006/03/04/mac-mini-tivo/#comment-13525 csipod Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:17:05 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=267#comment-13525 Actually, Mac Mini's have firewire ports, and most modern digital cable boxes have firewire out. So technically you can connect your cable box to your mini and download a DVR/PVR solution. For the price I think they're wonderful. Actually, Mac Mini’s have firewire ports, and most modern digital cable boxes have firewire out. So technically you can connect your cable box to your mini and download a DVR/PVR solution.

For the price I think they’re wonderful.

]]> By: Christopher Williams http://www.command-tab.com/2006/03/04/mac-mini-tivo/#comment-13114 Christopher Williams Mon, 06 Mar 2006 06:49:53 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=267#comment-13114 I agree that Apple will skip the DVR capabilities and go staright to internet delivery. It also makes no sense for Apple to convert their low-end, budget machine into a high priced living room appliance. Adding in DVR and HD inputs would raise the price of the mini even further than it has already traveled, effectively eviscerating Apple's low cost line of computers. And installing software to stream ready-made digital content, like Front Row, is cheap, especially since they're installing it on all new Macs, and can keep the cost of the mini low(er). Today I installed Front Row on my original mini via a hack. It's great. You can read about installing Front Row on an unsupported Mac, and the direction of the mini at http://www.macademic.net I agree that Apple will skip the DVR capabilities and go staright to internet delivery.

It also makes no sense for Apple to convert their low-end, budget machine into a high priced living room appliance. Adding in DVR and HD inputs would raise the price of the mini even further than it has already traveled, effectively eviscerating Apple’s low cost line of computers.

And installing software to stream ready-made digital content, like Front Row, is cheap, especially since they’re installing it on all new Macs, and can keep the cost of the mini low(er).

Today I installed Front Row on my original mini via a hack. It’s great. You can read about installing Front Row on an unsupported Mac, and the direction of the mini at http://www.macademic.net

]]> By: Collin http://www.command-tab.com/2006/03/04/mac-mini-tivo/#comment-13007 Collin Sun, 05 Mar 2006 22:21:10 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=267#comment-13007 That's true. They might want to adopt a subscription model for TV. Although, I know many people who wouldn't like that. That’s true. They might want to adopt a subscription model for TV. Although, I know many people who wouldn’t like that.

]]> By: Derik http://www.command-tab.com/2006/03/04/mac-mini-tivo/#comment-13006 Derik Sun, 05 Mar 2006 22:02:56 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=267#comment-13006 It would be great to get all your content out of the iTMS, but at $2 a pop, if you watch more than a couple shows, it's more expensive than cable. It's too expensive as it is, no matter how you slice it. It would be great to get all your content out of the iTMS, but at $2 a pop, if you watch more than a couple shows, it’s more expensive than cable. It’s too expensive as it is, no matter how you slice it.

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