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iFlix , Video iPod and H.264 (Speculation)
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NN, VA, 23602
Status:
Offline
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Alot of people have been talking lately about the idea of a video iPod. For most people such a device would not serve much of a purpose, its great to be able to play all your quicktime movies, but its Theatrical movies that everyone wants to watch and that Apple wants to sell (see iTunes Music Store) however up to now it has been nigh impossible because of the high bandwith cost of downloading and entire movie at decent quality (Close to 2 GB at 800 X 600)
So here is my idea.
Apple releases an app called iFlix (or some similar name) it is designed to organize all the movies on your HD. Anything that Quicktime can play it can play. It would also include some of the lesser QT Pro features (ability to save movies, full-screen playback). Theoretically release it as part of iLife '05.
This brings us to the video iPod and the iFlix Movie Store.
Relevant Video iPod specs:
60 GB iPod HD
400 X 240 4" Widescreen (see PSP)
Syncs via Firewire 400 and 800
10 hour Battery
Apple could never afford to allow people to download full length high quality movies... but at a mangeable size (400 X 240) they could probably using the scalability and increased quality of H.264 to get a file size for a full length movie to around 800- 900 MB. The files would play in the iFlix app but more importantly on the VideoPod. DRM would allow Apple to make sure that movies are limited to 3 versions of iFlix and one VideoPod. Apple could charge $3.99 for a one week rental or $8.99 to own the movie outright -- again all accomplished through the video version of Fairplay DRM. So in theory such a device could play 4 movies before battery concerns and hold about 50 movies. More than enough for a plane ride, train, ride etc.
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iMac Core 2 Duo 20" 2.16 Ghz //1.5 GB RAM // 250 GB HD
Powerbook G4 1.25 Ghz // 1 GB RAM // 80 GB HD // Backlit Keyboard
iPod Video 30 GB / White
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Manchester, UK
Status:
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Nice idea, but I don't think there will be the demand.
Most people don't have enough time to watch movies, but with music they can do it at the same time as something else.
While it might be useful on a long flight I don't think the market is big enough to get enough sales of the hardware or films.
I can't really see people wanting to watch a small low res version of a film on their Mac when they can rent the DVD for less.
I would not buy one.
Ian
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Computers - Au MacBook 2.4Ghz, iMac 24" 2.8Ghz Core 2 Duo
iPods - 5GB original iPod, 4GB nano - Red, 1GB 2G shuffle - Silver, 4GB 3G Shuffle - Black, 16GB touch, 16GB nano Red, 16GB iPhone 3G.
OSX User Since Public Beta, current OS 10.6.1, iTS UK purchases - 5377 songs.... and growing!
My website - www.idparkinson.co.uk
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: fredericksburg va
Status:
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I would buy, price dependant, this could be my iPod normally and a video server for the kids while on road trips for instance (I have been thinking about adding a dvd system to the family car, this would take the cake for me)
people could have all kinds of different uses for this, add the ability to accept flash memory for photo storage and the functionality es even greater as a storage medium and photo viewer
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