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Reggie Fowler · Jan 9, 2008, 10:16 AM

Will Apple announce at MacWorld an Apple TV with built in Blu-Ray. First, we would be able to edit high definition movies on your computer and then sync to our HD TV's. Second, right now nobody owns a blu-ray player. Do you? Exactly! Well, if Apple should offer blu-ray in Apple TV (and you figure people are only going to puchase 1 of these players in the near future), then I believe AppleTV would sell like hotcakes to Apple users. I'm going to purchase a blu-ray within the next 2 years. I would do so early (as in now) if Apple offered it. Otherwise i'm going to wait and purchase someone else's. So AppleTV could be HUGE if it had built in Blu-Ray. People need a great reason to purchase AppleTV and having Blu-Ray could be it!

Visnaut · Jan 9, 2008, 11:09 AM

Apple making a blu-ray player makes about as much sense as them making a portable cd player. They want to lock you into the AppleTV/iPod/iTunes ecosystem, not give you ways out.

Don't get me wrong, it'd be nice if they did, we all know they'd make an awesome, slick player. I personally wish they would make a DVR and/or a media deck that controls or interfaces with all your home theatre equipment, and let you control it through the Apple Remote. Imagine being able to browse through your input sources through CoverFlow, for example.

But alas, Apple wants to be the whole widget, not tie competing devices or technologies together. Apple and Microsoft both understand that the future of content delivery is online, and thus are trying to secure distribution deals with studios. In a world where customers are becoming used to buying music online, it's much easier to convince them into buying movies online, rather than having to pick between expensive Blu-Ray or HD-DVD players.

Reggie Fowler · Jan 9, 2008, 01:00 PM

The blu-ray would be built into AppleTV, hence you are purchasing AppleTV.

It wasn't an either or question. They are lumped together into one unit. That's how they sell millions of AppleTV!

Visnaut · Jan 9, 2008, 02:01 PM

Yeah, I understood you the first time. The point remains, however, that the ability to play Blu-Ray discs on the AppleTV does nothing to support the iTunes ecosystem, which is the concept of the device in the first place. It extends the content in your iTunes library to your TV.

If being a top-notch media player was a priority for Apple, they would have added a DVD player to the first version of the device for next to nothing. Fact is though, they didn't.

When Apple adds the ability to buy and rent full HD movies from your couch (yes, when, not if) then what would be the point of the blu-ray player? I see Apple as going after a different market; one who's already used to buying music on iTunes, and doesn't so much care for the blu-ray/hddvd battle currently raging.

ajprice · Jan 9, 2008, 04:04 PM

PS3's will be able to copy a Blu Ray film onto a PSP. Could be possible for Apple TV to do a similar thing to its hard drive or an iPod.

Blu-Ray: Sony Blu-ray-to-PSP Movie Transfer Gets Official

analogue SPRINKLES · Jan 10, 2008, 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by ajprice

PS3's will be able to copy a Blu Ray film onto a PSP. Could be possible for Apple TV to do a similar thing to its hard drive or an iPod.

Blu-Ray: Sony Blu-ray-to-PSP Movie Transfer Gets Official

Upcoming Fox DVD's already have an iPod compatible version on the disk.

SirCastor · Jan 10, 2008, 12:48 PM

I don't think that Apple is going to stick a BluRay player into the AppleTV. Like Visnaut said, it takes you out of Apple's control and into a larger group, which has never been Apple's game. I think if anything like this, they would allow you to play a blu-ray disc streamed from your Airport Base-station connected Mac to you AppleTV. I do like the Blu-ray to iPod idea though.

Reggie Fowler · Jan 10, 2008, 01:50 PM

How many Apple Users exist? Well, that's how many would purchase AppleTV if they installed a blu-ray player. Every apple user will purchase a blu-ray player in the next few years, and as an apple user....why purchase Brand X, when Apple has one that does so much more than blu-ray

-Q- · Jan 10, 2008, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Reggie Fowler

Every apple user will purchase a blu-ray player in the next few years, and as an apple user....why purchase Brand X, when Apple has one that does so much more than blu-ray

No they won't. The worst thing to happen to the industry was this prolonged 'battle' between HD-DVD and Blu-ray. It's stalled consumer adoption and the era of physical distribution of DVDs may be on the outs. MIght not happen immediately, but I sincerely doubt we'll see the same adoption rates for Hi Def DVD players as we did the original player (one of the fastest and most widely-adopted consumer electronic devices in history).

DVD feels first sting of slipping sales - USATODAY.com

MacDailyNews - As HD DVD goes limp, porn producers ogle Blu-ray

mathew_m · Jan 11, 2008, 05:10 PM

I think they will shrink the AppleTV down to the size of the current Airport Express, lose the hard drive all together and charge $99. They will then add a remote control app to the iPhone/iPod Touch. So instead of using your tv to search through your media you'll use your iPhone/iPod Touch. Media could be stored on your iPod/Phone or your main computer. Everything would be wi-fi.

The AppleTV as it is doesn't make much sense for anyone who has cable or Dish with a built in DVR. However if they were to make it cheaper and even dumb down some of the features making it essentially a media viewer instead of a mini without an optical drive it would make more sense and probably sell a lot more.

Regarding Blu-ray: it's coming but will probably be introduced with the next iMac revision. As it is for this month's MacWorld the focus is going to be on delivering content wirelessly. Also expect an announcement that we'll see the studios releasing iPod/iPhone versions of movies and tv shows with the DVD. The studios need to boost sagging DVD sales and it would be nice to not have to rip everything with Handbreak. That along with the new iTunes rental store. Just give us DVD quality please.

vmarks · Jan 11, 2008, 06:27 PM

The problem Apple has is this:

The iPod and iTunes adoption was in part driven by Rip. Mix. Burn.

There is no video equivalent that Apple can advertise for video.

There is no video ripping in iTunes. Perhaps with the Fox discs, they can look for that first and offer to import the ipod compatible file into iTunes as they do to import CDs. But that's not widely available yet.

EmericanPatriot · Jan 12, 2008, 12:11 AM

AppleTV is one of the biggest ripoffs in apple's inventory right now, they can improve the AppleTV all they want but unless they lower the price substantially it's not going to be worth it in my opinion.

AppleGirl1990 · Jan 12, 2008, 09:28 AM

If Apple releases a new AppleTV with a built-in TV tuner or Blu-ray at MacWorld, what happens to all the current AppleTV users? They would be forced to purchase new ones. I always figured the only thing that would change over time with AppleTV is the processor speed and the hard drive space. For current users, this would be horrible since the first version was basically a flop, i.e, a waste of hard earned money.

I do believe a new AppleTV will be announced at MacWorld, and I hope that current owners can do a software update to access all the new features (not a hardware upgrade)

Does Apple really expect current AppleTV owners to throw away their current models and purchase a new one???

vmarks · Jan 12, 2008, 10:52 AM

The idea of upgrading the machine isn't out of the question.

The AppleTV is a good value -if- you have video content for it.

That's the problem I highlighted - for a lot of users, there's no good way to get video into it, and iTunes doesn't currently have the video to make it a good expense.

I've been severely tempted to get an AppleTV, but I recognize that in my house, I will need two of them if I'm going to do it right. I also know that I'm frugal (read: cheap) and I'm going to end up buying used 40GB units, with the expectation that at least in the early stages of this device, Apple is going to software upgrade them to do most (not all) that a newly released device can do.

Cadaver · Jan 13, 2008, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by AppleGirl1990

Does Apple really expect current AppleTV owners to throw away their current models and purchase a new one???

You must be new here.

k squared · Jan 13, 2008, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by mathew_m

...The AppleTV as it is doesn't make much sense for anyone who has cable or Dish with a built in DVR. However if they were to make it cheaper and even dumb down some of the features making it essentially a media viewer instead of a mini without an optical drive it would make more sense and probably sell a lot more...

I don't understand what you mean here. I have cable, a DVR, and Apple TV.

I don't have a DVD player.

I bought the Apple TV to store movies and every episode of several TV series box sets I own. Having 90 episodes of the West Wing at your fingertips is worth the price -- to me anyway -- of not having to change DVD's every time I want to view a particular show.

anthology123 · Jan 14, 2008, 02:32 PM

Does not make sense for Apple TV to have a DVR player. Apple has based its viewing strategy on not having to make a time schedule to record stuff. If you want to watch a show, you just download it and watch it. If they made the show available immediately after it was aired, then that is the advancement.
Blu-ray doesn't make sense. Then they would have to compete against the Blu-ray market of players out there, plus people will be trying their hardest to crack the AppleTV to rip BD and they are not going down that road. It makes sense for the Mac computer to have BD, then stream to the AppleTV.