It has been three days since the September 12 Apple announcement and I am quite surprised that despite the interest generated by the iTV announcement, few are talking about it’s most mysterious feature, the USB port which can be found on the back of the device.
Some have speculated that it could be used to connect a keyboard to the iTV. That could be the case, if Apple decided to convert the product into a game console or an Internet device. It is possible, but I do not believe that Apple is going in that direction, for now. There are other kinds of USB devices that make much more sense, my personal bet is TV tuners.
Within the Macintosh world there are two companies who have developed TV tuners for some time now, namely elgato and http://www.miglia.com/. It makes a lot of sense for Apple to leave this market to third parties, since there are so many incompatible ways to receive TV content today. In the U.S. for example, CableCard 2.0 is competing with conventional Analog TV as well as the new Digital TV designed to replace it by 2009. Making a single device that supports all standards is difficult and expensive. Then there is the problem of user experience. While it may be relatively easy to offer program guides in the U.S. and most of Europe, the situation may be different in other regions/countries where Apple operates. By not including the DVR functionality itself it can market the iTV the same way globally while they partner with others to offer TV tuner products locally.
So, why is the iTV more expensive than the eyeHome? That isn’t totally clear to me, but it would seem much cheaper if it included a 802.11n base station. After all, it includes an Ethernet adapter that could be used to connect to your cable modem or equivalent. This possibility has been discussed by many as Steve Jobs failed to mention what version of the standard they would be using. We will have to see, but the fact is that if I am right and the USB connector will be used to add third party TV tuners, suddenly it all makes sense and we all get what we had been waiting for. I would be really surprised if Apple hadn’t planned that all along. Why not announce it now, then? Well, I guess that Steve Jobs is already preparing it’s One more thing… speech for MacWorld. After all, the iTV announcement was meant for analysts, who needed to understand that Apple’s Movie strategy was aimed at the living room, much more than at the iPod, unlike it’s competitors.
September 15th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
Steve did mention connecting the iTV to your “set-top box.” He did not elaborate as to how or which boxes. Many set-top boxes have USB ports that are described as for future use.
September 15th, 2006 at 3:57 pm
You are right, set-top boxes have useless USB ports, but Apple is different. This would be a first for Apple to add something they do not plan tu use. Someone suggested that it could be used to add an iPod dock. I see that as a real possibility too.
September 15th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
What if the USB port is used for access to your ipod directly, just hook it up using your USB cable adapter.
September 15th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
That makes sense and is consistent with the rumors that appeared just before the launch of the Mac mini that suggested that Apple had planned to add an iPod dock to the computer. However, the way Steve Jobs talked about stacking the iTV with other electronic devices doesn’t seem to fit that scenario. You may be right, though.
September 15th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
…or, it could simply be for a wireless USB printer as is common on all the other Apple Wireless hubs.
September 15th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
the itv does not seem to have a hard drive, maybe you can connect a hard drive? is it USB2.0? store all your media there?
September 15th, 2006 at 10:31 pm
Hello.
I am a little bird.
Little bird says :
” There are many things about the thing you don’t know.
There are many things USB…
Some talk, some sing, some picture you and others
There is net in your home we will tap into.
Cables are already there or it wouldn’t work.
There is image and light beam ahead…”
September 16th, 2006 at 12:18 am
I think the iTV will serve as an 802.11 router and that the ethernet port will be for hooking to the DSL/Cable Modem and that the USB port will be for printer sharing just like in the current Airport Base Station. I’m sorry if that seems boring, but sometimes things aren’t always exciting.
September 16th, 2006 at 7:00 am
Yes, I too see it as a possible link to the media drive, in addition to the 802.11 service. If you notice the footprint, it seems similar to the Mac mini; perhaps those who were in attendance know better. If so, I could see one stacking a mini on top of this w/ a USB connection to provide the iTV w/ media content. Reports have shown that video media streaming via Airport Express is poor in comparison to hardline. Just my .02¢.
September 16th, 2006 at 8:56 am
The other thing it does it it keeps Apple friendly with all the other content providers. IF Apple made a DVR it would hurt their paid downloads business and their relationship with Studios. remember the Rip.Mix.Burn problems.
And as to connecting a hard drive. It’s possible but I believe you still need a mac to process the mp4, mp3 files and convert them into music. The iTV has no processor.
September 16th, 2006 at 10:23 am
Look, if the video feed goes one way, it can go both ways. You connect a keyboard to the iTV, boot up your actual workspace on your computer, and use the computer remotely. Word on your TV. Who the $%$# wants to do that? No idea. But it might be possible.
Same goes for those deriding the lack of HD and DVR capabilities. What’s to keep the video feed from streaming TO the computer for recording?
The USB port allows all the peripherals to make this a remote workstation. Over wireless. Crazy, but why not?
September 16th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
Even El Gato, and everyone working on this independently like Centerstage, they all present the solutions with missing pieces, even beyond the tuner and cable card conundrum. Which is why I have not bit yet for any of those solutions, because they are not solutions.
I think people want to be able to use their large Screen TV as a mac, which also happens to have the same functionality as a Tivo. An Apple set top box. However, Apple cannot suggest media being shuffled about so freely in hollywoods overprotective climate. So you get a hint at a streaming solution (I still suspect that apples iTVs will have minis, with an external drive, directly below them in many cases of actual use.
I also think the USB port can obviously be used for yet another obvious object…. an iPod.
There is also that built in hidden iPod Dock under the hood of Mac Minis, that is, a USB port in the top center under the apple logo of the top of the case.
September 17th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
I find it very hard to read your blog. The font size is too small and the sans-serif font makes it worse.
September 17th, 2006 at 9:49 pm
TV tuner (HDTV) is a good idea, but I don’t think the solution will be plugging it into the iTV. The iTV, like the airport express, will not do much on its own. It is made to work with a PC hosting the content. So, if they have support for TV, it will probably be through your PC (the Mac mini makes a great platform for this).
Also, much of the power of PC TV tuners is for DVR functions like recording or pausing. Since the iTV doesn’t have a hard drive, it wouldn’t be able to do those things.
I think the model will be more like that of MythTV, where you have a backend storing the content, hosting the tuners, etc. The frontend, where the user interaction takes place, and the display is done, can be a lightweight device.
September 18th, 2006 at 12:21 am
iSight sure is on back order for a long time now, would make sense at this point to finally bring it over to USB. Video Conferenceing?
iPod Dock makes sense, so does a slew of a million other devices. Apple realizes it made a killing with accessories for the iPod. Don’t you think they will have a million of them for the iTV as well. Heck a kereoke/mic comes to mind here.
I don’t see external Set-Top boxes though. They aren’t required to use USB, only firewire. I have played with the firewire recording and with the right software, it would be good, but you really need a fat pipe and some drive space. 802.11(n) isn’t going to do it. Sorry, but Apple has skipped convential media distribution. This is the future. It is the promised IPTV, but here today.
Why $300 you ask, well anyone consider the amount of buffer these things will have? Stream HD via WiFi, trust me, your going to want some memory buffer in there. Stuff like that adds-up.
September 18th, 2006 at 3:52 am
i think that the usb port is designed for an external harddrive, one of the features most talked about in mac osx leopard is time machine, the use of n spec wireless around the home will allow time machine to back up your computer to this harddrive connected to the itv box, wirelessly.
now take this one step further, time machine not only backs up the files created it also backs up your operating system, allowing network boots when your computer drops dead. for me though having all your media stored in this one place will mean you wont even haveto boot your computer to access your media itll be in the itv automatically.
no cd/ dvd drive is necessary as your computer has one, to allow media to be ripped to your computer then this will be sent to your ext hd connected to itv automatically.
i like the idea of the usb port being for tv tuners, and i can see this as a possibility, but it will mean that it wont have the fluid integration if it was an apple product from start to finish, i just think that apple tv is still a way off yet.
October 23rd, 2006 at 7:40 pm
[…] the USB connector may be used to add third party TV tuners, Keyboards, etc…suddenly it all makes sense and we all get what we had been waiting for. I would be really surprised if Apple hadn’t planned that all along. Why not announce it now, then? Well, I guess that Steve Jobs is already preparing it’s One more thing¦ speechread more | digg story […]