06-03-2008, 12:35 PM
One big stumbling block in my opinion is that the ATV itself is so content-free. Downloading or renting of movies and/or TV just isn't something that has broad acceptance right now outside of the "enthusiast" communities. That makes the ATV a lot like the pre-iTMS iPod, meaning you have to bring your own content.
This is a huge problem for both Apple and the ATV, because the vast majority of video content owned by potential customers is on DVDs. Apple is in no position to be telling people to go and rip their DVDs (not least because Jobs is effectively the CEO of Disney as well as Apple), which unlike ripping CDs is notionally illegal (insert fair use arguments here). And even if Apple did give everybody a nudge-nudge wink-wink to just go download Handbrake or Mac The Ripper, the ATV lacks the storage capacity for more than a small number of discs.
Now, an ATV (or better yet in my opinion, a Mini) plus a home server makes a pretty darn good living room appliance... but Apple doesn't have a home server option, and because of the above DVD limitations, until and unless downloading video hits the mainstream, all that is making the ATV something of an orphan product for the near future.
This is a huge problem for both Apple and the ATV, because the vast majority of video content owned by potential customers is on DVDs. Apple is in no position to be telling people to go and rip their DVDs (not least because Jobs is effectively the CEO of Disney as well as Apple), which unlike ripping CDs is notionally illegal (insert fair use arguments here). And even if Apple did give everybody a nudge-nudge wink-wink to just go download Handbrake or Mac The Ripper, the ATV lacks the storage capacity for more than a small number of discs.
Now, an ATV (or better yet in my opinion, a Mini) plus a home server makes a pretty darn good living room appliance... but Apple doesn't have a home server option, and because of the above DVD limitations, until and unless downloading video hits the mainstream, all that is making the ATV something of an orphan product for the near future.