iPod Video Thread - (speculation, rumours etc.)

[fjdouse]

I wonder how many people will be choking down humble pie?

"it's never going to happen" "bla bla bla"

I think it's a tad expensive, it doesn't appeal to me, I'd go for another media player...

 

[fryke]

I might even go for it as a music player. Ain't really that expensive, if you look at the older iPods' prices, is it?

 

[Lt Major Burns]

I wonder how many people will be choking down humble pie?

"it's never going to happen" "bla bla bla"

I think it's a tad expensive, it doesn't appeal to me, I'd go for another media player...

a tad expensive??! it's the same price as the ipod! it's cheaper than the first ipod! it's cheaper than the ipod photo!

what other media player could you possibly get that would be better?

 

[gphillipk]

I wish Apple did something PSP'ish; the present screen size is simply not for watching movie clips. I thought they were pushing the envelope when they expected people to view photos on that screen, let alone movie clips.

 

[fryke]

Not all technology is perfect for everyone's needs, of course. I think they're doing good to start 'small'. Let's see how those TV shows sell. Let's see how the iPods sell (I think they're going to be big...). I'm sure Apple will not say "This is the video iPod, we ain't gonna improve that". It'd be stupid to assume that. On the other hand, they probably don't want to offer TV series in several resolutions, ONE resolution is the goal, I guess. So it'll probably stay like this for at least some time.

The other problem is that an iPod with a big wide screen might just not look like an iPod anymore, and might profit less from the iPod's iconic status. We'll see.

Btw.: I wonder why people around the 'net are calling this thing a "wide screen". Wider than the earlier iPod's maybe, but also higher. 4:3 it is, and I think that's definitely going to change with later video iPods.

 

[Lt Major Burns]

this is *not* an iPod Video. it is an iPod music player, that got the photo feature so they could bump up to colour screens. now they have a video feature to show that they aren't behind the curve. it isn't a video ipod. it's an ipod that *can* play video. that much must be stressed here. all the news sites are backing apple in this decision. video is just not viable yet, as there is just not enough content, realistically. DVD's take FAR too long to rip with todays technology.

 

[applewhore]

Perhaps I'm missing the point, but I just downloaded the music video "American Idiot" to test it out on my PowerBook... When I tried to play it in "full screen" mode it's awful...

Would it be the same if used it on one of the new iPods with connections to a TV? I thought this was the whole point?

I certainly don't want to watch a window within a TV screen... I want to watch a full screen program.

I like the idea but I hate the screen resolution... Here's hoping that I might be wrong about all this?!?

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Fist of all, your monitor and your TV set have DRASTICALLY different resolutions, unless you have an HDTV (and even then there's a big difference). The size of the screen isn't what's making the video look crappy -- it's the resolution at which you're playing it. I would suspect that the iTunes videos would look much better on a non-HD TV than they would full-screen on a monitor, even at 800x600. Your non-HD TV has approximately 525 "lines" of resolution (no matter if it's a 19" TV or a 60" TV), and all of those aren't even used for the picture. Your monitor, if newer and larger than 15", is probably run at a minimum resolution of 1024x768 if not more.

The video from the iPod will not be super-duper quality on a TV, but it will look many times better than full-screen video on your monitor.

In short, comparing the video quality on a monitor to the video quality on a TV is like comparing how your finger would cut through a steak to how a knife would cut through a steak. Completely different scope.

DVD's take FAR too long to rip with todays technology.

Although there is software out there that allows you to rip a DVD to your hard drive, it is still not a completely legal thing to do. It's a gray area in terms of legality. Apple simply will not enter a market that is "gray" until there are defined boundaries, either established by them or someone else -- and even if they do enter the market of feature-length video, they will most definitely not mention anything about DVD ripping or copying or use of on the iPod.

 

[fryke]

320*240 is more or less VHS, or if that tells you more, VCD quality. It's not good, but it's not _totally_ useless either.

 

[Lt Major Burns]

Although there is software out there that allows you to rip a DVD to your hard drive, it is still not a completely legal thing to do. It's a gray area in terms of legality. Apple simply will not enter a market that is "gray" until there are defined boundaries, either established by them or someone else -- and even if they do enter the market of feature-length video, they will most definitely not mention anything about DVD ripping or copying or use of on the iPod.

the legality issue is that of ripping cds. its a copyright issue, and one we went through 5 years ago with cds. the outcome is, that it is completley legal to rip your music to your computer. it's illegal to do it with someone elses, it's then classed as theft, and is therefore illegal.

the same for dvd's. if you own them, then they are yours, and you have payed the copyright on them. what you do with them for your own personal use is then up to you. you could smear jam on them and stick them to your forehead, if you wanted to. just don't distribute them beyond the legal bounds.

the problem, i can see, is only the pain in the arse ripping them. it took roughly 5 hours to put a dvd in and be left with a movie file that was usable. that file was huge.

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

No, that is wrong. A law that covers audio CDs does not automatically extend to DVDs. The CD-ripping thing has been through the courts and a ruling has been made on the legality of it. DVD-ripping has not.

Music is governed and overseen by a completely different group than movies and DVDs are (RIAA vs. MPAA) in the states.

You do not "own" the content on a CD nor a DVD. You own a license to use the content on the disc in restricted manners, and that's it. At any point in time your license to use the content can be revoked by certain authorities.

The only thing you physically "own" concerning CDs and DVDs is the actual media that the content is "burned" on. You do not "own" the content itself.

Just because it's legal to rip a CD does not make it legal to rip a DVD. DVD ripping is still a gray area, not really legal or illegal at the moment. One of the main points of this is that the DMCA makes it VERY clear that it is 100% illegal to circumvent copy protection of digital media of any kind. Ripping a commercial DVD that has Macrovision and/or CSS protection is 100% illegal, because you're circumventing the copy protection ("copy" protection means just that: stop people from "copying" the content, whether it's for personal or commercial use).

Ripping a commercial DVD with any form of copy protection on it in the United States is 100% illegal.

 

[applewhore]

Fist of all, your monitor and your TV set have DRASTICALLY different resolutions, unless you have an HDTV (and even then there's a big difference). The size of the screen isn't what's making the video look crappy -- it's the resolution at which you're playing it.

Hi Diablo

You're absolutely right - I don't know what I was thinking! A definite case of engaging keyboard before engaging brain!

Thanks for your reply... That video iPod's looking more attractive by the minute!

 

[Lt Major Burns]

No, that is wrong. A law that covers audio CDs does not automatically extend to DVDs. The CD-ripping thing has been through the courts and a ruling has been made on the legality of it. DVD-ripping has not.

Music is governed and overseen by a completely different group than movies and DVDs are (RIAA vs. MPAA) in the states.

You do not "own" the content on a CD nor a DVD. You own a license to use the content on the disc in restricted manners, and that's it. At any point in time your license to use the content can be revoked by certain authorities.

The only thing you physically "own" concerning CDs and DVDs is the actual media that the content is "burned" on. You do not "own" the content itself.

Just because it's legal to rip a CD does not make it legal to rip a DVD. DVD ripping is still a gray area, not really legal or illegal at the moment. One of the main points of this is that the DMCA makes it VERY clear that it is 100% illegal to circumvent copy protection of digital media of any kind. Ripping a commercial DVD that has Macrovision and/or CSS protection is 100% illegal, because you're circumventing the copy protection ("copy" protection means just that: stop people from "copying" the content, whether it's for personal or commercial use).

Ripping a commercial DVD with any form of copy protection on it in the United States is 100% illegal.

dang.

 

[Lt Major Burns]

ddoes anyone get the feeling the shuffle's days are numbered? i mean it served a purpose, and has sold a lot, but in the face of the nano (only £60 more expensive) i think it could suffer. i personally would be too bothered if it were axed in favour of a super cheap 512mb nano. a shuffle with a screen.

it just seems really disjointed now against the other two members of the family, which now look so close-knit.

 

[CreativeEye]

i dont think we'll see the end of the shuffle - but its in need of a big price drop.

the shuffle should be the ipod that 'everyone' owns - and then apple can either up-sell - or get people hooked and they will inevitably want to up-grade.

i'd love to see the day when a shuffle is included in a purchase of a mac. i.e. - buy a mac over #999 - 512mb shuffle (and remember its a drive too!) included...

i think its already been mooted - but there could be a third shuffle introduced... The Front Row Shuffle™ - a 1gb shuffle with IR remote built in... 90 british pounds for a current 1gd - price it at 100 for the F.R.S....

 

[fryke]

As long as you can't equip your Mac with a receiver for the remote, I don't really see a big market there. Or do you want to remote control your big iPod with your small iPod? I dunno...

 

[applewhore]

i'd love to see the day when a shuffle is included in a purchase of a mac. i.e. - buy a mac over #999 - 512mb shuffle (and remember its a drive too!) included...

Interesting idea - I can see it happening...

Also, Lt Major, don't forget that the shuffle is pretty much indestructible - while the nano, by all accounts, isn't! I know which I'd rather take to the gym...

 

[crcr2003]

hi!

I guess everyone now wants to download music videos to watch them on the iPod video, iTunes and also on Front Row . Anyway in my case i m downloading them from Yahoo -just google "download 700k quality videos from yahoo for mac" and then i convert them from .wmv to .mov using Flip4mac to watch them on the iPod Video and iTunes/FrontRow. It works but the problem is that flip4mac plays only half the video on Itunes on the trial version : ( Any free program to convert? or there is a way to convert the .wmv yahoo music videos to itunes .mov videos inside the mac????

my powerbook costed me almost $2500, i m already broken to keep buying stuff...

ps. My advice if u would like to download videos from yahoo would be: 1. get ASFRecoderX 0.4 ( to download the video ) and 2. Lyfox - fernyb.2ya.com - (to find and watch the Yahoo music video that u wanna have, as well as to obtain the information of the "mms" of the yahoo video that you will put on ASFRecorderX to download the music video). This way does the job much better than if you do it with Videolan.

i hope you find this tip useful but tell me how to convert them for free!! Flip4mac does the job but i m sure theres a better way.

 

[Lt Major Burns]

I was once relaxing in a steaming hot bath, really getting into a very good book, peaceful and relaxed listening something soothing (possibly mogwai), and nothing to bother me, except that i then felt somthing tickle the underside of my thigh... with both hands on my book i was releuctant to find out what this was, and maybe it would go away. in the end i itched it.

it turned out that the thing tickling my leg as it swam past was this

it's fine.

 

[chevy]

As long as you can't equip your Mac with a receiver for the remote, I don't really see a big market there. Or do you want to remote control your big iPod with your small iPod? I dunno...

An Universal Doc would do it.