HD For Indies

AppleTV Take 2: New Software, Same Hardware is my third piece up on the new Pro Video Coalition site, which I'm a part of (more details in a forthcoming announcement).

It is (IMH unbiased O) more than the title suggests, outlining what the hardware capabilities of the AppleTV are, how they compare to other high definition options in broad strokes, and what it may mean for the industry.

The most important thing to realize about AppleTV Take 2 is that it is the EXACT same hardware (with a bigger hard drive option, which we've had for months) as before, but with new features enabled via software, such as direct movie rental and purchase, etc. While the video quality is better on many other options (HD PPV, Xbox 360 downloads, Blu-ray and HD DVD), the simplicity MIGHT make a compelling case for the set top box - will it be like music and MP3s and iPods, that we want simplicity and choice over quality? We'll have to wait and see.

Be sure to check out all the other articles up on Pro Video Coalition as well.

-mike

Labels: Apple, AppleTV