14 DAY TRIAL // Peter S. Magnusson, founder of Virtutech (provider of virtualized software development solutions), claims he has reasons to believe Apple will unveil Apple TV 3.0 at its iPod-event in San Francisco today. Blu-ray support, Time Capsule functionality, keyboard support, as well as support for iPhone and iPod touch (as remotes) are just some of the additional features that should be included with the new set-top box.
Among the reasons Magnusson thinks Apple has to announce a revamped Apple TV is that on February 17, 2009, by Congressional mandate, all full-power analog TV broadcasts in the United States will cease. The U.S. government is offering every household two $40 credit card-type coupons to pay for set-top boxes, with the ability to fund over 22 million of them (an option to increase that number to above 33 million is also in the scope).
“On February 17, 2009 all full-power broadcast television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital,” reads an FCC post. “Digital broadcasting will allow stations to offer improved picture and sound quality and additional channels,” it is further added.
Therefore, Virtutech's founder believes some of these enhancements are likely to be announced at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (San Francisco), at 10:00 am (Pacific) today:
- Blu-ray disc player (one that can also play DVDs and CDs, Magnusson notes); - ATSC tuner or "over-the-air digital TV"; - 500G hard drive (1T optional); - WiFi (although the Apple TV already has Wi-Fi capabilities); - DVR capability added to iTunes 8.0; - Time Capsule functionality – in other words, Time Machine backup; - Full Safari browser and support for (optional) keyboard; - Various new and improved options for Internet video; - Support for using the iPhone or the iPod touch as smart remotes.
However, within Rule d. 54 of the “Rules to Implement and Administer a Coupon Program for Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes” Funai recommended that NTIA clarified the types of outputs that would not be permitted in a CECB. The company commented saying, “we feel that it is inappropriate to extend Coupon Program eligibility to devices that support high-definition (HDTV) viewing, i.e., a display with higher-than-standard definition video resolution.” This makes it highly improbable for the $40 coupons to make it to Apple TV-enabled households. But it doesn't mean Apple isn't planning to include the above-listed features, though.
Funai then listed a series of connectors which it felt should not be permitted in the NTIA supported converter box. In the company's opinion, the following connectors should be excluded from the converter box program:
- Digital Video Interface (DVI); - high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI); - analog component video (YpbPr); - computer video (VGA) as well as USB IEEE-1394 (sometimes trademarked as iLink or Firewire); - or IEEE-802.3 (Ethernet) or IEEE-802.11 (wireless).
Funai also noted that “any device that includes an integrated display intended for use as the primary video presentation should be ineligible for the Subsidy.”
Do you think Apple has enough reasons to revamp the Apple TV this time around?