Rofy89 writes "In about five months, you'll be able to watch high-definition video on your iPod. New startup, ATO, will come out with a sleeve with a built-in LCD (liquid crystal display) screen that slips around Apple Computer's iPod — whether it's a video iPod or not — and turns it into a portable high-definition video player. The HD player will sell for between US$199 and US$250. The initial players will be able to handle MPEG 4, Divx, HD.264 and other video formats. The battery on the device will last about five hours."
This seems like a good product in its own right; why attach it to an iPod? I enjoy watching TV shows on my Palm Lifedrive and I do not need to attach it to an iPod to work!
"Physically, the device is a sleeve. The iPod slips in the bottom, locks into a USB 2 connector, and effectively vanishes into the larger iSee."
This device uses the iPod as a generic external hard drive and nothing else. I was a little hopeful that you would be able to use the iPod's click wheel.
"Most people will use these devices to watch small clips, Scott said, and not the kind of studio fare that Apple is selling on its site."
So who wants to pay more money for a device that can only play "small clips?" Even in HD, this device is not worth it.
It's not limited to small clips. I think they're just saying "most people" will use it that way to evade the nagging issues of copyright infringement and competition with Apple.
So is this just a way for some other company to bootstrap off the iPod's success? Probably. On the other hand, small hard drives do cost a significant amount of money, so re-using the one a lot of people already own isn't totally stupid. Only about 85% stupid.
I think coming out of the company's mouth, "small clips" means "oh no, MPAA, don't worry, people aren't going to watch pirated movies on THIS device, that's NOT perfectly suited for the filetypes your content is NOT distributed in heavily via Bittorrent and Usenet. No, no, small clips, that's where the market is."
Isn't this going to be rendered pretty useless? I thought Apple was supposed to be putting out a full sized screen on the next generation of video iPods...which I would assume would be HD compatible?
It's worth it because then you can spend another $200 to $250 on your overpriced iPod to watch non-DRM video when you could've done the same by buying a Creative Vision: M (+longer battery life +higher signal to noise decibel ratio) for less money.
I know how it works. I implied DRM because why would anyone get a video iPod other than to "buy" movies from iTunes? I know people who think that the only way to get videos on their iPod is through iTunes -- they don't understand the concept of ripping movies they already own, so they pay again to view it on a tiny little screen. They're the same kind of people who would buy this "HD" viewer. Don't "Think Different" like everyone else, think "Creative"ly and be yourself.
Superior? I actually prefer the vertical scrolling bar -- just hold your thumb in various places to get it to scroll slower or faster... I fail to see how a wheel is superior to an up and down bar for going... up and down!
I recomend the Palm Lifedrive. It is designed to browse the Internet out of the box and comes with a mini office suite. It has a built in hard drive and accepts memory cards. I take mine everywhere with me and I even use an optional keyboard to write papers on it. (In case you can't tell, I am a big fan of Palm.)
Damn. Missed my first first post by seconds...
Will it play video off the drive? How will it get the video? If it has it's own drive, why does it need the iPod?
Now that I've read the comment (sorry) I'd like to answer my questions:
It does play video off a second partition-like thing, and through the dock connector. It doesn't have it's own drive.
Still, how do they define Hi-Def? Does Hi-Def really matter at such small resolutions?
I thought it was interesting that they are marketing it as a no-DRM device. I want to see how this works out, and will likely purchase one for my 4G, if it looks like it works...
Still, how do they define Hi-Def? Does Hi-Def really matter at such small resolutions?
720p and up is the common definition, and you're contradicting yourself because hi-def per definition is high resolution. Now, at a very small size, meaning a very high DPI, does it matter? That depends entirely on the distance you're viewing at, usually for an HDTV a good viewing distance is abour 3-4x the size of the screen, so if you'll watch this at 10-14" distance, then sure. Remember, you could easily imagine a pair
Should be great for the morning commute. I am tired of wasting all that time driving. Now I can enjoy a feature length film in HD on the way to work.
I was getting tired of watching the road anyway.
What exactly do they mean by HD.264? I assume they are talking about a video encoded using an H.264 codec at HD resolution. However, if the movie is encoded at true HD (at least 720p), how the hell is the an iPod going to be able to decode the video? Apple recommends a 2.8 Ghz Pentium 4 PC with 512 MB of RAM and a 64 MB video card or a 1.8 Ghz G5/1.83 Ghz Intel Core Duo Mac. While the Quicktime player is horribly unoptimized for Windows (VLC will play H.264 on much lower specs) I just don't see how they are
Most likely, someone saw "Converts iPod into an HD video player" and assumed HD meant "high definition" while in this case it likely means "hard drive" instead, just like there was a/. article a year or so ago talking about a really cheap new "HD video camera" - Everyone (including the editors) automatically though "HD = high def", when in fact, it was "HD = hard drive" (Instead of DVD-R or magnetic tape like most portable video cameras.)
owever, if the movie is encoded at true HD (at least 720p), how the hell is the an iPod going to be able to decode the video? Apple recommends a 2.8 Ghz Pentium 4 PC with 512 MB of RAM and a 64 MB video card or a 1.8 Ghz G5/1.83 Ghz Intel Core Duo Mac.
* Looks into crystal ball
My crystal ball tells all! I see... I see... AN ASIC in your future!
Seriously, decoding is the least of the concerns. Video encoding standards are almost always followed up by large-run ASIC decoders, that are usually quite affordable.
Alright I've argued the point of videos being watchable on the ipod video (others don't think so beause of the small screen), but having hi-def on an ipod sized screen is like having a crappy video on an even smaller screen... Why wate money on hidef for a screen so small? Plus, hidef videos take up much more space than a low quality h.264 mpeg4 video, which.. on an ipod screen that is scratched up anyway, workds just fine for me.
Now, if this could be attatched to a bigscreen tv or something then I'll think different. But then why not just get a dvr?
Assuming the screen takes up the *entire* space of the iPod (I haven't seen pictures but that seems intuitive), I'd guess you'd be getting about a 6 inch screen. That really isn't bad for viewing a movie on an airplane or bus.
In standard definition. You'd have to have some awesome eyes to get any real benefit out of HD though. From the article someone else posted it's smaller than six inches too.
Did YOU read the article? The iPod's processor is not used. It is simply acting as a hard drive for the sleeve. The sleeve's processor is responsible for decoding the video.
I don't see any benefit to being able to watch 1080i or 720p HD programming on a THREE and a HALF INCH screen.
I purchased one of the Video Ipods when they first came out, took the time to rip 10 or so of my favorite DVDs onto the device (finding the necessary software to do this and get it all working properly took days, not to mention the time to encode MPEG to H.264). After about two weeks I came to the realization that an Ipod for watching videos is pretty much useless for my taste.
How on earth is someone going to derive a benefit of HD programming on such as small device? When display devices are that tiny, there is no need for the additional resolution. Furthermore, you are giving up a tremendous amount of storage space for a really negligable benefit.
320x240 looks pretty crisp here. Sure, I would probably notice a difference if doubling X and Y resolution, and then it would look superb and very crisp. That is, at 640x480.
If people will be fooled into getting this for a small screen, I don't know if I should laugh or cry.
I agree. I could see video blogging blowing up if something like this gets traction though. Video podcasting.
The makers envision the device as a shot clip viewer. So something like a video blog which doesn't rely on full attention and is short duration may develop.
When the monthly iPod updates stopped I started to get worried that Apple had run out of ideas. It's good to see that their back to their old tricks of updating the iPod at a ferorious pace...
I started to get worried that Apple had run out of ideas. It's good to see that their back to their old tricks of updating the iPod at a ferorious pace...
I couldn't agree with you more - it is good to see innovation like this coming from Apple. [isee-ato.com]
So if a device is physically hung onto an iPod, but with no electrical or wireless or telepathic connections, are you really watching HDTV "on" an iPod ?
I thought the iSee 360 was an interesting device when I first read an article about it. But the screen is really too small to watch anything more than short internet videos (or music videos, if they are still being produced & shown). I think I would be hard pressed to want to watch a 20 or 40 minute TV show on a 3.6" screen, and forget about a +1.5 hour movie.
Like I wrote - interesting product with good features. Just needs a +7" screen (& +6 hour battery) to make it a great player/accessory.
Now, instead of latching onto a ipod, if it could accept a simple USB2 connected portable drive, AND have video outputs to a TV....that might be something to get excited about.
By partitioning the hard drive or memory, the iSee lets consumers store video clips not encoded with Apple's copyright-protection software.
Wait a minute. They partition the hard drive/memory to get around DRM? How about simply storing the files onto the already existing partition?
As far as I know, even the 5th generation iPod can play plain non-DRM MP4 and H264 files (within specs limits), so what's the deal with their unit? Are you telling me they can design such a device but not know that you can store plain regular files on the iPod's drive?!
Sorry, but there's no way you could you can physically watch HD quality video on a device like this. If I'm not mistaken, technology doesn't currently exist to make a 1280x720 or 1920x1080 screen small enough to work as an ipod sleeve. Sounds like just another marketing gimmick. I bet the screen is 640x480 at best, which is only Standard Definition. Don't believe everything you read.
Seriously, if they could do it with a nano... But their chart shows that only the 2 and 4 gig nanos work, so 1 gig must be too little Oddly, no 60 gig ipods are compatible.
Ok, I understand that right now you could sell shit, if it had shiny package and "iPod compatible" logo, but what's the point of this device?
From the/. story alone one can deduce, that this device will use iPod just as a portable HDD. Why not simply do away with iPod, and make a device that you can plug 2.5" ATA/SATA HDD into? I bet it would be cheaper and more power efficient. And you could have 160GB PVP, as opposed to iPod's maximum 60GB.
You are right. They could have put an HD inthe device but then it would be work with iTunes. The iPod is simply beingused as the interface to the conputer and to the iTunes software.
.. as it seems the only thing it is actually using the iPod for is as a mass storage device. HD is obviously a marketing gimmick as the screen is too small to enjoy high resolution.
I don't think this product qualifies as "revolutionary", but then I'm not a marketing droid.
Why? Good god, people. Not only do they not say how large the device (or even the screen) is, but why would you even need to play 1280x720 or 1920x1080 video on an iPod? At that screen size, 320x240 (iPod Video) is almost more than enough. Why HD? Why?
I know why. HD is the new hot tech buzzword. Idiots.
If you want to watch video on the move, you can't do much better than the Archos AV500. I've had the 60GB version for many months and it's been superb. You get a nice big 4" screen and a lot of storage space. I've also heard good things about the COWON A2. It's supposed to support more video formats than the Archos, but it does look a bit uglier. Initially I had a PSP, which has a great screen (a bit bigger than the Archos, better colour (I think) but poor viewing in sunlight) but unfortunately no hard drive, which is a shame. Still, a 1GB stick can hold a couple of films, but you will have to transcode (re-encode into a PSP compatible format) your videos.
High resolution is pretty pointless on a small screen. Until there are some cheap video goggles that give you a cinema-sized screen, I wouldn't bother.
If you think walking along listening to music is dangerous, I have perfected the art of walking along watching videos. I just hope I don't cross the road at the same time a driver who has perfected the art of watching TV and driving, comes along.
I'm waiting for the IPod two way camera phone with integrated PSP and 8 track casette attachment.
Oh, almost forgot..it needs to have GPS tracking giving me directions via a sexy female voice.
It always amazes me when people on a self-admitted geek news forum complain about high-tech gadgets having more features.
Yep, it's geek city round here - but even geeks appreciate the difference between "wow, that's a cool gadget I'd like to own" and "WTF - that's totally pointless, expensive techno-bling"
Someone elsewhere used the phrase iSheep for people that buy stuff like that - very well put.
It always amazes me when people on a self-admitted geek news forum complain about high-tech gadgets having more features.
It's the UN*X philosophy in action. Instead of one device that tries to do everything (and usually ends up doing them in a half-assed manner), the preference is that it do only one or two things, but do them well. The iPod is a music player (and, more recently, video player). It doesn't try to do other things; instead, it concentrates on doing its one or two functions better than t
there's no way I'm getting an iPod until Apple fixes their online store's engraving widget.
That's really the only thing preventing you from getting an iPod? Jeez dude.
Just buy a "blank" iPod and get aftermarket laser-engraving done. You'll be able to customize in ways far beyond what apple.com would allow you in ANY market.
Why attach it to an iPod? (Score:2)
From TFA (Score:5, Insightful)
This device uses the iPod as a generic external hard drive and nothing else. I was a little hopeful that you would be able to use the iPod's click wheel.
"Most people will use these devices to watch small clips, Scott said, and not the kind of studio fare that Apple is selling on its site."
So who wants to pay more money for a device that can only play "small clips?" Even in HD, this device is not worth it.
Parent
Re:From TFA (Score:2)
So is this just a way for some other company to bootstrap off the iPod's success? Probably. On the other hand, small hard drives do cost a significant amount of money, so re-using the one a lot of people already own isn't totally stupid. Only about 85% stupid.
Re:From TFA (Score:2)
Re:Why attach it to an iPod? (Score:2)
Re:Why attach it to an iPod? (Score:2)
Re:Why attach it to an iPod? (Score:2)
Re:Why attach it to an iPod? (Score:2)
Re:Why attach it to an iPod? (Score:2)
Re:Why attach it to an iPod? (Score:2)
Interesting concept (Score:2, Insightful)
Will it play video off the drive? How will it get the video? If it has it's own drive, why does it need the iPod?
What is their definition of Hi-Def?
Re:Interesting concept (Score:5, Interesting)
It does play video off a second partition-like thing, and through the dock connector. It doesn't have it's own drive.
Still, how do they define Hi-Def? Does Hi-Def really matter at such small resolutions?
I thought it was interesting that they are marketing it as a no-DRM device. I want to see how this works out, and will likely purchase one for my 4G, if it looks like it works...
Parent
Re:Interesting concept (Score:2)
720p and up is the common definition, and you're contradicting yourself because hi-def per definition is high resolution. Now, at a very small size, meaning a very high DPI, does it matter? That depends entirely on the distance you're viewing at, usually for an HDTV a good viewing distance is abour 3-4x the size of the screen, so if you'll watch this at 10-14" distance, then sure. Remember, you could easily imagine a pair
Morning Commute (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Morning Commute (Score:3, Insightful)
Bet you it's not really high definition (Score:2)
Re:Morning Commute (Score:2)
* Looks into crystal ball
My crystal ball tells all! I see... I see... AN ASIC in your future!
Seriously, decoding is the least of the concerns. Video encoding standards are almost always followed up by large-run ASIC decoders, that are usually quite affordable.
Re:Morning Commute (Score:5, Informative)
So it gives you more of an idea, yes it is HIGH DEF, but the screen is larger because the sleeve has it's own.
Here's how it looks inside so it gives you an idea : http://news.com.com/2300-1041_3-6099056-2.html?ta
Anyways I will let you guys debate over this some more to draw your own conclusions as to what this exactly is.
Parent
What? (Score:5, Insightful)
Now, if this could be attatched to a bigscreen tv or something then I'll think different. But then why not just get a dvr?
Re:What? (Score:2)
Re:What? (Score:2)
Re:What? (Score:2)
LS
Great! HD on a 3.6 inch LCD Screen (Score:5, Insightful)
I purchased one of the Video Ipods when they first came out, took the time to rip 10 or so of my favorite DVDs onto the device (finding the necessary software to do this and get it all working properly took days, not to mention the time to encode MPEG to H.264). After about two weeks I came to the realization that an Ipod for watching videos is pretty much useless for my taste.
How on earth is someone going to derive a benefit of HD programming on such as small device? When display devices are that tiny, there is no need for the additional resolution. Furthermore, you are giving up a tremendous amount of storage space for a really negligable benefit.
Re:Great! HD on a 3.6 inch LCD Screen (Score:2)
320x240 looks pretty crisp here. Sure, I would probably notice a difference if doubling X and Y resolution, and then it would look superb and very crisp. That is, at 640x480.
If people will be fooled into getting this for a small screen, I don't know if I should laugh or cry.
Re:Great! HD on a 3.6 inch LCD Screen (Score:2)
The makers envision the device as a shot clip viewer. So something like a video blog which doesn't rely on full attention and is short duration may develop.
But watching movies problematic to me.
Great (Score:4, Funny)
DSRTMD?
No. The iSleeve?
Yay! (Score:2)
Re:Yay! (Score:2)
I couldn't agree with you more - it is good to see innovation like this coming from Apple. [isee-ato.com]
fascinating Philosophical prblem here: (Score:2)
The mind boggles.
Hope they get a larger screen... (Score:5, Insightful)
Like I wrote - interesting product with good features. Just needs a +7" screen (& +6 hour battery) to make it a great player/accessory.
almost there..... (Score:3, Insightful)
Partition the hard drive?! (Score:5, Insightful)
Wait a minute. They partition the hard drive/memory to get around DRM? How about simply storing the files onto the already existing partition?
As far as I know, even the 5th generation iPod can play plain non-DRM MP4 and H264 files (within specs limits), so what's the deal with their unit? Are you telling me they can design such a device but not know that you can store plain regular files on the iPod's drive?!
Impossible (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Impossible (Score:2)
Not Hi Def (Score:4, Informative)
Q. Is the quality of the picture out from the iSee 360i the same as standard television quality?
A. Yes because the iSee 360i out-to-TV is a standard 640 x 480 television resolution, the picture quality is not compromised.
http://www.isee-ato.com/Products/FAQ/Default.aspx [isee-ato.com]
What? No Shuffle version? (Score:4, Interesting)
Seriously, if they could do it with a nano...
But their chart shows that only the 2 and 4 gig nanos work, so 1 gig must be too little
Oddly, no 60 gig ipods are compatible.
What's the point? (Score:5, Insightful)
From the
Robert
Re:What's the point? (Score:2)
So it is a Video player without a hard-drive (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't think this product qualifies as "revolutionary", but then I'm not a marketing droid.
High def. (Score:2)
A screen needs to be at least 1920*1080 in order to show all high-res formats. Anything less IS NOT HD.
New low? (Score:2)
C'mon, this article has been called bullshit even on digg!
HD.264? High definition on 3-inch screen?
One word. (Score:2)
I know why. HD is the new hot tech buzzword. Idiots.
Forget Ipods! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:How much more... (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:How much more... (Score:3, Funny)
So I can play junior DJ.
Re:How much more... (Score:2)
Re:How much more... (Score:2)
Yep, it's geek city round here - but even geeks appreciate the difference between "wow, that's a cool gadget I'd like to own" and "WTF - that's totally pointless, expensive techno-bling"
Someone elsewhere used the phrase iSheep for people that buy stuff like that - very well put.
Re:How much more... (Score:2)
It's the UN*X philosophy in action. Instead of one device that tries to do everything (and usually ends up doing them in a half-assed manner), the preference is that it do only one or two things, but do them well. The iPod is a music player (and, more recently, video player). It doesn't try to do other things; instead, it concentrates on doing its one or two functions better than t
Re:Until Apple fixes their store's i18n... (Score:2)
That's really the only thing preventing you from getting an iPod? Jeez dude.
Just buy a "blank" iPod and get aftermarket laser-engraving done. You'll be able to customize in ways far beyond what apple.com would allow you in ANY market.
Re:What??? (Score:2)