Why the AppleTV WILL have a DVR

Posted by Will Holmes on 01/12/08 in Articles, Hardware, Opinions

AppleTV to DVR? Everyone in the Mac community, MacApper included, has been wondering what Stevie J will have for us this year at Macworld. Our own James Matarrese wrote an opinion article today on why he thought the Apple TV won’t have a DVR. In a somewhat unusual welcome for this new writer, I’m going to tell you all the reasons he’s wrong!

I disagree with James because I think the networks are a little smarter than they are normally given credit. It is a very good point that James makes that they would hate to have an easy way for us to get shows for free. However, they also know that everyone and their grandma already owns a TiVo, so that ship has sailed. DVRs aren’t like piracy to the networks. They are actually trying to adapt to them, rather than fighting an unwinnable war against them, a la the RIAA and MPAA. Take a look at all the free episodes available on the networks’ websites and on Hulu; no question these companies (dragging their feet or not) are changing. From their perspective, it really shouldn’t matter that one more company has jumped on the DVR bandwagon, even if it’s one that they do business with.

Digging a little deeper, it is actually a good thing for them to have Apple be the one with DVRs in people’s homes. But you say, the people who buy the Apple TV are probably the same ones that buy shows on iTunes. Now they’ll all stop buying right? Well, yes and no. Sure they won’t keep on buying each episode of a running show; they’ll record those. But as for the shows’ earlier seasons, those will still sell just as well. And putting a DVR in the Apple TV makes it a worthwhile purchase for many people who never considered buying the light-on-the-features first generation machine, definitely a major plus for Apple’s “hobby”. I know I’ll buy one the day they put a DVR in it.

So, now this new money-losing, network killing, Apple TV is in the hands of many more viewers, but guess what, it’s not only a DVR. It also has the ability to buy tv shows and rent movies. So now the networks have a great salesman in the living rooms of people across the country. Most companies’ DVRs have nothing to do with the networks, but Apple’s will actually make them money. I think that’s something they could get on board with. Think of it, if someone is sitting watching tv and there’s nothing on or in the DVR, they might just pop open iTunes with their remote, and buy an episode of a new show a friend told them about, or rent a movie. Just like that, as an offset to decreased iTunes sales where people record the shows instead, the ease of use of iTunes in the living room will bring in far more sales.

James may be right, Apple’s entanglements with the networks could prevent them from doing what customers clearly want. I do think, however, that Apple can explain to the networks why this would be a good thing for everyone. It could be the networks’ last chance to be a part of the DVR trend, rather than just try to adapt to it as an outside force.

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Michael Mistretta said on

January 12th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

I’m hoping you’re right, because I want to buy an AppleTV/Mac Mini like device after Macworld.

Joshua said on

January 12th, 2008 at 10:32 pm

Not to mention that if they added DVR to the AppleTV, it would certainly be protected with FairPlay DRM. I don’t think the TV networks care about DVRs that can’t be used for online distribution.

stevelucky said on

January 13th, 2008 at 8:47 pm

I’ll tell you EXACTLY why they will have a new Apple TV with a built-in DVR. I’m a total Apple guy buy I do have an MCE (one of the better products that MS has put out) PC for recording all our shows. Just the other day I came home and the motherboard had burned out, leaving me DVR-less. This HAS to be a sign. The heavens above are opening the way for me to purchase the new Apple TV 2.0 with integrated DVR. Right?

Eric said on

January 13th, 2008 at 11:04 pm

I too will buy the Apple TV if it turns into a dual tuner, Blu Ray player, with remote viewing like a Slingbox. Essentially, you’re turning the Mac Mini into a Tivo/Slingbox that uses your HDTV as a monitor. The TV Networks already are making their popular shows available for streaming - which makes ABC.com a little like a PVR/Slingbox/OnDemand machine already. Apple can’t compete with the Internet, so it should be trying to LEVERAGE the Internet, just like they’ve done with the iPhone, which is essentially the Internet-on-the-go with an MP3 player. If Apple tries to limit what viewers want - they’ll fail. So, what if the Apple TV became a PVR that recorded shows that could export to an iPod or iPhone? What if I could also remotely view those shows over the Internet like with the Slingbox? What if I could download musci videos and MP3s from my couch? What if I could rip my DVDs to the 500 GB AppleTV harddrive, and RENT movies thru iTunes, along with streaming movies over Netflix or any other website I choose? I’ll tell you what — I’d buy one TOMORROW!

Eric said on

January 13th, 2008 at 11:29 pm

There are too many sites popping up that deliver TV show streaming - for FREE. Apple needs to leverage that instead of charging for shows, and the only way to do so is by copying Windows Media Center and become a PVR. If Apple was smart, they’d move away from iTunes, which has been great for MP3s, but not so much for video. PVRs are a commodity, but if Apple could a make a PVR/Slingbox/OnDemand rental service, they could move to a subscription model, getting Apple TV users to subscribe to its .Mac service, that could provide up-to-date TV scheduling as a Tivo does, but also provides drives backups, firewall/virus protection, etc. When it comes to video, Apple is competing with Movie Studios, TV Networks, HD-DVDs/Blu Ray, Netflix, and Amazon’s Unbox. Therefore, Apple needs to leverage the Internet, giving users options, and make the Apple TV a home server, but a stable home server, as compared the Microsoft’s Media Center. The biggest feature for the new Apple TV would be instant export to an iPod or iPhone, and even remote viewing of shows on the iPhone… But time is slipping away - Tivo and Media Center are ahead of the game so far…

Corey said on

January 14th, 2008 at 2:48 am

Once again I think Apple is 5 steps ahead of everyone, except me of course
Apple won’t release a DVR, not because it couldn’t make it work, but because they are changing the content distribution business.
They want iTunes to be the central distribution point for content, and making the Apple TV an “add-on” to cable service detracts from this.
Apple realizes that the future of content distribution is wide open and that cable companies, phone companies, and wireless companies will become “dumb pipes” that anyone can pump content through.
That is why they have all but cut ATT out of the iPhone equation, and are pushing music labels out of the music proposition.
look for Apple to keep pursuing their own deals, ignoring blue ray and the low profit dvr business.

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Kate said on

January 22nd, 2008 at 2:24 pm

I have to tell you. I have a mini hooked up to my HDTV, and I rely on iTunes and the free sites right now and I like what I have. I can use it at home, or on the road without much fuss. I got rid of the digital cable box with a DVR because it would constantly clog, and fail to record.(I’m sorry but in a house with 5 people, 20 hours max, with no way to upgrade it, just won’t cover everyones shows) The DVR just wasn’t worth the 89 dollars a month. I think DVR is one of those things that sounds really good in theory, but has a lousy execution, and too high prices. I also find that without the cable box and the constant temptation of flipping, I watch only what I want to see, and don’t waste time with mindless viewing. Granted I don’t use the “Apple TV” set up, because I want to be able to use Hulu and its cousins, but I get a good selection, news from around the world and I pay a lot less.