sabregen
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2005
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At that price, what do you guys think? I love the idea, but at that price, I'll likely use an HTPC until these devices come down a bit. Thoughts?
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Yea, check out some media streamer forums to check out some competing products, Dune + Boxee Box etc etc, research them, then pick the one that best suits your needs, when you're ready of course.Thoughts?
Unfortunately, I saw on engadget that iFixit's teardown shows that its just a 1.2ghz atom processor. That certainly doesn't bode too well for smooth high-bitrate playback and could be a blow to its utility as a media streamer, unless it has some kind of dedicated decoder built it
Ya, not looking good so far, this effectively prevents higher-end-video from ever being supported.http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/25/logitech-revue-with-google-tv-torn-down-netbook-specs-found-wit/
lol $300 for two year old hardware...
Doesn't a roku box do network streaming? if so then you're counting that $75 twice.
So if you can go HDMI in, and then it processes the signal, and has HDMI out
I wasn't trying to disagree with you, merely trying to point out how the hardware compares. It'd be pretty easy to match or exceed the hardware at a comparable price, but the "Convenience Factor" is hard to quantify. The fact that it has the overlay feature is really nifty, and would be really hard to duplicate. It definitely goes a big way into making the cross-over between internet and TV content very simple. That kind of integration is hard to do on an HTPC short of having a cablecard, which is a lot more pricey (though, from experience, worth it!) I agree that its probably worth it for a lot of people. I could see myself using something like this if I wasn't so awesome at technologyIt will stream music via iTunes libraries but to the best of my knowledge it doesn't stream video or other from content from a NAS or media server. It will do the various online venues (netflix, amazonVoD, youtube, ect). So you would still need some sort of local media streaming device.
There are better and cheaper solutions, but I don't think they were THAT much better or cheaper. If I got a newer barebone box...for $200 I could get one who's hardware is much better than what the revue offers. I still have to get the keyboard so lets say I spend $50 and get a decent one. So I saved $50. More if I skimp on the barebone and keyboard...I still have to throw on an OS and set it up. It doesn't work as a universal remote though...so its is slightly less convenient.
I am certainly capable of building a usable HTPC . But that is work...and in the end it would only save me $50 to $100. Sure it is for a device that is more versatile, but the revue does what I need it to do...and it was as easy as plugging in a lamp. I am not rich...but I am lazy so I am willing to spend a little more for no work.
I am not saying this is the be all end all of devices, and it is a bit over priced....but it works. The picture quality is good, the current services are adequate, and it is so simple to use and setup that seems like it will be nearly seamless for everyday use.
I wasn't trying to disagree with you, merely trying to point out how the hardware compares. It'd be pretty easy to match or exceed the hardware at a comparable price, but the "Convenience Factor" is hard to quantify.
Well considering that the thread specifically asks about the value of the product, you have to take a look at the hardware to figure out how valuable the Revue is since the software isn't available separately.Many people seem to be commenting specifically on the hardware of the Google TV, that it's old and incapable. While it may be a choke point in the future, you have to see the real value add in the whole platform: the software. All the hardware included in it was previously avalaible, but there is no HTPC solution that tightly intergrates live TV, DVR recordings, internet search/function, and multiple online video sources (minus Hulu, sadly) into one unified box that also handles much of your universal/Harmony remote functions. No HTPC software solution tightly intergrates all this content all together. The major weakness software wise is the lack of network streaming, which should be coming soon.
One weakness I noted was no support for disc playback. Sony's Google TV device/TVs will have that, too. Almost all your media finally integrated.
Also, now that Google has established this common platform, apps will pour in. This is more than a multimedia integration box for your TV - it is TV-centric computing. This will do for the TV what smartphones did for mobile (cell phone) computing - and more. It allowed for more than just the basic functions of the cell phone, by opening up cell phone centric computing on a unified platform. Imagine Google voice on box, skype video chatting, and social gaming, along with all your media. It's a great idea, and its far more than just some modest hardware put together.
-darkmatter08
Also, now that Google has established this common platform, apps will pour in. This is more than a multimedia integration box for your TV - it is TV-centric computing. This will do for the TV what smartphones did for mobile (cell phone) computing - and more. It allowed for more than just the basic functions of the cell phone, by opening up cell phone centric computing on a unified platform. Imagine Google voice on box, skype video chatting, and social gaming, along with all your media. It's a great idea, and its far more than just some modest hardware put together.
-darkmatter08
A good point. On top of that, I kind of fail to see the real appeal of having youtube on my TV. I mean, youtube is great for being a host to embedded videos and stuff, but as far as living room entertainment? Why would I want to just browse youtube and watch videos of 17 year old guys singing is baby voices like they got dropped on their heads as children when I could be watching a professionally produced and edited show right there instead? As much as people would love to cut the cable cord and save all that money, 99% of consumers aren't willing to get rid of cable and use all the other (mostly inferior) services instead, theres just too much that can't be adequately replaced. Global search is kind of interesting, but I think that theres a fundamental disconnect with that concept and the way the vast majority of consumers watch TV. They put the TV on and channel surf because its mindless. Just scroll around on the on-screen guide until something strikes their fancy. Most of the time you don't know what you want to watch before you turn on the TV. how are you going to benefit from having keyword search function if you don't have any keywords in mind?Apps won't pour in unless a lot of consumers have purchased the device. Consumers won't be purchasing the device as it is a significant cost and doesn't add value. Most consumers already have a STB from their MSO and a DVD player. Why would they need this box to watch crappy Youtube vids? Their DVD/BD player or TV already has Netflix access. What else does this offer? A search box for my TV?
Well considering that the thread specifically asks about the value of the product, you have to take a look at the hardware to figure out how valuable the Revue is since the software isn't available separately.
As far as Google TV being "revolutionary" in that it combines all your content, its really just evolutionary. An HTPC can combine all your content within a pretty slick interface. So far I have cable TV, DVD, BD, rips and re-encodes, netflix, hulu, browsing, music etc all together within 7MC. The real gain isnt the integration, but the opening up of the ecosystem to allow for app creation, which is definitely a source of frustration on 7MC. It seems like every app on 7MC is fighting Microsoft, rather than having a clear way to operate.
Yes I am familiar with the concept of "value add" and I agree, the software has to be considered. But, to ignore the hardware for the sake of the software is equally pointless. Your Apple analogy is excellent. Just like apple, I'm not willing to pay a crap ton extra for dated hardware just because it looks nice and has a slick interface. Unlike apple, its not outrageously priced for someone who has no need for more advanced features, but it still doesn't completely cut it for someone who needs a little extra power but doesn't want to switch to an HTPC. I just want to make it clear, At 300$ I don't think GTV is a bad value proposition, but its definitely not a killer onedarkmatter08 said:When you talk about the value of a product, it includes its software, because Logitech is selling the WHOLE EXPERIENCE. The google TV platform is the key "value add" in this product, along with the HDMI in/out interface. This is the same model Apple follows - not just hardware, but selling its software as part of an experience. I'm not a big user or fan of apple products, but this analogy makes sense.
Sure, you may call it an evolution, but I'm really curious to what your setup is with WMC or whatever other software you are using (I've tried many) that integrates as well as Google TV does all this content.
I like your setup, and it's similar to one of the many setups I tried out; However, as you admitted, it does not have the ease of use or setup of Google TV. Nor is it as smooth - launching MPC HC from WMC works, but its not as integrated: i.e. you can't just hit the back button and have it continue playing. It works, but not nearly as well as Google TV does (or will). I don't see why Google omitted network streaming/DLNA, but it will be an eventual key component of the OS, similar to how WMC took a revision to integrate media playback. And Google TV will integrate that too into its search interface - a jump above what just seeing "My Movies" in WMC.
But in your setup, you still can't say "I want to watch TV show x" and type that in, and aggregate all the sources of that content. Your method is unified into 1 box/system, but not into 1 "experience" - you switch between WMC, Hulu desktop, and MPC-HC. I've been looking for this 'grand unification' for quite some time, and while I agree that Google TV is not perfect - for example, I don't think it'll have as much format support as MPC HC or WD TV or popcorn hour, it is the best yet.
One exception to the apple analogy, however - apple products don't necessarily deliver new integration or features as Google TV/Revue does, but just a better user experience. Google TV is the first to have this level of tight integration across many media formats.
-darkmatter08
Do you mean it doesn't have the ability to stream from it or to it? The Revue played back video from my DLNA server. It didn't work with my .vob files though. So the format support is not great.I don't see why Google omitted network streaming/DLNA.-darkmatter08
But in your setup, you still can't say "I want to watch TV show x" and type that in, and aggregate all the sources of that content. Your method is unified into 1 box/system, but not into 1 "experience" - you switch between WMC, Hulu desktop, and MPC-HC. I've been looking for this 'grand unification' for quite some time, and while I agree that Google TV is not perfect - for example, I don't think it'll have as much format support as MPC HC or WD TV or popcorn hour, it is the best yet.
-darkmatter08
And to respond to the comment that we are cutting content providers out of the picture by only looking at content and not at the channel or service: The same comments were made about DVRs, especially "smart" DVRs that could automatically keep track one show across multiple channels and record the show from wherever it aired first. But that really hasn't negatively affected content provides in a signficant way.
-darkmatter08
Yea this was along the lines of what I was thinking. I don't see it really coming to pass though, since cable providers and networks will continue with the trend of blocking devices and putting up pay walls. Like i also said, this global search feature is great if you know what you want to watch, but for channel surfing it sucks. at least 80% of the time i watch TV I just put it on and find something interesting in the guide and its ok because its all professionally done. I don't think you'd get half as good an experience by trying to make it up browsing random youtube videos if you do wind up cutting the cable out.That's because people pay for cable access. the money you pay for cable gets sent back to the content providers. If you cut out cable and just have inet for content then the content owners are getting cut out. Ads don't pay for shit.
The bottom line is that more people cut the cable cord and use the inet for content then inet prices will sky rocket to make up for it.