Front Row = Apple's big foot in the Media Center door

Chuck5566 it's funny you say that, cuz Apple offered machines with full-on video in/out about a decade ago. Needless to say, they were a tad ahead of their time. I'm not familiar with which model or exactly what year they were, but I've heard about them from other publications and we used to have a few lying around an older lab on campus.

I really can't consider any Mac a multimedia box until it comes with an All-in-Wonder video/tv card. Plain and simple; cut and dry; black and white. WHAT HAS BEEN THE HOLD UP?! And puh-lease, no EyeTV. (And I have no association with ATI other then customer.)

How often is a room designed around an iMac? How often did people buy MP3 players before the iPod? The new iMac is stage one. Have a look at your living room. How many remotes are there? How many buttons do they each have? Apple is saying "Screw that: we've got an iMac, and a remote with 6 buttons. That's all you need." Sure it isn't there yet, but add tv and full movie downloads into the picture, and I'd buy one very quickly. No idea if anyone else would, but the new iMac is being positioned as an entertainment applicance, over being a computer. The times, they are a-changing.

I reckon iMac with Front Row works if taken as a great gadget to have in a bedroom, or in a room already with a TV (the latter of these two set ups happens a lot in my experience, even though it seems over the top). Like Derek, I am dissapointed that Apple have not brought out a new Airport Express device to connect to a TV, but I reckon that's down to having to get the right deals. As well as a TV connection I would expect: 1) Movies; 2) a huge choice of TV shows; and 3) a nicer user interface. Something on this scale would rock the world of PCs, TVs, DVDs and Hard Disk Recorders, I think. Maybe the companies that make this stuff think the same. They are not going to put their faith (read revenues) in apple, yet.

CenterStage > Front Row The final version will have so much information at your fingerips, TV via FireWire or other devices, better remote compatibility, DVD changer support, other device support such as a VCR, etc. Some of these are already there. I watch TV with it right now. So good.

I have to say, the new iMac as a "media center" I do not understand. Where exactly is one to position this computer? If you're using it for work, or even just email and the web, will it go in you living room, in front of your couch? Probably not. But you're not liable to sit at a desk with your frinds and loved ones to watch movies. Maybe you're going to spend a couple of grand for essentially a TV replcaement, sure ... but then of course, there's no built in TV tuner, so you can't jack cable into it either. So why the remote? It seems totally useless. How about just building a video version of the Airport Express? It seems NUTS to me that Apple has yet to make it possible to run DVDs, video files (of any format Quicktime will play) and music - even photos and slideshows - all wirelessly to your stereo and TV. That I would buy, that needs a remote (which transmits to the APX video), and that would be a good use of Front Row software (on your TV of course!)

Dang. I guess I'll continue using the ol' ATI Remote Wonder with my mini.

"I'm afraid we Can't adapt the Front Row software for older Mac" says my Apple Saleman, that makes me sad. But he made some jokes about chilly Scotland, did you know if you call from out of hours (in the UK) they patch you throught. US Salesmen rock. Also, the User interface on the new iPod (when connected using the new dock) is not Front Row, its very basic - you control your iPod via the remote... no feedback in the Front Row style on your 42" High-Def Telly. Dang!

it has to be IR look at the remote. Blutooth must have to do with something else

it has to be IR look at the remote. Blutooth must have to do with something else