05-11-2004, 08:32 PM

Guys, i was surfing the Sony website, and i found a VERY interesting thing on the Notebook's site, the New Sony VAIO notebooks (some of em) come with an interesting Application or software ( i don't know what it is yet)....it's called Giga-Pocket...and this is what it offers:

Get ready to enjoy your favorite TV programs right on your computer. By converting TV signals to digital MPEG2 format, Sony's Giga Pocket hardware and software lets you watch and record TV programs right on your VAIO.


Watch and record television on your VAIO
Watch recorded shows on your own television
Take television to go by saving to CLIE or CyberShot
Record television shows from the Internet
Watch TV while you record with Slip Playback
Burn recorded shows to DVD (using Click to DVD)

More info on this, Go here: (copy and past it on the address bar.

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...gigapocket_cpu


WOW...this is VERY interesting... i wonder if Macs have that "application/software" of whatever it is......or maybe SOMETHING SIMILAR.....i cannot deny i'm drooling over this feauture...mainly 'cause i'll ve going to Master's school and i'll spend all my money on an iBook and i'd really love to watch T.V. with my laptop.....but not only that, this Giga-Pocket, lets you RECORD what you're watching on T.V. (Computer).....

Guys...i want your input on this.....but please...i mean..i'd like optimist's opinions not "PRO MAC, PC HATER" opinions because, we have to admit SONY (and/or PC's) nailed it there with that!

OPINIONS! c'mon!

05-11-2004, 08:41 PM

It sounds like an awesome feature. There is no way Apple will miss a development of something similar

05-11-2004, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by witeshark

It sounds like an awesome feature. There is no way Apple will miss a development of something similar

Witeshark, so you think Apple will develop something like this??....but..when?? :confused: i REALLY REALLY like this feature, it's VERY impressive but is not the impressiveness ...it's the funcionality of it..... can you imagine not needing a T.V. and a VCR? haveing EVERYTHING on your computer??

when do you think apple will develop something similiar to this?

05-11-2004, 10:03 PM

It might not be as elegant as a built-in solution, but there is a product called EyeTV from Elgato (http://www.elgato.com/) that allows you to record TV and watch it on a Mac. It uses an external converter box that connects via FireWire or USB. No idea how well it works.

05-11-2004, 10:21 PM

Check out http://www.mythtv.org/. I am a developer there, and I plan to port it to PPC (Mac OS X) once I get a PowerBook. Yikes! Only $2000 to go If you want to speed it along, just click this link (no, it is nothing bad) : Speed up development
:cool:

--PCjabber

05-11-2004, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by pcjabber

If you want to speed it along, just click this link (no, it is nothing bad) : Speed up development

You cheeky :cool:

05-12-2004, 12:22 AM

Hasn't this feature been out for a while in the PC world? Well that's what I've been thinking, anyways yah there are substitutes for the mac.. but none native to the macintosh platform.. err.. not yet anyways.

EY

05-12-2004, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by Joeytpg

Witeshark, so you think Apple will develop something like this??....but..when?? :confused: i REALLY REALLY like this feature, it's VERY impressive but is not the impressiveness ...it's the funcionality of it..... can you imagine not needing a T.V. and a VCR? haveing EVERYTHING on your computer??
when do you think apple will develop something similiar to this?

I am an Apple development member, I'm sure this type of tech is on the way, how many movies with animation made on a Mac?

05-12-2004, 12:52 AM

This "gigapocket" is nothing more than a fancy name for a for a built in TV tuner card and some software to go with it. Both the hardware and the software (tv tuner card and tv software for watching/recording) have been around for both macs and pcs for years. Big deal.

05-12-2004, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by dr_springfield

This "gigapocket" is nothing more than a fancy name for a for a built in TV tuner card and some software to go with it. Both the hardware and the software (tv tuner card and tv software for watching/recording) have been around for both macs and pcs for years. Big deal.

yeah but you know how do products rise in popularity and therefore in sales?

Making it accessible to the masses.....and maybe it's been around for years, but it's the first time you have it "IN" the Computer package, of the go.

i mean it's not a BIG deal but like i said before, you gotta give it to em (Sony) that they nailed it with that application. Just as you gotta give it to Apple for the underfull iLife package, or any other GREAT package that the computer comes with.

Anyways, i'm gonna tell you something....i don't know you but i preffer a computer that has the most applications/softwares it can comes with from fabric for me to use instead of just having to pay $100, $150, $200, even $300 dollars for.

So to me it's a GREAT option, it'll win Sony a great deal of users (specially, Notebookers) that probably go to College, university, and don't have the money to buy a T.V., specially after spending a great deal amount of green$ on a good laptop.

This isn't gonna turn my head to the PC world again.....because i made m mind, i'm going MAC-O!!, and there are a whole lot of other things that impress me most in the apple world, but honestly, that feature made me want in it my mac!

05-12-2004, 09:05 AM

If you have digital satellite TV you could use this

If you have and HDTV you could use this

And if you have regular cable you could use this or you could use this

Using your computer to watch and record TV is nothing new, and certainly isn't for PC's only :cool:

05-12-2004, 09:14 AM

yeah, I use Huappage TV/FM tuner card to watch, record, and listen to FM radio on my PC.... works great... can even schedule to record a show!

They have some for laptops via USB too.