High-Definition Video Add-on Coming to iPod

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."

Comments

Morning Commute

[crnbrdeater]

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.

Re:Morning Commute

[Baorc]

Ok first off, here is another article on the subject with pictures! : http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-6098853.html?tag=n efd.top

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?tag =ne.gall.pg

Anyways I will let you guys debate over this some more to draw your own conclusions as to what this exactly is.

What?

[chrisxkelley]

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?

Re:Interesting concept

[slimjim8094]

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...

Great! HD on a 3.6 inch LCD Screen

[blantonl]

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.