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Adobe75

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 25, 2002
45
0
Chicago, IL
I was looking at my iPod, and thinking about the GBytes of storage sitting there... and the fact there is an open FireWire port on the top... add a firewire camera!!! This would be the ULTIMATE digital camera due to the insane storage capacity. The only thing... would these images be saved in TIFF format, or does the iPod's processor have enough power to make JPEGs? Come to think of it, you could also do DV video!!! This could be an apple add-on or maybe even a 3rd-party product since the iPod has a large software developer pool.
I am also waiting for a text-entry program for the iPod... something to make the scroll wheel into a keyboard. This wouldn't be good for typing long papers, but adding stuff to calendars and contacts would be a breeze. Then you wouldn't have to write stuff down before you go home and put it on your computer then sync it with the iPod.
As long as I'm throwing out new hardware ideas... the EyeTV is an OK product, but what if it was MPEG-4 based (instead of MPEG-1) and used Firewire instead of USB!!! That would be freaking awesome. Then you could choose a wide range of bit-rates to fit your recording needs. The only problem would be finding a hardware-based multi-bit-rate MPEG4 encoder. (G4 chip w/ AltiVec anyone?)
I should start my own mac accessory company!! :p
 

WannabeSQ

macrumors 6502
Oct 24, 2002
361
0
or what might be easier, but also useful a compact flash or smart media reader to you can download the contents of your digicam onto the HD. That would be cool!
 

scem0

macrumors 604
Jul 16, 2002
7,028
1
back in NYC!
If someone made that I am sure it would sell big. But then again, some things that I would think would sell, don't sell at all. And some things that I don't think would sell at all, (Windows ME :D) sell a lot.
 

medea

macrumors 68030
Aug 4, 2002
2,517
1
Madison, Wi
Yeah I think the iPod would have to be upgraded to a color screen for this to really be worth it, but for the main things an iPod is for a color screen isnt really necessity so I doubt it would happen.
 

zorblaz

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2002
11
0
Syracuse NY
.... i'd snag one of those as well.... honestly, how much more would it really cost to add a camera to an ipod? I think it'd be a fine idea... it could also be a total flop.... maybe some type of add on... an optional device.
 

gandalf55

macrumors 6502
Apr 13, 2001
343
0
boston
previewing of photos on the ipod would be horrific (greyscale and the pixel dimensions of the display)... webcams on cellphones right now is only toyish and not serious. my 2 bits.
 

Chaszmyr

macrumors 601
Aug 9, 2002
4,267
86
I see... We can call it iSee :p
Apple can then go into joint advertising with Icee
 

WannabeSQ

macrumors 6502
Oct 24, 2002
361
0
I think it would have a better chance of making it if it did not do anything other than store them. It takes up much less processor. There is something called the Mindstor, just a firewire HD that also has a compact flash input to store pictures, like a digital wallet. If the iPod could just store the pictures, that would be enough for me
 

gotohamish

macrumors 65816
Jul 15, 2001
1,078
9
BKLN
Originally posted by scem0


Unless you wanted bad black and white photos. A color iPod would be nice though...

I disagree, I think a media card firewire add on would be fine. It wouldn't bee so you could view them on the road (your camera does that), it's so that when you're in the middle of nowhere, without your 'book, you can reach into your pocket and offload your card into the iPod, with a graphical confirmation that, say, 50 pics have been saved in a directory by time.

I'd buy up!:D
 

irmongoose

macrumors 68030
Originally posted by gotohamish


I disagree, I think a media card firewire add on would be fine. It wouldn't bee so you could view them on the road (your camera does that), it's so that when you're in the middle of nowhere, without your 'book, you can reach into your pocket and offload your card into the iPod, with a graphical confirmation that, say, 50 pics have been saved in a directory by time.


Now that is a great idea. We should submit that to Apple. Definitely. (And I don't say that often, you know)



irmongoose
 

daRAT

macrumors regular
May 12, 2002
134
0
Kennebunk, Maine, USA
why combine them?

Why not do this;

"iPic" specs;

iPod case, 5 gig hd, FW connection via a "pop" out male FW connector, 4 megapixels, large lcd viewer, lcd view finder, bounce flash, ASA 100 to 400, 28mm to 80mm zoom and Lithium batteries.

Same specs as above, but with a "iBook" type of case.

Add Bluetooth (I know it is slower, but hey no connections). The FW would pop out and you could "dock" the camera with the laptop. Note for towers and iMac's there would be a patch cable.

The case would match the two laptops Apple puts out now, plus this would double as a portable drive for the laptops.

Cost 350$ to 450$

Anyways, it makes sense for Apple to have a consumer level camera, to complete the digital hub. Also make them for pc's right away and rake in the money :]

My Opinion anyways, thanks!
 

Mike Ball

macrumors newbie
Nov 12, 2001
11
0
ipod camera

Most if not all the consumer prosumer digital cameras still stick with usb. If only they would stick a firewire port on their cameras, but there is one firewire enabled media card reader now available.
Personally I think apple have got to give the ipod an mp3 encoder so that it can record both from internal and external microphones. It's one of the main things that for all the talk of a digital lifestyle it's actually quite difficult to get some thing that will do this for you on a mac.
Yes there's archos but most manufacturers don't seem to have heard of macs when it comes to the digital recording of sound.
 

gotohamish

macrumors 65816
Jul 15, 2001
1,078
9
BKLN
Re: ipod camera

Originally posted by Mike Ball
Most if not all the consumer prosumer digital cameras still stick with usb. If only they would stick a firewire port on their cameras, but there is one firewire enabled media card reader now available.
Personally I think apple have got to give the ipod an mp3 encoder so that it can record both from internal and external microphones. It's one of the main things that for all the talk of a digital lifestyle it's actually quite difficult to get some thing that will do this for you on a mac.
Yes there's archos but most manufacturers don't seem to have heard of macs when it comes to the digital recording of sound.

there's loads more than 1 fw card reader here in the UK.
 

gotohamish

macrumors 65816
Jul 15, 2001
1,078
9
BKLN
Originally posted by irmongoose



Now that is a great idea. We should submit that to Apple. Definitely. (And I don't say that often, you know)



irmongoose

thanks for the praise, how about we lobby the people at iPodding.com and iPodhacks etc to get some 'Pod programmers to get working on it!
 
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