Griffin's new TuneCenter

Griffin, a company that makes a slew of cool mac-related products announced their new super iPod dock dubbed TuneCenter at MacWorld this week. Basically, it's a iPod dock with a S-video, RCA and audio out, some media center type software embedded in the dock, and it includes a remote.

Make Magazine has a shots of the back and front of it on their flickr stream:

Combined with a new video iPod, this small, sleek dock can stream music, photos, and iPod video (very low resolution) to your TV. It's a great idea and clever way to extend an iPod into the living room without a lot of hardware and software. Basically your iPod becomes a rather powerful component in your home theater system, all remote controlled.

I'm surprised that Apple didn't have a product like this in their MacWorld offerings, it'd be great if the Airport Express could have video-out and offer similar capabilities.

Comments

[Dave Zatz]

The price is also right... for a hundred bucks, they seem to cram a bunch of good features in. Engadget posted a few pics of the TV UI and it looks nice.

The iPod does support up to 480x480 which is fine for most SD sets and situations... the problem is iTunes sells shows at only 320x240 which isn't so hot.

I assume one day Apple will have a device like this as either a stand-alone widget or built-in to that fabled Mac mini living room device. If iTunes adds movies and bumps up the resolution, I'd definitely be interested!

[Mike]

I've bought more than 1 gadget from Griffin where the idea seemed really cool, but the implementation was not so much. I'll wait for a review from someone that's actually used it before I plunked down any more money with them.

[Rory C. Berger]

What's the ethernet port for?

[Greg Smith]

If you could buy HD shows and play them on the TV that would be cool, otherwise I'm just not interested in this. Cool idea though.

[Bruce]

The ethernet port is for streaming Internet radio. There was also something about wireless but I'm unsure if it was built in or required you to buy a wireless adapter(external). I'll be getting one for sure!

[Grover]

This is exactly what I was looking for to put in my car. It will allow me to choose music for me when I'm alone, and have a library of videos ready to go for the kids on family road trips. This plus a dvd playing display is the complete in-car mobile entertainment package (and better than installing a mini at least until there's a good UI for that on the Mac).

[Chad]

I've been waiting so patiently for an Airport Express with video-out. Not so much for streaming videos from my PC, but for getting iTunes information (and album art?) on my TV. I love my iPod, but iTunes on a laptop is much easier to manage. That and I'm into that crossfade thing.

[Chad]

Crossfade and SomaFM. Groove Salad.

[Fabian]

More details need to be provided for the RJ-45 or WiFi links. If this networking feature is only good for Internet Radio, then this is major disappointment.

I would expect this unit to take full advantage of the networking hardware capabilities to:

-Sync data to a PC (on the LAN or (WAN? wishful thinking))
-Download Itunes content to the IPOD without a computer. Purchase and play without a MAC/PC.
-Subscribe/Download RSS feeds/enclosures to automatically get the latest PODcasts/VIDcasts.

-and last but not least, provide a bit-torrent client in the firmware so that the IPOD can consume bit-torrent RSS enclosures.

These features would make me scoop this unit up along with a video-IPOD right away.

Otherwise, the networking feature is just a marketing gimmick, like most “i’s” in any i-product are lame attempts to capture market share. Innovation 1st, gimmicks second.

2 cents,
Fabian.

[Ken]

I sure hope the TuneCenter iPod navigation screens displayed on the TV allow the option to display associated album art for the songs being played.

[debt consolidation]

1

[Windycitycouple]

Its a great idea but they REALLY need to produce a car version where you can stick your IPod in the console and just plug it in, not sit it up on a docking station.

[Anon]

Wish list for the Ethernet/wi-fi:

-Streaming output of the now-playing media
-Web server to allow control of the iPod from any web-enabled device

I also vote for album art on the video out

[dan]

I got the DLO one and it has the same problem this one does... no album art show, no additional info [like year, composer...]... also they both have no on screen navigation for photos and videos, that has to be done on the opid itself not by remote

[Etienne]

dan: the Griffin DOES browse photos and videos... I don't know about showing composer.. check this: http://ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/griffin-announces-tunecenter-pro-dock-with-pre-order-bonus-and-details/ there is a video of the features it might answer (I don't have quicktime on this computer)

[GongShow]

Is the remote IR or RF (I can always hope), and have you heard when it's supposed to be shipping?

[john Smith]

The DLO Homedock uses an IR remote. Yes the only
video control is in "ipod mode" where you control
it directly from the ipod, no remote. Seems to work OK,
but I'm going to return it if the Griffin Model has the
superior functionality everyone is indicating.

[Jimtac]

I just posted my review of the TuneCenter, if anyone's interested...

http://jimtac.blogspot.com/

[Hillary]

Cool!.. Nice work...c

[Hillary]

Sentimental and nostalgic. Great.!