Hewlett Packard ’s endeavor to do it . So is Sony . And Microsoft has made it a major strategical precedency . And yet , for all their endeavour and the resource at their disposal , none of these company have been able to bridge the col between personal computers and home - entertainment systems .

So why does Apple think it ’s going to fare any better with its upcoming iTV gadget ? The limit - top box — preview a week ago and slate for an early 2007 release — is designed to stream picture , euphony , and other multimedia file from a computer to a television set . It ’s part of Apple’sstrategic effort to extend its front into users ’ living room .

The company will point out that it ’s been successful at these case of thing before — depend to the iPod and the iTunes Store to see example of Apple ’s achiever outside of screen background , laptops , and software . While industry analysts are n’t exactly ready to reckon doom and somberness for iTV , they ’re also earmark sagaciousness on the Apple product ’s potential for dominate the market .

“ There is this push to plug all the twist together , but everyone lose the last 10 - feet problem , ” JupiterResearch Senior Analyst Joe Wilcox toldMacworld .

That “ lat 10 - feet problem ” identify by Wilcox is the challenge of successfully integrating a gadget to get content from a computer to the boob tube in an easy way . Any tech company with dream of convergence has tried to solve this mystifier . And grant to Wilcox , none of them have come after thus far .

Many have try

Most companies that have tried to conquer the home entertainment marketplace build a equipment and practice Microsoft ’s Windows Media Center software system . Hewlett Packard ’s z558 , theAria Media CenterandNiveusMedia ’s devicesare subsist products that Apple will be trying to displace in the place .

Apple has one thing going for it that many other company do not — a reputation for ease - of - consumption . “ It all comes down to whether Apple can work it ’s magic again , ” Wilcox aver . “ Can Apple take complex tasks , like seamlessly getting subject matter from a computer to the TV , and simplify them for the everyday soul ? ”

The ship’s company has done as much with effectual music downloads . The iPod is the most popular MP3 instrumentalist in the world , and Apple has focused much of its aid in recent years on mix that equipment with its iTunes nickelodeon software system . The concept of seamlessly purchasing music , downloading it to the electronic computer , and transfer it to a portable player was a pie - in - the - sky concept when the iPod was introduced five year ago ; now it ’s a fact of life .

While Apple clear hopes to capitalize on the success of the selling - leading iTunes Store to found iTV — the company is pushing the set - top box as the perfect way to stream movies bought from the store to your TV — it ’s jump into a packed market that admit software giant Microsoft .

“ This is one rationality that Microsoft is pursuing [ its portable medium player ] Zune , ” Wilcox say . “ Microsoft assumed with Windows Media Center that it could dominate the life way , but they ran into a job called Apple and iTunes . ”

But Apple is taking a dissimilar advance to the sustenance way than other ship’s company before it , including Microsoft . While Microsoft , EyeTV DVR - makerElgato Systems , and others have focused on mathematical product that incorporate recording and watch television program via the computer , Apple is using the purchase model , allowing people to buy content from iTunes and then rain cats and dogs it to their TVs .

Microsoft has dabble in the purchased content orbit with Media Center as well , offering link to service like Cinema Now , but analysts are n’t impressed with the implementation .

“ You could argue that Microsoft ’s Media Center has an user interface to Cinema Now and while the use has increase the interface has not taken hold with consumer , ” enounce Ross Rubin , managing director of analysis at NPD Group .

Apple is n’t just competing with technology companies . Many line providers also offer on - demand services that let viewers pay a fee to watch specific programming whenever they want — without postulate the figurer at all .

That ’s sure a challenge , analyst say , though not one Apple ca n’t whelm . Take the iTunes Store ’s Season Pass feature , which allows drug user to seize substance from specific program , much as they would with on - requirement cable programing . And then there ’s iTunes ’ new impart moving picture download serve .

“ iTV would have access code to purchased motion picture . This could enable Apple to play as a ante up - per - scene system , but with a much tolerant array of subject matter than is available on cable scheme , ” sound out Rubin .

Questions remain

While Rubin and Wilcox both say it ’s too other to secern if Apple can ride the moving ridge of iTunes into the animation way , they fit in that iTV ’s succeeder will , in part , depend on the networking protocol used in the gadget — a item Apple yet to divulge .

“ The one key specification that could be a major agent , is what 802.11 var. [ Apple ] will use , ” Rubin said . “ 802.11 g has had a hard time keeping up with video flow in the home , but 802.11n is designed with that functionality in mind . ”

The success of Apple ’s iTV may have less to do with what it can do for the existing market and more to do with what else it has to offer consumers and the diligence in the long term .

“ Certainly they ’ve done the common special job on the var. factor , ” Rubin aver . “ The monetary value stage is in line with other products in the category , but they have not done very well . Based on the functionality of streaming iTunes Store purchase depicted object as well as video and exposure to the goggle box , that is not a product the mint securities industry is clamor for today . It will do well for the category , but we still require to know more to see if it will dilate the family . ”