Background and Identification
A set-top box (shortened to STB, and also known as a cable box) is an information appliance device that generally contains a TV-tuner input and displays outputs to a television set. A set-top box also contains an external source of the signal that turns the source signal into content in a form that can be displayed on a television screen. Set-top boxes are used in cable television, satellite television, and over-the-air television systems as well as other uses.
Apple Inc. is an American technology company that designs, develops, and sells computer software, consumer electronics, and online services. Set-top boxes sold by Apple include the Apple Interactive Television Box and the Apple TV. The Apple Interactive Television Box (AITB) is a television set-top box produced by Apple Inc. with several global telecommunications firms, including Belgacom and British Telecom. The Apple Interactive Television Box was never mass-produced or marketed, though prototypes were sold in the United States and Europe as test markets. The Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole designed and sold by Apple. The Apple TV is a small network appliance and entertainment device that receives digital data for visual and audio content like music, video games, and video. Content is then played on a connected television set or another video display.