Now that the AppleTV is a reality it seems some HD content to go along with the 720p capabilities of the device would go hand in hand. Anyone seen anything from Apple about this anywhere? It seems to be the elephant in the room but no one seems to have any info on this subject. I wouldn't mind buying movies from iTunes if they were at least 720p. Anyone else?

-Jerry C.

It seems to be the elephant in the room but no one seems to have any info on this subject.I don't have any answers to your questions, nor does anybody else outside of Infinite Loop, yet, but lets shine some light on the elephant.

Two of the biggest most obvious problems with the appleTV:

#1 No HD content from the iTunes Store
#2 Doesn't work with non-digital displays

So, you can't hook up to a legacy display, to show the content that is offered, nor does Apple offer content for the chosen format of the device. How much weirder can this thing be? Granted it does a lot of other things, but these two are deal killers for all of us "picky audiophioes and videophiles," and ma and pa consumer who don't know the difference between HDMI and coax.

We've heard all of the complaints form the video/audio/phile crowd already. How long is it before the first thread is posted here:

How do i hook up my appleTV to my [insert legacy device name] tube tv? I say Friday night.

Two of the biggest most obvious problems with the appleTV:

#1 No HD content from the iTunes Store
#2 Doesn't work with non-digital displays

Well, one of those statements is absolutely not true so that leaves one obvious problem. And that's not really a problem but a matter of time.

Well, one of those statements is absolutely not true so that leaves one obvious problem. And that's not really a problem but a matter of time.If you're referring to my statement about hooking up to a non-digital display, here is the quote from Apple's appleTV web site:

"TV compatibility

* Enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen TVs capable of 1080i 60/50Hz, 720p 60/50Hz, 576p 50Hz (PAL format), or 480p 60Hz"

I may be wrong, but does that not preclude non-digital TV's? Enhanced definition and "high definition" are most definitely digital formats as commonly defined. Maybe there are some oddball analog widescreen screens that will play some 1080i or progressive content, but they would be in the vast minority. I feel a sense of deja vu that we've gone over all of this before.

Let me reword #2 above:

#2 Only works with enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen.

And the home consumer can take that definition to the store with them, whether buying an appleTV or a new monitor. Confusion reigns.

Let me reword #2 above:

#2 Only works with enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen.

And the home consumer can take that definition to the store with them, whether buying an appleTV or a new monitor. Confusion reigns.

That's better. Apple TV should work with any TV that has component inputs, which is still a 'newer' television but not necessarily digital.

....
Two of the biggest most obvious problems with the appleTV:

#1 No HD content from the iTunes Store
#2 Doesn't work with non-digital displays
...
We've heard all of the complaints form the video/audio/phile crowd already. How long is it before the first thread is posted here:

How do i hook up my appleTV to my [insert legacy device name] tube tv? I say Friday night.
That complaint has been far and away the number 1 complaint everywhere but here. People want to hook this thing up to their old TVs and can't (example: Adam Christianson, the Maccast guy -- not a Luddite, had to cancel his order for that reason).

And an even bigger problem, which was mentioned: Europe. The vast majority of widescreen sets in Europe (and there are probably more of them there than in the US) are 100Hz 576i/480i sets, and they are SOL with the progressive only iTV. When it was first announced I was amazed it didn't support RGB SCART. Add to this that the European iTunes stores don't sell TV or movies, and it is guaranteed to be a colossal flop on the Continent.

Problem N#1 will obviously be resolved at some point, but the question is, when? My guess is that the studios are saying no, because they suspect (correctly) that it will kill HD-DVD/Blu-ray as mass market products. If they started selling TV shows (Battlestar Galactica!!) in 720P, I would go nuts buying them, not having to wait for the DVDs. Will they??? When will they???

That's better. Apple TV should work with any TV that has component inputs, which is still a 'newer' television but not necessarily digital.
That's wrong, there are TVs that have component inputs but don't support progressive scan -- and AppleTV won't work with them.

Add to this that the European iTunes stores don't sell TV or movies, and it is guaranteed to be a colossal flop on the Continent.


What's news about that? We are often treated like an afterthought by American companies. Coca-Cola, for example, can't even bother to translate their advertisements here -- both TV and print are in English.

However, virtually all flat-screen TVs here have HDMI connections, so I don't agree that it will be a flop. But, no, unless the iTunes store changes, they won't be selling films or TV here.

That's wrong, there are TVs that have component inputs but don't support progressive scan -- and AppleTV won't work with them.
Not entirely true. 4x3 480i/576i component TV's are not officially supported, but will work with Apple TV.

Not entirely true. 4x3 480i/576i component TV's are not officially supported, but will work with Apple TV.So when are we gonna get HD? C'mon Kev, the secret's safe here. :)

Quite frankly, this thing should be called iPodTV, not AppleTV. The AppleTV implies, at least for me, that it supports TV - and it doesn't. You can't receive broadcast, cable or satellite through this POS. I guess we can thank Steve-O for really setting up the average consumer for more confusion in this already confused marketplace.

Quite frankly, this thing should be called iPodTV, not AppleTV. The AppleTV implies, at least for me, that it supports TV - and it doesn't. You can't receive broadcast, cable or satellite through this POS. I guess we can thank Steve-O for really setting up the average consumer for more confusion in this already confused marketplace.
How would calling it iPodTV be any less confusing that AppleTV in your mind? They both have the word "TV" in it.

To me, there's no problem in calling it AppleTV. It connects to a TV and you can watch TV content, albeit purchased from iTS or ripped from DVD sets.

ft

yeah, the iPod part is significantly different than the generic Apple part. As it is basically an iPod for your TV, that would be a much more appropriate and less confusing name.

That's better. Apple TV should work with any TV that has component inputs, which is still a 'newer' television but not necessarily digital.

Nope I believe the only source to output is 720p you can't put that into a legacy set

Now that the AppleTV is a reality it seems some HD content to go along with the 720p capabilities of the device would go hand in hand. Anyone seen anything from Apple about this anywhere? It seems to be the elephant in the room but no one seems to have any info on this subject. I wouldn't mind buying movies from iTunes if they were at least 720p. Anyone else?

-Jerry C.

Actually, Apple at least snuck in the option in Quicktime (http://ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/quicktime-gains-720p-apple-tv-high-definition-export-mode/). So we can at least create our own 720P, or 480P-widescreen content:

In an undisclosed and largely unnoticed update to its QuickTime video playback and conversion software, Apple has quietly added an “Export to Apple TV” feature capable of creating high-definition videos viewable on the Apple TV accessory. Unlike Export to iPod, which currently creates sub-DVD-quality 640 by 480 videos, Export to Apple TV creates not only full DVD-quality 720 by 404 videos, but also 1280 by 720 videos. These videos are viewable in iTunes, but cannot be transferred directly via iTunes to an fifth-generation iPod.

K, so get your HD from torrent sites? Is it really that hard to figure out? Unless you don't agree with getting recordings of publicly aired tv shows. I'm not talking premium channels or movies, tho you can get those as well.

All you have to do is convert those avi to mpg with Divx Doctor which takes about 3 minutes on a hour episode (350mb) Or use QT 7 pro or Final Cut Pro I think.

I encode my HD content from El Gato's EyeTV 500 units and convert to 720p/24

The apple tv will work with any TV with component in that supports widescreen resolutions, like my old Wega from 1999. It just down-converts everything to 480i.