OK...Tell Me Why Apple TV Isn't Great? - Page 3

While the a-la-carte model works well in iTunes for music, I am not so sure it is a great idea for movies / TV shows. Netflix makes it easier for consumers by putting in a flat $9 membership fee each month. I think this is one of the most important reasons for the iTunes rental model not to take off for videos.

The aspect ratio depends on the content being streamed. Some documentaries are not in widescreen. The maximum bitrate for Netflix HD video (720p as reported on the TV OSD) is 3.6 Mbps.

Serious AV enthusiasts used to Blu-Ray quality find this mostly unacceptable, except for satisfying their immediate cravings for certain type of content (usually TV shows).

Please excuse the nube ? but does the 3.6 Mbps apply to programs downloaded and recorded on a DVR for later playback? Hopefully the rate is much higher if the program is not streamed. one reason for asking is that Tivo claims that Amazon content downloaded and recorded has what I interperate as DVD quality. Thanks

[quote=pmcd;19129251] This component hole is going to be stopped apparently

Can you reference this and in US also?

Back on topic - as old as it may be, and while requiring the patches to add functionality - the Apple TV is just fine for *some things*, but doesn't do what all the new boxes may do - it's called Moore's Law! I bought it as a personal content streaming jukebox - compatible with full resolution Video_TS. It does this well.

One thing it DOES do that many current players do not do out of the box is streaming over WLAN. And it does it quite nicely. "WiFi optional" on most boxes (if they even offer it) is apparently, a crapshoot. But maybe, many people don't want streaming over WLAN....LAN is also there - as is USB - internal HD as well. Try checking off standard internal WiFi, internal HD, USB, Cover Art, Video_TS and see how many players are left in the field. Many simple "text directory only" players are cheaper and easier to use, that's true....but I'm spoiled by XBMC scrapers and don't want something less at this point. As a personal content player, the ATV really isn't as bad as the naysayers want to paint it. We've personally only just started discovering/utilizing the additional features in the last year - podcasts, radio, You Tube, Boxee etc...

But as much as it's a great box - we aren't die hard lifetime fans - we would love to combine our Netflix/ROKU box and a content streamer of ATV level hardware features and functionality or higher into a single box at some point. That ends up being a pretty tall order! (Especially sub-$200) So I'm still searching around. Any higher budget and one might as well dedicate a full on Mac/PC computer to the task and get it all.

On Netflix -

As point of information for Non-US readers - one gets unlimited one at a time DVDs in the mail for $9 a month in addition to the unlimited streaming. DVDs are almost every title you can imagine.
Selection in Instant View is going to increase dramatically as they are hammering out new deals TBA. Selections are actually very GOOD if one is open to trying NEW things. My kids discovered Legend Of The Seeker and Merlin TV series among many others. As a family we probably have a thousand+ hours viewing Netflix streaming content. I keep about 50 feature film titles in my Instant Queue so I always have something good to watch when the mood strikes. I've found many "gems" I would not have ever otherwise rented as well. Hundreds more are easily seen and browsed in the many different "Categories" on a ROKU box without even having to go online.

The Roku is feather weight and only needs power and HDMI and it's plugged into any screen in the house.
WHAT IT IS NOT - a library of every movie ever made. But honestly, if one cannot find a single title they would consider watching in their libraries, one cannot seriously be a fan of movies or TV.

The only major drawback is that you won't be able to play HD movies on your XBMC/Boxee.. it will stutter.

The new Apple TV announced today sucks even more.....

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/a...-new-apple-tv/

Agreed.. No local streaming = instant no-buy decision for most people here (the non-fanbois, I mean)..

I don't understand why Apple thinks we would like yet another device connected to the TV (unless the consumer has already pledged his soul to Steve Jobs and bought wholeheartedly into the Apple ecosystem).

Just a means to increase revenue for Apple by pushing their rentals ($5 for a movie rental... he has got to be kidding me.. even if it were first run versions not available on Netflix).. As I had mentioned before, I don't think a-la-carte works very well in this space.

The whole "tv show" rental thing I think will be bad for tv in general if it ever takes off. Shows will be on a shorter leash and new shows could have a hard time building a fan base. There have been quite a few tv shows I have watched because I just happening to be flipping by the channel or had a general curiosity. The curiosity goes away once you have to pay for it...

No local streaming from either NAS or computer? Can video be played from an attached usb drive? I see photos were able to display from a local computer and I guess a usb drive. $99 is a good price if it can do like a typical realtek or sigma based streamer.

XBMC, is that XBOX Media Center? Can an ATV be a bonnified Windows (7) Media Center client (like for that new 4 channel HD cable tuner?)

From what I'm reading it will play local content, but only content purchased through iTunes. So, yeah...that's a big no-go.

No, it will allow you to stream from a PC or Mac, as long as that machine is running iTunes v10, basically your movies will now need to be managed via iTunes like music. I don't know what file types are supported. But I'm sure once the device is jailbroken, more options will be available.

To load non Apple purchased musics on my ipod, I first put them into itunes and then do the sync. Simple enough and I'd assume the same for video to use itunes as stream server. I wish the new aTV be able to see network drives.

If this is the case, look out for reduction in quality. Also, Apple saves itself a ton of support by only needing to support the iTunes codecs on their AppleTV. Nice locked down box.

Does the old Apple TV allow wireless streaming of music from an iPod?

Sounds like it will operate like the old Apple TV, which I used to own. If the media is in iTunes then it will stream to the Apple TV. I used to stream my DVD rips to my old Apple TV with no problems. I just had to import them to iTunes.

It would probably play blu-rays that have been converted to 720P via Handbrake with plain Dolby Digital and imported to iTunes. But if you're like me, you want something that streams full 1080P with lossless audio.

Edit: I can't remember what all formats it plays but .m4v was always what I converted my DVDs to when I had my Apple TV and they streamed fine.

Sounds to me like the new AppleTV is possibly quite similar to the old one under the hood. The specs still claim 720p max, but I believe it's using a newer/faster CPU. At $99 with 802.11n, Netflix support, and all of the old features (streaming 720p from a central server), I'm actually very tempted, but it's not a home-run. I really wish it supported 1080p MKV streaming, but it doesn't shock me that AppleTV wouldn't want to support that.

I feel just the opposite. There are a lot of TV shows that we have watched *because* they are available a la cart. Rescue Me, Rome, BSG, Torchwood, the New Dr. Who, the various Stargates, Dexter, Weeds, etc. etc.

My wife and I wouldn't have watched them because we're not going to pay for 800,000 hours of TV a month (100 cable channels) just to get to watch 6 or 7 hours of interesting shows a week. However, we will rent/buy the specific shows that interest us.

I think a la cart can work just fine for a show. Good content will get watched, just like it always has. It is the bad content that used to get bookended by good content on a cable channel that will have a hard time.

-Suntan

It will stream from any Windows or Mac computer having iTunes and also from iPad, iPhone, iPod,... This is a big deal as it gives you portability between devices. On my current Apple TV I can stream stuff from a WHS unit. I can't stream stuff from my Drobo FS unless I use XBMC or Boxee or nitoTV.

If I were in the US this new ATV would be appealing, especially given the Netflix and other net content. For people in Canada this is not as appealing, unless Netflix up here is reasonably priced. Even then I still don't see why someone would choose Netflix over TMN on demand.

Of course this new ATV will not be for all. However, it's not the devil that some might think. What it isn't is a unit to manage locally ripped bluray video, and hence it isn't for the very top a/v enthusiast. It does fit in well with the iPhone, iPad, iTunes environment. No amount of discussion will win over those uncomfortable with Apple's approach. That's ok, as it's just another option.

I personally will replace my ATV with a new one. It will do everything the current one does in my situation. One thing is won't do is run Boxee or XBMC, but then a Boxee Box would be better for that. I doubt that this new ATV will be as open as the previous one, despite the USB port.

I wonder if this is a reason why the PopBox is having problems getting Netflix. Compared to this atv the
PopBox is an open door.

Not sure about TV rentals or purchases. The price is not unreasonable, but like pay per view movies this is not as appealing to many of us compared with the netflix type model.

Interesting. Not overwhelming but there are just too many constraints in the video and ebook publishing worlds to expect revolutionary products.

Philip

No.

Philip

Are you sure? I was under the impression that AirTunes allowed exactly that kind of functionality.

@Suntan,
The thing is re playability wise it's sucks. With a little more money + coupon + sales going on, you can buy the set instead.

Hmm ... I have been trying to do that for a while. I don't see how the ATV can even see the playlists on an iPhone. If it were possible then that would be great. I think this is a really neat feature of the new ATV, especially the video and picture part.

Philip

I can see both sides. We really dislike the fact that we have to subscribe to a 100 channels just to get the few we like. On the other hand, the browsing part gets lost when you have to know what you like. Perhaps that part will move to the web?

Philip

I don't think there's anyway that the ATV can be an actual WMC client. However it can (with XBMC) play recordings made from a WMC computer, although I'm not sure that the ATV would be the best choice for that application.

Jay

I will be interesting to see how the current ATV will be supported by Apple. It seems like the only feature that could not be supported by the current model is the Netflix streaming. All other new features could be incorporate if they wanted to. I still kinda like the current unit with a hard drive. It allows me to sync my itunes music library the the ATV and use it for music for my pool zone without relying on any server to be running.

Jay

They have already said that the current one will not be upgraded. You still will be able to serve music from it, but the integration with the iPad, iPhone , and so on won't happen. I assume that, apart from technical issues, they want an even more closed environment. Perhaps those constraints are required by content providers?

I am not sure what to make of it all. I like my ATV, but Apple has done little to promote it. It feels very much like the Apple // GS in the days when Apple was moving to the Mac. Quite sad at the time as the GS folks had to pull off wonders with the software compared with the far superior Amiga's and Atari's of the day. I think it's the end of the road for the current Apple TV. It will join my Kodak media player ( far superior hardware-wise to the ATV) in the closet. The Kodak player really deserved a better go of it... Best You Tube, excellent sigma chip, WHS support, ... sigh.

Philip

I missed that. Would you mind posting a link where they talk about the current model regarding the new features. I still don't think the ATV is obsolete. It appears the worst case is you don't get Netfix (I have that already on my blu-ray player) and Iphone/ipad integration. Neither feature seems all that important to me. It's easy enough to get photos from my iphone to show on the ATV.

Jay