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New AppleTV what do you Think

21153 Views 183 Replies 54 Participants Last post by sean_w_smith, Sep 21, 2009

macintoshse

Discussion Starter · Jan 15, 2008

New AppleTV what do you Think http://www.apple.com/appletv/

1 - 20 of 184 Posts

paulw2

· #2 · Jan 15, 2008

Looks interesting if you live in the US and can use the TV and movie downloads. Outside the US it still a paperweight. I think it still too proprietry as far as codecs and resolution goes. I get the impression that TV shows are SD only but with movies you have the option of SD or HD. It may give the Vudu a run for it's money but with Vudu you can purchase the movie as well as rent..

alucard77

· #3 · Jan 15, 2008

The thing is really a rip off in my eyes. A SD movie is $3.99 and $4.99 for HD! On top of that TV Shows are $1.99 a piece! At the very least it needs an unlimited viewing fee.

I am sure people will buy it because it is Apple and they love everything made by crapple. But you can do much better then this and save yourself a lot of money. I am waiting to see if Netflicks will get into the action and create a set top box.

hoos30

· #4 · Jan 15, 2008

This is actually a little worse than Xbox Live Marketplace, IMO, where we've been renting HD movies for about a year now. Nothing to see here, really. At least you can play games on the Xbox 360.

Halcy

· #5 · Jan 15, 2008

Same crapola hardware. 720p max resolution. Low apple bitrates. DRM all-over-the-place hindering usage. Not very inexpensive rental prices, me thinks.

Not for me.

Yes, we are moving to this direction, but Stevie-boy has to do better in order to get this thing off the ground.

Apple TV Take 2 - make that "Flop no. 2".

let's wait for the real Apple TV HD.

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megaman_y

· #6 · Jan 15, 2008

I bet as old as the unit is, it wont be able to do true 1080p ever (so it's stuck at 720p). I too will wait till the next gen version.

Jonesky

· #7 · Jan 16, 2008

I like it. I have the 40gb and it does quite well and it is silent. I have been waiting for the HD rentals and just cancelled Netflix. Convenience and 720p is not bad. Try the Hubblecast HD podcast.

Carlos_E

· #8 · Jan 16, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by hoos30 /forum/post/12824524

This is actually a little worse than Xbox Live Marketplace, IMO, where we've been renting HD movies for about a year now. Nothing to see here, really. At least you can play games on the Xbox 360.

How is it worse? The movies are at the same resolution and the viewing time is the same as Xbox Live.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Halcy /forum/post/12824576

Same crapola hardware. 720p max resolution. Low apple bitrates. DRM all-over-the-place hindering usage. Not very inexpensive rental prices, me thinks.

Not for me.

Yes, we are moving to this direction, but Stevie-boy has to do better in order to get this thing off the ground.

Apple TV Take 2 - make that "Flop no. 2".

let's wait for the real Apple TV HD.

Again, all of the movie rental rules are the same as Xbox Live. Same resolution, 720p and same DRM and movie rental time. You just don't like it because it's from Apple.

Halcy

· #9 · Jan 16, 2008

3

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlos_E /forum/post/12831334

How is it worse? The movies are at the same resolution and the viewing time is the same as Xbox Live.

Again, all of the movie rental rules are the same as Xbox Live. Same resolution, 720p and same DRM and movie rental time. You just don't like it because it's from Apple.

Silly argument

I write this on a brand spanking Macbook Pro while ordering a new Mac Pro for my wife! Been using Macs since 1986, btw.

I like decent hardware & services, but AppleTV for me is not such. Not yet.

And I dislike all the other services/hw that limit me similarly, be that from Sony, Amazon, Microsoft or some other....

True HD AppleTV is not, not in resolution, not in audio tracks, not in bitrates. And I think it is also overpriced for what it offers.

As such, I think it deserves to fail in its current incarnation.

PS To me it sounds like _you_ like it, _because_ it is from _Apple_

Why even drag MS and xbox live into this discussion. Yes, it's equally crapola, but that means Apple's offering is crapola as well (at least in my book)

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Neil 420

· #10 · Jan 16, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Halcy /forum/post/12835289

[snip]True HD AppleTV is not, not in resolution[snip]

In what way is 720p not an HD resolution? My only problem with ATV is the lack of codec support (especially high bitrate main or advanced profile h.264, .ifo, MPEG2, and DivX).

There is nothing wrong with the $229 price tag for people who already have a ton of iTunes Fairplay content they want in their living room. For people who don't have much iTunes content, a lower price wouldn't make them run out and buy this thing that can't do anything for them.

Carlos_E

· #11 · Jan 16, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Halcy /forum/post/12835289

Silly argument

I write this on a brand spanking Macbook Pro while ordering a new Mac Pro for my wife! Been using Macs since 1986, btw.

I like decent hardware & services, but AppleTV for me is not such. Not yet.

And I dislike all the other services/hw that limit me similarly, be that from Sony, Amazon, Microsoft or some other....

True HD AppleTV is not, not in resolution, not in audio tracks, not in bitrates. And I think it is also overpriced for what it offers.

As such, I think it deserves to fail in its current incarnation.

PS To me it sounds like _you_ like it, _because_ it is from _Apple_

Why even drag MS and xbox live into this discussion. Yes, it's equally crapola, but that means Apple's offering is crapola as well (at least in my book)

I didn't drag MS into this. hoos30 did. See his post below. I was questioning how it's worse considering it has the same rules as Xbox Live.

Quote:
Originally Posted by hoos30 /forum/post/12824524

This is actually a little worse than Xbox Live Marketplace, IMO, where we've been renting HD movies for about a year now. Nothing to see here, really. At least you can play games on the Xbox 360.

Halcy

· #12 · Jan 17, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil 420 /forum/post/12836934

In what way is 720p not an HD resolution?

It's not full HD 1080p, that's why. Sure it's part of the HD resolution gamut, but full HD resolution it is not, as we both know.

Quote:
My only problem with ATV is the lack of codec support (especially high bitrate main or advanced profile h.264, .ifo, MPEG2, and DivX).

That and the horrible maximum bitrate that is 1/10th of the the maximum bitrate seen on some blu-ray discs. 1/10th! That is a lousy amount of information, considering it is using similar codec/profile.

As such, it will look not very good side-by-side to a full HD blu-ray disc content at 100" on one's screen

Quote:
There is nothing wrong with the $229 price tag for people who already have a

I think the device is priced ok, it just doesn't do what it I think it should. And the price of the movies off the service - that's too high, imho.

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Chadlyt

· #13 · Jan 17, 2008

I'm thinking they will be working on it, but usually apple hits the ground running with a product. Not dip their toes in the water....twice.

I've been waiting for something...this was almost it.

The problem i have is my 1080P LCD wants to have 1080P movies played on it. Waiting for the "who wins, HD DVD or Bluray" could take forever.

the other problem i have that i haven't seen mentioned on any blog or posts is the actual download times. Download a HD movie and watch it when? How far ahead to you have to plan? I have max 256K DSL at my place...not the best, but the best I can get (charter is 5 miles away from me, but i can't get it). It takes me 3 minutes to download an itune...how about a HD movie? dear lord...

So for now...I am stuck watching upconverted DVD's movies on my oppo...

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Artslinger

· #14 · Jan 17, 2008

I think I will wait it out to see what Netflix and LG have to offer later this year. Supposedly the subscription fees will stay the same, it will be interesting how they control the amount of downloads with their existing pricing structures.

The price of the box will be a big factor; I have read rumors all the way from the service being included in the expensive $700 dual DHDVD & BLU-RAY player to wireless standalone boxes.

abeas

· #15 · Jan 17, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by Halcy /forum/post/12841975

It's not full HD 1080p, that's why. Sure it's part of the HD resolution gamut, but full HD resolution it is not, as we both know.

You are as bad as a Best Buy salesman. 1080i and 720p are just as much HD as 1080p. Ask 10 people and let me know how many say there is a substantial difference in PQ with 1080p vs 1080i/720p. The term "FullHD" is lame and so are the people that claim it is soooooooo much better than "crappy 720p."

Chadlyt

· #16 · Jan 17, 2008

cant we keep on subject just once? we know the stats of AppleTV already.

dgolombowski

· #17 · Jan 17, 2008

I personally am looking forward to using the rental service. I will cancel my NetFlix account and pay a few bucks extra just for the convenience.

Any idea on when Apple with have the update available for present Apple TV owners?

Carlos_E

· #18 · Jan 17, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by dgolombowski /forum/post/12846578

I personally am looking forward to using the rental service. I will cancel my NetFlix account and pay a few bucks extra just for the convenience.

Any idea on when Apple with have the update available for present Apple TV owners?

January 29th.

mike_pro

· #19 · Jan 17, 2008

This looks much more interesting to me. Will play divx, xvid, h.264, .vobs, avi, etc etc (must buy codec plugins, ~$50 total). If it is anything like my Archos 605 WiFi, it works awesome.

http://www.archos.com/products/gen_5...global&lang=en

dgolombowski

· #20 · Jan 17, 2008

mike_pro said:
This looks much more interesting to me. Will play divx, xvid, h.264, .vobs, avi, etc etc (must buy codec plugins, ~$50 total). If it is anything like my Archos 605 WiFi, it works awesome.

http://www.archos.com/products/gen_5...global&lang=en [/QUO

The key will be the delivery system. That's where Apple has a leg up. Their ITune store experience will be the difference maker. And don't forget that unused USB on the back of the Apple TV. It is a future proof product that so far has kept just a step ahead of the competition. I expect Apple to make great strides in the next 12-18 months and pull away from smaller competitors.

1 - 20 of 184 Posts

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