Apple unveils new Apple TV with 1080p video output, simpler interface

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  • Reply 61 of 78
    rbelsrbels Posts: 29member
    I was actually waiting for live programming to be available. If not the paid content, atleast those free news channels like BBC or AJE. They also took down the iTunes Live option before launching the ATV2 software update.

    Dont take me for bad, but the previous home screen was much more simpler and neat. I actually boasted about this screen with several people for its simplicity. Now, for me the new look is kind of hard to digest and seems cluttered. Quality of the icons is very nice though.

    I'm a bit skeptical about buying an ATV3 on the first day of the launch. Will wait to see the hardware specs and the reviews on top of 1080p specs, before opting for an upgrade.
  • Reply 62 of 78
    shrikeshrike Posts: 494member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Pendergast View Post


    Sounds terrible, but does it really matter? Would you ever notice? Given the amounts required, I imagine Apple is also having an actual single-core A5 produced. Also, likely the only ones being "recycled" are those where one core on a dual-core chip is faulty, and disabling said core. In the end, it would function basically the same as an actual single-core chip.



    Who said it was terrible? This is normal procedure.



    What would be interesting is if this single core A5 is actually a different chip than the A5 in the iPhone and iPad 2, one that only has one core. That implies Apple is loosening up on some of their logistics planning for components. Since the Apple TV is only about 1 million units per quarter, they are probably taking lower quality A5 parts. I think that's a great use of a chip that otherwise would go in the trash.



    It would be interesting how much Apple is getting them for. Mind that, they could simply be taking normal, perfectly functional A5 SoCs and fusing off one of the cores.
  • Reply 63 of 78
    mkralmkral Posts: 57member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Apologies, "Still requires a computer on and iTunes open to actually view any of the stuff you might have on your computer, meaning most of the stuff anyone might have" is more accurate; you're right.



    I suppose if you want to pay Apple $25 a year to access stuff you already legally own and is sitting in your house not 40 feet away, that's your choice.



    Kind of presumptuous to assume that 'most people' fit into your view of things, ins't it? I download the shows from itunes when I watch them. Netflix is on there as well, and Youtube. Those three things comprise the majority of my apple TV needs. Also pretty presumptuous to imply that anyone who doesn't fit your mold must be paying $25 to access stuff they already own. I don't subscribe to itunes match, nor do I plan to.



    why is it so hard for you to admit that you misspoke, instead of trying to create a tortured definition where you are right & everyone else is wrong? The simple fact is that the Apple TV does not require a computer running with itunes loaded for it to operate. It might not work for your specific situation, but that was not your original comment. You were simply wrong. To extract the things YOU want from it, that is the case, but that does not make it a requirement. There is no data showing that 'most of the stuff anyone might have' is stored locally on their computer. That is your own scenario, and you're projecting that to everyone else. You've already mentioned that you don't watch any new shows, so perhaps your viewing habits are not 'normal' & the Apple TV actually works quite well for those with less eccentric viewing habits.
  • Reply 64 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    There's no way to just ACCESS local stuff without having a computer on and iTunes open. I can't have a shared iTunes library stored on a hard drive attached directly to my home network and expect it to open on the Apple TV. Works on proper computers, not the Apple TV. Not buying one until I can do that one simple thing. There's no sense in being forced to have a computer on and iTunes open.





    Indeed. That's one requirement for a shared folder. If that said folder in on a computer, that computer need to be on. For iTunes to be on, it is due to I suspect acting as a bridge.









    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sierrajeff View Post


    I was [...] What about internal memory again, what about ability to run separate from a PC running iTunes ...?



    Also, not clear to me whether this new interface is *only* for the ATV3, or if a software update will also bring it to ATV2 -- anyone pick up on that?





    New software also available for 2nd gen. aTV.



    Internal HDD is not req. if there's no Time Machine functionality as most are streams either from your iDevices or the internet i.e iCloud or YouTube.



    NAS drive is beginning to be a mainstream nowadays. Please hop on. Prices from under if you don't want your comp. to be running at all time.









    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nicholas_hagen View Post


    Many NAS'es have iTunes Server in it that you can use and then your computer can store its contents to the NAS as a file share, which then Apple TV can reference that iTunes library via iTunes server. The NAS is always on at that point. I only have a Macbook Pro and use it in this sense...although I never truly use iTunes Server, but my NAS does support it. NAS'es have dropped in price dramatically as well.





    Correct. I use them as well though only for musics.



    The beauty of a NAS server is that it can also used for almost anything else like scheduled downloading, remote access and obviously, file server.









    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yensid98 View Post


    Are you interested in buying my original Apple TV with 40GB internal HD? That way you could leave your computer off and still access 40GB worth of material.



    I'll use the money I get from you (or whomever) to purchase this new Apple TV 3. Looks really awesome to me!





    Yeah.. I'm selling mine too, 160GB (second update of 1st gen aTV). Contact me











    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Everyone I've talked to has absolutely no idea what this is supposed to mean. I've seen "iTunes Server" advertised for years, and no one has a clue what that means or how it's even possible, no NAS seems to actually have it, and I've been told the Apple TV isn't compatible with it.



    Heh. I loved the idea behind the first gen. Never had one. Terrible processor, horrible power draw, tiny hard drive, 720p cap.



    I have about a terabyte and a half of content in iTunes. 40 GB would be nine movies, and then not at full resolution.



    ....





    Almost all NAS drive nowadays have that functionality even on the cheap-as-peanut diskless D-Link DNS-320 that I have. It shows on iTunes a s shared device/folder though it is for music only as far as I can say as I haven't try it with movies etc. (there's no movies on that NAS's iTunes shared folder.











    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    I don't see how that's much different from the current setup. Still have to have a computer on.



    Ah, well.



    What about NAS' that are advertised as having an iTunes Server? Do they even exist, or is it just illegal false advertising?





    As above. Try QNAP or Synology NAS drives. The best in business.









    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tjwal View Post


    I have a Dlink DNS-323 NAS which is supposed to have an itunes server built in. If it does it was certainly beyond my capability to get it to work. With FileBrowser I can pull videos off the NAS to my iPad without having to use itunes at all.





    I do the same too. With FileBrowser, CineXPlayer, Air Video apps for example, I can pull content from my NAS drive and stream it to my iPad. Don't have black aTV otherwise, I could stream it to my HDTV as well using iPad and AirPlay/mirroring.









    Quote:
    Originally Posted by coldpizza View Post


    So will the ATV3 look better in all aspects? Menus, photos, etc.? Or is it only for 1080p video sources?





    For the same money, go for the latest HW. If OS is at your concern, maybe you want to check the aTV flash team for alternative OS
  • Reply 65 of 78
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Ah, forget it. Anyone want to buy a Take 2 Apple TV (I'll probably just sell it locally; this is rhetorical)? Apple doesn't want to support people who own their own content, so I just won't bother doing it at all. I'm not wasting my time learning how to use some sub-par third party solution. I'll sell my NAS and my Apple TV and continue to watch content on my computer.



    Permanently lost yourself a market here, Apple. I would have bought three of them today if you had enabled something that the jailbreakers can apparently do effortlessly.
  • Reply 66 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    There's no way Apple's gonna let old models have it. I hope to be wrong, but I'll bet I'm not.



    Confirmed that old models get the new interface. Just downloaded it.
  • Reply 67 of 78
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    [Indulge me this final cross-post...]

    So far I've got this list... Please add more at

    http://forums.appleinsider.com/showthread.php?t=145672



    iTunes Store USA 1080p



    HD Buy Only

    Fifth Element

    Iron Man

    Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (if you want to smash your TV)

    King's Speech

    Monsters, Inc (best Pixar movie ever!)

    Red State (2011)

    Star Trek II : Wrath Of Khan (Director's Cut)

    Wall.E



    HD Buy & Rent

    Cars 2

    Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, The

    There Will Be Blood

    Shutter Island

    Star Trek (2009 with all those lens flares)

    Ultraviolet

    Up



    HD Rent Only

    Black Cauldron, The

    Kite Runner, The
  • Reply 68 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Another clueless comment from someone who has never used one (or even bothered to check its actual functionality).



    I've been using an ATV2 as my *sole* means of watching TV shows and movies for the last 9 months. And my comments about needing to have a computer on and iTunes running for certain purposes have been made by many people on here. So the only ignorance on here is your attempted slam.
  • Reply 69 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Pendergast View Post


    You don't need a PC running iTunes. Everything is streamed either via AirPlay, iCloud, iTunes, or third parties like Netflix.



    Seriously dude I shouldn't have to spell out every detail every time. Clearly one can stream from Netflix or the iTunes server. And clearly, I was talking about accessing local content, mirroring a complaint made by many on here.
  • Reply 70 of 78
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Ars has a nice write up detailing and comparing 720p to 1080p on the iTS.
  • Reply 71 of 78
    emacs72emacs72 Posts: 356member
    the Apple TV is an interesting premise. once, and if, Apple TV supports HD audio (DTS Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD) or, at the very least, 7.1 linear PCM, i may consider purchasing the product.
  • Reply 72 of 78
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    Ars has a nice write up detailing and comparing 720p to 1080p on the iTS.



    That was a good writeup. I mistakenly assumed the ATV2 would downres their 1080p content to 720p, but according to that article the ATV2 (for whatever reason) can't digest the newer high profile compression. I think I'll stick to downloading 720p content by default, knowing how easy it is to go back for the 1080p where needed.
  • Reply 73 of 78
    bsenkabsenka Posts: 799member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Apple doesn't want to support people who own their own content, so I just won't bother doing it at all. I'm not wasting my time learning how to use some sub-par third party solution. I'll sell my NAS and my Apple TV and continue to watch content on my computer.



    Permanently lost yourself a market here, Apple. I would have bought three of them today if you had enabled something that the jailbreakers can apparently do effortlessly.



    Hyperbole seems to be your forte.



    Apple does want you to use your own content, and it's ridiculously easy to do. Most of the use I get out of my aTV2 is from accessing my iTunes library from my computer. Sure, that computer has to be powered on, but so would any form of server to access any kind of content.



    The part you're right about, is it's ridiculous that I can't access that library if the iTunes application is not running on my Mac. Why can't it just see and use the library that I've already authorized it to use? It's not like it uses the iTunes' interface, it just accesses the library, and presents it to me in a totally different UI.
  • Reply 74 of 78
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bsenka View Post


    Apple does want you to use your own content, and it's ridiculously easy to do. Most of the use I get out of my aTV2 is from accessing my iTunes library from my computer. Sure, that computer has to be powered on, but so would any form of server to access any kind of content.



    Which would use less than a tenth the power and would actually stay in one place as opposed to following me around.



    Quote:

    It's not like it uses the iTunes' interface, it just accesses the library, and presents it to me in a totally different UI.



    Which is why I'm confused that you think the solution that I want is 'hyperbole'. I basically just want to copy ~/Music/iTunes to an NAS and access that folder tree from an Apple TV in the same way that iTunes does on any computer. I shouldn't have to have a computer on at all.
  • Reply 75 of 78
    haggarhaggar Posts: 1,568member
    How many of the Apple fanboys who originally dismissed 1080p support are now changing their story?
  • Reply 76 of 78
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    "New Apple TV software has a glaring bug. TV shows listing in Home Sharing view don't get sorted by name or date correctly." ~Asymco





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Haggar View Post


    How many of the Apple fanboys who originally dismissed 1080p support are now changing their story?



    Are you trolling or can you really not tell the difference between being OK with a current product means you don't think it can't be better. Show us one person that dismissed the eventual release of a 1080p capable unit.
  • Reply 77 of 78
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    Stream music from Mac to Speakers ~without~ AppleTV, and ~without~ Airport Express



    OK, quick tip. I was going a bit mad with Airport Express constantly dropping out of my main Netcomm WirelessN router. Long story.



    So, here's what I did. Got Airfoil/Airfoil Speakers on Mac. Got Airfoil/Airfoil Speakers on iPhone. Hooked up iPhone to speakers via minijack cable where TV is. Open Airfoil/Airfoil Speakers on Mac, stream ~any~ audio eg. Youtube, GarageBand, etc. Only thing is there is delay so works best for audio, not video with audio.



    For anyone who wants to stream from Mac to Speakers in another location without Airport Express or AppleTV. Works with iPhone and iPad.



    You can also use it to send ~any~ audio from Mac to Airport Express too.



    Website here:

    http://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/speakers.php
  • Reply 78 of 78
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Haggar View Post


    How many of the Apple fanboys who originally dismissed 1080p support are now changing their story?



    Find even ONE person that did that and then we can indulge your fantasy, sure.
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