Apple updates Apple TV with YouTube support (photos)
Apple on Wednesday delivered the first of several planned software updates to its Apple TV streaming media hub, adding support for Google's widely popular YouTube video sharing website.
Owners of the $299 Apple TV can download the free update using the device's built-in software update feature (under the "Settings" menu), and then easily navigate through YouTube’s familiar video browsing categories or search for specific videos.
YouTube members can also log-in to their YouTube accounts on Apple TV to view and save their favorite videos.
Once updated, Apple TV displays a "YouTube" menu with options to view featured videos, most viewed videos, recent videos, and top rated videos. Users can also search YouTube and check their recent viewing history.
Installation of the software update took approximately five minutes on an 802.11n network early Wednesday morning. Step-by-step photos from the installation process follow.
YouTube coming to iPhone as well
Also on Wednesday, Apple said it has designed a new application for iPhone that will wirelessly stream YouTube’s content over Wi-Fi or EDGE networks. The software will be included with each iPhone when it goes on sale June 29th.
Owners of the $299 Apple TV can download the free update using the device's built-in software update feature (under the "Settings" menu), and then easily navigate through YouTube’s familiar video browsing categories or search for specific videos.
YouTube members can also log-in to their YouTube accounts on Apple TV to view and save their favorite videos.
Once updated, Apple TV displays a "YouTube" menu with options to view featured videos, most viewed videos, recent videos, and top rated videos. Users can also search YouTube and check their recent viewing history.
Installation of the software update took approximately five minutes on an 802.11n network early Wednesday morning. Step-by-step photos from the installation process follow.
YouTube coming to iPhone as well
Also on Wednesday, Apple said it has designed a new application for iPhone that will wirelessly stream YouTube’s content over Wi-Fi or EDGE networks. The software will be included with each iPhone when it goes on sale June 29th.
Comments
Someone's sleepin' at AppleInsider...
Is YouTube that important for Apple to help people access low resolution contents? Most Youtube videos are barely watchable on a monitor, what makes them think watching these things full screen on a HDTV will be more satisfying?
The quality is almost unbearable on a 52-inch screen.
K
Is YouTube that important for Apple to help people access low resolution contents? Most Youtube videos are barely watchable on a monitor, what makes them think watching these things full screen on a HDTV will be more satisfying?
People use to watch VHS
And .H264 clips will look better than the FLV ones. (Same 320x240, or larger?)
yeesh. what a PITA. wouldnt it be simpler to allow you to plug in a keyboard?
there is a usb port on the damn thing isnt there?!
can anyone comment on how searches for content are done? can you plug in a keyboard and type or is it some other mechanism?
We posted some photos in this article -- you have to use the Apple Remote to navigate the onscreen keypad, typing in your search one character at a time. As you type, search results update to the right of the keypad in near real-time.
Best,
K
Is YouTube that important for Apple to help people access low resolution contents? Most Youtube videos are barely watchable on a monitor, what makes them think watching these things full screen on a HDTV will be more satisfying?
This helps Apple to bring Quicktime and h.264 as de facto web standards for video. With h.264, quality will improve over time. It's all about baby steps.
This helps Apple to bring Quicktime and h.264 as de facto web standards for video. With h.264, quality will improve over time. It's all about baby steps.
Why? Only the Apple TV and iPhone have access to these h.264 versions. The end-user is completely unaware of what format the videos are in...
Why? Only the Apple TV and iPhone have access to these h.264 versions. The end-user is completely unaware of what format the videos are in...
But to get to these devices the content provided have to use it. That's the key.
ust to let people know the Apple TV update disables as least some (or most) of the hacks that you may have installed. I had ssh enabled and several frappliances installed and now I don't have ssh access and all frappliances are gone from the menu.
I'm not surprised by the ssh and the frappliance may be gone because they installed a whole new 'Finder' which is the main menu.
Don't know that they could have done it any differently given the number of ways the hacks are installed.
Just a warning.
Is YouTube that important for Apple to help people access low resolution contents? Most Youtube videos are barely watchable on a monitor, what makes them think watching these things full screen on a HDTV will be more satisfying?
It's about the content, not the quality. Instead of huddling around a computer monitor, groups of people can watch their favorite videos around a TV.
I posted this in another thread but.
ust to let people know the Apple TV update disables as least some (or most) of the hacks that you may have installed. I had ssh enabled and several frappliances installed and now I don't have ssh access and all frappliances are gone from the menu.
I'm not surprised by the ssh and the frappliance may be gone because they installed a whole new 'Finder' which is the main menu.
Don't know that they could have done it any differently given the number of ways the hacks are installed.
Just a warning.
Does it affect StartUpItems? If not, you could create a simple app that could check for and reinstall any missing plug-ins during startup.
Just a thought.
To those griping about the search - this looks to be EXACTLY the same way searching works on a TiVo. Because the search results update dynamically as you add letters, it's actually pretty quick and useable.
Indeed. It's not a problem at all.
can anyone comment on how searches for content are done? can you plug in a keyboard and type or is it some other mechanism?
thanks!
yeesh. what a PITA. wouldnt it be simpler to allow you to plug in a keyboard?
there is a usb port on the damn thing isnt there?!
I agree, it reminds me of the days of entering my name into a game to save my high score. I too hope they introduce some means to use a keyboard. I don't recall aTV having Bluetooth, and I can't see a wired keyboard being useful, so the USB port is out unless you get a dongle.
To those griping about the search - this looks to be EXACTLY the same way searching works on a TiVo. Because the search results update dynamically as you add letters, it's actually pretty quick and useable.
Like search with the iPod and every aspect of OS X.