Thanks for clarifying - so you agree iTunes is the only option for watching a missed episode in a timely manner. I think you're in a tiny minority being OK with missing a show, hardly anyone would be happy missing an episode of a show they love or seeing it months after the season ends, as opposed to seeing it in time for the following episode.
I'm guessing you probably don't watch much TV, or at least not much that is plot driven.
And thank you for clarifying as well!. You're I right I don't watch shows or series with continuing plots. I watch lots of film and non -continuing shows like Colbert, SNL, or PBS stuff, concerts, etc. I can see how this would definitely benefit you. I've tried to buy a couple of the other shows but was dissapointed in the quality. Like I said hopefully this will improve and help us all out.
Downloaded my update and watched some video, particularly the HD podcasts, and they are simply great! And I have only 480i. Makes me want a widescreen HD set. Haven't rented any movies for showing on Apple TV yet. However, I noticed that the menu for Apple TV on ITunes has changed to include rented movies on Apple TV. Of course I can stream direct without going through ITunes if I choose. Sound is excellent through my separate receiver using an optical cable. By the way, streaming is solid through my Airport Extreme Base Station (n). I am very pleased, so far.
Well an HD player is not an option for this techie. We have a georgeous, bright, high contrast direct-view RCA 1080i HD in the LR, but as an early adopter I get screwed by the Studios. They insisted that HDMI is invoked for HD or Blue-Ray players. With my component video, all I would get is 480 - ugh again. So I shall rebel and watch better HD on my ATV than I can get even with a new player. Hopefully bandwidth and content will continue to improve so I NEVER have to buy one of those players.
Are you sure that AppleTV doesn't require HDMI for HD rentals? I can't find any such information. But the Blu-Ray requirement for ICT that cuts down to 480p won't take effect for a few years. By then, maybe your TV will be dead anyway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pixelcruncher
So you never intend to BUY an HD movie? Remember, HD content is only a rental.
Don't you think that will change in 6-12 months?
Quote:
It will be a VERY long time before they are streaming the same 25GB of quality from a Blu-ray disc through iTunes. They're only at 2GB(?) now. But at least at 2GB you could (theoretically) store them on a hard drive.
I don't see why a hypothetical Apple HD purchase would have to be the same size as a Blu-Ray when the Apple HD rentals are probably much smaller than that. I don't think it has to be the same quality and bitrate.
I have a Samsung DLP TV with only 1 HDMI port. I was going to buy a switcher to add an Apple TV unit, but I've read in multiple posts that there is a bug in the original Apple TV sw that keeps it from working on an HDMI switch. (Before you respond that it must the the Samsung, be assured that a lot of folks have tested this and attributed it to Apple, not the switch manufacturers.) I'd really like any info from someone who is using an HDMI switch with the new sw to see if this issue has been addressed.
I have a Samsung DLP TV with only 1 HDMI port. I was going to buy a switcher to add an Apple TV unit, but I've read in multiple posts that there is a bug in the original Apple TV sw that keeps it from working on an HDMI switch. (Before you respond that it must the the Samsung, be assured that a lot of folks have tested this and attributed it to Apple, not the switch manufacturers.) I'd really like any info from someone who is using an HDMI switch with the new sw to see if this issue has been addressed.
Thanks!
I've had my AppleTV hooked up to an HDMI switch since the day it was released and it works fine. Worked perfectly with the old and new software. I haven't heard of anyone having problems with an HDMI switch and an AppleTV... I use the Monoprice 3x1 Powered HDMI switch.
I've had my AppleTV hooked up to an HDMI switch since the day it was released and it works fine. Worked perfectly with the old and new software. I haven't heard of anyone having problems with an HDMI switch and an AppleTV... I use the Monoprice 3x1 Powered HDMI switch.
As I understand it, the problem is limited to Samsung TVs and is prevelant across all HDMI switches, even the one sold by Apple. Are you saying you have a Samsung and this switch has worked for you?
Didn't Apple say around a 1000 at the start or was that at the end of February.
End of february.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffDM
I don't see why a hypothetical Apple HD purchase would have to be the same size as a Blu-Ray when the Apple HD rentals are probably much smaller than that. I don't think it has to be the same quality and bitrate.
Especially when many bluray discs are mpeg instead of h.264, and supposedly quite a few discs are at a bit rate that is overkill - it sounds like they're filling up the disks just because they can.
Again I disagree. The whole purpose of ATV is for videophiles not iPods. That is why it is not selling well because those who have HD TVs just look at the image in the store and with the exception of photos- it just doesn't cut it. Hopefully these HD rentals will help change that but it's not there yet. We can buy different quality in music already on iTunes and we should be able to do so with video.
It is true the iPod video came first but now we have ATV with HDMI, built for HD TVs.
Um. The Apple TV is for consumers, not a small little group of "videophiles". Blu-Ray is for "videophiles." That's why it's selling so poorly.
The vast majority of people don't have a problem with standard def DVDs and compressed cable TV. Like it or not, that's a fact. Sales figures prove this. Suggesting that the Apple TV is some sort of high-end device designed just for you and your ilk is pretty silly.
Apple wants to replace the DVD, not the Blu-Ray disc, with the Apple TV. Hi-Def isn't mature enough or a big enough market to be concerned about at the moment. Not if you want to make profits in the near term.
You refer to the "image in the store", and I would agree with you there that the Apple TVs on display in the store were one of the few design mistakes Apple Retail has ever made. They used 1080 screens and set them up so you'd be three inches away from them. Of course that looked like crap. They should have hung the screens from the wall at a distance that would be comparable to most people's living rooms, where quality is far closer to being realistic. They also should have used 720p screens, which are more common in US households. The retail stores actually hurt Apple TV sales more than it helped them, which is a rare thing. I hope they're re-examining their approach for the new version.
Apple wants to replace the DVD, not the Blu-Ray disc, with the Apple TV. Hi-Def isn't mature enough or a big enough market to be concerned about at the moment. Not if you want to make profits in the near term.
That statement doesn't make sense in light of the fact that AppleTV doesn't support most of the installed base of SDTVs. They were basically ignoring a huge pool of potential customers. It's as if they were selecting for contradictory installed bases, people that have HDTVs but don't really care about it.
That statement doesn't make sense in light of the fact that AppleTV doesn't support most of the installed base of SDTVs. They were basically ignoring a huge pool of potential customers.
It's hard to figure out what apple is thinking with the aTV. They don't support sdtv at all, but they shipped it with limitations that would turn off many HD fans. Some of those have been improved, some not. aTV definitely seems more designed for convenience than for top quality.
Took me about 35 minutes to download Ratatouille on my MacBook Pro and Apple Airport Extreme(n) wirelessly. I have 5.0 Mbps but don't think it was downloading at top speed.
Of course if you stream on Apple TV, it should start up quicker, before it completely downloads, if you want to start watching it right away.
My AppleID contains a space, but the on-screen keyboard for entering the AppleID doesn't offer space. The keyboard for the password does, but not the AppleID. So, no rentals for me.
I thought Apple ID's were email addresses? How does yours have a space?
It's hard to figure out what apple is thinking with the aTV. They don't support sdtv at all, but they shipped it with limitations that would turn off many HD fans. Some of those have been improved, some not. aTV definitely seems more designed for convenience than for top quality.
Apple TV does support SDTV if you have inputs for the component cable. I have 480i full screen and it works great.
I've just completed my fourth phone call?and subsequent replacement?to Apple Support regarding my inoperable AppleTV. All three AppleTV had the same issue, the front of the device changes from a white to amber light to indicate that it's registering an infrared response for the remote but nothing changes on the display.
I've tried multiple Apple remotes with the original AppleTV and the 2 replacements I've received thus far. Same issues. Same results.
The first two AppleTVs worked for a couple days before no longer repsonding. This current one lasted for about 2 hours. I was able to update the third one to Take 2, watch a lot of YourTube videos and even rent a HD movie before it happened. I never did watch the HD movie.
Apple Support has had me go through all the remote control reset features and attmepted to pair the remote, but nothing worked. Hard booting the device doesn't work either. It seems to boot up fine but it you are unable to make onscreen selctions. Eventually, the screensaver will startup.
I've only synced the first two AppleTVs. The first two we also connected to my Linksys WRT-54G router while the third one to a D-Link DIR-655 router. I was able to setup the wireless netowrking with all of them, of course. They were all connected via HDMI to a 37" LG LCD HDTV.
Apple is sending me a fourth AppleTV. I have never had this many issues with a product, much less an Apple product, before.
? Has anything similar occurred with anyone else?
? Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this?
Especially when many bluray discs are mpeg instead of h.264, and supposedly quite a few discs are at a bit rate that is overkill - it sounds like they're filling up the disks just because they can.
Blu-ray uses MPEG-2 and H.264/AVC. A 10-bit "uncompressed" 720 24fps 2 hour film clocks in at around 400GB. A 1080 project (which is what many people are shooting on now) can clock in around 900GB. That's the size of the final master file in those formats, as perfect as they're going to look. Now those pixels get crunched down to 25GB for an HD optical disk. For AppleTV they get crunched down to 2GB (? still not sure exactly). Trust me, there's no overkill. Even a Blu-ray disk does not compare to the original. Post facilities should offer guided tours so that people can sit in a finishing suite and see what a true HD signal on a $25,000 professional monitor looks like. It is truly amazing. Go to NAB and check out some demos. It makes your HBO HD look like VHS.
Comments
Drop a radio stream into a play list, sync the playlist and then it you stream on the AppleTV.
Airtunes is also supported!
The ability to stream a podcast is awesome. You can watch news from around the world now by streaming a podcast. Great for language learning.
OMG-That's fantastic The best news I've heard all day!! Can't wait to get home and not have to buy or rent anything- YAY!!!
Thanks for clarifying - so you agree iTunes is the only option for watching a missed episode in a timely manner. I think you're in a tiny minority being OK with missing a show, hardly anyone would be happy missing an episode of a show they love or seeing it months after the season ends, as opposed to seeing it in time for the following episode.
I'm guessing you probably don't watch much TV, or at least not much that is plot driven.
And thank you for clarifying as well!. You're I right I don't watch shows or series with continuing plots. I watch lots of film and non -continuing shows like Colbert, SNL, or PBS stuff, concerts, etc. I can see how this would definitely benefit you. I've tried to buy a couple of the other shows but was dissapointed in the quality. Like I said hopefully this will improve and help us all out.
Didn't Apple say around a 1000 at the start or was that at the end of February.
A good movie selection is important and increases the impulse rent.
And a good selection of old stuff too is good.
The Podcast stuff is excellent and its nice to be able to browse the iTMS from your TV.
A very good update. I think Apple TV is worth it now at $229.
Just get going on the movie selection Apple.
Well an HD player is not an option for this techie. We have a georgeous, bright, high contrast direct-view RCA 1080i HD in the LR, but as an early adopter I get screwed by the Studios. They insisted that HDMI is invoked for HD or Blue-Ray players. With my component video, all I would get is 480 - ugh again. So I shall rebel and watch better HD on my ATV than I can get even with a new player. Hopefully bandwidth and content will continue to improve so I NEVER have to buy one of those players.
Are you sure that AppleTV doesn't require HDMI for HD rentals? I can't find any such information. But the Blu-Ray requirement for ICT that cuts down to 480p won't take effect for a few years. By then, maybe your TV will be dead anyway.
So you never intend to BUY an HD movie? Remember, HD content is only a rental.
Don't you think that will change in 6-12 months?
It will be a VERY long time before they are streaming the same 25GB of quality from a Blu-ray disc through iTunes. They're only at 2GB(?) now. But at least at 2GB you could (theoretically) store them on a hard drive.
I don't see why a hypothetical Apple HD purchase would have to be the same size as a Blu-Ray when the Apple HD rentals are probably much smaller than that. I don't think it has to be the same quality and bitrate.
Thanks!
I have a Samsung DLP TV with only 1 HDMI port. I was going to buy a switcher to add an Apple TV unit, but I've read in multiple posts that there is a bug in the original Apple TV sw that keeps it from working on an HDMI switch. (Before you respond that it must the the Samsung, be assured that a lot of folks have tested this and attributed it to Apple, not the switch manufacturers.) I'd really like any info from someone who is using an HDMI switch with the new sw to see if this issue has been addressed.
Thanks!
I've had my AppleTV hooked up to an HDMI switch since the day it was released and it works fine. Worked perfectly with the old and new software. I haven't heard of anyone having problems with an HDMI switch and an AppleTV... I use the Monoprice 3x1 Powered HDMI switch.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...t=1#largeimage
I've had my AppleTV hooked up to an HDMI switch since the day it was released and it works fine. Worked perfectly with the old and new software. I haven't heard of anyone having problems with an HDMI switch and an AppleTV... I use the Monoprice 3x1 Powered HDMI switch.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...t=1#largeimage
As I understand it, the problem is limited to Samsung TVs and is prevelant across all HDMI switches, even the one sold by Apple. Are you saying you have a Samsung and this switch has worked for you?
Didn't Apple say around a 1000 at the start or was that at the end of February.
End of february.
I don't see why a hypothetical Apple HD purchase would have to be the same size as a Blu-Ray when the Apple HD rentals are probably much smaller than that. I don't think it has to be the same quality and bitrate.
Especially when many bluray discs are mpeg instead of h.264, and supposedly quite a few discs are at a bit rate that is overkill - it sounds like they're filling up the disks just because they can.
Again I disagree. The whole purpose of ATV is for videophiles not iPods. That is why it is not selling well because those who have HD TVs just look at the image in the store and with the exception of photos- it just doesn't cut it. Hopefully these HD rentals will help change that but it's not there yet. We can buy different quality in music already on iTunes and we should be able to do so with video.
It is true the iPod video came first but now we have ATV with HDMI, built for HD TVs.
Um. The Apple TV is for consumers, not a small little group of "videophiles". Blu-Ray is for "videophiles." That's why it's selling so poorly.
The vast majority of people don't have a problem with standard def DVDs and compressed cable TV. Like it or not, that's a fact. Sales figures prove this. Suggesting that the Apple TV is some sort of high-end device designed just for you and your ilk is pretty silly.
Apple wants to replace the DVD, not the Blu-Ray disc, with the Apple TV. Hi-Def isn't mature enough or a big enough market to be concerned about at the moment. Not if you want to make profits in the near term.
You refer to the "image in the store", and I would agree with you there that the Apple TVs on display in the store were one of the few design mistakes Apple Retail has ever made. They used 1080 screens and set them up so you'd be three inches away from them. Of course that looked like crap. They should have hung the screens from the wall at a distance that would be comparable to most people's living rooms, where quality is far closer to being realistic. They also should have used 720p screens, which are more common in US households. The retail stores actually hurt Apple TV sales more than it helped them, which is a rare thing. I hope they're re-examining their approach for the new version.
Apple wants to replace the DVD, not the Blu-Ray disc, with the Apple TV. Hi-Def isn't mature enough or a big enough market to be concerned about at the moment. Not if you want to make profits in the near term.
That statement doesn't make sense in light of the fact that AppleTV doesn't support most of the installed base of SDTVs. They were basically ignoring a huge pool of potential customers. It's as if they were selecting for contradictory installed bases, people that have HDTVs but don't really care about it.
That statement doesn't make sense in light of the fact that AppleTV doesn't support most of the installed base of SDTVs. They were basically ignoring a huge pool of potential customers.
It's hard to figure out what apple is thinking with the aTV. They don't support sdtv at all, but they shipped it with limitations that would turn off many HD fans. Some of those have been improved, some not. aTV definitely seems more designed for convenience than for top quality.
Let me add, using 3.0 Mbps dsl speed.
Took me about 35 minutes to download Ratatouille on my MacBook Pro and Apple Airport Extreme(n) wirelessly. I have 5.0 Mbps but don't think it was downloading at top speed.
Of course if you stream on Apple TV, it should start up quicker, before it completely downloads, if you want to start watching it right away.
My AppleID contains a space, but the on-screen keyboard for entering the AppleID doesn't offer space. The keyboard for the password does, but not the AppleID. So, no rentals for me.
I thought Apple ID's were email addresses? How does yours have a space?
It's hard to figure out what apple is thinking with the aTV. They don't support sdtv at all, but they shipped it with limitations that would turn off many HD fans. Some of those have been improved, some not. aTV definitely seems more designed for convenience than for top quality.
Apple TV does support SDTV if you have inputs for the component cable. I have 480i full screen and it works great.
Apple TV does support SDTV if you have inputs for the component cable. I have 480i full screen and it works great.
True, but isn't that widescreen 480? Not to mention that it sounds like the text would barely be readable on sdtv.
I've tried multiple Apple remotes with the original AppleTV and the 2 replacements I've received thus far. Same issues. Same results.
The first two AppleTVs worked for a couple days before no longer repsonding. This current one lasted for about 2 hours. I was able to update the third one to Take 2, watch a lot of YourTube videos and even rent a HD movie before it happened. I never did watch the HD movie.
Apple Support has had me go through all the remote control reset features and attmepted to pair the remote, but nothing worked. Hard booting the device doesn't work either. It seems to boot up fine but it you are unable to make onscreen selctions. Eventually, the screensaver will startup.
I've only synced the first two AppleTVs. The first two we also connected to my Linksys WRT-54G router while the third one to a D-Link DIR-655 router. I was able to setup the wireless netowrking with all of them, of course. They were all connected via HDMI to a 37" LG LCD HDTV.
Apple is sending me a fourth AppleTV. I have never had this many issues with a product, much less an Apple product, before.
Especially when many bluray discs are mpeg instead of h.264, and supposedly quite a few discs are at a bit rate that is overkill - it sounds like they're filling up the disks just because they can.
Blu-ray uses MPEG-2 and H.264/AVC. A 10-bit "uncompressed" 720 24fps 2 hour film clocks in at around 400GB. A 1080 project (which is what many people are shooting on now) can clock in around 900GB. That's the size of the final master file in those formats, as perfect as they're going to look. Now those pixels get crunched down to 25GB for an HD optical disk. For AppleTV they get crunched down to 2GB (? still not sure exactly). Trust me, there's no overkill. Even a Blu-ray disk does not compare to the original. Post facilities should offer guided tours so that people can sit in a finishing suite and see what a true HD signal on a $25,000 professional monitor looks like. It is truly amazing. Go to NAB and check out some demos. It makes your HBO HD look like VHS.