This morning I disposed of the awful 2Wire Blockbuster VOD box… that you probably didn’t remember existed. Not only was it limited to just standard def content, but it was also plagued by DRM issues and UI lockups. As you can see below, I took it apart (like Akimbo, Moviebeam, etc) looking for salvageable parts before sending it off for recycling. And all I have to show for the original $99 I dropped on this Blockbuster box is a 8GB USB stick. I did briefly consider extracting the WiFi chip for future projects, but they soldered it down. So it’ll be disposed of with the rest of the disappointing product.
Nest, I swung by the Apple Store to pick up the new Apple TV. Even though you think you know how small it is, the tiny box is stunning. Like most Apple hardware, this exudes solid build quality and elegance. Although, as something typically placed behind a TV or within a cabinet, its appearance is less relevant than say the iPhone 4’s handsome looks.
But don’t consider my purchase an endorsement… (yet?) Think of it as a blog research expense. While iOS 4.2 AirPlay functionality looks quite promising for audio applications, I have my doubts how well video streaming will work iDevice to iDevice given the expected lower resolutions implemented on a handheld and network stress (by possibly simultaneously receiving and transmitting content). Plus, I fully expect some of the services that provide video via the App Store choose not to implement AirPlay in their apps. So that’ll be something we want to keep an eye. Additionally, given the revelations that the new Apple TV does indeed appear to run iOS, it reopens the door for a potential television app store.
Two problems with the remote already… 1) It doesn’t use AA or AAA batteries. 2) As I navigate the Apple TV UI it also sends commands to my laptop thats open in the same room, adjusting the volume (beep, beep, beep) and launching Front Row. Not good.
“As you can see below, I took it apart (like Akimbo, Moviebeam, etc) looking for salvageable parts before sending it off for recycling.”
This is why I like how you roll, Dave.
“But don’t consider my purchase an endorsement… (yet?) Think of it as a blog research expense.”
The price point is really the killer app of the aTV.
If you’ve got a free HDMI input, given the price and the tiny footprint, you pick one up just for the AirPlay and supposedly superior Netflix client.
Everything else is going to feel like gravy, if/when they get around to rolling it out.
I think they’re going to ship lots of these simply as iOS ecosystem accessories. Given the price point, it’s like buying an iPad case…
“As I navigate the Apple TV UI it also sends commands to my laptop thats open in the same room”
System Preferences. Security prefpane.
You can thus disable the IR receiver on the laptop.
You can also “pair” specific remotes to specific OS X devices. Dunno if that’s an option with the aTV.
Nice call on the System Preference. Didn’t even think to disable it. I also paired my Apple TV with the Remote app on my iPhone for better control – a virtual touchpad and QWERY keyboard as needed. Although pairing and using that app are not Apple-intuitive… somewhat surprising in that regard.
I’m looking at the Netflix app now. It’s more full featured than some. Will have to play with it more. Also, have to get used to Apples remote conventions and remind myself that Menu = Back.
“Two problems with the remote already… 1) It doesn’t use AA or AAA batteries.”
I don’t mind the watch battery in exchange for the thinness. It’s a standard battery size when you need to replace ’em.
However, I don’t like the functional design of the current Apple Remote. I’m not a fan of the sharp edges, and I don’t find the button presses to have quite the right feel. The sum of the ergonomics is unpleasant to the user.
I’m actually hoping the success of the aTV will bring 3rd party Apple Remotes to the table with better functional design. I assume nothing in Apple’s patent library would prevent that from happening, if there is a market.
I know with the former Apple TV at Sling we captured those IR commands for remote control, as did the Harmony remotes. So I can see that happening. And I’d rather have more buttons than remembering which long presses do what. Having said that, the feel (remote itself, and buttons) are better than I expected.
Reason #37 AirPlay is the killer app here:
Dead simple way to show video you’ve shot w your iOS device.
And if pairing unfamiliar iOS devices to an aTV is an easy enough process, imagine it as a party toy…
Eh, that doesn’t interest me. Especially since the video I took at the Korean karaoke bar the other night was too dark to be watchable. :) What I really want to do is stream video from video streaming apps (Hulu, Sling, whatever). But, like I say, I’ve got a few concerns and unknowns – will the phone/network allow it, will the app developer allow it, how bad will the resolution be.
I think streaming audio apps from my iPhone to AirPlay connected speakers will be the killer app.
“What I really want to do is stream video from video streaming apps … will the phone/network allow it”
Assuming you’ve got a competent 5ghz in-home infrastructure, you should be able to get the necessary bandwidth to simultaneously handle a hefty stream to your iPad, and then from your iPad to your aTV.
iPhone and iTouch are amazingly still non-5ghz though, so throughput is going to be limited until those iOS models get the right chip.
Dave, I believe the iphone dev team has already cracked the new AppleTV. Should be interesting…
I just don’t get why the new Apple TV is a step backwards from the old one. 720 only? What? IR remote– why?? Can’t just directly play media from SMB/etc. shares??
You’re better off building your own media center box.
After a few days with my Apple TV, it feels like a pretty solid device. As expected, it is a solidly built device. Using the iPad to serve as the interface is very smooth and elegant. Again as expected, the UI is very well done and intuitive. About the only thing I don’t like is the fact that the HD content on Netflix is not marked as so. I suppose the thinking is that most people will choose to watch a particular program regardless of the video standard. Also, I wish you got a description of the program on the first screen, kind of like with Roku. Instead, you have to choose the program before you get a description.
I believe that one of the ways Apple is selling themselves short is by not fully articulating all the content that is available. All that seems to be reported is that you get access to TV and movie content via iTunes, Netflix and You Tube. In addition to that content, there is also a lot of free Internet (podcast) content from Revision3, TWiT and lots of other outlets. Additionally, there are tons of genre based radio stations to choose from. Whereas Roku advertises these as various ‘channels’, Apple just throws all that content under the Podcast heading and no one really mentions it when talking about or reviewing the product.
As nearly everyone that has spoken about the device has noted, what could really separate Apple TV from the pack – I think the Roku XD|S is the better device right now – is the capability of AirPlay, future support for Hulu Plus and if/when Apple TV gets to make use of the App Store.
Should have brought those old corpses back t the BAY AREA where we have a company that will pay for the precious metal value, minus their fee.
“You’re better off building your own media center box.”
That’s what I did. But most consumers are not tinkerers.
To use Steve-o’s terminology, the few, the proud, the truck drivers.
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“About the only thing I don’t like is the fact that the HD content on Netflix is not marked as so.”
My guess is that is by Netflix’ request. Netflix understandably doesn’t seem interested in advertising how little of the library is available in HD…
“My guess is that is by Netflix’ request. Netflix understandably doesn’t seem interested in advertising how little of the library is available in HD…”
Certainly possible. However, on their own website (Watch Instantly>Genres>HD) they clearly identify the HD content. Also, unless I am mistaken every other device with Netflix service identifies HD content.
Maybe I am just in the minority, however, I will sometimes not watch a TV show or movie if it isn’t HD. Particularly considering streaming ‘HD’ is good, but nowhere BD quality and streaming SD…not so good most of the time.
“Maybe I am just in the minority, however, I will sometimes not watch a TV show or movie if it isn’t HD”
I’m in the same minority. Except for some obscure stuff that I’ve long been curious about, (thisis worth watching in SD, for example), and except for some documentaries, I avoid SD like the plague.
I don’t have any standalone device that browses Netflix beyond the Instant Watch queue. I use my TiVo, and set up my queue via the web, where I can see HD/SD info.
However, I have played with the Plex Netflix plug-in on OS X, and their Netflix browsing system doesn’t identify Netflix HD vs SD. Dunno about other browsing clients.
In general, to me, Netflix seems understandably shy about their HD paucity issues. But perhaps other Netflix clients are more forthcoming about this than I’m aware.
jcm, many good points. And the Internet radio streams were a nice surprise for me today. However, I’d prefer Slacker or Pandora… and not via my TV. ;)
I’m in the same minority as jcm and Chucky, preferring HD-only quality.
tivoboy, I threw the plastic enclosure in our recycle bin but still have the board and such. Do those people also operate via postal mail? i’ve got some other carcases to unload, as well… But may not be worth the expense to ship. Last time I had a bunch of mostly worthless gear, I paid Office Depot to recycle it.
Yup, got mine last week and plugged it in this weekend. Seems fine, if somewhat underwhelming since I already had a Gen 1. Honestly I like my Gen 1 Apple TV, but clearly there wasn’t enough there to make it a hit and this one isn’t really that different so far, other than the price point. I’m not sure that’s going to change things but we’ll see.
Like others I think the potential killer feature, at least until we get apps, is AirPlay. Sure the audio feature will be a nice feature to show off with, but like Dave I’m most curious about what video apps will work with it. We know that the built in video player will work, so anything that you buy from Apple (odd that lots of that same stuff doesn’t support playback by the VGA connector cable tho…) should work. But what about Hulu Plus? ABC? Sling Player? HTML 5 video from CBS.com? Etc.
General thinking seems to be that your iPhone or iPad is NOT compressing what is on its screen, but rather is just FORWARDING the incoming video stream to the Apple TV. Might even be short-cutting that part I suppose, to avoid the whole double-bandwidth over Wifi issue Dave raises.
However, what I think this means is that AirPlay is only going to work for content that is in the right format to begin with. Meaning h.264 or MP4. I assume this means that Sling Player for example is out right from the get go, whether they would like to support AirPlay or not. Then there’s the issue of DRM. If they short-cut the path the Apple TV would have to unwrap the DRM, not the App. Meaning likely only FairPlay is supported. Do we know what DRM the ABC app uses?
Also of course most of these apps may not be using Apple’s built in video player, given they have to force you to watch commercials and such. So they may not work with AirPlay unless they decide to enable it. Which means they WON’T work out of the box until/if they update their apps to add support. Which they may not want to do.
I assume Hulu Plus support should be a no-brainer, but I’m not certain. So far there’s not enough AirPlay support in the beta of 4.2 that’s out there for us to know any more just yet, and Apple isn’t talking.
Lots of people seem to be assuming this is something like Intel’s WiDi and will let them project their iPad games on their TV’s. I don’t think so, and I don’t think that is ever coming.
I’m not very invested in Apple ecosystem (aside from 3rd gen Touch with a ton of apps), so I put this box on par with Google TV project. I think, it may become interesting after hackers have their way with it and port some interesting apps. However, since it doesn’t have Intel CPU inside, porting stuff like Boxee or something complicated would be impossible, AFAIK.