The [new] Apple TV reviews are out. And it seems to be something of a mixed bag. No, Apple TV hasn’t redefined television here and there isn’t much that sets it apart from a Roku or Fire TV. However, the hardware and presentation seem much more polished than the competition – despite some notable inconsistencies (Siri). The lack of 4k isn’t necessarily a huge deal at this point … unless you consider Apple TV is 50-100% more expensive than Amazon’s $100 streamer, with 4k. The biggest initial ding is on the content front, as it’ll take some time for developers to retrofit their experiences (or create new ones) for the 10′ interface of tvOS. I’m sure I’ll pick an Apple TV up at some point. But probably not this month. You?
53 thoughts on “Apple TV – Did you buy one?”
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I purchased the 64GB version. Hoping that new apps will start flooding the tvOS soon, but it will probably take few years. I do hope that many of the existing iOS apps can be updated to work on tvOS. Among them are TIVO app and Fox Soccer 2 Go. I am not really interested in Games for tvOS, because I already use PS3 and PS4 for that purpose. I do like that updated HDMI spec will automatically change input on the TV for me and I am looking forward to using SIRI.
I’m with you — waiting to see what apps appear. I had been thinking about it until I discovered that Chromecast had been updated for NHL Center Ice and NFL Sunday Ticket. I had been hookup up a laptop for those which was less than ideal, but now that I can cast, I have less need for a short-term need.
I ordered one on Monday. Expecting it to arrive early next week, though some people are getting theirs earlier than expected.
I’ve almost pulled the trigger a few times. I’m probably going to wait a few months, but it is definitely on the “will buy” list. I use my current (2nd gen) AppleTV primarily for mirroring my phone and iPad. But I do occasionally rent movies off iTunes. Since I have a TiVo Roamio, my streaming needs are largely covered on input one.
Yes…now just waiting for Tablo to release an app! :-)
Yes, the one I ordered is set to arrive on Monday, might just go to the Apple store and pick one up today instead.
The most compelling reason is the remote, but mostly I just want to try it out for myself. The “remote” is currently one of the biggest problems with the TV experience today and the idea that Apple has made a significant step in this space is very interesting to me (TiVo hasn’t since it arrived) — Harmony lover Dave C from CNET said it was so good, he’ll use it instead of his Harmony when using the Apple TV.
My big hope with the remote is that it improving the steaming experience in regards to scrubbing. One reason why I still prefer my TiVo/DVR vs Netflix etc is because of how quickly I can move around to skip credits, go back to see something again, etc.
The other reason I’m looking forward to the new ATV is universal search. I love it on TiVo and some reviews seem to indicate that it is even better on the new ATV. This is a big deal as the “channels as apps” idea has a real problem with discovery. If the new ATV can overcome that problem with universal search and/or voice control, that is far more important than 4k, etc.
I do not expect any (new) Apps to be of interest to me, at least not in the typical sense. Right now, I primarily use my ATV for AirPlay, WatchESPN and NFL Replay. If the remote and universal search offer a better experience than my Roamio, then I’ll use it for Netflix and Hulu too.
Oh, and as an aside. What’s up with all the reviewers not including Vudu as an essential streaming service? Every review complained about no Amazon Prime, but all completely ignored the lack of Vudu. I guess my family is the only one who loves to watch movies we own via UV.
Yeah, I watched my copy of Jurassic World via Vudu. But if you mention Vudu, I guess you also have to point out again that Apple TV isn’t 4k as Vudu just turned theirs on? Been meaning to blog that actually…
Definitely awaiting your feedback on how/if CEC + IR Control work for you. That could move the needle for me.
As of now Apple TV will replace my Fire TV and Roku as aside from Amazon it offers all of the apps I use on a regular basis. The only ones I would like to see in addition would be Starz/Encore. Since they have iOS apps already I feel like they will show up at some point. I can use Amazon on my Roamio for the few things the others don’t have I care about. So far since I am primarily an iOS user Apple TV is the closest thing to an all in one box I can get.
I only use my current AppleTV for one thing — as a wireless HDMI cable for my Apple devices. Until Apple has a viable “over the top” alternative to Cable, there is no need to upgrade.
Not until they come out with their streaming service, and only if it’s a better deal than Sling. Right now I’m happy with Sling on my Roku 3.
I bought the 64GB. I use my 3rd gen Apple TV every day, even though I like the Fire TV better. To be honest, I just keep buying movies and TV shows (mostly for my kid) from the iTunes Store, like an idiot. My collection is too big to switch now. So I’m excited for the new Apple TV which I hope works faster and more reliably than the one I have now. I’m optimistic about Siri search (I like how you can filter down further into the initial results) and the trackpad on the remote, but I also use the audio-out port on my old Apple TV as well as the iOS Remote app. The audio-out port is gone forever and the Remote app doesn’t work for now at least. Those are both bummers.
I’m also annoyed that I paid $17 for rush shipping to get a product that’s in stores today.
I really think this could be the thing that, given some time, bumps Cupertino up in streamer box market share from 4th to 3rd…
Ordered a 64GB one. Expected Monday. Hoping this is the start of an ala carte app based television. If it sucks I’ll return it
So Dave, I have a confession. My TV and AVR don’t work with CEC. My TV technically does, but it is a first gen version, so in reality it doesn’t. And yes, I expect to replace my 8 year old TV and AVR soon. Just waiting a little while longer for the prices of 4k OLED and Atmos enabled receivers to come down.
As for 4k, I was thinking about submitting an article for consideration to be published on ZNF, about why 4k isn’t about content, it’s about the display.
@Susie,
I’m anxiously waiting the updated iPhone remote app to work with the new ATV. In fact I’m considering waiting for it before I attempt to setup the new device, as the idea of typing in all those passwords without it is frightening. And the $17 to receive it today is a total joke, especially when you can just go to the store and get it instead.
I ordered the 32gb. I love my Roku, but I’m hoping this will be the one box to rule them all. If devs develop apps for it first as they do on iOS then it should have a nice ecosystem in a few years – maybe even sooner if it is relatively trivial to port iPad apps.
“As for 4k, I was thinking about submitting an article for consideration to be published on ZNF, about why 4k isn’t about content, it’s about the display.”
I really hope you do, Ben. I know the outline of your basic thoughts on the matter, but I’d love to see them fleshed out.
(My totally uneducated opinion is that it is indeed about the display during this, perhaps lengthy, transition before 4K content achieves critical mass. But I still assume the mutlicast will be adding 4K channels at some no too distant point, which will help get around the bandwidth issues of 4K OTT. And then it will really be about content too…)
I think the biggest ding is lack of Amazon content. For some, that might be an even bigger ding than price or lack of 4K.
@Martin, I’m hoping Amazon will fall in line. Yes, they make hardware but they also have online services that need to reach as many people as possible.
Seeing as how they already have an iPad app, I’d be really surprised if they don’t have an Amazon Prime video app for the Apple TV.
Susie, if I hadn’t seen the Best Buy place holders, I would have pre-ordered. But I saw them. And then I read the reviews. So now I’m waiting. :)
https://twitter.com/davezatz/status/659029342912126976
Ben, anytime you want to write something I’m game. I’ll buy you a movie on Vudu as compensation.
As for me, I have a Fire TV and Xbox One on the family room TV and a Roku 3 on the bedroom TV as our two prime viewing locations. The Fire TV replaced an Apple TV specifically because Amazon-via-Airplay got old – but since then, TiVo’s Amazon has gotten better (Roamio in family room, Mini in bedroom). Xbox One will go back into storage soon or maybe I’ll flip it for a more svelte PS4.
Apple must have analytics about how many of their existing users use the optical audio output, but I still have a hard time understanding why they wouldn’t include it on the new box. If I’m going to upgrade my Apple TV, I’ll need to add something to the HDMI stream to extract the audio (which seems hacky), or buy an AV receiver (which seems a waste). My stupid Samsung TV doesn’t pass surround sound through from HDMI to its optical out.
“I’m hoping Amazon will fall in line. Yes, they make hardware but they also have online services that need to reach as many people as possible.”
The problem has zero to do with the fact that they make hardware. Amazon is more than happy to offer their services on various non-Amazon boxes and sticks.
The problem is the same as to why Vudu isn’t on Cupertino’s box. Unlike Roku and the others, Cupertino wants a hefty cut of every transaction done on the box. That makes Amazon’s a-la-carte service (and Vudu’s) completely non-viable on Cupertino’s box.
It’s why I prefer Roku. Always seemed utterly insane to me for anyone to lock themselves into a video service provider that was rigidly locked into that service provider’s hardware alone. And it’s why Roku leads in market share, despite not having the proprietary phone/browser ‘throwing’ features of Apple’s and Google’s devices, let alone those shining brand names.
It’s actually Apple that has to fall into line. And I strongly doubt they ever will. It’s just not in their DNA.
“The problem is the same as to why Vudu isn’t on Cupertino’s box. Unlike Roku and the others, Cupertino wants a hefty cut of every transaction done on the box. That makes Amazon’s a-la-carte service (and Vudu’s) completely non-viable on Cupertino’s box.”
And yet I use both (Amazon/Vudu) regularly on iOS devices… Yes, it’s not ideal that I have to manage/purchase content via the website but Prime on Amazon makes that a non-issue, and otherwise, it’s quite workable.
I ordered mine. I was hoping to get it today, but it will be here Monday, when I won’t be able to use it for several days after…
“And yet I use both (Amazon/Vudu) regularly on iOS devices… Yes, it’s not ideal that I have to manage/purchase content via the website…”
Of course, on a handheld device, it’s a simple matter to switch over to a browser and go to the website to purchase. The ten-foot interface is a different matter completely.
But I don’t think that’s the actual reason Amazon and Vudu were willing to go onto iOS under Cupertino’s terms, but won’t go onto Apple TV under those same terms. Cupertino and Google have a close to total monopoly on phones, and approaching that in tablets. So Amazon and Vudu had zero choice in that arena. Either play by Apple’s terms, or be completely locked out of the handheld world. (And it’s why Amazon is willing to keep selling its own tablets at likely a loss on each unit, not to mention burning an immense pile of cash trying to lauch a phone.)
But the lean-back market is completely different than handheld. Not only does Apple not have supreme dominance in the lean-back, but they’re a lagging 4th in market share. Amazon and Vudu have a massive incentive not to help Apple leverage its handheld dominance into a position of lean-back dominance while Apple won’t let them viably sell their wares in the lean-back.
So, either 1) Apple falls into line, which I don’t foresee happening. 2) The lean-back market remains fragmented, with content-agnostic boxes like Roku remaining healthy, and Amazon and Vudu win. 3) Apple (and/or Google) gradually establish lean-back dominance with their closed platforms, and Amazon and Vudu are forced to play by their terms, just like with handheld.
I think option 2 is most likely, especially now that Amazon is throwing its considerable full weight into the fight, not just with Prime, but also with the physical delivery store. But option 3 is certainly not impossible. (Given my preferences stated above, it should be obvious that I certainly hope that option 2 prevails. And I’m damn happy that Amazon is fighting back as hard as they are.)
I expect both Amazon and Vudu to come to the new ATV.
I say that because while it is true they don’t want to help Apple, in reality they’ll be helping themselves more:
1. Both will sell more content if they are on more platforms — every new delivery method for their content, adds value to their offering.
2. Customers will blame them for not being on the ATV, most won’t blame Apple as they don’t understand the economics.
It will not be as convenient as on handhelds to switch to the site to buy things, but I’d bet that 100% of Apple TV owners have an iPhone. They won’t mind launching the browser on their phone or computer to check out, but they certainly will mind needing another set-top box to watch their previously purchased content on their HDTVs or using AirPlay.
Picked one this morning from Apple store. So far Siri doing good opening right shows and movies with my voice commands. Still could not figured how to control volume of my AV receiver with the remote.
Absolutley! I have been waiting for a refresh for over a year and I couldn’t be happier. I mainly got it for AirPlay mirroring since we are mostly an Apple household and this solves my wife’s “Let me show this to you” request.
The App Store coming to an Apple oriented device means the apps will be first tier (Unlike Google/Fire/Android TV) and all I’m waiting for a is a good Kodi/Plex like application and I can finally consolidate down to two boxes (TiVo Roamio and Apple TV). I currently have a ChromeBox with OpenELEC installed on it for Kodi, I love Kodi, I love Kodi more than any human should love a piece of software, but my desire to reduce the number of STB per room outweighs any potential benefits to Kodi. My media collection is also greatly simplfied, 30TB, which is about 80% MKV and 20% XViD, which any potential player should be able to play without trouble.
All I need is nPlayer to be ported basically, and I will be the happiest person in the world. Supports MKV, AVI, AC3, DTS, you name it.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nplayer/id539397400
If the search, scrubbing via remote, and voice features work well with third party services then I might consider it. And I don’t own anything Apple. That’s what has me at arms reach right now. Most of the cool stuff they did in the demo revolved around iTunes usage.
I don’t have any videos I own on iTunes and I don’t plan to start buying any. So if it works in Netflix and HBO-Go and Youtube then, great. Otherwise – meh.
To be honest I’m thinking of just buying a dirt cheap Windows box or Chromebox and streaming through the Chrome browser. I know Apple is all excited about ‘apps’ here but I’m really getting kind of tired of them.
finally able to set my Pioneer AV receiver via IR
“I expect both Amazon and Vudu to come to the new ATV.”
Well, Ben, as a wise man once said, it’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future. And, as stated, if Cupetino is able to leverage its other strengths to achieve a dominant position in the lean-back, then I have no doubt this will come to pass.
But, let’s look at the opening game played by Bezos:
“1. Both will sell more content if they are on more platforms — every new delivery method for their content, adds value to their offering. 2. Customers will blame them for not being on the ATV, most won’t blame Apple as they don’t understand the economics.”
These are both indubitable true. However, the Bezos opening move is to bar shipping Apple and Google streaming devices from the Amazon physical delivery system. This violates both of your common-sense imperatives, costing Amazon money and potentially pissing off customers, making it clear that something else is motivating the Bezos strategy.
Also, what motivates all the spending on Prime Video? I’d say it’s only secondarily to sell Prime subscriptions, but primarily to act as a gateway drug to Amazon a-la-carte video. Again, this suggests to me that leveraging Prime Video to achieve a level playing field for a-la-carte video is core to their strategy.
Tangentially, but along these same lines, what motives Amazon burning money on tablet and phone hardware? I’d suggest we’re still playing the same game.
In short, Amazon seems more than willing to violate both of your entirely common-sense imperatives to avoid Apple becoming the lean-back gatekeeper. And to expand, if Amazon gives up the game and goes on Apple lean-back under Cupertino’s current terms, I think they’d be essentially giving up on video services. Now, maybe we reach a point where, as in mobile, they have no choice. But I think they’re fully committed to pushing all their chips into the pot in an effort to avoid reaching that point.
Now, will they succeed in keeping Apple away from being the lean-back gatekeeper under Cupertino’s current terms? It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future…
Bought the 64GB model on the way home. Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, Showtime, etc are all there. Waiting around for Plex (their third submission this week is still in the review queue) and then I’ll be super happy.
Things I like: voice search (Netflix, Hulu, not sure about the other premium streaming services, I know it’s NOTa available for small 3rd-part developers like Plex, *yet*), scrubbing, purchased apps show up as a category (all the ones I’ve purchased previously on iOS that have been ported to tvOS), some of the puzzle games like Luminocity, and finally being able to use AirPlay/mirroring fully to my primary TV. (We’re slowly becoming a primarily Apple household for devices and apps but not for content). Oh, and the “live motion” / video-like screen saver is also a nice touch.
The remote is pretty slick, touchpad/click work well together.
Things that need improvement: more/better categories for the app store and some kind of bluetooth and/or mobile remote/keyboard. It’s slick to be able to scroll/glide across the on screen “keyboard” but it gets old quickly when you’re first signing on to a large number of services. One nice touch in this area, however, is the “recent” option that tracks your previously entered usernames. It would also be nice if one could “loop around” from z to a on the onscreen “keyboard” instead of having to go back the “long way” through the entire alphabet to get there.
Not a bad first release, looking forward to Plex and the first real tvOS update already ;^)
Ordered one. 64GB. Here next week. Not sure where it will fit in. The Roku 4 is VERY NICE… Also I’m surprised how much i just stay on a TiVO now that the plex app is integrated so well.
Lack of 4K will be a downer. We watch 4K every chance. TiVO Bolt is 85% of Plex 4K so again, we just use it.
My family is firmly entrenched in the iOS ecosystem, and there’s much about Apple products that I’ve loved over the years. I think I own 3 2nd-gen (720p) ATVs and one 3rd gen (1080p), but I pretty much only use one of them these days, and pretty much only for the purpose of AirPlaying my NFL Game Pass games to my TV.
I was also a TiVo old-timer who stopped using TiVo for several years, but then switched back a year or so ago and got a TiVo Roamio Plus and a Mini. There are some things I don’t like about it, but one thing I love is that it pretty much meets all of our needs on input 1.
I’ll also give some credit to VUDU for getting me more stuck on my TiVo than my ATV. The VUDU UI is clumsy compared to iTunes on an ATV, but it’s usable. And the Disc-to-Digital offering of VUDU’s got me stuck on them. I was able to convert a good chunk of my movie collection over to VUDU for cheap. $2 or so per movie on VUDU versus paying full-iTunes price? Easy sell.
Also, I’m a bit of a videophile (note that I value screen size over resolution, so I’m not sold on 4k yet since my 1080p front projector gives me a huge display and affordable 4k projectors haven’t entered the scene yet). One of my pet peeves for video is lack of 24fps/Hz support. Well, TiVo and VUDU support that, which is a rarity. ATV does not.
What will this new Apple TV give me that my TiVo doesn’t? The only things I see are voice support, a simple remote (the TiVo remote is definitely cluttered), and more polished apps. But let’s say that TiVo submits a TiVo app to the Apple TV app store. How will it compare to my TiVo Mini? I’m pretty sure it will be awful. This is because it will most likely make use of my TiVo Roamio’s built-in streaming chip and provide a significantly degraded transcoded video image to the ATV, consistent with what I’ve seen with TiVo playback on my iPhone. If you want high-def quality video on your extra TVs, the TiVo Mini is going to offer noticeably better PQ than this new Apple TV will.
I’m with you Zatz– holding off for now.
We’ve got 3 Rokus, one for every TV and the voice commands from the iPhone app work really well and (more important) it has Amazon and Vudu.
If I was starting from scratch I might consider it, but don’t see any reason to upgrade to ATV right now.
“We’ve got 3 Rokus, one for every TV and the voice commands from the iPhone app work really well and (more important) it has Amazon and Vudu. If I was starting from scratch I might consider it, but don’t see any reason to upgrade (sic) to ATV right now.”
You misspelled “downgrade” there, Alan…
I have been hacking on Apple TVs since they were white and had spinning disks, so had to grab this one.
What upsets me most, is all of the new functionality could have been done with better software in the ATV 3, like caching and a better Remote app on the phone with voice search.
That being said, the unified remote for the TV works well, and AirPlay mirroring is faster. The “one remote to rule them all” may be the secret to the living room that jobs said that they cracked.
Thoughts?
I can’t imagine that Jobs considered the “one remote” to be the solution for TV, as the Harmony has done that for years (among others). This has to be more than a universal remote, even one that learns and offers feedback. I think the reality is the deals Apple is reportedly working on for their own television service entry via streaming is Jobs’ solution. It’s also possible that what he ‘cracked’ has been cracked by others while Apple has been biding their time.
I’d like to see Apple add a seamless interface with home media, OTT media and a streaming television programming service, similar to what TiVo has been trying to do. I’d also personally like it to have something similar to what GoogleTV tried to do with the overlaid browser, though I don’t think that is in the cards. Another thing I’d like to see is an option to build a playlist of programming, and then play it without having to click through shows and hit play with each, similar to how TiVo does the “play all” on a folder, but even more customized to include content from multiple sources. Again, the likihood is probably not high, but it would be cool to see.
I will get the Apple TV 4, but only because the 3 ended up in my kids’ room, and I want mirroring capability in the living room (as well as the potential for some gaming and other streaming options that TiVo may not offer).
Harmony is the best of the worst, if there was one thing I’d most like changed about the current TV experience, it is the remote — the next is discovery.
The ATV, like many other set-top boxes, is trying to be the one box you need that’ll you connect to input 1. Apple knows it isn’t there yet, but it’s because they can’t get access to the content. CableCARD is not the solution, which is why only TiVo hasn’t given up on it yet.
TiVo clings to Cablecard because they don’t want to give up broadcast television services, and while there are many more cord cutters today than there were 5 years ago, Cable is still the dominant delivery channel for content to most homes. As a streamer only, Apple TV wouldn’t need DVR capabilities, and wouldn’t need to embrace Cablecard. Hopefully they will get the content providers that they need onboard so they can offer their service, and we can see how that stacks up. I’m curious how such a service would stack up when delivered via an Apple device as opposed to a similar idea from Sling, which doesn’t carry nearly the same fan base. If Apple can get the content providers onboard, such a service would certainly be a game changer. I would imagine it would be similar to on-demand services like cable currently offers, but the challenge may come from the fact that so many of these conglomerates that own the content delivery companies also own the content providers, such as Comcast with NBC-Universal, and AOL-Time Warner with TWC (not knowing the particulars of their stake post-sale), TNT, TBS, CNN, and a stake in The CW. I’m sure there are other ties that could make it hard for Apple TV to get a foothold to compete with big cable while using their own broadband connections to get into consumer homes, but I’m very interested in what they decide, even if it isn’t something for which I’d necessarily sign up.
As Sling TV is teaching us, the decades the cable industry has been working on this, with QOS straight into the home, can’t be replicated overnight. If Apple launches a TV streaming service, will be interesting to see if it’s plagued with the same Sling issues of drop outs, inability to connect, volume leveling between sources, etc. And, as we’re starting to see, the incumbent cable companies won’t go quietly – introducing their own skinny bundles and somewhat over the top solutions.
http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/23/time-warner-cable-internet-tv-beta-roku/
“And, as we’re starting to see, the incumbent cable companies won’t go quietly – introducing their own skinny bundles and somewhat over the top solutions.”
This is why I’m bearish on the Apple TV service. (Not that I don’t think they’ll may well eventually roll out some kind of product, but as Dave sez, the QoS and programming price/value equation will be the rub.)
Apple’s Prime Directive here is to become Input 1. That’s why they’re in this game. And it’s incredibly difficult for me to see why most of the incumbent players would have any interest in helping them get there, no matter what kinds of incentives Apple throws at them. Most of the incumbent players have that exact same Prime Directive, after all…
I’m a developer, so was lucky enough to had been picked for a developer kit. Unfortunately my app requires a ton of APIs that are not present in tvOS at this time. I am a very Apple person, but have never found Apple TV to be the right box for me. I’ve been full-in on Windows Media Center since the Ceton InfiniTV 4 first released. Now that I’m in the process of trying to cut cable, and on a Verizon FiOS plan that is literally local + sports, the Apple TV has replaced the FireTV Stick in the bedroom. Sick of waiting for FireTV OS 5 and the updated Plex app… this Apple TV absolutely screams. I look forward to see what Apple does with a streaming TV service. At this point, all the device is missing for me is Amazon Prime Video. Need Apple to open the API for Siri so I can use voice search to find things within Plex. This is killer.
Got one.. as it is so big and heavy compared to the last one, It’s not going to be my travel machine.. probably save that for the fire tv stick or chromecast. it’s really funny to get new, latest generation technology products that are twice and big and nearly twice the heft of previous generation devices.
It’s funny that Apple went that route after all of the energy they put into making the other devices thinner and lighter. Granted, this isn’t a product intended to be carried around normally, but it’s a departure to most of what they have done for other product lines. Maybe Apple TV Air will be more svelte.
Based on complaints of fan noise and high heat from the Roku 4, I suppose it’s possible the new Apple enclosure was designed to ultimately support 4k…
“Based on complaints of fan noise and high heat from the Roku 4, I suppose it’s possible the new Apple enclosure was designed to ultimately support 4k…”
Certainly possible. But Apple does have a consistent record in recent years of making multiple poor choices in terms of valuing slimness over heat dissipation. So I’m not sure how much I believe that one, though it is, again, certainly possible.
Also, why isn’t the Fire TV 4K having the same heat problems as the Roku? Is the Fire TV notably bulkier? Or is just some weird hardware or software screwup on Roku’s end?
(FWIW, even Zatz himself is now getting bit by the weird intermittent bug where a comment won’t show up until immediately after a subsequent comment is posted. I only was able to read his comment via my RSS reader, and since I use a weird RSS reader that perfectly fits my needs, but truncates anything longer than 2 lines, there may have been more to Dave’s comment than I know when posting this…)
Another reason to retire the blog and work for others… ;)
New Fire TV uses nearly the exact same form factor as the first one, and I believe it’s still fan-free. So different guts and/or better engineered than Roku?
“Another reason to retire the blog and work for others… ;)”
Well, it’s pretty infrequent, even if it’s shown up twice in two days.
And I am forced to remind you of your legally binding commitment not to retire the blog.
Please don’t make me force you into arbitration proceedings. (My EULA sez that all arbitrators are selected from members of my family, so I’d likely be looking a pretty massive payout. But I’d still rather have your blog than the payout, not to mention that I’d very occasionally feel bad about forcing your family to live out of a car.)
“New Fire TV uses nearly the exact same form factor as the first one, and I believe it’s still fan-free. So different guts and/or better engineered than Roku?”
Weird. I was sure they made the Roku 4 so huge, (even if slim), precisely to avoid this problem. Someone definitely screwed up somewhere. For Roku’s sake, I do hope it’s something they fix in software, though that doesn’t seem the likeliest outcome…
(Also, the Fire TV’s rollout seems pretty screwed up in various ways, though that’s purely software-based. And even Cupertino’s reliable amen corner has been scathing about text entry. Everyone screwed up!)
Count me in. My smart tv isn’t so smart after the latest update, so it’s either get my old ps3 repaired plus spring for another HDD or purchase the latest Apple TV.
I have the first gen FireTV, and while it has the horsepower navigating the UI to launch non-Amazon apps is really a bummer.
I have a Roku 3, but my 2 year old has hidden the remote control (most kid friendly stb until TiVo launches a 6 tuner Bolt with IPTV because there is no way I will ever pay for cable in every room ever again). My only real gripe with Roku is that most of their apps lack autoplay on the next show as opposed to other STBs.
And finally, the Nexus Player which has an issue with the remote randomly unpairing.
Yep Apple TV wins my vote this time due to it being an unknown in my 4kless household. I suppose that it would be cheaper to get the ps3 repaired, and clear the cache on my TV but that’s so 2011.
Loving the AppleTV Gen 4 interface and apps. What I don’t like is that Apple has what is called Auto and Dolby Surround for surround sound options. Auto only provided stereo to everything until I rebooted then the ATV did the bitstream decoding sending PCM to my AVR. Dolby Surround seems to encode everything including video from apps into DD 5.1 and the DD + 5.1 bitstream from sites like Netflix is not passed through. An example are stereo Twit podcasts are played in 5.1. My understanding is DD+ has a higher bitrate. Some folks are unsure whether they are getting true DD 7.1 and there is evidence that the ATV is mucking with the bitstream. I have no idea what Apple is trying to accomplish by decoding everything in Auto mode. Dolby Surround is a compromise for now but no DD + is passed through. Wishing they would have given an option to passthrough and let the AVR handle the audio decoding.
PCM can be the same exact quality as DD or DD+. The only potential problem with PCM is that the ATV is doing all the decoding and many have more faith in their expensive AVR to accurately decode than a $150 STB. The reason the ATV probably doesn’t work with DD+ as you wish is because the ATV isn’t able to encode DD+ on the fly, which is required to support DD+ and the ATV’s sound effects. This is a common problem with disc players and DVRs too, although less so than it used to be.
And DD+ actually has a lower bitrate, not higher. Just like MPEG4 is lower than MPEG2. This isn’t to be confused with lower quality, typically DD+ is lower bitrate and higher quality, at the same time.
I had a problem with my iPhone constantly rebooting itself of late, and went to my Apple Store appointment yesterday to see if I could get it fixed. The issue turned out to be bad RAM in the phone, and even though I was a little over a month out of warranty, they could see where I had done Apple Diagnostics through their site before my warranty had expired when the issue started to rear its head (but before it became bad enough for me to realize it could be a major issue), so they swapped it out for me under warranty, which cost me nothing. As a result of that great customer experience, I decided to pull the trigger on the Apple TV 4, 64 GB model.
Setup was easy, passing the Wi-Fi config from my iPhone via Bluetooth, and navigating around was pretty intuitive with the swipe pad on the remote (once I figured out that you had to click the swipe pad to “select”, rather than just tap it).
After entering my Apple ID, I had the option to always remember it (bad idea with my kids), remember it for 15 minutes after entering it, or always requiring. I opted to always enter the password to avoid any “accidental” purchases, but I did set the option to not prompt for my password for free apps. I downloaded several free apps, which took longer than I thought they should, but I honestly didn’t pay much attention to the size of them when I selected them. One such app was a driving game (name escapes me atm), and the only thing I found on was that after the incredibly long download time, I opened the app, and had to wait for 2 updates to download/install (about 10 minutes) while within the app before it would let me play! That seemed a bit too much, but once that finished, it was a smooth experience for that and all other freebies.
Using the remote as a game controller was not as intuitive as I thought it would be. Some games required different orientations, as one would expect, but the two driving games I played required the controller to be held in the opposite horizontal orientation from each other. That seems like something that should have been more uniform and natural, rather than leaving it to the individual developers. I don’t care that they have their own control methods, but I feel that you shouldn’t have to remember on a per game level whether the touch pad should go left or right. That said, the remote-as-controller wasn’t the greatest experience anyway, so if I were to play games on it long term, I’d probably get a couple of those Steelseries Nimbus controllers. I also am awaiting someone to develop a controller app on the iPhone or iPad that can be used as a game controller, though I doubt Apple will allow it to pass through to the store.
Overall, it is a nice box, and I am getting the benefit from it that I wanted (projecting my iOS devices to the TV, playing games, and giving me an additional streamer for the kids). I could have gotten most of that from the cheaper 3rd gen Apple TV, which I have one of in my kids’ room, but I am hoping that this one provides an extra bit of oomph over time to make the purchase more worthwhile. So far I’m not disappointed, but hoping for more.
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