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Video review
We were prepared to be underwhelmed by Apple TV. After all, it’s just a streaming box with more limitations than is healthy, right? Kind of. But it’s also much more than that. We were expecting the Apple TV to bring the simplicity and elegance of the iPod to our tellies. What we weren’t expecting was for it to deliver the hackability that makes it a geek essential.
Setup and go
Wireless kit is notoriously tricky to set up, but not so with Apple TV. You need to buy your own HDMI cable, but from there on, it’s plug-and-play all the way, with a slick video and intuitive interface getting you wirelessly connected within seconds. What’s more, there’s no power brick and no fan noise.
But what content will Apple TV actually play? “If it’s on iTunes, it’ll work with Apple TV” is Apple’s mantra, but that’s not quite true. Despite having an HDMI output, the box can only play standard-def video or 720p hi-def footage. And more worryingly, Apple TV can only cope with MP4 and H.264 file formats, so a huge amount of video content is not compatible. Still, QuickTime Pro (£20) will convert many unprotected video formats.
More than just streaming
It may have its video limitations, but Apple TV is more than just a simple streaming device: it’s an iPod for your TV. Just tell iTunes on your Mac or PC what you want to copy to the 40GB hard drive, and it’ll start synching from iTunes and iPhoto, or Photoshop Album on a PC. This means you don’t have to have your PC switched on to use Apple TV, which raises it head and shoulders above the competition.
A bit of ‘creativity’ will bring even more functionality. Replacing the 2.5in hard-drive with a 120GB job morphs it into a media juggernaut. Installing Apache (see appletvhacks.net) turns it into an open-source web server. And opening Apple TV to install the Quicktime plug-in Perian will let you play all those naughty DivX files.
Future-proofed
Of course, such nefarious activities aren’t everyone’s bag, so Apple TV has some nice future-proofing options for more official updates. There’s support for the latest 802.11n flavour of Wi-Fi, and also a mysterious USB port, which has no official use but could in future be used for connecting a Freeview tuner.
All this functionality makes Apple TV an excellent streamer – as long as you use iTunes. If not, Netgear’s forthcoming EVA 8000, the Xbox 360 Elite and the PS3 are better options for chucking media wirelessly onto your telly.
Comments
racking
1 year ago
edium duty shelving is one kind of storage racking with shelf. It’s named according to load capacity. According to this principle, loading capacity of medium duty longspan shelving is 150kg-800kg/level.
racking and shelving
stevenscotland
5 years ago
i think apple tv is a complete waste of time because you have to sync everything form your mac or pc. it would be nice if you could sync stuff form your ipod.i mean it has a usb for no reason,could that be a hidden secret? im still not risking it though plus dont you need a widescreen tv for it to work? i agree with petew your beter off getting a mac mini.
petew
5 years ago
I don't get what apple are trying to do with apple tv. Why not just buy a mac mini instead? Granted, it's a little bit more expensive but the extra functionality is surely worth it? Not only could you use it as a media hub for your home, but if you also buy a tv tuner for it you've got yourself PVR too.
markyp1234
6 years ago
Agree with you, ngarnett - and it doesn't help that the new Airport Extreme doesn't play too nicely with the old Express, either. But the Apple TV has made a difference in my home: the whole family enjoys looking at the iPhoto collection through the telly, and I can't wait for iTunes to begin selling movies in Europe later this year. That's when the Apple TV will really come alive. One last thing: it runs hot. I've made sure that it isn't sitting on or below any of my other hardware, but it's still a little too warm for comfort.
ngarnett
6 years ago
I was really excited about Apple TV after hearing Tom's review on the Stuff.tv podcast and almost went out to buy it before investigating further. However, whilst it does look like a nifty bit of kit and I do get it - how great to have access to all (or at least a significant portion of) your digital media in your living room - it does have one, and in my view, major flaw. It cannot stream iTunes to Airport Express. Apple have really missed a trick here as there are lots of us who use iTunes to stream music around the house. Whilst this is great, its not ideal to have to nip upstairs to your iMac to change tracks - or in my case, blindly forward through tracks with my universal remote. Apple TV is the obvious solution to this problem, a fully functional central interface to all of your digital content. Alas it is not to be (for now anyway)... come on Apple why not make it really useful? Then in book it truly would be a winner and I would buy it without hesitation.