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The Apple TV had a rocky start in the UK. While the US had an iTunes store bursting with TV shows and movies, we had nothing but a handful of Pixar shorts.
That’s now been remedied, and the UK store is full of top shows like 24, Lost and Flight of the Conchords, with new episodes often available just 24 hours after the television airing, and some in HD.
HD movies look superb
There are loads of movies to buy and rent, too, many of which are in HD (though bizarrely, only if you’re renting).
Resolutions are lower than the disc equivalent, with 480p being used for standard-def, and 720p for HD, but the quality drop isn’t overly noticeable; SD images suffer from a touch of pixilation around the edges, and HD motion could be a little better, but movie downloads are surprisingly close to the disc version, with excellent detail and vibrant, natural colours.
These iTunes downloads aren’t cheap, though. New standard-def films cost £3.49 to rent and £10.99 to buy, and HD rentals cost a whopping £4.49.
You don’t actually have to wait for the whole film to download before you can start watching: in our tests we needed just 1%, and even with HD movies this should only take a couple of minutes.
CD-like sound quality
What about the music you’ve already got? Well, it’s exceptionally simple to wirelessly connect the Apple TV to your computer’s iTunes, and once done, you can either stream content to the Apple TV, or take advantage of that 160GB hard disk by automatically syncing all of your media. Doing so means your computer no longer needs to be on for you to enjoy your content.
Review continues after the break...
Sound quality is excellent, with near-CD dynamics, detail and punch – assuming you avoid over-compression.
Slick interface
The whole interface is stunningly slick and pretty, and although the remote is a bit too small, you can replace it with a universal remote using the Apple’s unfeasibly simple setup process. Alternatively, you can control music playback using an iPhone or iPod Touch with the Remote app installed.
Problems? Well, it only plays iTunes files, so if you’ve got other formats you’ll need to convert them before they’ll play, but that’s about it. If you’re already an iTunes user, you’ve got to get the Apple TV.
Comments
racking
1 year ago
Powder coat is the most important factor for the quality of surface treatment, if the quality is poor, the powder in pallet racing will drop and go to rusty.
racking and shelving
MacFreak
3 years ago
Quote "Makes you wonder what's holding Apple back" That's a great point and much of what you say is true if a little misguided in places. The first major is that the Apple TV is a means to an end for Apple - a HD quality bridge between iTunes media centre software and your TV. Is is not intended to be a universal TV add-on box with card reader, multiple inputs/outputs, media recorder or satelite box. So it's misguided to pitch it up against any of this stuff and actually much of it will be irrelevant in the future. Video tape and discs will be gone as will camera memory cards because files will be held in Ram or onboard Flash memory and released by the device through Bluetooth or a similar wireless function. Apple is just a couple of clicks in front of everyone which is true to form if a little frustrating. The Apple TV's only function (at this stage) is to stream (or run via ethernet which is infinitely better just now) content downloaded from the web through iTunes. Apple's vision is that the range of this content will grow significantly - one (present) indication of this is the new iTunes LP which attempts to give you all the stuff we used to enjoy with a real LP - liner notes, artiste photos and information.... through your computer or TV screen which is kind of cool. Apple is also positioning itself as a broadcaster of sorts although its unlikley it will make TV programmes or movies independently - more it wants partnerships to help the big studios release their content in a modern world many of them (still) don't really understand. ( I worked for a major UK TV station so take this as read - Ostrich and sand come to mind). A deal has just been struck with the (remaining) Beatles for example, to release a media rich version of their back catalogue which will be infinitely better than a plastic CD. This answers several points made above - the small hard drive for example - well Apple can give you Terrabyte drives in your Mac or you can fit a Raptor to your PC - this is where the files were intended to be collated, not the Apple TV. In terms of some content, the providers don't actually want you to have a copy at all and various protections like DivX attempt to wipe the files after a time period - on rentals for example, so the HDD in the Apple TV is really an irrelvant issue - it's not there to store the files permanently. Syncing - well you can set the details of this up in the preferences just like for your iPod ("sync my files - er just uncheck it) so you do not need any duplicate of your files and obviously if your Wifi or the host PC is switched off/down Apple TV will not work... a bit like having the TV switched off then. This is basic stuff if you bother to read the manual - which most casual users do not. Incomplete downloads, well here is a big tip from a friendly techy - Wifi still sucks and can be affected by all sorts of issues domestically - another network nextdoor, an appliance like a microwave and even a bad electrical storm - RULE - just like XBox Live run an ETHERNET CABLE to the Apple TV and use a decent broadband provider with a 4MB+ service (not TalkTalk, God forbid) and you will have very few problems. File formats and codecs - again if you take my point above why would the Apple TV need multiple obscure format handling if the content is coming pre-coded through the iTunes store? Apple have spent years developing their advanced version of the H.264 codec especially to improve quality to HD levels whilst reducing file size (for unbroken streaming) which is a magicians trick if I ever saw one. Why, having seen this play on a widescreen TV would you want to play a poorly encoded Avi with some obscure Windows codec? What about your existing CD and DVD collection and all those knocked off downloads from PirateBay?. Oficially, I believe this is still illegal, and that is the stance Apple have had to take by prefering their own format with optional DRM protection. Sony Corp have actually refused to supply any media to Apple without this stating that they (Apple) have encouraged ripping and filesharing - that's a little rich when iTunes is the biggest single driving force for legal downloads in the world and Sony still don't protect their own music CD's at all. But that's the unfair playing field Apple have had to deal with. Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, has championed doing away with copyright on discs full stop for years now - his argument is that if a reasonable charge is asked for high quality, media rich downlaodable content why on earth would anybody a) want a disc and b) want to bluntly and poorly rip it? Frankly, he is not interested in DVD ripping full stop as it is completely irrelvant to Apple's future plans. iTunes and Apple TV are not made or intended to facilitate your hobby of ripping discs but, as you stated, the Apple tech community is more than up to filling in the gaps which Apple LEGALLY cannot, including random Windows codecs (over 65 for Quicktime to date), Handbrake for DVD ripping and iSquint for all types of BATCH file conversion to H.264. There is even DVD-X for swiching off the region coding restriction on Apple Mac computers - again a feature forced on Apple by the broadcast community. The official Apple website includes links for converting Windows media files for iTunes - what more of a green light do you want? Point is, if you have multiple format downloads and rips in your massive slightly illegal collection it's your issue to convert them to a decent common fomat that looks great on your widescreen TV - not Apple's. Cost of Apple TV and downloads - two things really - the first is a monopolistic UK broadcasting network that will not play fair on content... which is why there are still limited TV programmes to rent. The downloads are more expensive because of UK/Euro taxes including attempts to add even more duty to downloads - that's why your IP is detected if you try to use a US iTunes account - this is not Apple's choice but part of a deal they had to strike to get any access to the UK market at all. In terms of Apple hardware generally (any item) including Apple TV, once you remove all of the taxes (visible and not) the price is almost always equivalent to the US. It's called stealth tax and the UK and EEC are masters of it, or crooks, take your pick. Either way it is not Apple choosing to penalise UK customers - what would be the sense in alienating a good percentage of your market in this way? The future - my (Apple) iBook from 2001 (8 years ago) can play content including video, music and photos from the iApps directly onto my TV through component. It's also fairly common (tech) knowledge that Apple could have released the video iPod as far back as 2002 - years before the iPhone touchscreen, but Steve Jobs chose not to because at the time global infrastucture (broadband and video codecs) were in their infancy and just not up to providing any kind of TV like experience wirelessly to a remote device. Clearly Apple have identified and been a driver for this mobile and home theatre idea for nearly a decade now, so why is the Apple TV such a lame duck (your opinion not mine)? The big issue is not the device itself but is CONTENT which is partly why Apple in the US have been forging deep relationships with major studios for the last 5 years. Problem is, Europe with its closed shop mentality and monopolistic practices will not play ball and it has taken over a year to get any rentable localised content at all e.g. Only Fools and Horses. Even now the BBC, SKY, ITV etc are trying to monopolise the daily schedule through their own iPlayers - attempting to restrict usage with proprietary video and players.... which is in diametric opposition to Apple's open source vision of allowing you and I to download anything we want - TV, movies, music, podcasts, audio books from any source at the touch of a button through thin air in your living room. Last point (I can hear the sighs of relief), read up on Apple's (free) iSync application, look at what the iPhone really is (a mobile computer complete with OS and a full suite of applications including iTUNES - hint) and consider where wireless will be in a couple of years time. Oh and don't forget games consoles or should I say the PSP. Great on the road but all they really need is a simple compatible bridge to a large (TV) screen for shared enjoyment and a cinema style media experience at home. The Apple TV we see now is a stepping stone - nothing more and nothing less. People simply don't understand it or what it represents for the future which is a revolution in the way we buy, use and view CONTENT.
joe222
3 years ago
bikerk: "The Apple TV is used to push what's on your computer to any TV in the house. I have 2 Apple TVs and 8 HD flat panel TV throughout the house." Yes, if you have eight HD TVs, the ATV might be useful. (BTW, are you one of the remaining Hummer owners.) But I think your insinuation—that they'd make the key difference between the high and low models the harddrive size without intending it to act at least in part as a media server—is silly. Streaming over your network is dead simple though, and their are plenty of cheaper devices for throwing the video/sound up. So you're saying it's worth the money for the menu and six-button remote? That's the question that convinced me to sell mine. For the minor conveniences of not needing to set my laptop next to the TV, it's not worth the money. I must say though, it's lucky your terabytes of video happened to be in Quicktime instead of a better format, or you'd have a lot of converting to do. And I'm not too sure how you use two Apple TVs to stream to eight TVs, though maybe I'm just not being creative enough. I'm all for accepting that what I THINK it should do is dumb—Apple being infallible and all—but it's just depressing to see such a nice piece of hardware go under-utilized. As evidence, take a look at the added usability the hacking community have gotten out of it by adding things like better format support, a web browser, and, the kicker, free streaming TV shows. Makes you wonder what's holding Apple back.
bikerk
3 years ago
You're using it all wrong. You do not try to stuff everything in your library onto it. I have a couple of terabytes in music and movies - why would I pay money to have that much info stored in two places? You don't! The Apple TV is used to push what's on your computer to any TV in the house. I have 2 Apple TVs and 8 HD flat panel TV throughout the house. I can push media to any or all. It's not a DVR and was never supposed to be. Don't buy something that was never intended to be used the way you THINK it should work.
steve_acp
3 years ago
Don't forget, It will also stream all of your photo's in HD, You dont have to convert itunes music, it plays any format that plays in itunes. You do have to convert movies. Use a free app (mac or PC) called Handbrake. Its great at party's, you can remote control all music on itunes from ipod touch or iphone over your wifi, including the volume. Get one, anyone who see' mine buys one.
tothomas
3 years ago
Sorry your review was cursory at best, live with one these things for real and find its a real pain. I am a huge apple and mac fan but this product is the worst most half baked... incomplete downloads, no support from itunes except via email and its a 24-48 hour turn around, looses all its content for no reason. When it works its nice but when it does not, I want to send it back to Cupertino so they can fertilize their flower beds with this piece of... I will never buy another one.
joe222
3 years ago
I had an Apple TV for a year and just recently sold it out of violent frustration. It is a really slick interface and it speaks to other devices well, particularly with the iPhone. But Apple has limited, across the board, to force you to use iTunes. It would be great even if it stored your files for you, but it doesn't. It syncs everything. What's the downside? You have to keep a redundant copy of all your MP3s and videos on your computer. My 100+ gig collection of ripped CDs and DVDs turned into 200+ gigs with almost no benefit. And as a happy perk, since I stored everything on an external drive, if I let my laptop run without the extra drive plugged in iTunes would see the missing files, decide to sync, and clear the harddrive on the Apple TV. How easy would it be to let the Apple TV store the files on its own? All the technology is all ready in the unit. It's support of formats sucks, which doesn't matter so much for music (it does MP3s, which is ideal unless you're a hardcore audiophile). The number of video formats it supports is even smaller than iTunes though—which is itself not an ideal video player—and you're left with the time-consuming task of converting huge files to .mov if you have any movies in .avi, which you will if any of your collection is downloaded from non-iTunes sources. Lacking any video in ports, it avoids completely the possibility of being a DVR with a really slick interface with great network support. Though you could get similar results downloading from iTunes (shocking), as long as you're all right with a three nights worth of TV costing about the same as a monthly cable bill. Which leaves you with the question of why you just spend $349 instead of buying a $30 video cable and a $6 audio cable to connect your laptop or PC to your TV to get better results. If you use OSX's Front Row you even have a similar interface. It is a great device, yes, but they've inexplicably hobbled it. It's called Apple TV, but it smells of Microsoft.
edmoore
3 years ago
This seems like a completely insane conclusion and rating - you make the point that the iTunes rates are incredibly high, but seem to have forgotten about that by the time you got to writing the conclusion. A cursory look at the reviews for most TV show / movie listings on iTunes will reveal that a huge percentage of users are massively unhappy with the high prices. That's worth an article in itself. Why is a medium with far lower distribution costs charging people through the nose?
bikerk
3 years ago
Brilliant, simply brilliant. I can't imagine life without my Apple TV. We have been fans of Apple since the 1980s. Have everything they've ever made, so we were the "first on our block" to get one. After ripping all our CDs and DVDs to the master computer, we simply sit back in our easy chairs, scroll through the menu of music or movies, and push the button. When friends come over to watch a movie, it's easy for everyone to view the library and select. An absolute must-have for ANY entertainment center!