Apple TV

S

SuperG24

100+ Posts
I hope this isn't a repost. I've been looking for info on what hornfans think about this contraption. I recall hearing that sales were not good at all on it. Now that you can rent movies on I-Tunes, I might want one. Any information appreciated.
 
I've had one since they came out and recently upgraded to the new Version 2.0 software. I was satisfied with it previously because I already have a DVR and DVD, so didn't need those features. With the new software the direct access to iTunes HD movies works great and the picture is excellent. Studies have shown that the picture is almost as good as Blu-ray and better than other HD download sources. What doesn't get a lot of press is the direct access you have to video (and audio, of course) podcasts and YouTube. It's great to see this stuff on the big screen and the picture is better than you might expect. For only $229 it's a nice little box.

Also, if you have kids it would be useful to rip their DVDs into iTunes so they can rewatch them on the Apple TV when they want without handling the DVD. A nice feature of the Apple TV is that it remembers where you pause a movie indefinitely which is handy, especially for kids.

BTW, here's a recent review of Apple TV 2.0.
 
Do the iTunes movie downloads use DTS, DD, or any of the newer audio formats (TrueHD, lossless, etc)? Or is it ho hum 2 channel?
 
****, full blown HTPC's have limited support with TrueHD and lossless audio for HD video. I guarantee you that appleTV doesn
t support it. I am pretty sure it supports 5.1DD.

IMO, the appleTV is a nice little consumer box for people who don't want to put the effort into building an HTPC. Personally, I'd rather spend a little extra for the full convergence offered by an HTPC (TV, DVD, HD, music, downloads, etc.) and avoid being tied down to apple's distribution network. **** I built a HTPC recently for $600 that will run rings around an appleTV (more storage, more CPU, far broader codec support) and has unlimited upgradeability (except for CableCARD functionality
mad.gif
). The pro for appleTV it is out of the box fully functional and requires little in the way of tinkering. Plug it in, pay iTunes, go.
 
It is DD 5.1 audio. The video output is 1080p upconverted from a 720p source. It's slightly less sharp than Blu-ray, but unless your screen is >50" you probably can't tell the difference in a side by side comparison. The Apple TV is not my only source; I still have a DVD, a TW HD DVR, and will probably add a Blu-ray when the price is less than $200 if 1080p downloads aren't available sooner (I have a 65" screen). Bottom line, it's a nice little box and is a great solution for the vast majority of consumers, not unlike the iPod.
 
I thought I read somewhere that true 1080p downloads would be available at the end of this month. Did I misread and they were referring to 720p material upconverted to 1080p?
 
I've been toying with the idea of buying a Mac Mini and using it as a media center instead of the Apple TV. Has anyone done this?
 
Here's the Blu-ray vs. Apple TV video quality comparison.
If you want the ultimate in video quality, then Blu-ray is the best. No debate. However, the Apple TV quality is very good. Studies are showing that most consumers are very happy with upconverted DVDs and that may be the biggest problem for Blu-ray.
BTW, one of the features I love about the Apple TV is access to video podcasts on the big screen. It's amazing how much content, including HD, is available in these video podcasts. Also, it's fun to watch YouTube videos on the big screen.
 
The cropped images at your link show a very noticeable difference, which should be clear if you're sitting at the proper viewing distance from your TV.

The difference between upconverted DVD and Blu-Ray is night and day unless you have an SD TV.

Here's another article on the topic.
 
Based on those image DVD looks better than HD Apple TV. My anecdotal experience suggests that DVD thru a vista box (upconverted to 720p) looks pretty damn sharp/
 
In all of those pictures, it looks almost as if they didn't color calibrate or set the brightness up individually for each device. Did they just calibrate the TV and use the same settings for each device? AppleTV displays much warmer color tones while the DVD displays much brighter tones (hence why it appears more "crisp") across the board. That, to me at least, seems to say that its a settings issue more so than a device issue.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Weekly Prediction Contest

* Predict HORNS-AGGIES *
Sat, Nov 30 • 6:30 PM on ABC

Recent Threads

Prediction Results Threads

2024 Schedules

Back
Top