Pros: Inexpensive, Easy to set up and use, Streaming from iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Access to iTunes, Streaming of local files
Cons: Other than iTunes, limited content partners, Resolution only 720p
The Apple TV's new low $99 price makes it an easy impulse buy for Apple fans looking to bring Netflix into the living room, but you may want to wait until more content--or Apple's forthcoming AirPlay update--becomes available. Traditional services like cable and satellite are losing ground, as more people are streaming content directly from the Internet, using services like Netflix, iTunes, and Amazon Video on Demand. The revamped Apple TV is the company's aggressive move to capture the streaming-video business: for just $99, you get access to Netflix, YouTube, TV, and movies from the iTunes Store, plus all the music and videos on networked computers running iTunes.
The Apple TV's shortcomings are all about content, which is arguably the most important aspect of a product like this. Currently the only supported TV networks are ABC, Fox, Disney, and BBC, and even with those networks, many popular shows, such as "Modern Family" and "House," aren't available. That's a lot of missing content for people looking to ditch their cable subscription, especially when the competing Roku XDS offers Amazon VOD, which streams TV shows from every network, and will soon have Hulu Plus to boot. That said, Apple TV's shortcomings are strictly content-based--something that could be fixed in an instant with a software update or new deals with additional TV networks.
All know the Apple TV was small, but you won’t realize just how tiny it was until you get it out of the box. It's a quarter of the size of the first-gen Apple TV and more impressively, it's even smaller than Roku's line of video streamers. Apple products are generally known as the ultimate for status-seeking gadgeteers, but the Apple TV's style is decidedly low-key. The new Apple TV is much smaller than the old one, largely because it lacks a hard drive.
The Apple TV's connectivity is basic, but completely sufficient. It has built-in 802.11N Wi-Fi, so you won't need an Ethernet cord in your living room. The main connection on the back panel is the HDMI output, which can handle both high-def video and surround-sound audio. There's no component video output for older TVs, but every modern HDTV supports HDMI. If you have an older AV receiver without HDMI, the Apple TV also has an optical digital audio output, which is capable of surround sound as well. There's also an Ethernet port if you prefer the stability of a wired network connection. Rounding things out is a Micro-USB port, but that's not for general use.
The initial setup is as simple as it gets. Plug it in, connect an HDMI cable, and fire up your HDTV to start the guided onscreen setup. Then just pick a language, choose your router, enter your password, and you can start to use the Apple TV. To access some of the more-advanced functionality, like Home Sharing and Netflix, you'll need to enter some additional info, but it's a cinch. The Apple TV's main user interface is the best we've seen on a video-streaming device.
For movies and TV shows, you can browse by top content, genres, or directly search. You also have the option to filter by networks with TV shows. Any non-Apple services, like Netflix and Flickr, are grouped together in the Internet category. Navigation feels very quick and the screens are laid out intuitively. If you're looking for eye candy, there's no competition for the Apple TV.
The original Apple TV was centered on syncing with your iTunes account, but the new Apple TV is all about streaming off the Web. The two main media sources you can access via the Apple TV are Netflix and iTunes. Not only can you access your Netflix Instant Queue, but you can search and browse by genre. There's an extensive collection of movies in the iTunes Store, including some movies available the day the DVD comes out.
Aside from the big three services, the Apple TV has a few additional sources of content, including YouTube, Flickr, MovileMe, podcasts, and Internet radio. Flickr is particularly impressive, especially when using an iPhone to swipe through your gallery of photos.
Techies have been referring to AirPlay as Apple TV's secret weapon and for good reason. The basic concept behind AirPlay is that you'd be able to take any content--music or video--playing on your iPhone and "push" the content to your Apple TV with a couple of taps.
Much has been made over the fact that the Apple TV only supports 720p resolution rather than 1080p, but as we've explained before, the resolution spec really doesn't matter for streaming video. Rather than relying on abstract numbers, we compared the Apple TV directly with the older Roku XR using the same program material.
For content streaming off the Internet, you won’t have any issues with the Apple TV. Movies, TV shows, and Netflix content began playing after only a few seconds, using the speedy connection in our corporate testing location. As always, the speed of your home broadband connection will affect streaming speeds.
Cons: Other than iTunes, limited content partners, Resolution only 720p
The Apple TV's new low $99 price makes it an easy impulse buy for Apple fans looking to bring Netflix into the living room, but you may want to wait until more content--or Apple's forthcoming AirPlay update--becomes available. Traditional services like cable and satellite are losing ground, as more people are streaming content directly from the Internet, using services like Netflix, iTunes, and Amazon Video on Demand. The revamped Apple TV is the company's aggressive move to capture the streaming-video business: for just $99, you get access to Netflix, YouTube, TV, and movies from the iTunes Store, plus all the music and videos on networked computers running iTunes.
The Apple TV's shortcomings are all about content, which is arguably the most important aspect of a product like this. Currently the only supported TV networks are ABC, Fox, Disney, and BBC, and even with those networks, many popular shows, such as "Modern Family" and "House," aren't available. That's a lot of missing content for people looking to ditch their cable subscription, especially when the competing Roku XDS offers Amazon VOD, which streams TV shows from every network, and will soon have Hulu Plus to boot. That said, Apple TV's shortcomings are strictly content-based--something that could be fixed in an instant with a software update or new deals with additional TV networks.
All know the Apple TV was small, but you won’t realize just how tiny it was until you get it out of the box. It's a quarter of the size of the first-gen Apple TV and more impressively, it's even smaller than Roku's line of video streamers. Apple products are generally known as the ultimate for status-seeking gadgeteers, but the Apple TV's style is decidedly low-key. The new Apple TV is much smaller than the old one, largely because it lacks a hard drive.
The Apple TV's connectivity is basic, but completely sufficient. It has built-in 802.11N Wi-Fi, so you won't need an Ethernet cord in your living room. The main connection on the back panel is the HDMI output, which can handle both high-def video and surround-sound audio. There's no component video output for older TVs, but every modern HDTV supports HDMI. If you have an older AV receiver without HDMI, the Apple TV also has an optical digital audio output, which is capable of surround sound as well. There's also an Ethernet port if you prefer the stability of a wired network connection. Rounding things out is a Micro-USB port, but that's not for general use.
The initial setup is as simple as it gets. Plug it in, connect an HDMI cable, and fire up your HDTV to start the guided onscreen setup. Then just pick a language, choose your router, enter your password, and you can start to use the Apple TV. To access some of the more-advanced functionality, like Home Sharing and Netflix, you'll need to enter some additional info, but it's a cinch. The Apple TV's main user interface is the best we've seen on a video-streaming device.
For movies and TV shows, you can browse by top content, genres, or directly search. You also have the option to filter by networks with TV shows. Any non-Apple services, like Netflix and Flickr, are grouped together in the Internet category. Navigation feels very quick and the screens are laid out intuitively. If you're looking for eye candy, there's no competition for the Apple TV.
The original Apple TV was centered on syncing with your iTunes account, but the new Apple TV is all about streaming off the Web. The two main media sources you can access via the Apple TV are Netflix and iTunes. Not only can you access your Netflix Instant Queue, but you can search and browse by genre. There's an extensive collection of movies in the iTunes Store, including some movies available the day the DVD comes out.
Aside from the big three services, the Apple TV has a few additional sources of content, including YouTube, Flickr, MovileMe, podcasts, and Internet radio. Flickr is particularly impressive, especially when using an iPhone to swipe through your gallery of photos.
Techies have been referring to AirPlay as Apple TV's secret weapon and for good reason. The basic concept behind AirPlay is that you'd be able to take any content--music or video--playing on your iPhone and "push" the content to your Apple TV with a couple of taps.
Much has been made over the fact that the Apple TV only supports 720p resolution rather than 1080p, but as we've explained before, the resolution spec really doesn't matter for streaming video. Rather than relying on abstract numbers, we compared the Apple TV directly with the older Roku XR using the same program material.
For content streaming off the Internet, you won’t have any issues with the Apple TV. Movies, TV shows, and Netflix content began playing after only a few seconds, using the speedy connection in our corporate testing location. As always, the speed of your home broadband connection will affect streaming speeds.
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