ATV3 > ATV4 = disappointed

[JimBanville]

Boy, do I have 1st world problems! Lol. As I place the ATV4 (simply referred to as 4 from now on) in place of my much used 3, I'm unwrapping the new remote (spoiler...hate it) and I apparently woke it up as my fingers touched the touchscreen and the 4 switches the language to Chinese. I see this in this screen out of the corner of my eye. I don't speak Chinese, btw. Not even a little bit. So I figure, no big deal. Just unplug it and it will start fresh. Wrong!!! It remembers what you were doing during setup rather than going back to the original start-setup screen, unlike any other product I've ever used. I had to call apple and they actually had to walk me through setting this thing up in Chinese, just to set the language back to english! Simply ridiculous, Apple. The remote... oh God does it suck! I won't go into detail as you can read plenty of others here that repeat the same complaints.
My most watched app is YouTube. Perhaps my gripe is with google, which is fine. I don't care who "broke" it, but the app has lost half its functionality. I LOVED that I got recommended videos and the ability to save a video to a playlist, or like/dislike simply by pressing the pause buttons. That is apparently all gone. NOOOOO! (in my best Darth Vader, episode 3 scream!)!! So, my giddy excitement for this new toy was completely extinguished within an hour or taking it out of the box. Smh
Honestly, the tipping point that pushed me into replacing my 3 with a 4 was the new DIRECTV NOW app. I wanted something hard wired to my Ethernet. My amz fire tv stick was a little too sluggish for late 2016. That app works fine and is pretty snappy.

 

[benjitek]

Sounds like you really hate the ATV4, thankfully you're able to return it. Maybe you'd be happier with a newer FireTV or a Roku...

 

[JimBanville]

Sounds like you really hate the ATV4, thankfully you're able to return it. Maybe you'd be happier with a newer FireTV or a Roku...

Lol. Strange and useless reply u made there. "Hate"? Where did I use that word? Umm, thanks for pointing out the obvious (that it is returnable and the other options out there). I'm DISAPPOINTED that it has a stupidly weird setup that can't be backed out of, which seems to be unique to it as compared to everything else, the remote has issues (tons of ppl complaining as well), and the YouTube app has been crippled (plenty of complaints about that too). And this is just from the first hour of useage. I'm sure Apple isn't trying to disappoint a customer, but that was the net result of my experience so far.

 

[benjitek]

...I'm DISAPPOINTED that it has a stupidly weird setup...

Good luck!!!

 

[jdag]

Lol. Strange and useless reply u made there. "Hate"? Where did I use that word? Umm, thanks for pointing out the obvious (that it is returnable and the other options out there). I'm DISAPPOINTED that it has a stupidly weird setup that can't be backed out of, which seems to be unique to it as compared to everything else, the remote has issues (tons of ppl complaining as well), and the YouTube app has been crippled (plenty of complaints about that too). And this is just from the first hour of useage. I'm sure Apple isn't trying to disappoint a customer, but that was the net result of my experience so far.

I am not so sure that benjitek's reply was in any way "strange and useless". He expressed sympathy that you don't care for the ATV4 and sided with you by saying "thankfully you're able to return it.". That's not strange at all! Anyhow...

Whether you like the device or not, I would recommend that you at the very least give the remote some time (if you don't have to return right away). Tone down the sensitivity via the setup menu. I found it overly sensitive by default and much easier to use once I slowed down the scrolling speed.

The other thing that helped me a lot was getting a case for the remote. I have 3 ATV4s in my house and bought a set of 5 blue silicone cases (that's how they were sold) off of eBay for, I think, $4 shipped. Maybe $6. Either way, cheap. They accomplished 2 things: made it MUCH easier to find the remote against a black leather couch and made it easier to hold/control.

Now that I am used to the remote, I find it super-fast and convenient. I was just setting up someone's Roku the other day and could not believe how antiquated the directional arrows seemed.

 

[zhenya]

Have you updated to the latest software? When I first got the ATV4 when it was first released, I hated the remote too. They've since made it WAY less sensitive. I still think they could have done a lot better, but overall the new model has really grown on me. It's much faster in regular use. Siri actually works quite well. I love being able to turn on my tv and have it switch to the right input automatically, and love being able to control the volume from one remote. Scrubbing control is also first-rate with the new model. Give it some time. It's a worthy update.

 

[John_Hagan]

You may want to give the ATV4 a chance. The remote takes a little getting used to. If you are still disappointed then get rid of it and get a Roku as an earlier poster suggested.

 

[JimBanville]

I am not so sure that benjitek's reply was in any way "strange and useless". He expressed sympathy that you don't care for the ATV4 and sided with you by saying "thankfully you're able to return it.". That's not strange at all! Anyhow...

Whether you like the device or not, I would recommend that you at the very least give the remote some time (if you don't have to return right away). Tone down the sensitivity via the setup menu. I found it overly sensitive by default and much easier to use once I slowed down the scrolling speed.

The other thing that helped me a lot was getting a case for the remote. I have 3 ATV4s in my house and bought a set of 5 blue silicone cases (that's how they were sold) off of eBay for, I think, $4 shipped. Maybe $6. Either way, cheap. They accomplished 2 things: made it MUCH easier to find the remote against a black leather couch and made it easier to hold/control.

Now that I am used to the remote, I find it super-fast and convenient. I was just setting up someone's Roku the other day and could not believe how antiquated the directional arrows seemed.

Thx for the reply. In regards to the strange and useless comment before yours, it's obvious I'm aware that other media steamers exist, and that I can return the ATV4. So that's useless. And saying I "hate" the atv4 when I clearly said I was mearly disappointed seems strange to me.
[doublepost=1480969562][/doublepost]

Have you updated to the latest software? When I first got the ATV4 when it was first released, I hated the remote too. They've since made it WAY less sensitive. I still think they could have done a lot better, but overall the new model has really grown on me. It's much faster in regular use. Siri actually works quite well. I love being able to turn on my tv and have it switch to the right input automatically, and love being able to control the volume from one remote. Scrubbing control is also first-rate with the new model. Give it some time. It's a worthy update.

I updated the atv4 as soon as I was able to take it out of Chinese language. That version of the os is what my opinion was based on. It says it's up to date.

I have touchpad sensitivity at minimum. It's still to easy to barely touch it and have the channel change, or whatever happens when a finger barely grazes it.
[doublepost=1480969924][/doublepost]

You may want to give the ATV4 a chance. The remote takes a little getting used to. If you are still disappointed then get rid of it and get a Roku as an earlier poster suggested.

Will Roku give me airplay? If not, that's not a viable alternative. I realize a perfect device doesn't exist. I hoped atv4 would b the atv3 with improvements. It's not. It's similar device with one step forward in an area and one step backwards in another.

I'll probably try an amazon fire tv box when they go on sale again. I'm sorry I missed the bf sale they just had

 

[jdag]

Will Roku give me airplay?

If you want AirPlay, then the ATV3 or ATV4 are your only options.

I hoped ATV4 would b the atv3 with improvements. It's not.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Mine is completely the opposite. I use multiple ATV4s throughout my house, and each one of them replaced an ATV3, so I have used both extensively. And I much prefer the 4. I too did not like the remote at 1st, but after a week or so, it became much more natural. The ability to add/remove apps and set up the ATV4 interface to your needs makes for a very nice user experience.

Of the other things you are pointing out, the inadvertent change to Chinese was very likely a 1 time error. I doubt this will come into play again, and while it put you off, it's behind you. As for YouTube, yes I would like more interaction capabilities too, but as you mentioned we need Google to step up.

So back to the initial recommendation that several people have given...keep the ATV4 for a couple of weeks. If then you don't care for it, get your money back.

 

[JimBanville]

If you want AirPlay, then the ATV3 or ATV4 are your only options.



You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Mine is completely the opposite. I use multiple ATV4s throughout my house, and each one of them replaced an ATV3, so I have used both extensively. And I much prefer the 4. I too did not like the remote at 1st, but after a week or so, it became much more natural. The ability to add/remove apps and set up the ATV4 interface to your needs makes for a very nice user experience.

Of the other things you are pointing out, the inadvertent change to Chinese was very likely a 1 time error. I doubt this will come into play again, and while it put you off, it's behind you. As for YouTube, yes I would like more interaction capabilities too, but as you mentioned we need Google to step up.

So back to the initial recommendation that several people have given...keep the ATV4 for a couple of weeks. If then you don't care for it, get your money back.

Lol. Thanks for letting me know I was entitled to an opinion.
Y is it ppl on these forums feel compelled to suggest to ppl that (a) other options exist and (b) return the item if they don't like it?

I would hope the ppl with the ability to post to this, and other forums r intelligent enough to realize these possibilities. So, let's put those to rest, shall we?

I posted my disappointing experience with the atv4 for both future purchasers reading this forum and possible solutions to the problems I encountered without "throwing the baby out with the bath water", as others here r so want to suggest.

A device that LOCKS u into a language during setup with no way to back out after ONE CLICK, is unheard of and very stupid. A Bluetooth remote that can be activated through the plastic and cause a device to essentially become locked into a foreign language is stupid. A remote that is so sensitive that even the slightest brush against its surface as you pick it up, which will change the channel on an app, etc is stupid. And to whomever killed half the functionally of the YouTube app, they are stupid.

 

[jdag]

Lol. Thanks for letting me know I was entitled to an opinion.
Y is it ppl on these forums feel compelled to suggest to ppl that (a) other options exist and (b) return the item if they don't like it?

I would hope the ppl with the ability to post to this, and other forums r intelligent enough to realize these possibilities. So, let's put those to rest, shall we?

I posted my disappointing experience with the atv4 for both future purchasers reading this forum and possible solutions to the problems I encountered without "throwing the baby out with the bath water", as others here r so want to suggest.

A device that LOCKS u into a language during setup with no way to back out after ONE CLICK, is unheard of and very stupid. A Bluetooth remote that can be activated through the plastic and cause a device to essentially become locked into a foreign language is stupid. A remote that is so sensitive that even the slightest brush against its surface as you pick it up, which will change the channel on an app, etc is stupid. And to whomever killed half the functionally of the YouTube app, they are stupid.

You are doing a great job of being argumentative. Not a single post that responded to your original post was in any wan negative. Each was sympathetic to your complaints, and in some cases agreeing with your complaints (such as when I agreed that YouTube could benefit form the features you suggest). Yet you come back with condescending statements like "Thanks for letting me know I was entitled to an opinion."

Give the ATV4 a chance. Don't give the ATV4 a chance. Whatever. Good night.

 

[2010mini]

Boy, do I have 1st world problems! Lol. As I place the ATV4 (simply referred to as 4 from now on) in place of my much used 3, I'm unwrapping the new remote (spoiler...hate it) and I apparently woke it up as my fingers touched the touchscreen and the 4 switches the language to Chinese. I see this in this screen out of the corner of my eye. I don't speak Chinese, btw. Not even a little bit. So I figure, no big deal. Just unplug it and it will start fresh. Wrong!!! It remembers what you were doing during setup rather than going back to the original start-setup screen, unlike any other product I've ever used. I had to call apple and they actually had to walk me through setting this thing up in Chinese, just to set the language back to english! Simply ridiculous, Apple. The remote... oh God does it suck! I won't go into detail as you can read plenty of others here that repeat the same complaints.
My most watched app is YouTube. Perhaps my gripe is with google, which is fine. I don't care who "broke" it, but the app has lost half its functionality. I LOVED that I got recommended videos and the ability to save a video to a playlist, or like/dislike simply by pressing the pause buttons. That is apparently all gone. NOOOOO! (in my best Darth Vader, episode 3 scream!)!! So, my giddy excitement for this new toy was completely extinguished within an hour or taking it out of the box. Smh
Honestly, the tipping point that pushed me into replacing my 3 with a 4 was the new DIRECTV NOW app. I wanted something hard wired to my Ethernet. My amz fire tv stick was a little too sluggish for late 2016. That app works fine and is pretty snappy.

Now if you had used your iPhone (i am going with the assumption that you have one) to set up your Apple TV. You would have avoided that headache.

 

[JimBanville]

Now if you had used your iPhone (i am going with the assumption that you have one) to set up your Apple TV. You would have avoided that headache.

Haha. I did...the second time. After it switched to Chinese language as I took the remote out of the plastic and I HAD to have an apple tech walk me through setting it up in Chinese in order to change the language back to English, I did a factory reset and saw the iPhone set up option at that point. It may have been there in the Chinese set up, but as I said, I don't speak the language.
[doublepost=1480994643][/doublepost]

You are doing a great job of being argumentative. Not a single post that responded to your original post was in any wan negative. Each was sympathetic to your complaints, and in some cases agreeing with your complaints (such as when I agreed that YouTube could benefit form the features you suggest). Yet you come back with condescending statements like "Thanks for letting me know I was entitled to an opinion."

Give the ATV4 a chance. Don't give the ATV4 a chance. Whatever. Good night.

Don't be so sensitive. I was just replying to your passive-aggressive assertion that you were granting me the ability to have an opinion, and your needless repetition of "take it back" or "get something else". Those types of replies are as useful as "search the forum". Why bother responding to a post if u can't offer an actual solution?
And your "get used to it" suggestion reminds me of that line in Ace Ventura-Pet Detective..."If I'm not back in 5 minutes, wait longer". Lmao!!

 

[Magwin]

Haha. I did...the second time. After it switched to Chinese language as I took the remote out of the plastic and I HAD to have an apple tech walk me through setting it up in Chinese in order to change the language back to English, I did a factory reset and saw the iPhone set up option at that point. It may have been there in the Chinese set up, but as I said, I don't speak the language.
[doublepost=1480994643][/doublepost]

Don't be so sensitive. I was just replying to your passive-aggressive assertion that you were granting me the ability to have an opinion, and your needless repetition of "take it back" or "get something else". Those types of replies are as useful as "search the forum". Why bother responding to a post if u can't offer an actual solution?
And your "get used to it" suggestion reminds me of that line in Ace Ventura-Pet Detective..."If I'm not back in 5 minutes, wait longer". Lmao!!

In regards to the remotes sensitivity, you can change that to your own preference:
Settings>Remote and Devices>Touch Surface Tracking and set it up to your desired setting.

 

[JimBanville]

In regards to the remotes sensitivity, you can change that to your own preference:
Settings>Remote and Devices>Touch Surface Tracking and set it up to your desired setting.

I think I've mentioned twice in this thread that I already did that.

 

[Magwin]

I think I've mentioned twice in this thread that I already did that.

I see that even on lowest setting it is not good for your use anyway in your previous post, got it.
Good luck!

 

[Hrothgar]

I recently upgraded to the 4, and I have mixed feelings.

I think my picture quality has improved, but maybe that's my brain playing tricks on me.
Some Apps seem to be an improvement. NBC news, for example, shows entire episodes of Nightly News, etc. (It's possible that the ATV3 app was upgraded to play entire episodes as well, and I never checked.)
Most apps are, not surprisingly, the same as before.
Filmstruck and other new apps are not available on the 3.
For the most part, the ATV4 app store is like the regular app store -- a few useful apps surrounded by 99% junk.

The remote is a bit sensitive.
The speech recognition is great -- but like most new technical advances, it's only great when it works. Which seems to be less frequent the more I use it.

For the most part, my ATV4 experience is the same as my ATV3.

 

[JimBanville]

I see that even on lowest setting it is not good for your use anyway in your previous post, got it.
Good luck!

It's pretty ridiculous. I've both picked up and held onto remotes in my hands for years without issue. This touchscreen is just waiting to "activated" by the slightest touch. Imagine if your phone had a home screen that could always stay on without affecting the battery. How would you hold it without pressing icons, etc on the screen? Talk about butt-calls!! There's no telling what we would be doing as we put it in and out of a pocket or just held it as during all those times it isn't "put away". Had the selector "ring" on the old slim silver remote been able to be activated by touch, I'd have thrown it out the window, but no, it had some resistance before you intentionally pressed it. You could rest it in your hand, no problem.
[doublepost=1481042863][/doublepost]

I recently upgraded to the 4, and I have mixed feelings.

I think my picture quality has improved, but maybe that's my brain playing tricks on me.
Some Apps seem to be an improvement. NBC news, for example, shows entire episodes of Nightly News, etc. (It's possible that the ATV3 app was upgraded to play entire episodes as well, and I never checked.)
Most apps are, not surprisingly, the same as before.
Filmstruck and other new apps are not available on the 3.
For the most part, the ATV4 app store is like the regular app store -- a few useful apps surrounded by 99% junk.

The remote is a bit sensitive.
The speech recognition is great -- but like most new technical advances, it's only great when it works. Which seems to be less frequent the more I use it.

For the most part, my ATV4 experience is the same as my ATV3.

I've mostly really enjoyed my several atv3's over the years. I thought the introduction of this model would mainly add additional horsepower, way more apps, and added functionality. Apple seems to be taking away (or allowing to be taken away) added functionality in their new products, usually for the sake of design (i.e., miniaturation, but both this model and it's remote are the same size or bigger than the old unit and even has an added port, which is useless to most people.

And while I knew before buying it, it lacked 4K, but when google, amazon, nvidia, and roku have units with it? Sad. If airplay didn't require an atv, I would've returned this thing immediately.

 

[George Dawes]

Siri is 'almost' useable as long as you hold the mic in front of your mouth , speak VERY slowly and there's nobody in the room and no other outside noises

Otherwise it's crap

 

[CopyChief]

I think I've mentioned twice in this thread that I already did that.

If the remote is your biggest complaint, there are a few ways around it that work for most things.
Use a universal IR remote (it's what I do, and what I did with my old ATV3). Use your old ATV3 remote. Or use the remote app on your phone.

 

[tanfan]

Thx for the reply. In regards to the strange and useless comment before yours, it's obvious I'm aware that other media steamers exist, and that I can return the ATV4. So that's useless. And saying I "hate" the atv4 when I clearly said I was mearly disappointed seems strange to me.
[doublepost=1480969562][/doublepost]

I updated the atv4 as soon as I was able to take it out of Chinese language. That version of the os is what my opinion was based on. It says it's up to date.

I have touchpad sensitivity at minimum. It's still to easy to barely touch it and have the channel change, or whatever happens when a finger barely grazes it.
[doublepost=1480969924][/doublepost]

Will Roku give me airplay? If not, that's not a viable alternative. I realize a perfect device doesn't exist. I hoped atv4 would b the atv3 with improvements. It's not. It's similar device with one step forward in an area and one step backwards in another.

I'll probably try an amazon fire tv box when they go on sale again. I'm sorry I missed the bf sale they just had

Roku added screen mirroring a couple years ago. Only used it once (not my thing) but it does something like that. Fire tv is a good box. I buy most of them to try. Roku is the one I use daily though. If you use a streamer like I do, to watch movies and tv, Roku has the most options....it's not really close. The only box with Vudu, Amazon, Google play, Fandango now, UltraFlix, 4K spotlite (all 4K content combined) But don't go for the Roku 1 like I hear suggested here a lot....get the Ultra, worth it for the speed alone.

 

[Hrothgar]

Siri is 'almost' useable as long as you hold the mic in front of your mouth , speak VERY slowly and there's nobody in the room and no other outside noises

Otherwise it's crap

But if you speak too slowly, Siri puts spaces between the letters. If you speak too quickly, Siri tries to make words out of the letters.

Technology that thinks it's smarter than it it is almost as annoying as people who think they're smarter than they are.

 

[Magwin]

It's pretty ridiculous. I've both picked up and held onto remotes in my hands for years without issue. This touchscreen is just waiting to "activated" by the slightest touch. Imagine if your phone had a home screen that could always stay on without affecting the battery. How would you hold it without pressing icons, etc on the screen? Talk about butt-calls!! There's no telling what we would be doing as we put it in and out of a pocket or just held it as during all those times it isn't "put away". Had the selector "ring" on the old slim silver remote been able to be activated by touch, I'd have thrown it out the window, but no, it had some resistance before you intentionally pressed it. You could rest it in your hand, no problem.
[doublepost=1481042863][/doublepost]

I've mostly really enjoyed my several atv3's over the years. I thought the introduction of this model would mainly add additional horsepower, way more apps, and added functionality. Apple seems to be taking away (or allowing to be taken away) added functionality in their new products, usually for the sake of design (i.e., miniaturation, but both this model and it's remote are the same size or bigger than the old unit and even has an added port, which is useless to most people.

And while I knew before buying it, it lacked 4K, but when google, amazon, nvidia, and roku have units with it? Sad. If airplay didn't require an atv, I would've returned this thing immediately.

Apple has really dropped the ball as of late. A lot of small niggles comprising to a non satisfactory experience. I cannot have my creative flow get interrupted by Windowslike prompts of irrelevance, but that is what's happening now when you're in the Apple ecosystem.
My first Apple computer was a Apple IIc, and I never looked back since. But now I purchased a Surface Pro and will build my own media server frontend on the TV. I am saying 'bye' to Apple products for good. I am not alone.

 

[eclipse01]

If you want AirPlay, then the ATV3 or ATV4 are your only options.



You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Mine is completely the opposite. I use multiple ATV4s throughout my house, and each one of them replaced an ATV3, so I have used both extensively. And I much prefer the 4. I too did not like the remote at 1st, but after a week or so, it became much more natural. The ability to add/remove apps and set up the ATV4 interface to your needs makes for a very nice user experience.

Of the other things you are pointing out, the inadvertent change to Chinese was very likely a 1 time error. I doubt this will come into play again, and while it put you off, it's behind you. As for YouTube, yes I would like more interaction capabilities too, but as you mentioned we need Google to step up.

So back to the initial recommendation that several people have given...keep the ATV4 for a couple of weeks. If then you don't care for it, get your money back.

If all you care about is airplay (audio) then you can get an airport express to fit those needs

 

[satcomer]

My Receiver has Airplay in it!