The only time I noticed a difference is streaming live tv like Youtube TV. Youtube TV channels do load faster on ethernet. But streaming anything like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc, you will not notice a difference as long as you have a good wifi setup.
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$149 Apple TV 4K 128GB Model Includes Ethernet and Thread Support, 64GB Version Does Not
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After my older Apple TV HD I went to a Fire TV Cube. It sucked, so I went with the Roku Ultra. Much better, but buggy. I’m getting the newer Apple TV 4K with Ethernet because everything else has disappointed me after the Apple TV HD I had. I’ll gladly spend the extra money to get something that works, especially now that it’s cheaper than before. Yeah, I’d prefer cheaper still, but the competition is a lesser experience, so I’ll spend the money.
What is wrong with the CUBE? It has been updated now though so maybe it is better
I like the integration with the Apple ecosystem, such as allowing control of HomeKit accessories when you're away from home, control of HomeKit accessories using the remote, showing pop-up notifications when someone rings your HomeKit enabled doorbell, streamlined connections to AirPods, etc. Not to mention, the $40 Roku is missing a couple key features I want, like ethernet and Dolby Atmos.
The Cube was just really buggy for me. It’s been a while, but I just remember that it was a bad experience. This was after ordering a replacement. The Roku Ultra is better, but it tends to lose audio sync and the Dolby Vision has never worked on my TV. I like supporting Roku, but I’m going back to Apple TV.
A solid enough update I guess.
Omitting Thread support and ethernet from the entry version is odd and will likely cause unnecessary consumer confusion/frustration... I can hear people complaining about "What happened to it just works, Apple?" Probably saves money in the near term, seems short sighted when you consider long term.. oh well.
My plan?
Wait ~3 months for the 128GB model to be available in the Apple refurb store and get it for $119-$129...
Omitting Thread support and ethernet from the entry version is odd and will likely cause unnecessary consumer confusion/frustration... I can hear people complaining about "What happened to it just works, Apple?" Probably saves money in the near term, seems short sighted when you consider long term.. oh well.
My plan?
Wait ~3 months for the 128GB model to be available in the Apple refurb store and get it for $119-$129...
Or get the open box or whatever it is called from best buy, that saves around 20, I did that for the 2021 version, no issues
I wonder if the new model will convert Dolby Vision to HDR+ . That could be very useful for the projector folks and those with displays that do not support DV.
Pragmatically once loose Ethernet then can have some problematical issues.
Thread
"... Thread is a low-power and low-latency wireless mesh networking protocol built using open and proven standards. Thread solves the complexities of the IoT, addressing challenges such as interoperability, range, security, energy, and reliability. Thread networks have no single point of failure and include the ability to self-heal. ..."
Thread Benefits
Thread solves the complexities of the IoT, addressing challenges such as interoperability, security, power and architecture requirements.www.threadgroup.org
Can have a mesh network but if there is no backhaul back to the Internet all have is a totally isolated mesh to nowhere else. If the Wifi can't get a signal or isn't sufficient for backhaul ,then Ethernet is a better (more robust) option.
If the purpose of the AppleTV is to be a smart home hub then Ethernet is more prudent foundation. ( camera videos being streamed back and encoded-uploaded from AppleTV. )
There is likely other folks that aren't doing any Smart home at all. The AppleTV is playing the Roku/FireTV stick role only. May or may not want something deployed in that context to play a Thread router role. Also more likely to get this "video stream only" role with multiple AppleTVs where as just one if the house is probably sufficient as a Thread router. So Apple going for the more expensive "one home hub" and the lessor expensive spokes around the hub with the Wifi only model.
Deployment wise though most deployments are to single AppleTV and no Thread centric "smart home hub" . WiFi 6 is fast enough and more mesh routers around to blanket the dwelling.
Decent chance this has some tie in with directions coming from Matter.
Matter: Everything you need to know
Smart home interoperability matters, and Matter is making that easier.www.androidcentral.com
But Apple also doesn't want to "give up" the revenues either. So doing gentle herding into the higher priced option.
While I agree with the above logic. Don't forget that the HomePod mini has Thread built-in as well.
So I guess it just boils down to herding into the higher-priced option.
I've been scrolling through this thread and I have the 2017 first generation Apple TV that still works. Why should I upgrade to the current edition? I think reading this thread made me more confused, especially when the article wasn't entirely specific. For example, what is Thread support and do I need to worry about such things.
Unless you have an Internet of Things deployment, like lights and such, Thread is not relevant. It's simply a mesh network for these smart devices.
In all honestly, who doesn't have an IoT at this day and age? At the very least, Apple should be equipping their home devices with Thread/Matter compatibility as standard and not an option for the higher model. It will make their devices perform better, especially for those just delving into the Apple world and already have other non-Apple home devices.
Ha! Well I took a gamble that it would be a 3-year lifecycle like last time, bought the 2021 32-gig for $119 when I ordered my LG OLED G2.
It’s still unopened and I have til the 27th to return to Amazon, though the only consideration is if the A15 is worth the annoyance of shipping it back and spending $30 more next month for the newer one. LG doesn’t do HDR 10+ so it’s not a factor for me. Just the chip. I have plenty of Lightning and USB-3 cables so I don’t really care which one the remote has (why are people so adamant about USB 3 on an item as tiny as this? How much time charging does it really save? Lol)
Part of me just wants to open what I have and enjoy it. The other part is the OCD part that wonders if the newer chip will bring noticeable performance improvement for normal navigation/streaming. I don’t game on the ATV.
It’s still unopened and I have til the 27th to return to Amazon, though the only consideration is if the A15 is worth the annoyance of shipping it back and spending $30 more next month for the newer one. LG doesn’t do HDR 10+ so it’s not a factor for me. Just the chip. I have plenty of Lightning and USB-3 cables so I don’t really care which one the remote has (why are people so adamant about USB 3 on an item as tiny as this? How much time charging does it really save? Lol)
Part of me just wants to open what I have and enjoy it. The other part is the OCD part that wonders if the newer chip will bring noticeable performance improvement for normal navigation/streaming. I don’t game on the ATV.
I don’t need Ethernet, it’s not a home hub device, and the $50 lower price is nice. It’ll be a nice upgrade from my 2017 ATV4K which is showing its age in speed.
The new model is $129, so it's a $10 difference for a speed boost and slightly updated remote. Also resell value will eventually be higher if you plan to sell it
Yep, terrible decision from Apple. Going to be a lot of returns and angry customers, and considering the ridiculous profit margins they have on ATVs, I don't know why they thought it was worth it. They're only hurting their own Home/HomeKit ambitions.
I probably use my Apple TV for 20-30 hours a week, and I bought it years ago. It works perfectly and integrates really well with my iPhone and AirPods Max. I can't imagine having used some crappy, ad- and tracker-infested Roku this whole time just to save a hundred bucks.
it already is a home hub, albeit not a high functioning one; so there is some latitude for improvement. Ethernet is also actually pretty useful, I never get dropouts since I moved to Ethernet, which was not the case over WiFi. In this scenario if Apple sprinkled a little apple magic into this product it could really shine a home centred device. I’m not a great fan of google but pretty much the same day matter was announced, they dropped a matter certified 6e mesh router- I really want to see Apple making more progress and innovation in the home arena. This is a few years old and ultimately vapourware, but the idea was a sound one and I can’t see why apple aren’t interested in making a device like it to consolidate the apple centric household: https://www.techadvisor.com/article...t-promises-to-keep-you-safe-from-hackers.html But I do agree the price of the ATV is a great improvement.
I'm curious what the point is of the 128 GB memory. Is it intended to allow access to data without internet connection? Or is it just a huge buffer?
What can you actually store on an AppleTV? Purchased music or movies? Photos? Is it persistent? How does it interact with iCloud storage? Not much information on Apple's website as far as I could see.
Questions, questions...
What can you actually store on an AppleTV? Purchased music or movies? Photos? Is it persistent? How does it interact with iCloud storage? Not much information on Apple's website as far as I could see.
Questions, questions...
A12 to A15 is a very large jump. Whether it’s super noticeable in the short term, who knows. But A15 is a beast.
I am curious if this is the 4 core GPU or 5 core GPU, that with the doubling of storage might make it a better gaming device.