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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,194
30,136



Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1.2 update to developers for testing purposes, a little over one week after seeding the first tvOS 12.1.2 beta.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.1.2 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

appletv4k2.jpg

tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than outward-facing changes. Apple unfortunately provides little to no information on what's included in tvOS updates, so we may not discover anything new after installing the new beta.

Though we don't often know what's included in tvOS updates, we share when new software is available so developers and public beta testers are able to download it upon release.

If there are noticeable changes in the second tvOS 12.1.2 beta, we'll update this post with details.

Update: Apple has made a new beta of tvOS 12.1.2 available to public beta testers.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Second Beta of Upcoming tvOS 12.1.2 to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]
 

LikesToRead

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2010
9
5
If I remember correctly, at either the summer or fall event, Apple mentioned that the Apple TV would be gaining the ability to replace a cable TV box so that you could use an app on the ATV and then have an interface that would allow you to watch your cable channels directly on the ATV. I thought they said this functionality would first be available to Spectrum subscribers. Did I dream that? Or has the feature rolled out and I missed it? Thanks in advance for any info!
 

2010mini

macrumors 601
Jun 19, 2013
4,698
4,806
If I remember correctly, at either the summer or fall event, Apple mentioned that the Apple TV would be gaining the ability to replace a cable TV box so that you could use an app on the ATV and then have an interface that would allow you to watch your cable channels directly on the ATV. I thought they said this functionality would first be available to Spectrum subscribers. Did I dream that? Or has the feature rolled out and I missed it? Thanks in advance for any info!

Spectrum cable is the one that is in the works creating an app/service with zero sign on.

But there are also other streaming TV service such as PSVue, YouTubeTV, DirecTV Now, Sling, and others that offer paid tv service with DVR like traditional pay tv.
 

winstars

macrumors regular
Dec 10, 2015
157
65
If I remember correctly, at either the summer or fall event, Apple mentioned that the Apple TV would be gaining the ability to replace a cable TV box so that you could use an app on the ATV and then have an interface that would allow you to watch your cable channels directly on the ATV. I thought they said this functionality would first be available to Spectrum subscribers. Did I dream that? Or has the feature rolled out and I missed it? Thanks in advance for any info!




Besides my 3 ATV4K's, I have FireStick. I use DISH Network as my TV provider. The DISH AnyWhere app on my FireStick enables me to watch every single channel I get at home AND all my DVR'd programs anywhere in the world, without a VPN or Smart DNS. Because the app "talks" to my actual DISH box (Hopper 3) there is zero issues with geo-blocking.

I would much rather have this app on my "travel" ATV4k but like the Spectrum customers, so far no DISH Anywhere app from Apple.

Yes, on a freaking $35 FireStick...

But the new watchbands and emoji's are.....................?
 

iOS Geek

macrumors 68000
Nov 7, 2017
1,575
3,233
Looking forward to gain some new features, stability improvements are welcome but boring :p
That's a problem I think many people are having with the iOS 12 releases (to go off topic a bit). Personally, I welcome the stability fixes and don't have an issue with the lack of "new" stuff. But many people want to see new stuff. Which is why I think many find iOS 12 "boring". Everyone welcomes the stability it's brought. But there are also many that just aren't satisfied unless they see flashy stuff.
 

Mike MA

macrumors 68020
Sep 21, 2012
2,089
1,811
Germany
That's a problem I think many people are having with the iOS 12 releases (to go off topic a bit). Personally, I welcome the stability fixes and don't have an issue with the lack of "new" stuff. But many people want to see new stuff. Which is why I think many find iOS 12 "boring". Everyone welcomes the stability it's brought. But there are also many that just aren't satisfied unless they see flashy stuff.

We are on the same page. iOS 12 was bloody needed, I'm comparing it with the Snow Leopard initiative back those days when OSX was seeking for stability.

Yet, TV OS 12, and this is what that thread and I was talking about, so not iOS 12, is still having a lot of potential. Besides Dolby Atmos not really impressive things happened lately, so here clearly some room for innovation can be found. That said also having in mind that at least from my impression TV OS runs stable ever since. Your thoughts?
 

guyofgoscote

macrumors newbie
Jan 14, 2010
4
1



Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1.2 update to developers for testing purposes, a little over one week after seeding the first tvOS 12.1.2 beta.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.1.2 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

appletv4k2.jpg

tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than outward-facing changes. Apple unfortunately provides little to no information on what's included in tvOS updates, so we may not discover anything new after installing the new beta.

Though we don't often know what's included in tvOS updates, we share when new software is available so developers and public beta testers are able to download it upon release.

If there are noticeable changes in the second tvOS 12.1.2 beta, we'll update this post with details.

Update: Apple has made a new beta of tvOS 12.1.2 available to public beta testers.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Second Beta of Upcoming tvOS 12.1.2 to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]
[doublepost=1545330389][/doublepost]up loaded release this morning.
getting logon issues
after a while i can still access the home screen
 

iOS Geek

macrumors 68000
Nov 7, 2017
1,575
3,233
We are on the same page. iOS 12 was bloody needed, I'm comparing it with the Snow Leopard initiative back those days when OSX was seeking for stability.

Yet, TV OS 12, and this is what that thread and I was talking about, so not iOS 12, is still having a lot of potential. Besides Dolby Atmos not really impressive things happened lately, so here clearly some room for innovation can be found. That said also having in mind that at least from my impression TV OS runs stable ever since. Your thoughts?

Oh absolutely! I definitely agree with you! I just mentioned iOS because my perspective sort of applied to it in the sense that you were talking about tvOS. I do believe they could do something more "big" with tvOS. But at the same time...I can't really think of what that something big would/could or even SHOULD be.
 

chickenninja

macrumors 6502
Feb 13, 2008
356
21
inside my skull
If they would support HD audio codecs that would be great. They’re lagging way behind, these codecs came out in 2004! While all the tv’s stereos, and blue ray players have been supporting lossless HD audio formats like Dolby True HD, and Dts HD master audio. Apple sprung to go for atmos, which honestly is a custom installation sorta thing, the average movie watcher can place 5 or 7 speakers around the room. But to mount stuff to your ceiling, well that’s crossing the barrier of just how serious we’re going to take this whole home theater thing. Typically home audio is a spousal compromise that lends itself to minimalism and non invasive solutions like soundbars. Atmos has been poorly received in the home industry, it is the newest dolby thing, but it’s not a game changer. HD codecs are a serious sonic upgrade the apple tv needs to support them, It’s almost like there isnt a resident audiophile at Apple to advocate for lossless HD audio. I gues the load times compete with user experience, but loading is ok, previews are a preparatory asset to the movie experience. I’m willing to wait for quality to load, or to have the option to select higher or lower audio for faster load speeds. I use apple lossless over airplay 2 to airport express’s, it would be nice if the apple tv could at least match the audio quality of a Blu-Ray disc. If they were really serious, they’d be pushing the envelope even beyond that with auro 3D, or their own proprietary formats. Dolby True HD, Dts master audio, are really bare minimums the way 1080p is.
[doublepost=1545547387][/doublepost]I believe I was mistaken, being misled by the omission of “Dolby True HD” as a codec which is not explicitly listed as being supported by the Apple TV 4k. Why they would list some and not all Dolby legacy codecs is beyond me.
FBF58641-8AD9-4337-A3D0-486AC586A01C.jpeg
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