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Apple Announces Apple TV Take 2 + Price Drop
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Another solid positive from the Keynote: Was holding off to see what would happen today, and will probably buy one now 
Many people need to watch movies over the course of two days...this 24 hour business is horrible for the price.
I don't think it will affect me, but it will affect others.
Ripped DVD support?
What about support for ripped DVD's? With Leopard and frontrow, you can watch ripped DVD's, so there is a solution (plug in your computer to a HDTV) Would be great if ATV2 supported this as well. I have no interest in renting movies.
What about support for ripped DVD's? With Leopard and frontrow, you can watch ripped DVD's, so there is a solution (plug in your computer to a HDTV) Would be great if ATV2 supported this as well. I have no interest in renting movies.
Now that iTunes supports video rentals, I'm hoping that Apple and the BBC will sort something out so that Mac users can download programmes rather than having to watch them online.
I guess it would mean Apple would have to offer everything via iTunes and they won't be able to charge for it, but I reckon they'd sell a boat load of iPods and Apple TV's off the back of it.
As the BBC are already under pressure to support other operating systems I reckon they'd have problems if they didn't at least try to sort a deal out.
I guess it would mean Apple would have to offer everything via iTunes and they won't be able to charge for it, but I reckon they'd sell a boat load of iPods and Apple TV's off the back of it.
As the BBC are already under pressure to support other operating systems I reckon they'd have problems if they didn't at least try to sort a deal out.
You're missing the point
Everyone arguing about the benefits of various resolutions is missing the point--the most important thing is how cute the girl in the ATV guided tour is:
http://www.apple.com/appletv/guidedtour/index.html?size=medium
Holy cow.
Everyone arguing about the benefits of various resolutions is missing the point--the most important thing is how cute the girl in the ATV guided tour is:
http://www.apple.com/appletv/guidedtour/index.html?size=medium
Holy cow.
Non HD in Stereo Only
Love Apple, but I'm wondering why anyone would rent a regular movie that they can only play in Stereo and not 5.1.
Anyone know why normal movies aren't available in 5.1?
Now, for an HD title, I get it. But it seems a real downgrade to watch ANY movie in less than 5.1.
Love Apple, but I'm wondering why anyone would rent a regular movie that they can only play in Stereo and not 5.1.
Anyone know why normal movies aren't available in 5.1?
Now, for an HD title, I get it. But it seems a real downgrade to watch ANY movie in less than 5.1.
Totally False
Sorry but this post stopped me in my tracks so I have not read the other three pages after this.
I will call BS on that DVD to 1080P BR or HD DVD is leaving "most" consumers scratching thier heads. The single biggest hurdle with people was the rediculous format war. The side by side comparison yields a blow you away difference.
720 or 1080 may be less noticeable, I'll give you that but the last time I went into a big box store that sells TVs the game is all about the FULL 1080 HD "eperience".
The guy who said something like sitting in front of the TV (with date) with "thousands" of movies to choose from was dead on and sold me on this unit. That is the difference between Apple TV and PPV....! BAM. The entire catalog available without leaving the house! SWEET
I have to say overall I was really dissapointed there was no talk of BLURAY burners for me to deliver HD material to the end user.
Maybe I can shoot in 720 and deliver in an apple tv?
I will buy one of there just to screw around with it but it may wind up on ebay if the vid quality really does come in under par.
Sorry but this post stopped me in my tracks so I have not read the other three pages after this.
I will call BS on that DVD to 1080P BR or HD DVD is leaving "most" consumers scratching thier heads. The single biggest hurdle with people was the rediculous format war. The side by side comparison yields a blow you away difference.
720 or 1080 may be less noticeable, I'll give you that but the last time I went into a big box store that sells TVs the game is all about the FULL 1080 HD "eperience".
The guy who said something like sitting in front of the TV (with date) with "thousands" of movies to choose from was dead on and sold me on this unit. That is the difference between Apple TV and PPV....! BAM. The entire catalog available without leaving the house! SWEET
I have to say overall I was really dissapointed there was no talk of BLURAY burners for me to deliver HD material to the end user.
Maybe I can shoot in 720 and deliver in an apple tv?
I will buy one of there just to screw around with it but it may wind up on ebay if the vid quality really does come in under par.
This is an awesome update. Screw seeing something "better than real life" My eyes can't tell the difference between formats unless I squint or get close.
I try and think of blind people, then I stop whining about rez...
I try and think of blind people, then I stop whining about rez...
720p, 1080i, 1080p
Not true!
Most people only have HDTV's that support 720p/1080i. The apple TV is capable of supporting up to 1080i. 99.9% of movies output at 1080i anyway. Even if it says 1080p. In fact 1080p would really help, say a sporting event, but doesn't really help movies at all. Thats why alot of people say they can't see any diff when comparing 1080i and 1080p side by side.
I have no plans to upgrade my tv to 1080p until my 1080i dies a slow death.
My problem with the new rental program is that I can already do all of this much cheaper from netflix, why pay more. Handbrake is a great program. I have so much content and not enough time to watch any of it. I will probably try one of the HD flicks just to see, but I can't see making a habit of renting from apple.
PS. I have had my Apple TV for a year now and I love it.
No ***** sherlock. Nobody cares about 720p, unless you're trying to defend a piss poor movie deliver service
Not true!
Most people only have HDTV's that support 720p/1080i. The apple TV is capable of supporting up to 1080i. 99.9% of movies output at 1080i anyway. Even if it says 1080p. In fact 1080p would really help, say a sporting event, but doesn't really help movies at all. Thats why alot of people say they can't see any diff when comparing 1080i and 1080p side by side.
I have no plans to upgrade my tv to 1080p until my 1080i dies a slow death.
My problem with the new rental program is that I can already do all of this much cheaper from netflix, why pay more. Handbrake is a great program. I have so much content and not enough time to watch any of it. I will probably try one of the HD flicks just to see, but I can't see making a habit of renting from apple.
PS. I have had my Apple TV for a year now and I love it.
close
close , so close to buying one now....is it HDMI? and is it possible to use this to display your screen (on my MBP for example) on my HDTV? if so I will buy one FOR SURE.
It would be nice to be able to keep the movies on the ATV hard drive for more than 1 day. Like maybe 2-3 would suffice. My only other gripe is that there should be a subscription movie service. I pay 18 a mo for NetFlix, I'd pay say 25 for HD DL's like say 10 a month capped.
Also, can I hookup an external to pluck from?
close , so close to buying one now....is it HDMI? and is it possible to use this to display your screen (on my MBP for example) on my HDTV? if so I will buy one FOR SURE.
It would be nice to be able to keep the movies on the ATV hard drive for more than 1 day. Like maybe 2-3 would suffice. My only other gripe is that there should be a subscription movie service. I pay 18 a mo for NetFlix, I'd pay say 25 for HD DL's like say 10 a month capped.
Also, can I hookup an external to pluck from?
Funny how we ended up here... all I asked or was AirTunes on the AppleTV (and every AirPort branded Product from Apple that doesn't have it yet
According to Engaget the AppleTV update brings AirTunes to it:
Er, because the vast majority of people out there (by far) don't have 5.1 systems. That's why. When the market demands it it will come.
But it's not there. Heck, the majority of US households don't even have HD.
Today's news sold me on the Apple TV. I picked one up right after the keynote.
Prior to today, I was trying to decide between Mac Mini vs Apple TV.
The fact that the Mac Mini only reads DVDs will soon render the optical drive useless for me as I'll be picking up a Blu-Ray anyway.
The Mac Mini still wins on being able to attach an EyeTV and record tv programming.
The HDMI connection, the YouTube videos, the Flickr albums and of course the ability to subscribe to podcasts and purchase music, tv shows and rent movies from the couch puts the AppleTV way ahead.
The only quirk is that I still have to keep my TV's big remote lying around for the sole purpose of controlling the volume.
Is there a good reason why the AppleTV can't control the volume?
I wonder if that was fixed in today's update.
Prior to today, I was trying to decide between Mac Mini vs Apple TV.
The fact that the Mac Mini only reads DVDs will soon render the optical drive useless for me as I'll be picking up a Blu-Ray anyway.
The Mac Mini still wins on being able to attach an EyeTV and record tv programming.
The HDMI connection, the YouTube videos, the Flickr albums and of course the ability to subscribe to podcasts and purchase music, tv shows and rent movies from the couch puts the AppleTV way ahead.
The only quirk is that I still have to keep my TV's big remote lying around for the sole purpose of controlling the volume.
Is there a good reason why the AppleTV can't control the volume?
I wonder if that was fixed in today's update.
I was really looking forward to this until I found out it only works with AppleTV. I have a perfectly good media centre at the moment with a BluRay drive, so there is no chance I will be getting an AppleTV.
I just hope someone comes up with a way of renting the HD movies with regular iTunes (or Apple decide to enable the feature).
I just hope someone comes up with a way of renting the HD movies with regular iTunes (or Apple decide to enable the feature).
No, it can't. Where would you get that idea?
No, not by a long shot. Most HDTVs sold are 720p native sets--1080p isn't even available on anything much smaller than 46" or so for the most part, and it doesn't become "standard" until the 55" range or so, and only as of the past couple years. The most popular models remain 720p native--1080p sets are still high end and generally $2000+/£1200+. Accepting 1080p signal does not mean displaying a 1080p picture.
It's not changed in the update, and I wouldn't count on it ever changing. The lack of internal volume control is intentional--Apple TV leaves audio processing to the external components and just acts as a pass-through. This minimizes conflicts with AV components, since most customers are using AV receivers and manage the volume for their entire system that way.
Cable boxes are the biggest offenders to the rule of deferring to the AV receiver--TVs go on internal mute, DVD players don't mess with volume, and the AppleTV follows this trend.
Been to Costco lately? Almost all of the went 1080p two months before Christmas. I just got a 19" 1080p set from them (edit cant remember the exact price... it was a gift)
Take the market of television-watching households, shrink to the subset willing to add another set-top box to their system, shrink that to the subset who are even remotely willing to think of a movie as something that needn't come on a disk ... I'm pretty sure the resulting set has a very high fraction of 5.1 (or 6.1 or 7.1) systems at their disposal. Sony et al have been selling a hell of a lot of "home theater in a box" systems to folks willing to connect a few wires together.
In any case, offering 5.1 is a no-brainer. It adds virtually nothing to the download size (audio is so incredibly small compared to video), doesn't increase production costs at all (it's the same mix you put on the DVD), and it makes the small but influential subset of audio fanatics very happy. The only possible reason you'd exclude it is if you didn't want digital downloads to seem like a viable option for your high-end, discriminating customers.
need 1080p for basement HT...
I also agree here, 24 hours is not enough time.
I have 3 kids; 6,4, and 2 years old.
By the time their teeth brushed, read books/etc, and we start a movie there's been countless times we've paused it until the next day.....
So, 24 + 6 for that next day cycle would so much make a difference, and should still suit their business model/contractual arrangmemts with the major studios.
So, that being said I'm going to buy one of these when my bonus check comes, April-08.
I've Been waiting for this upgrade, and my 1st floor family room 42" HDTV will just love the 720p and also the 5.1 surround sound.
Now, my basement HT is another matter.
That is just being completed drywall this week, I've got a Sony VPL-WV60 projecting onto a 125" screen for cinemawide format 2.35:1 via an amphormopic lens, which will also show 16:9 content 100" diag.
So, for downstairs I really do need 1080p, maybe AppleTVRev 3 or Rev 4 will be able to handle that??
Yea, that will include a 4 x 15" IB subwoofer array.
http://ibsubwoofers.proboards51.com/index.cgi?board=projects&action=display&thread=1198261510&page=1
Ah, the Paradigm 7.1 speakers are just waiting to be installed!!!!
I also agree here, 24 hours is not enough time.
I have 3 kids; 6,4, and 2 years old.
By the time their teeth brushed, read books/etc, and we start a movie there's been countless times we've paused it until the next day.....
So, 24 + 6 for that next day cycle would so much make a difference, and should still suit their business model/contractual arrangmemts with the major studios.
So, that being said I'm going to buy one of these when my bonus check comes, April-08.
I've Been waiting for this upgrade, and my 1st floor family room 42" HDTV will just love the 720p and also the 5.1 surround sound.
Now, my basement HT is another matter.
That is just being completed drywall this week, I've got a Sony VPL-WV60 projecting onto a 125" screen for cinemawide format 2.35:1 via an amphormopic lens, which will also show 16:9 content 100" diag.
So, for downstairs I really do need 1080p, maybe AppleTVRev 3 or Rev 4 will be able to handle that??
Yea, that will include a 4 x 15" IB subwoofer array.
http://ibsubwoofers.proboards51.com/index.cgi?board=projects&action=display&thread=1198261510&page=1
Ah, the Paradigm 7.1 speakers are just waiting to be installed!!!!
I just got an Apple TV for Christmas and was (very) glad to hear this was not a hardware or pay-only upgrade. I have been very pleased with the unit up until now, and this is only icing on the cake. Now my theater can take advantage of the 5.1 surround.
What's even better, I think, is that the HD downloads solves another problem for me (I hope) - the Format War. I have a PS3 in the HT and got a Netflix account to rent BD movies. But I am missing out on HD-DVD. Now, it seems I will be able to get the occasional HD movie on HD-DVD that I would have had to buy another player for. And I don't have to increase my Netflix account to get get a few extra movies when I needs them (I'll stick to the $4.99 plan as I only have time to watch a few feature films a month anyway).
Nice job Apple, using your head.
What's even better, I think, is that the HD downloads solves another problem for me (I hope) - the Format War. I have a PS3 in the HT and got a Netflix account to rent BD movies. But I am missing out on HD-DVD. Now, it seems I will be able to get the occasional HD movie on HD-DVD that I would have had to buy another player for. And I don't have to increase my Netflix account to get get a few extra movies when I needs them (I'll stick to the $4.99 plan as I only have time to watch a few feature films a month anyway).
Nice job Apple, using your head.
I have to agree - the people that might buy an AppleTV have all their sound going through a central amp that is DD5.1 capable. I can't think of anyone I even know who doesn't have their main tv set up this way.
Sure those with the old CRT setups might not but they aren't the ones looking to view digital films via a $200+ set top box bought just for the purpose.
Its great that the AppleTV finally supports DD5.1 - I would just like some confirmation on how that's being done and some assurances that it won't be locked to the purchased HD movies only somehow before I get one.