Apple Announces New Apple TV With Siri, App Store, New User Interface and Remote

[JoeShades]

I guess we're splitting hairs. By "main menu", I mean it's always locked up at the top with "Movies", "TV Shows", "Music" etc, not mixed into the long list of apps that now exist below the "main menu". The picture of the orange icon that is probably "computers" in the new UI appears to be mixed in and dropped off of the "main menu".

Here's a photo of the original UI that I think came with your TV 2...

Now yes, the green icon for "computers" in the photo can be viewed as a "separate app" much like the trailers or WSJ apps below it. But try to move it off the main menu row.

On TV3 (and probably your own TV3 updated to the latest UI), "Computers" is still on the main row and is an orange icon. It also can't be moved off the main row.

Looking at the one picture shown of the new TV4 UI, it appears that if that icon is the "Computers" app icon, our own media is no longer important enough to be locked at the top (or perhaps NO icon is important enough to be locked at the top)? We'll see in upcoming reviews.

You can move the Apps anywhere you want on the Apple Tv 4, if you want it at the top move it there

 

[rickmystic]

App store? So where are the hundreds of available channels like Roku etc. or are we just going to be locked in to a bunch of game offerings for $$$$$.

 

[hank moody]

App Store + AppleTV WILL BE HUGEEEEE.

 

[Morris]

No optical out. Bummer.

I wanted to use this with my 27" display, as I don't have a TV. But I'm not going to get a dedicated TV, just to connect an Apple TV to it.

Does anybody know any device that will split HDMI input into picture (HDMI output to display) and sound? Sound output can be anything: optical, analog cinch, I don't care, as long as it's stereo.

Apologies if someone has already posted this as I haven't read through the entire thread.

I see the new Apple TV doesn't have optical out. That's a backward step for me. Can't work out why they'd drop that. How am I supposed to hook it up to my surround sound system?

That and the lack of 4K output is very disappointing.

I'm disappointed about this too. I have 2 apple TVs one in living room hDMI'd to TV and optically connected to stereo and one connected via AV amp to a projector by HDMI and optical. In the living room you can airplay music to stereo without telly on and my AV amp only supports video over HDMI.

Today I've discovered a type of device I had never heard of before, the HDMI audio extractor. As I use my ATV mostly for music this will be the way to go, unfortunately.

 

[/dev/toaster]

Siri integration is a good add. Look forward to playing with Apple TV.

Totally agreed. I am just surprised the Apple Watch wasn't a method of accessing siri on it. I always have my watch on me, finding the remote is a whole other issue.

I am hoping for an app that does the same.

 

[JoeShades]

What about the radio App? i guess i will have to wait for a TUNE IN APP, that feature looks like it is gone

 

[Dub1ous]

So we should only join a forum to post only the good things about a product and just ignore the shortcomings?

I swear religions got nothing on Apple drones.

Posting criticism is fine. It's your entire schtick about how everything you personally want is inexcusable to leave out and we should all be OUTRAGED (and are apparently Apple drones, another tactic people like you use to try to drag everyone else down) that annoys people. I just think there are much more important things to get that upset about than technology. Feel free to work yourself up like that, but I'll pass.

 

[hipnetic]

I didn't think it was possible, but Tim & Co found a way to disappoint me even more today than they did the last time. Meh.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

There is no such thing as Dolby Digital 7.1.

I believe the observation is that tech specs now show 7.1 surround instead of formerly showing only 5.1 surround. Since that's Apple own tech specs, that is an audio upgrade in this device.

 

[Dub1ous]

Totally agreed. I am just surprised the Apple Watch wasn't a method of accessing siri on it. I always have my watch on me, finding the remote is a whole other issue.

I am hoping for an app that does the same.

Probably a remote app update to go along with it.

 

[dgalvan123]

what is the cheapest option for me to use Airplay?

I dont want all those features to watch my itune purchases on my tv. I wish Airplay can work on chromecast

Cheapest would be to buy a refurbished Apple TV 3 for $59 shipped. http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/appletv

 

[jettredmont]

Same excuses speculated back when we argued "720p is good enough" (because Apple still maxed it's "HD" at 720p). The Internet streams data- it doesn't care if it's 4K or 720p. If you want to download any bigger file, it just takes longer to get enough data to start playing. If you don't want to wait because your own broadband is just too slow, opt for the 1080p or 720p version of the same video. OR plan your viewing by starting the download tonight so that it's ready to watch tomorrow.

Waiting for "the whole internet" to be upgraded would be a forever wait. There's always going to be segment still limited to speeds as slow as dial up.

Anyone who feels the other way, please report back after Apple rolls out a 4K TV5 so that there is an Apple way to play the 4K shot on iPhones at 4K on 4K televisions and then rip into Apple for not waiting for the whole Internet to be upgraded.

The issue is that Apple doesn't put out products for techies. When Apple puts something out, a key part of the Apple Brand is "this is going to work for me". Apple doesn't tend to put out something that is technically capable of doing something if most people aren't going to be able to use it on Day 1. Apple will put out a 4k AppleTV when (if?) 4K content is available enough at a non-embarrassing quality, can be streamed to most people's houses at non-embarrassing quality, and can be displayed on a good portion of peoples' hardware. That is when Apple will get a splash (among the non-techie crowd that is the majority of their customer base) from supporting 4k, not before.

 

[z31fanatic]

Feel free to work yourself up like that, but I'll pass.

Actually you were the one who got worked up by other people's opinion which are different than yours.
But whatever, it doesn't matter.

 

[Compufix]

I'm kind of sad about lack of a TOSlink output. That means no DTS for me on this device, because my receiver supports DTS but my TV won't pass-through DTS from HDMI to its own TOSlink output.

http://www.amazon.com/Fosmon-HDMI-A...555&sr=1-8&keywords=hdmi+to+toslink+converter

 

[rickmystic]

Roku has 2000 streaming channels. From what I see and have read the new Apple TV will only have the same old 25 choices on the app store except for new games.

 

[JoeShades]

From what I see and have read the new Apple TV will only have the same old 25 choices on the app store except for new games.

Get your eyes checked

 

[APlotdevice]

If Apple introduces a good game controller, the Apple TV could become an acceptable gaming machine with apps such as Final Fantasy and other higher-end games.

Menu-driven RPGs like Final Fantasy could probably be played alright with just the remote.

 

[Dub1ous]

The issue is that Apple doesn't put out products for techies. When Apple puts something out, a key part of the Apple Brand is "this is going to work for me".

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

Seriously though, that's exactly it. I'm a software engineer, and the people I know who want to have techie stuff to tinker with at home generally don't like Apple. Personally, I more than get my fill of tinkering with technology at work, and therefore go for "this is going to work for me" type of stuff.

 

[Jules R]

Am I the only one who is really bummed they took out the optical audio out? This really affects hooking up to a real home theater system

 

[whit2891]

With the whole world watching, I was a bit disappointed with the resulting product. Everyone is expecting something big, and that wasn't it. The Roku and ATV Kodi people are tilting their heads in confusion for the most part. I think a built in FaceTime camera, motion sensor options, home kit integration, watch integration, etc. were all poised for some wow factor. Give the user the option of walking into the room and saying siri I want to watch something....without even turning it on. I'd love to open the door after a long day and go straight to the kitchen while siri fires up ESPN.

 

[Jules R]

http://www.amazon.com/Fosmon-HDMI-A...555&sr=1-8&keywords=hdmi+to+toslink+converter

Totally agree huge oversight.

 

[HenryDJP]

why would someone wanna use their tv to play music is beyond me. plus with the roku you get a private channel like machtv and get all ppv events, HBO,DISCOVERY CH, A&E,ESPN,SKY SPORTS, ETC... and all NFL,NBA,NHL,MLB games in HD all for about 20.00a month. thanks but no thanks no apple tv for me

Just because YOU wouldn't......
Same could be said for ME not being interested in PPV or any of the other stuff you mentioned. Your needs are your needs and if you used your imagination at all it's pretty easy to play music through an audio system without the TV involved thanks to the new remote with Siri.

 

[edogyip]

It has 802.11AC, but no Gigabit Ethernet. C'mon Apple! (I'm still buying it)

I know right? It's silly, but the lack of gigabit might be a deal breaker. I don't want to have to use AC and hope the signal is strong enough to get beyond the 100 meg.

 

[enigmatut]

The lack of Optical out and 4K capability shows they still do not understand the market.

The lack of optical out shows they do understand the market ... in Apple terms People said the same thing when they ditched serial/parallel ports on Macs in favor of only USB back in '96. I'm not saying it's particularly good of them to do this now in the AV hardware market, I'm just saying that this is not at all surprising given their history.

Lack of 4K, on the other hand, is the weird balancing act they play. On the one hand, they bet on certain technology as "the future" (USB-C) or ditch as "the past" (serial ports, now optical ports in favor of HDMI only); but on the other hand they play wait-and-see on some newer, perhaps not-yet-settled technologies (?) even like LTE (loads of other phones had it before the iPhone) and now 4K.

I interpret the lack of 4K as Apple not yet being ready to tackle the "early adopter" segment of the TV market. 4K isn't quite mainstream yet, so perhaps their comfortable "alienating" some small % of the TV market in favor of providing a solid offering to the vast majority. Keeping in mind that that have a full-fledged video ecosystem with a vast library of titles that they probably aren't ready to upgrade both content and delivery infrastructure to handle 4K (at least not until they partner up with Pied Piper).
It's an easy pill for me to swallow personally as I am in a cycle of buying a high-end TV every 4-5 years and a 4K bad boy is still ~2yrs in the future for me.

THAT ALL SAID: I too would have liked to see them take on 4K with this iteration if only to make a bolder statement about how serious they are in that market.

 

[HenryDJP]

Spotify, Pandora, etc., are superior to iTunes music and have been around for tons of years longer than that Dre BS.

Sorry, to answer your question, Roku has been playing superior music for what, 7-8 years now?

Apple TV is a joke. The only time I use it is to mirror my Mac. Roku 3 gets 99% of my attention. Fire TV is nice and all but Roku seems more solid, in my experience. Amazon skinning things causes some issues. With that said, I would use my fire TV over Apple TV any day of the week. Voice search is flawless and hardware top-notch.

Soooo, if you're satisfied with your lovely Fire TV and if everything else is so superior to Apple thennnn, Why are you here?

Also I just love how you so aggressively answered a question that wasn't asked of you in the first place. Oh the usual defensive non-Apple people.....