The remote?
Ugh - no way
Most all the remotes are better than the Apple one unless obsessed with weight/build quality for some reason.
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The remote?
Ugh - no way
Most all the remotes are better than the Apple one unless obsessed with weight/build quality for some reason.
I have a 2020 LG TV which has the Apple TV+ app along with every streaming app I can think of and AirPlay 2 for streaming my music to the attached speakers.
There is only one benefit to Apple TV in this scenario I can think of and that is Spatial Audio support.
Might even get it for this reason as I do watch most content with my AirPods Pro. Sucks about the pricing though, I’ll get the cheapest second hand I can find.
I would really want to have a TV that is made by Apple and runs their software. WebOS is fine, but support is going to be short and the UI could use some improvements. It probably will never happen though.
There is only one benefit to Apple TV in this scenario I can think of and that is Spatial Audio support.
Might even get it for this reason as I do watch most content with my AirPods Pro. Sucks about the pricing though, I’ll get the cheapest second hand I can find.
I would really want to have a TV that is made by Apple and runs their software. WebOS is fine, but support is going to be short and the UI could use some improvements. It probably will never happen though.
Looks like iOS vs Android. Does the same things but with ads and the other crap that comes with buying the knockoff instead of the name brand. Lots of people don't care, and they're totally alternatives to each other. In fact the Roku used to do more than the ATV, like play Amazon Prime Video.
I’m not sure that’s true. The user is apples customer but that isn’t the case for Roku. As a result recommended content is totally different. Your media player should never recommend content streaming on a service you don’t subscribe to on the player unless you ask it to do that.
People don't care. Look how many they sell regardless. Those users might have Apple TVs instead.
Love my AppleTV, I can use one remote to control everything- the box, the TV and the soundbar. Cleanest experience from all other set top boxes, great input capabilities with Siri remote. Won't change a thing about it, other than making it even easier to stream from devices such as phones or computers.
What can an apple tv do that an amazon fire stick can’t, besides airplay, that grants the price difference?
AppleTV does Airplay, as you mentioned. Plus it has Apple Arcade, and an ethernet port.
I'm not sure how much audio codec or HDR support a FireStick has... so that might be another differentiator.
But if all someone wants to do is "watch video" there won't be much difference to them. FireStick is fine.
I'm not sure how much audio codec or HDR support a FireStick has... so that might be another differentiator.
But if all someone wants to do is "watch video" there won't be much difference to them. FireStick is fine.
Apple's remote is crap. I haven't tried the new remote but the remote that came with my 2015 Apple TV is frustrating to use. IMO, Apple got a little too cute with the touchpad. I purchased two of the new Chromecast and I much prefer Google's remote.
That said the Apple TV UX has little advantages over what Roku, Chromecast have to offer. You just learn how to navigate them with each device. With Chromecast, there's little need to go to the settings and the shows and Movies are on the main page. I also like what Google did with the Google TV app on the phones. It's pretty slick what you can do with it and how it integrates with Chromecast.
Not lag. Not buffer. Not show ads. Not crash. It’s got a far more intuitive remote, which is the only remote I have seen that allows fine tuning of scrubbing through content. You can hot swap between streaming services. PIP video. It has real third party support, made by third parties and not just cobbled together apps that rarely see updates. It live-streams security and doorbell cameras. Acts as a smart hub for HomeKit. Does the full setup including signing me into services and configured Wi-Fi by placing my iPhone on top of it. I don’t have to verify my TV service when I download a new app because it knows I already have that channel in my package. Takes all the content I like from different services, including live sports, and provides me with a single queue of content so I never have to worry where something is streaming or if the provided service changed. I can pause it on my tv and start watching from my Mac, iPhone or iPad without having to launch the streaming services app. I don’t even have to pair my headphones or speakers because it smart swaps to the hardware I want based on what I am using at the time or if I have my headphones on. I can set a different volume for each person watching TV. So far it has been the first or one of the first services to role out updates for new protocols. It only shows me content I can watch instead of pushing services I don’t want to sign up for. It has PlayStation quality games, if I wanted to play them, and because it has ethernet steam link is actually playable. I can pick my sports teams and game conditions to be alerted about with the ability to pause my content and jump to it or send it to my phone or iPad and multitask my viewing.
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For me, it’s the integration with the other Apple services such as podcasts, Apple Music, photos, as well as the ability to play Apple Arcade games.
Oh, and the fire stick isn’t available in my country.
I guess I just don’t see the point of scrimping and saving on a product I will be using for 4-5 years.
Sure. Most people don’t notice anything I notice little things and they add up for me. Once you start using things a certain. Way you realize how much better it is.
if people just want a streaming device that doesn’t do anything else and are ok with the ui and user experience the 40$ devices do the job. I’m way beyond the basic things in the stuff I want.
1. If we aren't going to value features because some people don't use them, how do we discuss their value for those who do?
2. So the Apple TV produces a better image, but image quality doesn't matter in this situation because it isn't better enough?
3. Don't cherry-pick points or we are going to assume you agree with the other four points that they made.
Also curious about this. I think apple has had his idea in mind and has been working on it. Just waiting for the right time to release it. The appletv’s now are definitely not what he had in mind.
If you use that services then it makes sense for you. If you use it just as a streaming device there’s no real benefit.
The Google Chomecast that Google sent to me for FREE (not even $20) is quite easy to use. In one particular aspect it is even easier to use in that it shows me a bunch of my partially watched shows right from the desktop. The remote is super nice too. I like it better. The only thing I don’t like about the remote is there is no find feature if it gets lost in the couch. I haven’t even used my Apple TV in six months. That’s what Apple is up against.
I’ve never done it, but you can play games on the Google Chomecast. And streaming music like Spotify too. As I mentioned above, both Apple TV and Chromecast meet my needs, but Google does it so much cheaper and frankly, I have had less issues with the new Chromecast than the Apple TV. Granted the Apple TV is much more fluid, the Chromecast can be a little clunky on the main menu at times, but it just works and hasn’t given me too many hassles. I felt like I was fighting the Apple TV at times. Especially the horrible remote.
One more thing I can think of is privacy. We have heard reports of how many smart TVs are “phoning home” and reporting what you are doing and watching on your TV. This is why I use my smart TV as a dumb screen and use my Apple TV to supply the streaming content.
I admit I don’t know if it’s actually helping, but I like to think that it does.
Unless you are doing sidebyside comparisons, I promise you 99.9% will never notice the image processing of a streaming device. Your TV is the biggest factor in determining image quality. My main point is that the AppleTV is not worth double the cost of the competition. Hell, even Roku has added airplay.
Not the best week for claiming the privacy card, is it? 😜One more thing I can think of is privacy. We have heard reports of how many smart TVs are “phoning home” and reporting what you are doing and watching on your TV. This is why I use my smart TV as a dumb screen and use my Apple TV to supply the streaming content.
I admit I don’t know if it’s actually helping, but I like to think that it does.
No need to ellaborate, I trust apple over other vendors on that side. I just don’t care that much if sony gets the info of what shows and movies I watch, IF they are indeed collecting that info, which remains to be seen. I wouldn’t be shocked if amazon analyzes the hell out of everything going in and out of fire sticks, though.
Not the best week for claiming the privacy card, is it?
No need to ellaborate, I trust apple over other vendors on that side. I just don’t care that much if sony gets the info of what shows and movies I watch, IF they are indeed collecting that info, which remains to be seen. I wouldn’t be shocked if amazon analyzes the hell out of everything going in and out of fire sticks, though.
Haha, yeah.
The new TV in my bedroom actually comes with a ton of streaming services right out of the box. But I am also currently listening to my favourites mix via Apple Music on my TV, and I play a bit of World of Demons (Apple Arcade) on my Apple TV, paired to a PS5 controller.
I guess the only reason an Apple TV makes sense is if you are extremely entrenched in the Apple ecosystem and even then, I concede that the differentiating factors grow lesser day by day, especially since Apple doesn’t seem to have plans for it beyond streaming.
I have 3 3rd-gen Apple TV’s in my school for airplay mirroring in the classroom though. Those still work magnificently.
4. The Apple TV is better, but since other things can impact the experience the Apple TV isn’t better?
5. 18 pages of facts, testimonials, and examples detailing how it’s better but none of that matters if you ignore them.
Why are you riding so hard for the Apple TV? Some people think it is a great value, some do not.
Because all the other options have ads, and any company that supports Madison Avenue is bad.
I've been wondering the same thing.
Feels so over the top for some reason.
I like my Apple TV's, but I have a couple Chromecasts too...my aunt has some Roku's and they work great for her (built into her TVs). I have a friend who's all in on voice controlling his setup with Google Home and all that.
Lots of great ways to go about this all just depending upon preferences and needs, etc.
I really don't find any of it dramatically better or worse than the rest of it -- particularly if you have simple needs of just "watching stuff".