Apple Launches Apple TV 3.0 Software and iTunes 9.0.2

[Peace]

With only Youtube and Radio it sure looks like an awful lot of room under that there "internet" tab... Perhaps there's more to come??

perhaps the new GUI design will fit this quite well ?

 

[twoodcc]

glad to see this. the apple tv needed it

 

[AidenShaw]

As I know it, the big 10 wishes for next-gen Apple TV are:

- full 1080p HD capability- the current hardware is capped at a limited incarnation of 720p (just barely HD)

Definitely #1.

- much greater internal storage options- probably a bigger box for 3.5" SATA drives, enabled (Apple-endorsed) external storage options, or network (don't have to leave my computer on all the time) storage options

Can you spell "port multiplier enabled eSATA"? Someday maybe Apple will be able to....

 

[sailon]

iTunes U shows up now. Did it before?

When I updated my TVs to v3.0, iTunes added a sync tab for iTunes U. I verified that it did it *after* the TV upgrade and was not there before. Is this just a change in default configuration?
BTW - I am happy it is there.

 

[GregA]

Flickr & MobileMe are under Photos.

I always wondered why they needed to be separate.

I mean, let me subscribe to my friends photos on Flickr & MobileMe and just put them under one heading.

FINALLY I CAN USE EVENTS!!!!!

Photo viewing used to be such a pain in the ass. I hated making smart albums because my damn Apple TV couldnt view events.

Agreed.

But can it view slideshows? My mother makes slideshows (which she converts to DVD)... she'd LOVE to have those slideshows directly on the TV.

Just curious: why do you want new hardware? I mean, what new hardware-functionality would you like to see?

What I could see is bigger HD's, but other than that there's not much to change.

Personally
* 720p30
* 720p support for regular MP4 files
* 1080p (for home movie support)
* bigger hard disk
* cooler
* cheaper

I think it's definitely snappier, wasn't at first but i think it was re-syncing. not really sure the need for the front menu screen as when you click something it just goes to the old layout. my higher res videos seem to be crisper and less blotchy.

I wonder if the Apple patent for making compressed videos look better (blur compression artifacts so they're not noticeable) is

 

[griz]

How about the ability for iTunes to play 5.1 surround content. ATV can do it, why can't iTunes?

 

[jbianco123]

So...

So I'm wondering then, will the iTunes LPs available on the store now work with the AppleTV? Have they already been updated? If we need to wait "a couple of weeks" to re-download ours then that means that the updates probably aren't ready and they're selling the AppleTV on a feature that isn't live yet, right? That's pretty crappy.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Are you kidding? If quality is measured by resolution, the math says it all:
1080i is 1920 pixels wide * 1080 lines tall = 2,007,360 pixels
720p is 1280 pixels wide * 768 lines tall = 983,040 pixels

If you make an argument about "i" vs. "p", some people then suggest cutting the 2M pixel number in half, but that still yields 20K more pixels.

In a real world comparison, TNT and CBS (1080i) HD tends to almost always better than ESPN and ABC (720p) HD to my eyes. How about yours?

If you measure picture quality by other means- other than resolution- then you can make the case for anything being better than anything else, like the recurring one about how human eyes can't see the difference (so apparently my eyes are not human).

Tell you the truth video capture at 720p is higher quality than the 1080i.

This was explain to me by a video goo roo who does it for a living. People think 1080i is so great compared to 720p but because it is interlace there is the lag between 490 lines and cause it to blur just a little. but something recorded at 720p (over 1080i) looks a lot sharper.

I will take the word over a video goo roo who does it for a living and when doing HD shots for NASA they use 720p. 1080i and 720p use the same amount of bandwith. Just 720P is sharper for the same amount of data.

 

[Marvin1379]

Yay! Apple finally put Internet Radio on the AppleTV! Also, the new interface looks good and better utilizes widescreen TVs. Keep making an already great product even better.

You could do this with previous versions. In iTunes, put your radio stations in a playlist and sync that playlist to TV. you can then open the stream on TV.

For searching for things on an Apple TV, what's the current interface? For ex, if I'm trying to find a random youtube video on ATV, how would I search for it? Please tell me you don't have to use one of those horrible A through Z squares? A better approach would be some sort of virtual keyboard (accessible thru iphone/ipod touch)? Does that exist?

With just the regular remote, yes. With an iPhone or iPod touch and using the Remote app every time you go into YouTube search or now search your own songs (!!!), the kayboard pops up on your device and you can type with the qwerty kb.

Absolutely agree. I couldn't believe it when I went from the new main menu into the old menus. This should be update 2.4.1 or at most 2.5, it's so superficial that no way should it be 3.0.

+1

I found an annoying "feature" in the new iTunes -- Apple removed the ability to sync smart playlists that reference other playlists. So if you were using it, as I was, to make a smart playlist that included all music except music I didn't want synced, that playlist is no longer valid. Of course, this isn't documented anywhere, and Apple doesn't like unnecessary prompts, so the new iTunes just blanked my 160 GB ipod.

So now, I need to create a process that automatically turns my smart playlist into a regular playlist once a day or so. Not a huge issue (I'm more annoyed about my ipod being completely erased without being asked), but still an annoyance. I wonder if this bug was part of the palm pre fight, or just someone playing around with the code at apple and thinking "People don't need to sync playlists the reference other playlists"

iTunes smart playlist is still broken

Works fine for me...

I was hoping this release would put "My Movies" in a grid view... I hate scrolling forever....

+1

 

[verniesgarden]

I'll take it from this comment that you think that everybody who supports open standards is a pirate?

Anybody who wants support for a superior format just has to be plying dodgy wares, right? The MKV standard just encapsulates a video codec such as h.264 and adds a bunch of value added stuff, which makes it much more desirable for those of us who want more options than simply handing over our credit cards to Apple every time we want to watch something.

If I'm a proponent of pirated material for being in favour of open standards, then I guess that would make you an unpaid Apple shill for your unquestioning compliance to the platform. Sweeping generalisations kinda suck, don't they?

I wasn't generalizing, just stating an observation. I even fall int the desire of an all in wonder box, i would love one device that does it all, but realistically, that kills innovation and competitiveness in ways. MKVs are great but really are from my limited experience, not very "universal" only player I know that deals with them is VLC, is there a set top box that will play them?

There's plenty of things that apple does that just erks me, one they continue to rube goldberg the mouse, coming out with a new one that has less features than the old one. and they're whole computer marketing is VERY 1984, hell they even use newspeak for product naming (imac, mac mini, macbook, mac pro, macbook pro" weren't they themselves the ones saying that they weren't gonna be that way?

 

[TuckBodi]

As I know it, the big 10 wishes for next-gen TV are:

• full 1080p HD capability- the current hardware is capped at a limited incarnation of 720p (just barely HD)
• built-in BD player to kill 2 birds with one stone
• built-in DVR functionality to kill 2 birds with one stone
• open hardware expansion options (like normal USB) so that other hardware companies can offer add-on functionality if Apple doesn't want to kill X birds with 1 stone.
• open development/API/app store so that it can have widgets or iphone-like apps
• full codec support (without hacks)- if Quicktime can play it, TV should be able to play it too
• content source support beyond iTunes: netflix, hulu, etc
• central server functionality so that it can store all your iTunes & iPhoto content in one place and all the computers in the house could draw from those single libraries
• much greater internal storage options- probably a bigger box for 3.5" SATA drives, enabled (Apple-endorsed) external storage options, or network (don't have to leave my computer on all the time) storage options
• more robust hardware (no UI stalls: quick, crisp, snappy)

With Apple's business model of the ATV mainly used to rent/buy content from iTunes....

1) full 1080p HD capability - built-in won't happen until the pipes are there because people won't wait for a day for watching a movie. of course, there's always the forthcoming hack to look forward to.
2) built-in BD player - nope, not in the business model
3) built-in DVR functionality - ditto
4) open hardware expansion options - nope, peripherals takes away from the simplicity but usb drive expansion could happen to store the purchased content
5) open development/API/app store - would be cool but does this conflict with the business model?
6) full codec support - what QT codec support is not there today?
7) content source support beyond iTunes - nope, not in business model
8) central server functionality - nope, that's what my Mini is for and my ATV is the client
9) much greater internal storage options - maybe but I'd rather have external opened up as it's much more expandable
10) more robust hardware - or add the $23 Broadcomm card I just bought or the Sigma chip the competitors use to keep the cost down. another hopeful thought is the next sw rev is with Snow Leopard and it can take advantage of the existing gpu

 

[dparri526]

1080i

No it didn't. And posting this multiple times does not make it true.

The ATV has had 1080i since the beginning. The best argument you could make is that Apples 1080i is not as good as Broadcast 1080i.

720p is also considered HD. There are many techs who believe that 720p is superior to 1080i.

Everyone wants 1080p, but the only place you would really notice that kind of quality is during a sports broadcast. Most movies can't even take advantage of the progressive part of 1080p.

 

[SurfMacJpMtb]

As Cave said, it was my first thing to try ... FAIL. Sadly.

Beyond that I agree that the interface is a big improvement.

Anyone notice Settings > HDMI Output ??? I do not remember that from before. Has a choice of RGB High, RGB Low, CyBr ... and auto.

I believe the HDMI Output setting was there on the last release. Mine was set to auto.

 

[AidenShaw]

Most movies can't even take advantage of the progressive part of 1080p.

You don't have a Blu-ray yet, do you?

 

[cmendill]

Music Continues in Other Menus

Not sure if this was pointed out, but music no longer stops playing when you leave the music menu! This is how it was before 2.0 I believe. Hurray, a step backwards for once!

 

[fpnc]

No. While a lot of people think the current TV hardware is way overpriced considering how old and underpowered it is for what it is meant to do, anyone can observe other boxes with hardware capable of granting many of the more popular (hardware upgrade required) TV wishes that can be bought for under the current price of TV. That means the technology is out there for a next-gen TV that could address a lot of the more popular hardware upgrade wishes in a box that costs about the same as TV does now...There are lot of these capabilities in competitor boxes, but those usually fail with a poor UI. Apple has a great UI but underpowered, long-in-tooth hardware. This whole space is Apple's for the taking. They just need to do it.

I think the Apple TV hardware is competitively priced. I keep seeing these claims about how other devices are cheaper or offer more features but I've never seen any such mainstream, first-tier product unless you are talking about the price-subsidized XBox 360 or PlayStation 3.

I recently purchased the newly introduced Western Digital TV Live unit for $150 (U.S.) and it can't even begin to offer the experience that I get with my Apple TV. The WD TV Live has no included hard disk, no built-n wireless networking, and the GUI is pretty terrible in comparison to the Apple TV. It does offer 1080p content playback but that's about it. So, for about $80 more on the Apple TV you get 160GB of disk storage, 802.11n wireless networking, a vastly superior UI, and much better integration with the desktop. Is the WD TV Live a bad product? No, I don't think so but it doesn't support this continuing claim that the Apple TV is overpriced or lacking in features.

As far as I'm concerned, most of what the Apple TV needs can be done through software updates. The only important upgrade that I would like to see that might not be able to be done through software is support for 30fps 720p content. Would I take more than that? Sure, but if it meant substantially higher prices or the loss of the hard drive or built-in wireless then I'm not sure that product would represent a net gain for most users.

 

[whatever]

1080p

What exactly are people referring too when they're talking about resolution.

Under Settings, Audio & Video, TV Resolution, my Apple TV is set for 1080P.

This has been the case since Apple TV 1.x.

 

[X38]

No DVR, no sale!
Why in the world is Apple dragging their feet on this?? They've shown some brilliant DVR concepts in their patent applications.

 

[fpnc]

What exactly are people referring too when they're talking about resolution.

Under Settings, Audio & Video, TV Resolution, my Apple TV is set for 1080P.

This has been the case since Apple TV 1.x.

They are most likely referring to the resolution that is supported for video content which is currently limited to either 1280x720 at 24fps (720p) or 960x540 at 30fps (not even HD).

For the "full" HD experience you need both the video output capability of 1080p (with a matching display) and the ability to decode and play 1080p source material. The current Apple TV only has the former.

 

[fpnc]

No DVR, no sale!
Why in the world is Apple dragging their feet on this?? They've shown some brilliant DVR concepts in their patent applications.

There is absolutely no need for a DVR in the Apple TV. No one is going to pay several hundred dollars extra for a DVR feature when most people can rent a DVR from their content provider for a few extra dollars per month. Look at Tivo, still struggling after all these years and probably only continuing to exist because of lawsuits and licensing. Further, the cable-card issue is a real "bag of hurt" and it now looks like the content providers and cable companies are going to effectively do away with unencrypted Clear QAM broadcasts (they are already lobbying congress for this change).

 

[LagunaSol]

Although, I'd like to see a DVD/Bluray player available on the ATV.

Yeah, I finally gave up waiting for the AppleTV to become "Insanely Great" and bought a PS3 instead. At $299 it seemed like a no-brainer.

 

[Marvin1379]

And blast that they still have the focus of the "Coverflow" on the right side of the screen. it should be in the middle just like in iTunes.

 

[winks360]

Anyone Get It Working

I did the update and all, but I can't seem to figure out how to get the "Music LPs" or "Movie Extras" to work on it. Tried to re-Sync, looked through menus, took the movies off and put back on, no luck. If you got the "LP" or "Extras" to work let me know how??

It does say that the update lets you use these features doesn't it??

 

[LagunaSol]

There is absolutely no need for a DVR in the Apple TV. No one is going to pay several hundred dollars extra for a DVR feature when most people can rent a DVR from their content provider for a few extra dollars per month.

Why should a DVR feature in the AppleTV cost several hundred dollars extra?

 

[AidenShaw]

For the "full" HD experience you need both the video output capability of 1080p (with a matching display) and the ability to decode and play 1080p source material. The current Apple TV only has the former.

And many will say that you also need to match the quality of a 40 Mbps Blu-ray bitstream to be called "HD".

Stretching a 320x240 video to "HD" screen dimensions is not HD....