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Apple Releases First Beta of tvOS 9.1
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It's the same for iOS devices, any new major beta version requires you to install it with iTunes. Once you install the first beta, the rest of the beta updates for that specific major version will be updated OTA. I suspect tvOS 9.1 b2 will be OTA.
tvOS betas are not as easy to install as beta updates for iOS and OS X. The update will require the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes.
Article Link: Apple Releases First Beta of tvOS 9.1
Certainly if someone had the 2015 MacBook, the USB-C to USB-C would be just fine. Right?
The apple tv is the one with the USB C port. He'd need to buy a USB C to USB C cable.
Loving the Apple TV so far, but there are a few soft spots in its game that need to be addressed:
- Text entry sucks (allow entry via iPhone Remote app like before, allow Siri dictation in text fields, change the configuration of the alphabet/characters from linear to a multi-level grid, maybe use iPhone touch ID, etc..)
- Channel/app activation is a pain (would be nice if I could enter my cable company's credentials once and have them apply to all the different video apps, e.g. ABC, NBC, History Channel, etc.. instead of verifying each separately )
- Would love to see universal "recently watched", "favorites" and "watch list" sections on the main interface
- Folders or sections (so i can organize by "Video", "News", "Games", etc.. instead of having a huge pile of everything)
Maybe some of this is in the works, maybe it's all a pipe dream. I do hope they operate a little differently with TV OS, and are open to making changes more quickly than in the past. It's already a cluttered market and they need to separate themselves as a superior platform quickly if they want get any real traction. Its a good start, but needs some functional upgrades before it becomes essential and unique.
- Text entry sucks (allow entry via iPhone Remote app like before, allow Siri dictation in text fields, change the configuration of the alphabet/characters from linear to a multi-level grid, maybe use iPhone touch ID, etc..)
- Channel/app activation is a pain (would be nice if I could enter my cable company's credentials once and have them apply to all the different video apps, e.g. ABC, NBC, History Channel, etc.. instead of verifying each separately )
- Would love to see universal "recently watched", "favorites" and "watch list" sections on the main interface
- Folders or sections (so i can organize by "Video", "News", "Games", etc.. instead of having a huge pile of everything)
Maybe some of this is in the works, maybe it's all a pipe dream. I do hope they operate a little differently with TV OS, and are open to making changes more quickly than in the past. It's already a cluttered market and they need to separate themselves as a superior platform quickly if they want get any real traction. Its a good start, but needs some functional upgrades before it becomes essential and unique.
Because this OS is largely built on the current iOS 9. They did the same with the previous Apple TV OS which followed the normal iOS version numbers fairly closely. Makes it far less confusing for everyone when you say "Make sure all your devices are running OS 10.3" rather than "Make sure you're running tvOS 1.4 or later, iOS 9.4 or later, and OS X 10.11 or later."
I think it's only required to be done through a computer because it's a beta. I can't imagine that the final 9.1 update would need it.
Yea, at like 18-24 fps.
It's already been established that this model and iTunes content are not ready for 4K this year. Patience is vital
Thanks, I am hoping for more returns - I will pick up a refurb at $99
( I am in the market to replace 4 
Tvs)
Please Apple, provide an option to reverse the direction of scrolling vs touchpad input. I want screen elements to move in the same direction as touchpad gestures, the same way they work on iOS and OS X. Right now everything feels like it's moving in the opposite direction I'm swiping.
amen to that. I was really quite surprised at how raw tvOS is. Based on the rumors I thought that they had all the hardware and software nailed months ago and were delaying the release because they were trying to get the deals with various content providers. but the software side is anything but polished atm. Hope they improve on it rapidly. No reason why they can't. There are a ton of things which are pretty clearly doable.
BTW, Siri API is not in this beta yet, right? Can't wait till they release it. The hooks are clearly there. when I ask siri while watching a movie in Plex "who is in this movie" the response is "the current app hasn't supplied me with this information". This suggest that in principle it should be able to answer such questions once Siri API is made available to 3rd party developers.
It's not that big a shift from iOS, and it's running on an A8, so I imagine Apple chose the cachet of associating it with iOS rather than call it something different. iWatch runs on a different hardware platform from other iOS devices entirely, thus why they probably decided to call it it's own OS.
Yeah, you just need a USB to USB-C cord and a computer with a standard USB connnection.
AirPlay needs some serious loving. When I AirPlay to the AppleTV, volume control on the device (iPhone) doesn't work in conjunction with CEC to change volume on the TV/receiver. This is a step backwards from AirPlaying directly to the receiver, where audio controls on the device change the volume on the receiver directly.
Also the lack of Siri support for Music is a major letdown.
Also the lack of Siri support for Music is a major letdown.
This is for devs... and in order them to compile and test their apps on the Apple TV they have to be loaded from Xcode on to the Apple TV via USB -> USB-C. There's a good chance that a dev currently developing an app already has this.
Most people's assumptions have been that engineering was forced to meet a marketing deadline. But Jason Snell tweeted that rumors are TV had been finished for quite a while. A little shocking then that it came out so rough around the edges.
This is the 1st day we've heard about an update. Nothing substantial is going to change in 2 months other than a little fine tuning.
If the aTV isn't right for you today then I doubt it ever will be, definitely not in the next couple months or even this time next year.
If the aTV isn't right for you today then I doubt it ever will be, definitely not in the next couple months or even this time next year.
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I'm not sure if this is an OS update, or just app development, but I'd absolutely love to have the Remote app (when it finally works) also have a controller function, as in, my iPhone becomes MFi game controller with screen-based buttons. These BT controllers seem way to expensive at the moment.
Here's a thought re: text entry: why can't we use Siri to enter passwords and emails, etc? The credentialing process is a real PITA with that keyboard - I don't care how used to it you get. I'd happily speak letters and numbers to Siri if that would work.