Apple TV 4K - Short Review

[Andrewtst]

Press and hold the tv button, swipe down to sleep, select. That's 3 moves.
Press power button. That's 1 move.

And this isn't an every-once-in-a-while thing, it's something I do every time I use my AppleTV. At the end, I need to turn off my TV. For an action that is done every time it is used, it should have a dedicated button.

I could just leave the tv on, let it go to screensaver, then let it timeout and go off on it's own. But that is insanely wasteful. I like the screen saver quite a lot (I have it set to show my last vacation photos) and I leave it on screensaver sometimes just as ambience, so I have it on that for a while before auto-sleeping. It would be on for an hour if I just left it - a lot of wasted energy and not green.

Bottom line - a dedicated power button is needed.
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A 65" TV uses quite a lot of power actually when it is on. Especially if it is an LED tv with HDR on.

It is press and hold and press sleep (it is default point at sleep). 2 move only. This is not often use, maybe once per day. Pretty ok with 2 move for me. Also it consider 1 move because it auto sleep your Apple TV 4K together with your TV.

 

[x-evil-x]

What good is an AppleTV without a TV, for most people? Obviously there are corner cases and exceptions. I think it's safe to assume if the AppleTV is on, the TV is on; and if the AppleTV is off, the TV is off. In my setup, HDMI CEC ensures it. When the AppleTV is put to sleep, the TV turns off. Thus, being able to turn off the AppleTV with a single button press would be a pretty good feature.

What good is an AppleTV without a TV, for most people? Obviously there are corner cases and exceptions. I think it's safe to assume if the AppleTV is on, the TV is on; and if the AppleTV is off, the TV is off. In my setup, HDMI CEC ensures it. When the AppleTV is put to sleep, the TV turns off. Thus, being able to turn off the AppleTV with a single button press would be a pretty good feature.

you can always set it to sleep after 15 minutes. You don’t need cec. I guess you do it you don’t use a universal remote and just rely on the appletv remote. But yes there should be a power button and mute switch. I can program my harmony to put it to sleep with a long press and then another press to go to sleep but that is besides the point.
Best thing you can do is just set it to sleep after 15 minutes till Apple decides to add a power button

 

[Michelasso]

For me the storage is not pointless because it can be use for download big size games.

As long as you have a decent Internet connection it shouldn't matter. tvOS uses a caching system and if I remember correctly games for the tvOS should be downloadable in chunks of max 200MB each (which might be a reason why there aren't many AAA games). The games should tell the OS which chunk(s) should be downloaded next (a sort of pre-fetch) and tvOS should remove the oldest caches (from any app) when running out of internal memory.

The problem is that I don't believe this works well with open world games...

 

[oneMadRssn]

you can always set it to sleep after 15 minutes. You don’t need cec. I guess you do it you don’t use a universal remote and just rely on the appletv remote. But yes there should be a power button and mute switch. I can program my harmony to put it to sleep with a long press and then another press to go to sleep but that is besides the point.
Best thing you can do is just set it to sleep after 15 minutes till Apple decides to add a power button

I have it set to sleep after 60min because I like the screensaver, which is set to show my last vacation photos. Often I put music on and leave the screensaver on while I am in the room hanging out. I don’t want it to turn off after 15 minutes.

 

[Audit13]

Me too! Imagine how incredible iTunes store for film would be with the BEST audio sound possible along with the glorious 4K Dolby Vision / HD.

I tried to estimate the size of the 4k files being streamed over iTunes and I think it's around 12 GB based on usage stats from my ISP. HD tracks are about 3 to 4 GB so a 16 GB file with HD audio would be totally possible IMHO.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I tried to estimate the size of the 4k files being streamed over iTunes and I think it's around 12 GB based on usage stats from my ISP. HD tracks are about 3 to 4 GB so a 16 GB file with HD audio would be totally possible IMHO.

OH WOW! That's super incredible - i'd estimated around 15GB for a 2 hour film 🙂
It would be total incredible as it would be a 4K BluRay killer for the few that are buying into that format. Although i'll be honest, I don't think the format will be around in two years time. All of the manufacturers except Panasonic have no interest in it. SONY has even pulled their more decent players in favour of the super cheaply made 700 which doesn't even have a quality 110-240V power transformer in it. Even more insulting is the amount of people saying that the player sticks on discs after a few weeks of use! But how crazy in 2018, having a disc that only plays on a cheap player in the corner of a room when the whole world i smartphone driven 🙂

Let's see although as much as I love my AirPods etc, Apple doesn't seem that interest in great soundquality - hence BEATS & HomePods - they probably wouldn't sound much difference with a HD lossless film soundtrack compared to Dolby Digital 5.1. We'll see. Maybe in time? I'd love to see iTunes films be the ultimate in quality.

 

[Audit13]

OH WOW! That's super incredible - i'd estimated around 15GB for a 2 hour film 🙂
It would be total incredible as it would be a 4K BluRay killer for the few that are buying into that format. Although i'll be honest, I don't think the format will be around in two years time. All of the manufacturers except Panasonic have no interest in it. SONY has even pulled their more decent players in favour of the super cheaply made 700 which doesn't even have a quality 110-240V power transformer in it. Even more insulting is the amount of people saying that the player sticks on discs after a few weeks of use! But how crazy in 2018, having a disc that only plays on a cheap player in the corner of a room when the whole world i smartphone driven 🙂

Let's see although as much as I love my AirPods etc, Apple doesn't seem that interest in great soundquality - hence BEATS & HomePods - they probably wouldn't sound much difference with a HD lossless film soundtrack compared to Dolby Digital 5.1. We'll see. Maybe in time? I'd love to see iTunes films be the ultimate in quality.

The come size may be larger. This was tested with 4k Hitman: Agent 47 so 15 GB for a two hour film would not be unusual.

I use a 5.1 system for all my movie watching and can definitely great a difference between lossy and HD audio.

I have an BluRay player for my SACD and disc collection but it's really used anymore as I use my htpc for pretty much everything.

 

[priitv8]

I have an BluRay player for my SACD and disc collection but it's really used anymore as I use my htpc for pretty much everything.

How do you use your htpc for SACD playback?

 

[Audit13]

How do you use your htpc for SACD playback?

I converted the few SACDs I had to iso and use foobar.

 

[-Gonzo-]

Second wrong setting is Video Quality set as Best Available, this shall change to Better to fully use your entire internet speed to get smooth maximum video quality output.

I found this quite interesting as most seem to think that Best Available would be the preferred option.
Could you explain this one in a little more detail as to why Better is a better option than Best Available please?
As a non technical person it would be nice to know what the actual difference is between the two settings.

 

[Audit13]

I found this quite interesting as most seem to think that Best Available would be the preferred option.
Could you explain this one in a little more detail as to why Better is a better option than Best Available please?
As a non technical person it would be nice to know what the actual difference is between the two settings.

I also use "Best available" and my movies, when available in 4k, stream in 4k.

I'll have to try "Better" when I get home.

Edit: I ran an update on my Apple TV and I can't find the "Best available" or "Better" under video options?

 

[-Gonzo-]

I also use "Best available" and my movies, when available in 4k, stream in 4k.

I'll have to try "Better" when I get home.

Edit: I ran an update on my Apple TV and I can't find the "Best available" or "Better" under video options?

It’s under Apps then iTunes Film & TV.

 

[Audit13]

It’s under Apps then iTunes Film & TV.

Thank you for the information.

With the setting on "Best available", I watched Bourne Identity in 4k/DV. Around the 22:00 time mark, where Bourne is in the stairwell of the U.S. embassy with the "Better" setting, the image was in DV but wasn't as sharp or clear. I also noticed some anti-aliasing although it wasn't always at the same place. Conclusion: "Best available" provided the highest picture quality with my TV.

 

[Andrewtst]

Thank you for the information.

With the setting on "Best available", I watched Bourne Identity in 4k/DV. Around the 22:00 time mark, where Bourne is in the stairwell of the U.S. embassy with the "Better" setting, the image was in DV but wasn't as sharp or clear. I also noticed some anti-aliasing although it wasn't always at the same place. Conclusion: "Best available" provided the highest picture quality with my TV.

I found this quite interesting as most seem to think that Best Available would be the preferred option.
Could you explain this one in a little more detail as to why Better is a better option than Best Available please?
As a non technical person it would be nice to know what the actual difference is between the two settings.

At 1st I also confuse, then I read again and check it sequence where it is from Good to Best Available to Better. So I am pretty sure Better is the best and during test out it give me high quality playback from all time. Also if I choose Better, my connection is nearly pull over all by Apple TV 4K because my browsing speed in PC that connect to same network is kind of slow.

By sequence it is from Good to Best Available to Better which means the least is Good, the best is Better. The Best Available is in the middle. I can't get sharp image from time to time if I use Best Available but always sharp when using Better. By the way my connection speed is in between 45Mbps to 65Mbps

• Good - Watch videos in SD and use less of your data (mentioned SD and use less data, this setting priority in less data usage)
• Best Available - Watch videos in the best quality available based on your TV and connection (mentioned in between quality without indicate it is SD or HD and this fall in between and connection which means it is tolerant in between quality and connection)
• Better - Watch videos in HD an use more of your data (mentioned HD and use more data means it priority in quality and use as most as need the connection data)

 

[-Gonzo-]

At 1st I also confuse, then I read again and check it sequence where it is from Good to Best Available to Better. So I am pretty sure Better is the best and during test out it give me high quality playback from all time. Also if I choose Better, my connection is nearly pull over all by Apple TV 4K because my browsing speed in PC that connect to same network is kind of slow.

By sequence it is from Good to Best Available to Better which means the least is Good, the best is Better. The Best Available is in the middle. I can't get sharp image from time to time if I use Best Available but always sharp when using Better. By the way my connection speed is in between 45Mbps to 65Mbps

• Good - Watch videos in SD and use less of your data (mentioned SD and use less data, this setting priority in less data usage)
• Best Available - Watch videos in the best quality available based on your TV and connection (mentioned in between quality without indicate it is SD or HD and this fall in between and connection which means it is tolerant in between quality and connection)
• Better - Watch videos in HD an use more of your data (mentioned HD and use more data means it priority in quality and use as most as need the connection data)

I’m not so sure if I’m honest, I’m not overly technical on such matters but the way I see it:
On TV4 the only options available are for SD & HD.
Good - Watch videos in SD and use less of your data
Best Available - Watch videos in the best quality available based on your TV and connection.

TV4K now has a 3rd option because we have SD, HD & 4K so they’ve just tacked on Better.
So the way I see it,
Good: SD uses less data.
Better: HD uses more data than SD
Best Available: 4K uses the maximum your bandwidth can handle based on the type of TV you have. (SD,HDR10 or DV)

 

[Audit13]

I watched a few different movies and the sharpest picture for me was still "Best available". I have a 500 mbps connection with a wireless ac3200/gigabit router. I also tried other settings and settled on RGB High.

 

[Andrewtst]

I’m not so sure if I’m honest, I’m not overly technical on such matters but the way I see it:
On TV4 the only options available are for SD & HD.
Good - Watch videos in SD and use less of your data
Best Available - Watch videos in the best quality available based on your TV and connection.

TV4K now has a 3rd option because we have SD, HD & 4K so they’ve just tacked on Better.
So the way I see it,
Good: SD uses less data.
Better: HD uses more data than SD
Best Available: 4K uses the maximum your bandwidth can handle based on the type of TV you have. (SD,HDR10 or DV)

If Best Available is 4K which was my 1st thinking also but then the sequence should be Good, Better and Best Available but the sequence now is Good, Best Available and Better.

Also they is no description mentioned Best Available is 4K and not mentioned use more or less data.

When I just open the box my video quality is not good then I found this setting and I still didn't change it because I also thinking Best Available should be the best one but then I notice the sequence where Best Available is in the middle selection not the 1st or 3rd. So I switch over to Better and it get the best output.

Anyway I think this is not important, as long as you get the best output, I get the best output in Better and I believe it is the optimum setting for me.

 

[-Gonzo-]

If Best Available is 4K which was my 1st thinking also but then the sequence should be Good, Better and Best Available but the sequence now is Good, Best Available and Better.

I agree but the UI on both the TV4 & TV4K are pretty much identical, I believe they’ve just been lazy and tacked on extra bits here and there with no care and attention to detail.

 

[Audit13]

I agree that people should use the seeing that works best with their equipment.

I connect my apple tv 4k directly to my tv and connect an optical cable between my receiver and tv to help get the best picture.

 

[Andrewtst]

I agree that people should use the seeing that works best with their equipment.

I connect my apple tv 4k directly to my tv and connect an optical cable between my receiver and tv to help get the best picture.

Maybe is my line that day issue, I had change back to Best Available and seems no reduce of quality.

In actual meaning in english should be from Good to Better to Best also.

I remove that sentence on my review to prevent more confusion. Haha!

 

[Audit13]

Maybe is my line that day issue, I had change back to Best Available and seems no reduce of quality.

In actual meaning in english should be from Good to Better to Best also.

I remove that sentence on my review to prevent more confusion. Haha!

You are did a great service for me with your review and I am always open to suggestions for improving picture quality. Thank you!

I should say that my receiver doesn't support 4k which is why I must connect my apple tv directly to my tv.

 

[danny842003]

I love the Siri remote but find myself rarely using it as my phone is always closer to me than the remote is. Being able to just swipe up and access it instantly was a great design choice in iOS 11

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I love the Siri remote but find myself rarely using it as my phone is always closer to me than the remote is. Being able to just swipe up and access it instantly was a great design choice in iOS 11

totally agree! I've always love being able to control the ATV with the iPhone. 🙂

 

[nwlondonlad]

I ordered one online and it arrived today. Haven't opened it yet but the first thing i noticed was the weight. It feels so heavy. I've got a Nvdia box which is paperweight compared to this

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I ordered one online and it arrived today. Haven't opened it yet but the first thing i noticed was the weight. It feels so heavy. I've got a Nvdia box which is paperweight compared to this

It's a true quality item buddy! I hope that you have terrific fun with it. Any questions - just ask 🙂