Apple TV Details and Specs

[skinEman23]

I think a lot of people are missing the point here. People on this forum keep repeating that they would like more codec support, upgradeable and customizable codec libraries, games, DVR functionality, etc. There are units that do all these things, and they are called Windows Media Centers, and they cost at least two to three times more. And for those who say that you would be better off spending a little more money and buying x or y, I agree. People could also spend a little more and buy a Lexus rather than a Toyota, but that's not for everyone. I'm not saying that TV is going to be huge, but I do think it's on the right track, with its only major competitor being the big, more complex, more expensive XBOX360. I see the draw though... if you pay $60 a month for cable and watch 30 shows, you could just get them off iTunes for the same amount and keep them. Maybe people won't need DVR anymore.

 

[cbud]

I addressed a few of my concerns with the Apple TV on previous threads, so here are some of them again:

__________________

Jee, thanks alot...

 

[NightStorm]

Why would you want to stream a DVD from your Mac to an AppleTV? Why not just put it in your already existing DVD player and play it right there? Am I missing something? I dont know why this continues to come up...

 

[jakaj]

But.... if it supports MPEG-4, doens't that mean that it _DOES_ support DivX/Xvid/other MPEG-4 ASP formats?

 

[Stella]

Then don't buy it. Steve Jobs isn't forcing a gun to your head. Nice sense of self-entitlement you've got there.

He is entitled to his express his opinions on these forums, positive or negative without being flamed for doing so. Additionally he backed up his reason for not liking the AppleTV so it was constructive.

 

[Evangelion]

Yeah, you did. The AppleTV is able to use a stream from your DVD player on your Mac. As a matter of fact, you can stream from as many as six Macs ( the synced Mac + five others).

first of all, it's not certain that can you stream dvd's. second, the idea of streaming dvds is just pain dumb. instead of having dvd-player right next to the tv, i would have to walk over to my computer, log in, plop in the dvd, walk back to the living-room and start streaming?

 

[mrgreen4242]

Why would you want to stream a DVD from your Mac to an AppleTV? Why not just put it in your already existing DVD player and play it right there? Am I missing something? I dont know why this continues to come up...

I know, it doesn't make any sense at all... it's pretty much the same one or two people who keep talking about it...

 

[3282872]

Jee, thanks alot...

you're welcome.

 

[petvas]

I don't understand most of you people. Can't you just read the specs page on http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html ???

Instead of posting questions about the formats supported you could just take the time and read the apple web site! Why do most people want to complain all the time???

Video formats supported
H.264 and protected H.264 (from iTunes Store): Up to 5 Mbps, Progressive Main Profile (CAVLC) with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 1280 by 720 pixels at 24 fps, 960 by 540 pixels at 30 fps)
iTunes Store purchased video: 320 by 240 pixels or 640 by 480 pixels
MPEG-4: Up to 3 Mbps, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 720 by 432 pixels at 30 fps)


And for those of you that ask what changed on the specs page since last time, the answer is very simple: Before we didn't have any infos about Bitrates supported and the 960x540 Resolution!

 

[3282872]

I know, it doesn't make any sense at all... it's pretty much the same one or two people who keep talking about it...

Makes perfect sense as it would REPLACE existing equipment in your home system. As a designer and architect, people are all about simplicity. Why add MORE things to your entertainment system when you can ELIMINATE them. Makes perfect sense

 

[williedigital]

it's not what this thing does support, but what it doesn't. there is like a total or 400 movies available on itunes. none of them have subtitles. if apple never going to sell a foreign film?? if so, why not implement the subtitle support now. for example, it can't play movies from nero recode (which is a popular program) that have subtitles. Itunes NEVER had limitations so large.

Everyone is harping on how xvid dvix isn't legit/legal, but neither is the vast majority of music sitting on people's ipods. Do the math on average hd usage, itunes sales, and average cd's owned and the numbers do not add up. It's not a moral argument, but a practical one that this needs xvid/divx support for it to be useful as a movie player at least. Of the people I know, when you want to play a digital movie file, they say "play an .avi" because they've seen that. They have never even seen a .mp4 file. That mess is as obscure as .mkv to them.

 

[kidhero]

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[3282872]

first of all, it's not certain that can you stream dvd's. second, the idea of streaming dvds is just pain dumb. instead of having dvd-player right next to the tv, i would have to walk over to my computer, log in, plop in the dvd, walk back to the living-room and start streaming?

Why is it "just plain dumb"? First off, if you're that lazy that walking to your Mac is more difficult than your DVD player, you got some issues princess. Second, why add MORE things to your home entertainment system??? One of Apple's main points is SIMPLICITY. Optical DVD units (and especially with the advent of internal Blu-ray drives) are just as good as any top box. Even Jobs himself praised the HD of Mac systems (I have watched many movies online at 1080P with my ACD, so why not do the same with the TV?).

 

[SeaFox]

The tech specs page provide some additional details:

Photos:
- JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PNG

Hmmm, it runs a modified version of OSX yet it can't open PICT files? Interesting that Apple has forsaken their own image format.

No cables included? Doesn't bode well for the old plug and play adage. If this is supposed to appeal to the masses they better at least include some cheap cables.

It's just like the ink jet printer makers. Remember when you used to get a 6' serial cable with your printer?

Why bother with DivX anymore? Any reason besides pirating? This is a serious question, not a sarcastic one. I've struggled to find an evenly remotely legitmate source of DivX files.

Anyway, Apple is ignoring DivX as there is really no good reason to pay for the license other than to please .001% of their potential market.

Maybe they have already ripped their own DVD collection to DivX. DivX is quite popular in the Windows and Linux world. There is a whole other realm outside Apple's mpeg parts...

Because encoding Xvid or X.264 wont kill your cpu, like H.264 does. What happends in two years when theres a new much better codec, that Apple don't like to much. Do you have to buy something new?

Apple could release a SDK for the version of OSX on the TV and let third parties release their own plugin to support the codecs. That way, we wont have to buy something new, if the hardware supports the processing requirements, we can just add the codec and move on, sorta like a home built HTPC...

It's all about Xvid! It's fast and there's almost as good as H.264.

As someone who is working with encoding in Xvid and H.264 right now, I have to say I disagree with you on that.

 

[Jimmdean]

I have a question:

REALISTICALLY speaking...is there any difference between the above mentioned resolutions for h264 and MPEG and the widescreen images we see everyday on TV (non-HD content in 95% of the world)?

If anyone can answer me that I would really appreciate...

The Apple TV is designed to be at least DVD quality. It remains to be seen how typical iTunes content will look, but the stuff you can make yourself could/would be that good with Handbrake or such. Basically, it's a lot better than analog cable (or even the digital channels), which is what you're describing.

 

[Stella]

Makes perfect sense as it would REPLACE existing equipment in your home system. As a designer and architect, people are all about simplicity. Why add MORE things to your entertainment system when you can ELIMINATE them. Makes perfect sense

The problem with the aTV is two fold -
1. only iTunes content ( unless, point 2 ) - which is minimal for the world
2. you can have to encode your existing content into compatible format, which can be time consuming.


point 1 - will get better overtime, but its going to be slow.

I'm going to watch a DVD on my existing CD - with 5.1 surround sound. Why would I want to cripple the experience?

 

[dextertangocci]

Wow, this is all highly confusing. Remember the days when we went just bought or rented a video or dvd

I'm getting an tv anyway, bought a Sony Bravia 46" today just for it

 

[3282872]

He is entitled to his express his opinions on these forums, positive or negative without being flamed for doing so. Additionally he backed up his reason for not liking the AppleTV so it was constructive.

Some people can't express their own opinions without attempting to degrade others. Mostly due to a lack of respect and/or self respect and anything pretinent to add to the discussion. Maturity (along with respect) is a rapidly diminishing trait in the general (online) public. Sad really.

 

[3282872]

The problem with the aTV is two fold -
1. only iTunes content ( unless, point 2 ) - which is minimal for the world
2. you can have to encode your existing content into compatible format, which can be time consuming.


point 1 - will get better overtime, but its going to be slow.

I'm going to watch a DVD on my existing CD - with 5.1 surround sound. Why would I want to cripple the experience?

EXACTLY. However, I guess my point is too "stupid" for others to grasp lol

 

[johnee]

Makes perfect sense as it would REPLACE existing equipment in your home system. As a designer and architect, people are all about simplicity. Why add MORE things to your entertainment system when you can ELIMINATE them. Makes perfect sense

I totally agree. This device is simply a presence in the market of releasing video on your computer to your tv. I honestly could care less about HD tv, so I can't say this product is good or bad.

So... me, as an outsider's (or an ignoramus's if you prefer) point of view, this is something that I see as a way to enjoy the movies I buy on itunes on a huge tv. It's basically adding infrastructure for the iTunes movie store.

Other than technology nuts, most people (including me) are ignorant about HD specs and when they see this device, they are really hearing apple say, "let us take care of those details, you just watch your movie".

 

[Stella]

Some people can't express their own opinions without attempting to degrade others. Mostly due to a lack of respect and/or self respect and anything pretinent to add to the discussion. Maturity (along with respect) is a rapidly diminishing trait in the general (online) public. Sad really.

Was he degrading others? I'll go back and check but I'm pretty sure he wasn't.


EDIT:
Nope, he wasn't degrading others. His opinions were pointed at himself, rather than speaking for "everyone".

OP -
"Sorry, but this product doesn't appeal to me. Why would I want to download movies from iTunes for just a few bucks less than the DVD costs and not even get 1080i quality? I mean, I didn't spend a few grand on a 50-inch HD plasma to watch anything less than HD quality movies."

 

[swingerofbirch]

I always knew this product was for widescreen TVs, but it seems that they just now added that qualifier to their slogan, "If it's on iTunes, it's on your widescreen TV." Maybe they were in trouble for being misleading?

Is there a technical reason this is required? They still sell TV shows in the 4:3 ratio (ie Weeds).

 

[3282872]

Was he degrading others? I'll go back and check but I'm pretty sure he wasn't.

Sarcasm. The tone in which he addressed the user. Pretty aparent if you ask me.

 

[Vyshemirsky]

Speaking about Mac mini as an alternative. I found that it supports 1920x1080, but what is the maximal supported frame rate for 1280x720 and 1920x1080? Anyone of the practival users?

Honestly, considering a home media centre, I would rather spend some more money and buy a proper thing, which can play DVD, play video in any encoding, have a larger disk capacity, and (adding a tuner and a programme called MediaCentral) show live TV and be a PVR.

This is really useless to buy an TV in the UK, as the only video content we have on iTS is music videos and video podcasts.

 

[kidhero]

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