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I work all day in uncompressed HD video on a $3,000 HD res production reference monitor, along with a $2,500 65" Sony 4K OLED client monitor that is about 5' from my face. This gets upconverted by the monitor to 4K.

With graphics, the degredation is so minimal that I can barely notice it at 6', let alone 12-15' where the average couch is.

With footage, zero chance you notice the upscaling.

If 4k is good enough for the theaters, why do you think you need 8k60fps on your 50" TV at home?
 
Seriously, I don’t see why anyone should buy these things if you already own a high-end TV.

Maybe they should add Safari to tvOS. This will probably attract a lot of buyers.
can you get infuse on a high end tv? Can you airplay with the tv off with a high end tv(I do nightly to my home stereo sleep sounds), can you control the remote with your phone with a high end tv without a janky half ass app? My Sony oled doesn't really have a good app for control. The appletv app on your iPhone or Apple Watch is brilliant. It shows what's playing on the Lock Screen. I can control my volume on my receiver on that also and quick controls.
There is plenty reason to get an appletv. I also don't get on screen controls over Earc to my receiver that I need because I have to have things a certain way on my receiver for different things. I have to once again pick up my phone and launch my marantz app to see what's going on.
For 150-200$ for what it does it does it so well.
 
My lgcx oled does just about everything I need from my Apple TV natively plus it’s snappy and I move the magic remote. Makes the atv feel dated . Up til I got this tv though every built in smart tv interface I used was slow and clunky

The latest WebOS 6 does look very slick. 👍

I’m stuck with an older version of WebOS with my 2018 LG C8 so ATV is becoming an option again.
 
What could Apple do to justify a higher price TV box? I feel like that's an interesting thought experiment. A cheaper USB stick to compete with the others might more practical, but it's not as fun to think about. The AppleTV is a terrible games console right now so what would they have to do to make it a good one? Open Apple Games Studio and make 1st party titles? Just make their own great games controller? Compete with who? Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo?

Maybe webcam connect capabilities? What else? Make some live network TV like channels on it (Apple Channel 1 and get exclusive LIVE sports/award shows/ news events)? More integrated home automation controls? Maybe more experimentation with internet connected TV (2 way comms) so home viewers can participate in game shows or non-linear choose your own adventure shows?

If Apple didn't want to go down the path of cheaper sticks and still wanted you to pay $300-$600 for a box, what would it have to do? What can the best dream TV machine do?
What could Apple do to justify a higher price TV box? I feel like that's an interesting thought experiment. A cheaper USB stick to compete with the others might more practical, but it's not as fun to think about. The AppleTV is a terrible games console right now so what would they have to do to make it a good one? Open Apple Games Studio and make 1st party titles? Just make their own great games controller? Compete with who? Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo?

Maybe webcam connect capabilities? What else? Make some live network TV like channels on it (Apple Channel 1 and get exclusive LIVE sports/award shows/ news events)? More integrated home automation controls? Maybe more experimentation with internet connected TV (2 way comms) so home viewers can participate in game shows or non-linear choose your own adventure shows?

If Apple didn't want to go down the path of cheaper sticks and still wanted you to pay $300-$600 for a box, what would it have to do? What can the best dream TV machine do?
Having a built in web cam would be hard. Where would it go? a camera needs to be over or under the tv. It doesn’t work well really unless it’s a cable long enough for the camera.
what they could do is turn a mac mini into an appletv. Give it USB’s. Ability to have a plex server and maybe even run macos. But they already have that it’s a a mac mini.
 
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Having a built in web cam would be hard. Where would it go? a camera needs to be over or under the tv. It doesn’t work well really unless it’s a cable long enough for the camera.
what they could do is turn a mac mini into an appletv. Give it USB’s. Ability to have a plex server and maybe even run macos. But they already have that it’s a a mac mini.
The camera ability, if the AppleTV ever got it, would presumably be like the XBOX Kinect, or any office video conferencing solution; with the box and camera being apart but linked via USB-C. I don't think that a computer is a better set-top-box than a dedicated AppleTV. I think the failure of the App model on the AppleTV has mostly to do with the lack of 20ft use cases – there aren't that many things that make more sense as an App on a TV than they do on a phone or computer. Watching shows, gaming, and maybe you on your living room couch talking to your best friend on their living room couch.

To make it a great watching shows device, I think Apple needs to have a broader and deeper catalogue of titles. I've argued for some LIVE channels to set them apart from Netflix/Disney+.

To make it a great gaming device, there's a lot that has to change, from pricing, controllers, 1st party titles, to their relationship with developers – and consistency. Games developers don't trust Apple to put in the work over the long haul.

To make it a great video conferencing device, they'll need a camera and FaceTime implementation that makes sense on the box.
 
Having a built in web cam would be hard. Where would it go? a camera needs to be over or under the tv. It doesn’t work well really unless it’s a cable long enough for the camera.
what they could do is turn a mac mini into an appletv. Give it USB’s. Ability to have a plex server and maybe even run macos. But they already have that it’s a a mac mini.
That's what I have connected in my living room, a Mac Mini. So useful to just use a wireless keyboard and mouse and then use the app 'VLC remote' to play my local store of 4TB of movies even though I also have Plex. It was great too during the election to have access to all the news channels without downloading apps using vidgrid.tk.gg

Have an apple TV HD in the bedroom and does everything it needs to. Bluetooth to amp to wired speakers and a 27" tv.

I would love that power button but the swipey remote doesn't bug me ever since I bought a silicone case. I never pick it up, just use it flat on the side table.
 
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The SmartTV has definitely gotten better and competing boxes have gotten cheaper, so I agree. But I think there’s still a few good of reasons to get one:

Apple Fitness+ (Airplay from phone doesnt show watch HUD)
Siri
HomeKit (Doorbell/security cam. Home control)
Apple Arcade
iCloud Photos
Remote.app
AirPlay
Nice screensavers


Its a solid device, but still I find this release to be a bit lacking considering how long we’ve been waiting for an update. Overpriced, no “FindMy Remote”, no new features, no spatial audio and not much of an upgrade over last gen. I really wish they integrated more stuff into this like But I’m buying one anyway because I prefer it over any other box/smartTV.
Most smart TVs support AirPlay now. Screensavers? Really?
 
Seriously, I don’t see why anyone should buy these things if you already own a high-end TV.

Maybe they should add Safari to tvOS. This will probably attract a lot of buyers.
You buy it for the same reason that you buy an iPhone, or use CarPlay -- to replace a crappy UI with something that's not as bad.
Maybe there is a great SmartTV UI out there, one that doesn't spam me with ads every moment it can. But I haven't found it. I'd much rather just set up basic TV functionality, hook up my aTV, and never see the builtin UI again -- just like I never see my car's UI because CarPlay is so much more attractive and easier to deal with.

If you want to look for things to hate, you can do so with aTV -- the baseline remote (the old one) was indeed not great.
And if you prioritize making your life better over whining, you can also fix most of those complaints about the aTV (for example put a decent case on the remote and 95% of the problems go away).
I'm an engineer -- I fix things rather than complaining. One engineer is worth fifty revolutionaries.
 
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Most smart TVs support AirPlay now. Screensavers? Really?
Have you SEEN the AppleTV screensavers? They are truly lovely. I consider them a serious plus point and rave about them to my friends. You can have them running in the background while doing other things in the room and they are very attractive, while not obtrusive, art.
They are indeed much nicer than, eg, those built in LG TVs.
 
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Can you only set HomePods as default audio on the 4K model and not the HD? I'm waiting for them to add that functionality to HomePod Mini which I have a few of... but it might not matter if I can't even do that on my Apple TV HD.
 
Have you SEEN the AppleTV screensavers? They are truly lovely. I consider them a serious plus point and rave about them to my friends. You can have them running in the background while doing other things in the room and they are very attractive, while not obtrusive, art.
They are indeed much nicer than, eg, those built in LG TVs.
Plus you can use personal photos as screensavers if you want , can you listen to pandora for example and have your personal photos in a slideshow on Smart Tvs or even a roku? I don't think so, What about podcasts on a SMART TV?
 
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Plus you can use personal photos as screensavers if you want , can you listen to pandora for example and have your personal photos in a slideshow on Smart Tvs or even a roku? I don't think so, What about podcasts on a SMART TV?
Agreed... when we occasionally host a few fully-vaccinated friends at our home, we always have the Apple TV play Apple Radio or a Music playlist and let the screensaver kick in so there's something casual and visual to have in the background. This way the TV is not the center of attention, yet it serves up great tunes and a pleasant atmosphere.
 
Buy a used Apple TV 4K with A10X processor it has 30% faster graphics than the brand new Apple TV 4K with A12. Then sell the crappy remote and buy either an used and functional silver Apple TV remote, the new Apple TV remote or reprogram your remote as I did. I paid €80 for a used Apple TV 4K (I’ve seen them shrink-wrapped selling for €100) and used my reprogrammed PS3 remote to work my TV, my PS3 and my Apple TV 4K. I saved on unnecessary spending and I’m happy with my results. I will live just fine with Siri functionality on my ATV. If you decide down the line you can buy the newer remote (perhaps even a pristine used one). Some users who like to use another remote to control their new ATV 4K will likely sell the new remote pristine on eBay or Craigslist.
The remotes aren't delivering until July, I believe.
 
Agreed... when we occasionally host a few fully-vaccinated friends at our home, we always have the Apple TV play Apple Radio or a Music playlist and let the screensaver kick in so there's something casual and visual to have in the background. This way the TV is not the center of attention, yet it serves up great tunes and a pleasant atmosphere.
Phew. Glad they were fully vaccinated.
 
The remotes aren't delivering until July, I believe.
Best just getting a used Apple TV 4K (some are newly wrapped) and riding out the two months if you want the new remote. Any remote is reprogram-able in the meantime. I paid €80 and I’ll resell my glass remote for maybe €30. Reprogrammed my PlayStation remote. Good deal. Here 4K is €200. I could have 4X of them with this method.
 
Last year I bought a new TV, and while waiting for it to ship, I bought an Apple TV 4K (the previous version) to upgrade my old Apple TV HD so I'd be ready when the new TV arrived.

Even though I was using the 4K on my old regular HD TV, the performance difference and experience was NIGHT AND DAY. The CPU is so much faster on the 4K; using the device felt so much smoother and snappier.

Apple is doing themselves a disservice by selling the old "HD" version without at least updating the internals slightly.
That’s interesting.

I’ve got the old HD which I’m using on one of the higher model 4K Sony OLEDs from this year. I was going to update to the new Apple TV but the upscaling was good enough on the TV (or my eyes old and bad enough) that it’s hard to justify. I compare Netflix on the inbuilt OS vs the Apple TV HD and it’s hard to tell a difference. The speed is also better on the Apple TV compared to the inbuilt OS. So I guess it depends what you’re coming from.

I think most people who would notice a difference would spring the extra cash if buying now, and Apple is probably banking on that.

Total dick move and I agree with you, but it seems like a commercial decision they have made.
 
I would appreciate a detailed comparison of the first gen 4K and the new second gen one. I gather that there probably aren’t many enhancements but I’m sure many people are considering an upgrade as well.

Agree - don’t get the point of this comparison. Should be first Gen 4K vs second Gen 4K
 
Best just getting a used Apple TV 4K (some are newly wrapped) and riding out the two months if you want the new remote. Any remote is reprogram-able in the meantime. I paid €80 and I’ll resell my glass remote for maybe €30. Reprogrammed my PlayStation remote. Good deal. Here 4K is €200. I could have 4X of them with this method.
I have a remote for the PS 5. It's that white thingy Gamestop forces on you in their console bundles. I've never used it, as I don't watch Netflix or Prime or anything on the PS 5. It's just gathering dust.

Can that be reprogrammed to work on an Apple TV? THAT would be something.
 
That's what I have connected in my living room, a Mac Mini. So useful to just use a wireless keyboard and mouse and then use the app 'VLC remote' to play my local store of 4TB of movies even though I also have Plex. It was great too during the election to have access to all the news channels without downloading apps using vidgrid.tk.gg

Have an apple TV HD in the bedroom and does everything it needs to. Bluetooth to amp to wired speakers and a 27" tv.

I would love that power button but the swipey remote doesn't bug me ever since I bought a silicone case. I never pick it up, just use it flat on the side table.
It is a shame Apple got rid of FrontRow...
 
have they removed the software limitation of only 2 Bluetooth devices being able to connect or is it still crippled?
 
I have a remote for the PS 5. It's that white thingy Gamestop forces on you in their console bundles. I've never used it, as I don't watch Netflix or Prime or anything on the PS 5. It's just gathering dust.

Can that be reprogrammed to work on an Apple TV? THAT would be something.
Which remote. Image of it?
 
Which remote. Image of it?
The white remote is PS 5. The black remote is the one I purchased for the PS 4, which I did use a bit for streaming and presently very dusty.

Thanks for taking a look!

IMG_0521.jpeg
 
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