Apple TV/iTunes 1080p question

[chuckm1020]

I have heard this somewhere, but not sure if it is true. Currently I still own a few standard definition movies in my iTunes collection. And I own an Apple TV 4. It seems like the Apple TV is playing those standard definition movies at 1080p. Or doing a great job at up scaling. The older Apple TV used to say what definition it was in. But now at the bottom it just shows widescreen for format. But nothing about resolution. So does the Apple TV play your standard definition purchased movies at 1080p? Thanks a lot.

 

[PhoenixDown]

Either the apple TV or your TV will upscale the SD content to 1080p. This is not the same quality of course as a true 1080p file.

For what its worth I did a very unscientific test a few years back where I compared a DVD on my OPPO upscaling DVD player, the same file ripped to MP4 and played over an ATV, and a 1080p version from itunes. I didn't see much of a difference but that could be my TV at the time (62" DLP).

 

[priitv8]

In my experience, aTV will never change it's output resolution from what was set in preferences.
I have some clips in 320x240px resolution, the signal coming over HDMI is still 1080p.
So I would say, aTV always upscales.