Can you please explain how this would work? Currently Siri can only turn my TV on/off (as part of home kit) how would a HomePod (acting as a hub) get the TV to change channels or inputs? or select different apps like Netflix etc?
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Apple TV vs Smart TV
- Thread starter Dino F
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If you are already in the ecosystem, I would go with the Apple TV. It has been a good experience for me. The smart tv will be limited in updates and as others have stated, it will track everything you do.
It has better video processing (partly due to hardware and partly due to subjectivity I guess) and it has been tested to stream at a higher bitrate than other devices and smart TV’s (not just with TV+ content but with other streaming services as well) https://www.techhive.com/article/3586132/streaming-speeds-compared-roku-vs-fire-tv-vs-apple-tv.html
Audio is a problem when pairing Apple TV with a smart TV. We recently “upgraded“ (to get Dolby Atmos) to a Sonos Arc wireless sound system (sub and two Ones for surround sound) to replace our old wired system that was based on a classic receiver/amp, and a new LG TV to replace our aged (sound wise) 2013 LG TV. But the Arc only has one HMDI port and has to plug into the TV’s eArc HDMI port for the system to work. So I have to plug the Apple TV‘s HDMI into another HDMI port on the LG TV. But the LG TV apparently can’t (won’t?) pass through high end audio codec from the Apple TV to the Arc. For example, Netflix on the LG TV plays in Dolby Atmos on the Arc, but Netflix on the Apple TV plays only stereo PCM on the Arc via the TV. I’m not a normally a conspiracy thinker, but … buyer beware. Or maybe I’ve missed something in many hours of scouring the web for setup clues.
UPDATE: Well I was wrong. I ran another test. I played the same two Netflix movies on the LG TV and the Apple TV, and got Dolby Atmos on both. So all good. The LG TV is passing through the Dolby Atmos from the Apple TV to the Arc.
UPDATE: Well I was wrong. I ran another test. I played the same two Netflix movies on the LG TV and the Apple TV, and got Dolby Atmos on both. So all good. The LG TV is passing through the Dolby Atmos from the Apple TV to the Arc.
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In the TV’s audio settings, make sure eARC is set to On and Digital Sound Out is set to Passthrough. Both of those settings are wrong by default.
In the Apple TV’s audio settings, make sure it is set to Auto with Atmos enabled.
Thanks, I'll look at that and report back.
I don’t know if all Smart TVs are the same, but in my experience the Smart TV OS is painfully slow and laggy to use.
I think if you have a more premium TV with a good OS then the value of an Apple TV is reduced. Possible an Apple TV is unneeded.
I have a 3 year old Vizio and I could never use SmartCast long term. It’s terrible.
I think if you have a more premium TV with a good OS then the value of an Apple TV is reduced. Possible an Apple TV is unneeded.
I have a 3 year old Vizio and I could never use SmartCast long term. It’s terrible.
That is so great to hear. That's about how old the Samsung I just replaced was and the UI made me want to take a hammer to the screen.
They are definitely not! I had the same experience with my Samsung. I couldn't imagine someone using that clunky, slow UI daily.
I have never seen a smart TV with as good of an experience as the Apple TV.
Well I was wrong. First, I had selected those settings in the LG TV and the Apple TV. So I ran a test. I played the same two Netflix movies on the LG and the Apple, and got Dolby Atmos on both. So all good. The LG TV is passing through the Dolby Atmos from the Apple TV to the Arc.
...what time are pre-orders opening in the UK?? Is it 12 noon ?
Apple website still wont let me add to cart as the button is greyed out:
Apple website still wont let me add to cart as the button is greyed out:
....finally ordered - took multiple attempts as there must be hundreds of people all doing the same thing!!!
If you keep your smart TV for a couple of years, you will notice the system getting slower with every update to the point you'll need to wait for a few second for every click. Apple TV doesn't get slowed down as that much. This is the main reason I'm buying one. I sold my Apple TV HD two years ago (wanted a new 4K one) after reading (cough cough) Pressor's prediction that an updated one was ready to launch. I don't want to get the already 2 year old Apple TV 4K so I tolerated my 5 year old Smart TV's sluggish since then and I used the TV less.
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Biggest benefit is fluidity. I picked up a Samsung 70" 4K (smart) tv. It is so dang slow to load apps. Plus a few are missing. One can also expect a few years of software support and app support.
I have a Vizio Smart tv in my bedroom. Bought in 2012. We were lucky to get support for about 3 years. The smart portion has been unusable since 2014-ish. Netflix pulled support as well as YouTube. I would rather just shell out 179.00 every few years for update hardware on the Apple TV.
I have a Vizio Smart tv in my bedroom. Bought in 2012. We were lucky to get support for about 3 years. The smart portion has been unusable since 2014-ish. Netflix pulled support as well as YouTube. I would rather just shell out 179.00 every few years for update hardware on the Apple TV.
I have a brand new 70" Samsung. It is touted with a powerful Quad Core processor for opening applications. That is what the box says. Pshh.... Thing is slower than my Windows XP single core computer from 2001.
Just curious, why do you say that Netflix and Prime Video are better on your Android TV OS vs the Apple TV? I have a Sony X900H that just recently got the new Google TV UI update. I just ordered a new Apple TV 4k to replace that experience.
I have a chrome cast setup on my BBQ area TV. I can see why some people may prefer it over apple TV.
Yeah it’s definitely nice to just throw a video up to the TV from youtube or netflix if you were looking at it from your phone. Chromecast beats out Airplay for that function.
My so-called 'smart' Samsung TV doesn't even have either the Apple TV app nor the Disney+ app. The advantage to the Apple TV is that you can get more apps and when it becomes outdated, you can easily replace it whereas a TV is a little more money/hassle to replace.
One thing I really like that I did not see mentioned:
We have two TVs from different brands and different years. With ATVs (one older 4K and one HD) on both, the ATVs are synchronized, so that when one changes apps/menu layout, the second one changes to match automatically.
So even with two very different TVs, the remote, menus, and options are identical. Very nice. With the newer ATV connected to a newer TV, we don't need the TV remote at all. For the older setup, we only use the TV remote to power on (or power button on the TV itself) Not fighting various remotes may not be worth the cost of 2 ATVs...but it sure adds to the value.
We have two TVs from different brands and different years. With ATVs (one older 4K and one HD) on both, the ATVs are synchronized, so that when one changes apps/menu layout, the second one changes to match automatically.
So even with two very different TVs, the remote, menus, and options are identical. Very nice. With the newer ATV connected to a newer TV, we don't need the TV remote at all. For the older setup, we only use the TV remote to power on (or power button on the TV itself) Not fighting various remotes may not be worth the cost of 2 ATVs...but it sure adds to the value.
2 Reasons. Dolby Vision content has elevated black levels on the ATV resulting in crushed blacks and lower brightness (this is a known issue with ATV and Sony OLED TV's). On my Sony A1E OLED I can get Atmos via the built in apps on my Sonos Arc soundbar through regular HDMI ARC. With the Apple TV 4K you need an eARC port (available on more recent TV's) in order for Atmos sound to pass through from the Apple TV through the TV to any soundbar. Neither of these issues affects you. The DV issue is specific to OLED models I believe and your TV has an eARC port.
Ah, gotcha. I've read about the elevated black levels on OLED TV's and the Sonos Arc issues as well requiring something like the HD Arcana Fury inline with it for Atmos support.
I haven't run the update on my x900h yet that enables eARC. I'm going to plug the ATV directly into my Denon receiver which supports eARC and then just output video from the receiver to the TV.