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I use my AppleTV about as often as my dual 2GHz G5. i.e. not at all. It just never seemed as responsive as a PS3 for Netflix or anything, really. The last time I used it was for one of the Apple streamed presentations very early this year.
 
Totally agree. I bought a 2nd gen Apple TV and it painfully needs an update. I'm willing to buy another Apple TV, even one just like it is, but not at $99. That's insane.

Yes, the 3rd gen is a nice improvement over the 2nd gen. But I won't pay $99 for it when Apple could so easily make a 4th gen that works a bit better and it would cost Apple no more to make that 4th gen now then it cost them two years ago to make the 3rd gen.

I really don't understand why Apple can't keep some of its smaller pieces of hardware on a reasonable upgrade schedule. Why can't they upgrade the iPod Touch either? Is it more work? Yes. But will it bring in millions more in sales having better hardware. Yes. And this is all just using pieces already worked out through iPhone. Just take the A7 chips that aren't going to be put into iPhone and put them into iPod Touch and Apple TV. It seems so simple.
 
Yes, the 3rd gen is a nice improvement over the 2nd gen. But I won't pay $99 for it when Apple could so easily make a 4th gen that works a bit better and it would cost Apple no more to make that 4th gen now then it cost them two years ago to make the 3rd gen.

I really don't understand why Apple can't keep some of its smaller pieces of hardware on a reasonable upgrade schedule. Why can't they upgrade the iPod Touch either? Is it more work? Yes. But will it bring in millions more in sales having better hardware. Yes. And this is all just using pieces already worked out through iPhone. Just take the A7 chips that aren't going to be put into iPhone and put them into iPod Touch and Apple TV. It seems so simple.


what does the apple tv not do what the amazon/google/roku products do?
 
What surprise me even more is people actually still buying apple tv and chrome

Apple tv: old product, very limited channels and outdated interface.

Chrome is even more nonsense. Why buy device only to cast your other device to tv while you have alternative (eg: roku stick) full feature standalone device.

When I watch my tv I don't want to drain my battery or turn on my computer just to watch it at bigger screen.

An external drive plug to ASUS router that acts as dlna server + standalone roku will cover 90% of your tv entertainment
 
Chrome is even more nonsense. Why buy device only to cast your other device to tv while you have alternative (eg: roku stick) full feature standalone device.

Just about everyone has a computer or a tablet these days, and all these computers and tablets have access to Chrome. It's not like Google requires you to buy an extra piece of hardware to use another piece of hardware.

Plus, it comes dangerously close to what I envision for the TV of the future: it makes them entirely dumb. Computers, tablets, and smartphones are better suited to searching and parsing through information than a TV ever will be. You might as well use them to select what your shows and queue them all up on the small screen, then send it all to the big screen when you're ready.
 
what does the apple tv not do what the amazon/google/roku products do?

In the case of Amazon, it's about 700 installable apps, thousands of side-loadable apps, a smaller form factor, and a much better experience. You know, not much.
 
And the big deal with this is what? I understand it's a preference thing. Like I wrote earlier, I don't mind. And I am far less likely to lose a phone or tablet than a small remote. Further, having it on a phone/tablet offers greater flexibility and more control options.

Exact, I prefer not having to clutter my living room table with a new remote for each device. I'm bothered by each device that doesn't allow me to fully control it with my phone. Thank goodness for HDMI-CEC, now it's just one click on my phone and the TV and sound system turns on and the video from Netflix/Youtube/NAS starts playing right away. I only need a the remote to turn the tv off (which kind of makes me regret not getting a phone with IR Support).
 
IMHO Apple would be wise to drop ATV completely. There are no profit margins on a device that retails for less than 100€, and the benefit to the user is minimal when compared to other products.

It would be great if they shifted their focus to more important areas where they are behind, like iCloud. We've seen what happens when Apple loses focus and tries to make a million different products.

This is a decent point. Apple is the company who make money from hardware, and there is isn't much of it here.

They're getting to a point where they do need to think about ecosystem, though. The cloud means that people can move seamlessly between devices, except that if they're part of Apple's cloud they can only move between Apple devices.

The TV is not going to remain a dumb screen. People still spend time in front of it. If Apple vacate this space, they leave the TV to companies like Google and Amazon, but also Samsung, LG, Sony, etc. This undermines Apple's iTunes services greatly - people won't be able to access their iTunes content from their TVs (the one dedicated media consumption device in peoples' homes). Even more of them will likely move to services such as Spotify, Netflix/Amazon Video, or Google Play Music/Videos.

iTunes is one of the original uniquely-brilliant features of Apple devices. It also ties people to the Apple ecosystem by raising the barrier for switching. If Apple retreat from the TV, they retreat from all media services. If they do that, they weaken every product the company makes.

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However, the iTunes stores are in desperate need of a revamp. iTunes Music is probably going to be shaken-up soon with the integration of Beats, and Apple needs to make sure this is rolled out internationally at breakneck-speed.

iTunes Movies are a total joke. Firstly, it's SD as standard and HD is only available for a surcharge (really, it's coming up to 2015 and Apple is still selling SD movies). Netflix has one price and it'll give you the best quality it has, even up to 4K. You can get an entire month of Netflix (and have change) for the price of 2 HD movies from iTunes.

At the same time, content is changing - TV shows are tackling more mature subjects with better scriptwriting, acting and directing. Shows like Lost, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Game of Thrones or House of Cards wouldn't have been aired 10 or 15 years ago. Smaller doses of more mature episodic content is great news for the subscription model.

At the same time, piracy in the music industry has levelled or fallen; most young people don't even bother to pirate music these days, because services like Spotify are more convenient, social and affordable. Movie piracy is at an all-time high because internet connections are fast enough to allow it and the content is still fragmented and highly expensive. Netflix is popular, but the biggest complaint about it is that it doesn't have enough movies (because the studios still refuse to sign up).

It seems obvious that iTunes is a 20th century man's view of what a 21st century media store would be like. Apple now needs to remake it in the shape of what media stores are actually thriving in the 21st century: stores which are actually all-you-can-eat subscription services.
 
Just about everyone has a computer or a tablet these days, and all these computers and tablets have access to Chrome. It's not like Google requires you to buy an extra piece of hardware to use another piece of hardware.



Plus, it comes dangerously close to what I envision for the TV of the future: it makes them entirely dumb. Computers, tablets, and smartphones are better suited to searching and parsing through information than a TV ever will be. You might as well use them to select what your shows and queue them all up on the small screen, then send it all to the big screen when you're ready.


It's not about buying new device. It's about the need of other device to accomplish 1 task.

Eg. Watching netflix. I need to use my ios to run netflix. Then cast it so I can watch on my TV.

Then I cant use my phone to do other stuff
 
It's not about buying new device. It's about the need of other device to accomplish 1 task.

Eg. Watching netflix. I need to use my ios to run netflix. Then cast it so I can watch on my TV.

Then I cant use my phone to do other stuff

Chromecast at least on Android and via computer returns full use of the device.
 
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How do you get the iPad to display on a TV sans the AppleTV hardware?
Yes, I know there's a HDMI cable that does that, but then how do you
control the iPad when it's lying next to the TV way across the room?
Yes, I know that, too: you control the iPad with the "Remote" app on an iPhone.

But all of that, iPad/HDMI cable/iPhone/"Remote" app, seems rather
kludgy & cumbersome as opposed to having just the one dedicated device.

Sure, the setup would be the same, just replace the iPad with an AppleTV,
and the "Remote" app can be done on an iPhone as well.
But with an AppleTV, the device just sits there on the TV, never to be moved.
Using an iPad as an STB means that you'd be constantly plugging & unplugging
it in & out of the TV whenever you wanted to use it for something else.
That's the "kludgy & cumbersome" part.

that is no different then having the appleTV plugged into the TV by a cable. you can mount the iPhone or iPad in a dock. I also mentioned that it would be nice to have the hey Siri feature more robust. this would allow voice commands for surfing content. with the iPhone and iPad you can install apps that allow you to play more formats like AVI and MKV just to name a few. I was just thinking outside the box a little. I love the concept of the appleTV. I just feel that the iPhone is being limited by being called a phone. it does much much more. The Only limit is imagination.
 
It seems obvious that iTunes is a 20th century man's view of what a 21st century media store would be like. Apple now needs to remake it in the shape of what media stores are actually thriving in the 21st century: stores which are actually all-you-can-eat subscription services.

The problem with this view is that these all-you-can eat subscription services are not actually thriving. They are increasing in usage by giving away their services at unprofitable price points. They make do by refusing to pay the artist and seeking legal protections to lower their required royalties. Or they are loss leaders from folks like Amazon. Or they are stock market plays, like Netflix, where the goal is just to keep the stock price up until the executives' options have vested. None of these services can actually make cash flow that can move the needle for Apple.

Apple though because it can get profit through hardware is actually in a position to play this game as well. So an iTunes that runs at break even prices but can only be used on heavily marked up Apple products is possible. Apple just has strongly resisted taking that easy road. They try to make each of their departments profitable.
 
I got rid of my Apple TV long ago, mainly b/c I just couldn't stand being locked into the eco and dealing with f'n itunes with it, and the interface is so outdated. I have my own home theater streaming setup exactly how I want and easier and flexible and can download my movies from multiple sources and not be restricted. ***** most of you have a PS3 which kicks a** for media streaming. I did buy a Chromecast and it is fun to use, don't use it much, but love being able to take it when traveling or even just out back in our outdoor pool area etc and makes it easy to watch movies and whatever out there, or even something simple like wife and I looking at a funny video link on Youtube just cast it to the tv to watch on the big screen.

I think the biggest thing with Chromecast, Roku etc is all the stuff you can do outside of the "apple bubble" if you know what I mean.
 
Or they are stock market plays, like Netflix, where the goal is just to keep the stock price up until the executives' options have vested.

Everything you said was good except this ignorant comment. ;)

The TV is not going to remain a dumb screen.

I've sought out dumb screens for many years - since my first plasma about 8 years ago - a "monitor" not a TV. Panasonic always had a big line of studio monitors that did not have tuners or speakers, much less wanna-be-another-device things like streaming apps and ethernet. Its a display, Ive always looked at it that way. My input devices feed video to the display, audio to the audio system.

Now, one of my most used input devices is the ATV. Its just another box in the A/V closet connected via HDMI to an HDMI switching receiver...and a single HDMI to the Monitor. I use a single universal remote whter Im watching the cable box output, xbox output, or ATV output....I dont have to visit my computer for anything. The ATV acts just like the cable box, but I click the "Apple TV" button on the remote instead of "Watch Cable TV" button to launch it.

What I want is upgraded audio passthrough (DTS Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD), a better interface/main menu, dedicated media storage option, one-stop login for other service providers, an App Store, and maybe gaming...and updated chip/hardware to handle all this :p
 
I just received my Amazon Fire Stick, the UI is SOOO much better than ATV and having an RF remote is a very nice plus. Takes a bit longer for HD content to become "HD" than it does on my ATV, but once fully buffered IQ looks about equal.

ATV is in desperate need of an update on just about every metric. Hardware, software, form factor, and the ridiculous limitations.

The only reason i'm not ordering a 2nd one to replace my ATV is no HBOGO, at least not yet.
 
Nope, you misunderstand how chromecast works. When you cast from netflix it then streams directly from netflix to the chromecast and does't not loop though your phone/tablet.

You can use your phone/tablet after you cast - you can even leave the building and go get a beer and the movie will continue to stream.


It's not about buying new device. It's about the need of other device to accomplish 1 task.

Eg. Watching netflix. I need to use my ios to run netflix. Then cast it so I can watch on my TV.

Then I cant use my phone to do other stuff
 
Unless Apple intend to add new functionality, I.e gaming then I don't see the need to upgrade the internals. The A5 does perfectly fine for streaming iTunes content from iOS devices or computers and air play. Also if they make a new model that allows for gaming they need to do it properly. High quality games, with good graphics. Not just ports from mobile devices.
 
What surprise me even more is people actually still buying apple tv and chrome

Apple tv: old product, very limited channels and outdated interface.

Chrome is even more nonsense. Why buy device only to cast your other device to tv while you have alternative (eg: roku stick) full feature standalone device.

When I watch my tv I don't want to drain my battery or turn on my computer just to watch it at bigger screen.

An external drive plug to ASUS router that acts as dlna server + standalone roku will cover 90% of your tv entertainment

You are misinformed about how Chromecasting works. When you cast something from your phone to the TV the phone is only used to set up the connection everything else is direct between the internet and the chrome. Try setting up a Netflix stream using the chromecast to your TV and then switch off the phone. You don't drain the battery on the phone if its not in use.

Same thing apples when you cast from the computer it is only used to set up the connection and then has no further part to play except when you are ready to stop casting.

The way to look at Chromecast is the phone is performing the function of a remote.
 
Yeah chromecast doesn't just keep casting from your device, like said you can do whatever you want once the "cast" is made as then it'll continue from the Internet and dongle itself. Not sure why so many think it's going to keep running through your phone or tablet eating up battery life or data etc, not how it works.

I "casted" last night and then went on to make a few phone calls and emails as an example. Like nebo above said, think of your phone/tablet/computer as the remote control for a TV, that's it.
 
You are misinformed about how Chromecasting works. When you cast something from your phone to the TV the phone is only used to set up the connection everything else is direct between the internet and the chrome. Try setting up a Netflix stream using the chromecast to your TV and then switch off the phone. You don't drain the battery on the phone if its not in use.

Same thing apples when you cast from the computer it is only used to set up the connection and then has no further part to play except when you are ready to stop casting.

The way to look at Chromecast is the phone is performing the function of a remote.

That only works like that for services that exist outside of your device. If you're trying to stream video from your phone or a computer and you turn your device off, the video stream will stop too.
 
Yes if you're streaming something off your phone storage or from your browser tab. Most people won't be doing that , at least that's been my experience.

That only works like that for services that exist outside of your device. If you're trying to stream video from your phone or a computer and you turn your device off, the video stream will stop too.
 
That only works like that for services that exist outside of your device. If you're trying to stream video from your phone or a computer and you turn your device off, the video stream will stop too.

I assume airplay does the same thing though, no? So if you're comparing apples to - well amazon or google - no different. Except with chromecast, you're already holding your "remote" vs having to use a 2nd device.
 
I assume airplay does the same thing though, no? So if you're comparing apples to - well amazon or google - no different. Except with chromecast, you're already holding your "remote" vs having to use a 2nd device.

Oh for sure, I don't disagree at all. I was just pointing out that the chrome cast isn't necessarily better for your phones battery life.
 
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