How about 4K/5K video via USBC?

[ajiuo]

The HDMI port might be lacking... But Apple is a very forward thinking Company. So maybe we should try to think of the HDMI port as a legacy port... And remember that Apple also added a USBC port to the device. I think it's clear that USBC is going to be the one port to rule them all... And will likely replace HDMI... Plus Apple could sell USBC to HDMI adapters for "legacy" display devices.... Mo Money.

 

[Rigby]

The presence of a USB-C port doesn't mean that it supports video output. That's just an optional capability. The port on the Apple TV almost certainly only supports USB 2.0 data transfer and nothing else.

 

[ajiuo]

The presence of a USB-C port doesn't mean that it supports video output. That's just an optional capability. The port on the Apple TV almost certainly only supports USB 2.0 data transfer and nothing else.

But you really don't know that do you? If that was the case why didn't they just put a lightning connector on the back of it... Like with the controller and the Apple remote. Or even stick with what they already had as to not annoy developers.... Perhaps they had more reason for switching to USBC...

I wonder if it would be possible for somebody to figure out what the capabilities of the port are.

 

[Mac... nificent]

Rigby is correct. USB-C will support DisplayPort and 4K but the ATV4 is not set up to take advantage of it, regardless of how much you dream about it

 

[Rigby]

But you really don't know that do you?

It just wouldn't make sense for them to spend money on a "secret" video output. If they had planned to support 4K at some point, they could have just implemented an HDMI 2 port.

If that was the case why didn't they just put a lightning connector on the back of it... Like with the controller and the Apple remote.

You don't need the complexities of Lightning for a maintenance port. It would be unnecessarily expensive.

Or even stick with what they already had as to not annoy developers....

Why they switched from micro-USB to USB-C I don't know, but it should cost about the same (a simple USB-C to USB type A cable can be built without active components like the chip in a Lighting cable). A cable comes with the developer kits, so it doesn't matter for developers either.

Perhaps they had more reason for switching to USBC...

Perhaps there is a little pink unicorn inside the ATV4 that's just waiting to come out.