Just curious, why do people pay $180 for ATV 4K when cheaper options are available?

[Radon87000]

I just bought an LG C1, upgrading from an 7 year old Sony TV, and it has all streaming apps including Apple TV built in. The Fire TV stick can be had around $70 with all streaming options as well. Buying these external streaming devices can also be clunky as I have a PS5 and a blu ray player connected to 2 other ports, so an external streaming device means I have to constantly fiddle with my TV remote to turn on the appropriate port and then switch to the device remote. It’s so much easier to just push Netflix on the tv remote and be done with it.

What is the selling point for paying $180 for the ATV 4K when the TV itself and Fure TV can get it done for basically free?

 

[dmr727]

Because it's a lot cheaper to replace an external streaming device than it is to replace the entire TV when its software/interface inevitably begins to feel slow and dated after a couple of years. My 4K Sony is on its third external device. The television itself is still great, but the software is absolutely terrible by today's standards.

 

[satcomer]

With Devices like the Apple TV and IMHO is the best Android TV device the Nvidia Shield TV Pro! With these two devices you best of both worlds!

 

[Banglazed]

I have a Sony X90J. There’s limited storage where I can’t download all the apps I wanted. The ATV 4K has a much higher storage for all my apps through the App Store. In the ecosystem, I can use my phone to use an a input on the ATV. I prefer it because of the integration with Apple ecosystem and a range of HomeKit devices.

 

[fwmireault]

Many reasons:

- Apple TV box is way more than the Apple TV streaming app you’ll find on smart TVs. It’s apps, games, music, fitness, airplay, photos, siri, spatial audio, deep integration with your apple devices.

- Way better privacy policy than any of the apps and services included in your smart TV

- Frequent software updates and last many many years

That said, I still think that the ATV is overpriced, but I don’t think we can compare it with the apps included in your smart TV, because they are way more limited

It’s not a device for everybody, I get it, but if you’re deep in the apple ecosystem I find it very useful

 

[hg.wells]

User experience for me and the ability to have friends round who can mirror devices and share photos.

what you’re also find is most apps on smart TVs don’t get updated and stop working after a few years.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Cheaper is not automatically better (else, why are we buying ANY other products Apple sells?).

The various things it does, it does very well. I have not found TV apps that do it all as well (or at all in some cases) and the competition sticks & boxes don't have the keys to some of Apple's walled garden locks. If you are deep Apple, this is the ONLY box to bring it's feature set to the biggest screen in the house.

As with all things computer tech, what you want to do with tech matters. If you get everything you want out of apps that come with smart TVs, you probably don't need an AppleTV. On the other hand, if there's things you can do on iPhone or iPad that seems like naturals for the biggest screen in the house... but no TV app does those things, you can probably do them on that biggest screen with AppleTV.

 

[Abazigal]

My living room TV is several years old, and only comes with YouTube and Netflix installed and even then, performance is slow and wifi disconnects periodically. A streaming box is just so much more reliable and future-proof.

 

[neutrino23]

I just bought an Apple TV 4K. I got it for the privacy, for the quality of the video, for being able to stream from my iPhone or iPad and because it connects to my Air Pods Pro. Also, as others have pointed out, the Apple TV box gets frequent upgrades both for features and for security. I refuse to connect my so called smart TV to the internet. I just use it as a display.

 

[0128672]

For all the reasons above and also ... Ethernet, which my new TV doesn't have. I don't have the ATV 4K though; still going with the HD until it dies. I'm enjoying Apple TV+ too and I don't believe my TV or any other plug-in solution like the Fire stick can provide it.

Also you don't have pay $180 for the 4K; the refurbs are $150.

 

[Bodhitree]

I’ve just given up on my Apple TV third gen, it’s done good service for eight years but there are only 10 or so working apps on it now and it is starting to show its age.

As fate would have it my father had a Chromecast with Google TV going spare since he upgraded his television and now has Google TV built in. So I will be using that, certainly the YouTube app was far superior to what was on the old Apple TV (before the app stopped working). That ChromeCast has a remarkably complete looking Apple TV+ app too.

 

[w5jck]

I just bought an LG C1, upgrading from an 7 year old Sony TV, and it has all streaming apps including Apple TV built in. The Fire TV stick can be had around $70 with all streaming options as well. Buying these external streaming devices can also be clunky as I have a PS5 and a blu ray player connected to 2 other ports, so an external streaming device means I have to constantly fiddle with my TV remote to turn on the appropriate port and then switch to the device remote. It’s so much easier to just push Netflix on the tv remote and be done with it.

What is the selling point for paying $180 for the ATV 4K when the TV itself and Fure TV can get it done for basically free?

Your new TV will likely last at least 10 years if you take care of it, although you might replace it before it reaches the end of life. However, after a few short years at best, the manufacturer will most likely stop making major updates to the software and eventually newer apps won't play on it because it's firmware has become out-dated. Plus eventually the hardware will be at least somewhat out-dated. So I find it is better for me to buy the streaming boxes rather than rely on the TV's apps. Apple does continue to update the ATV models for many years, and they are much cheaper than a good TV, so more economical in the long run.

When you buy your TV it might come with a specific version of app streaming. For example, it might come with Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, etc. built in, but only one of them. I prefer a little choice. For example my Sony Bravia came with Android TV 9, but I also have a Fire TV Cube 2nd gen and my ATV 4K 2017 plugged into it. I have Prime Video from Amazon as part of my Amazon Prime annual subscription, and Prime Video works best on a Fire TV rather than using an app on the TV or ATV.

I have plenty of other Apple devices including Mac, iPhone, and iPads, so I like the seamless integration they have with the ATV. I can look at my photos and videos, mirror a device, etc. all very easily with the ATV.

I also like the ATV 4K hardware as it is better than the Fire TVs, Rokus, and the FW on my Sony Bravia that runs Android TV. I don't subscribe to TV+, but if I did it would look best on a ATV.

Bottom line, cheap doesn't usually translate into better. It usually translates into barely acceptable. I prefer a good quality of streaming, and getting a ATV 4K is how I get that. Ditto for the Fire TVs and Rokus. They all tend to be better choices than running apps on a smart TV.

 

[KittyKatta]

As an AppleTV user since Gen1 then I love the AppleTV. But I also can see how much Apple has neglected this platform and allowed the industry to catch up with free/cheap alternatives.

That said, I dont recommend the AppleTV to anyone, but there is enough here to still make it worth it for me:

- iOS integration (remote/keyboard)
- Fast
- No ads in UI
- AirPlay
- Apple Photos
- Spatial Audio
- Good integration with AV setup
- Reliable / Intuitive / Familiar
- Games (just kidding)

It really is a shame that Apple doesn't love this platform as much as its users because this is a product that should have been so much more.

 

[nburwell]

Wife and I have a Samsung 4K Smart TV in our living room -- it's never been connected to the internet. It's been connected to our 4K Apple TV (prior generation) since day 1. We also have HD Apple TV's connected in both our bedroom and the guest bedroom.

I do agree they're a bit overpriced, but we're deeply engrained in the Apple ecosystem, really like the UI and continued software updates/support. So we don't mind shelling out the money for it, especially since we use both the family room and bedroom ATV's daily as we're cord cutters and stream everything. We definitely get our money's worth out of them.

 

[Jus711]

Cost is irrelevant, someone who owns a Ferrari can get to the same place in a Toyota, "worth" or "value" is different for everyone. But if the question is why an  TV vs other options irrespective of cost, I'll give you my opinion. I have  TV's, a fire tv cube and stick, an android Mi box, and built in apps on my lg oled, Samsung tv and Vizio tv. The  TV surpasses all of them by far and is my go to due to having far better video quality, interface, and reliability. The video quality is the biggest for me and that is due to its superior processing power and connectivity (better wifi and gigabit Ethernet)-this isnt just subjective it has been tested to have higher speeds and bitrates from the streaming platforms and it really shows if you're streaming high quality uncompressed files from the cloud or a home network as I do. The interface is much more intuitive and less buggy, the app updates more frequent and its normally one of the first devices supported if something new launches. The ability to airplay to it is a breeze, and it very rarely glitches. My only gripe is its inability to pass Atmos or DTS-MA fro UHD Blu Ray rips but nearly every streamer no longer does this save for the Nvidia shield.

Streaming speeds compared: Roku vs. Fire TV vs. Apple TV and more

Which streaming device gives cord-cutters the best connection? It's complicated.

www.techhive.com

 

[400]

4k is really good, excellent rates and I have been using Cheap Charts app to pick up deals on iTunes. Far cheaper than disks, (I accept the difference and risk, reality is what I can afford). I hard wire as well, never risk a TV connection with wifi myself.

Also my LG will not run many apps that well now.

But had I not bought into iTunes movies, probably would not use it.

 

[960design]

I just bought an LG C1, upgrading from an 7 year old Sony TV, and it has all streaming apps including Apple TV built in. The Fire TV stick can be had around $70 with all streaming options as well. Buying these external streaming devices can also be clunky as I have a PS5 and a blu ray player connected to 2 other ports, so an external streaming device means I have to constantly fiddle with my TV remote to turn on the appropriate port and then switch to the device remote. It’s so much easier to just push Netflix on the tv remote and be done with it.

What is the selling point for paying $180 for the ATV 4K when the TV itself and Fure TV can get it done for basically free?

TV software is generally android based = free operating system = paid for by tracking your usage = outdated by two years before you purchased the tv.
AppleTV 4K > Receiver > TV = ATV remote turns on everything, controls volume, ect. all in one neat little package

 

[LMC91]

Cost is irrelevant, someone who owns a Ferrari can get to the same place in a Toyota, "worth" or "value" is different for everyone. But if the question is why an  TV vs other options irrespective of cost, I'll give you my opinion. I have  TV's, a fire tv cube and stick, an android Mi box, and built in apps on my lg oled, Samsung tv and Vizio tv. The  TV surpasses all of them by far and is my go to due to having far better video quality, interface, and reliability. The video quality is the biggest for me and that is due to its superior processing power and connectivity (better wifi and gigabit Ethernet)-this isnt just subjective it has been tested to have higher speeds and bitrates from the streaming platforms and it really shows if you're streaming high quality uncompressed files from the cloud or a home network as I do. The interface is much more intuitive and less buggy, the app updates more frequent and its normally one of the first devices supported if something new launches. The ability to airplay to it is a breeze, and it very rarely glitches. My only gripe is its inability to pass Atmos or DTS-MA fro UHD Blu Ray rips but nearly every streamer no longer does this save for the Nvidia shield.

Streaming speeds compared: Roku vs. Fire TV vs. Apple TV and more

Which streaming device gives cord-cutters the best connection? It's complicated.

www.techhive.com

Hi, just wondering if you find any difference between airplaying your recorded iPhone videos directly to your LG TV and airplaying to the Apple TV? Airplaying directly to my LG TV stutters a lot, and was curious if an Apple TV would solve that. Thank you.

 

[dmr727]

Hi, just wondering if you find any difference between airplaying your recorded iPhone videos directly to your LG TV and airplaying to the Apple TV? Airplaying directly to my LG TV stutters a lot, and was curious if an Apple TV would solve that. Thank you.

I don't have any issues with stuttering when streaming videos to my AppleTV, but are you sure it's not network related? Does your TV have Chromecast or some other service you can use instead just to make sure it's an Airplay only thing?

 

[Jus711]

Hi, just wondering if you find any difference between airplaying your recorded iPhone videos directly to your LG TV and airplaying to the Apple TV? Airplaying directly to my LG TV stutters a lot, and was curious if an Apple TV would solve that. Thank you.

Yeah I rarely have issues airplaying with the  TV, it’s rock solid and good quality. I do wish they’d put a dedicated safari browser on there, that’s a nice feature on the fire tv so that you can browse the web or watch web videos without having to Airplay.

 

[LMC91]

I don't have any issues with stuttering when streaming videos to my AppleTV, but are you sure it's not network related? Does your TV have Chromecast or some other service you can use instead just to make sure it's an Airplay only thing?

Although it could still be a network issue, I am able to do normal streaming from Youtube, Amazon Prime etc. I also seem to get a much better airplay experience on my MacBook to my LG TV using an app called Airflow, using the exact same videos, compared to airplaying directly from my iPhone.

Router, iPhone, MacBook and TV are all in the same room too.

 

[Juicy Box]

I am a long time Apple TV user, and still think that it is the best performing option when compared to the competition.

That said, the best performer isn't always the best option for people.

The way it is right now, the Apple TV 4K is just an overpowered, but overpriced streaming box. Yes, it is better than the competition, but the competition can do mostly what the ATV can do, but at a far cheaper price.

The Apple TV has a lot of potential, and could have been a staple for people's entertainment equipment, but Apple has done very little to help realize the potential of the ATV and tvOS.

If anything, Apple really hindered it with the horrible launch of the ATV4 and tvOS back in 2015, and while most of those silly requirements Apple made at the launch have been walked back and corrected, Apple's lack of attention towards the Apple TV and tvOS has basically driven the platform into the ground.

The few developers that decided to stick it out in the beginning are now leaving in a tvOS mass exodus:

Another One Bites the Dust - The State of Developer Support on tvOS

I have been a long Apple TV user since the release of the first gen, buying every generation with the exception of the latest (due to it not really being an upgrade compared to the original ATV4K). It is really sad to see the state of the Apple TV and tvOS, and it seems like developers, nor...

forums.macrumors.com

And I don't blame the developers, if Apple doesn't care about tvOS, why should the developers.

As an AppleTV user since Gen1 then I love the AppleTV. But I also can see how much Apple has neglected this platform and allowed the industry to catch up with free/cheap alternatives.

I agree.

 

[Eric Idle]

The way developers have fled and are continuing to flee the platform, Apple TV is clearly swirling the drain. Apple simply does not care about Apple TV.

 

[aok75]

You just paid almost 2 grand to get Apple TV and you said it’s cheaper ?

 

[JoeShades]

The way developers have fled and are continuing to flee the platform, Apple TV is clearly swirling the drain. Apple simply does not care about Apple TV.

This is false, All the apps I have are updated including apps like the speedtest app I have and other apps that are not
among the most popular ones.