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Mysterious 'Set Top Box' Shipment Records Hint at Refreshed Apple TV Coming Soon
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Roku, WDTV Live, and Boxee also use 10/100 ethernet; gigabit ethernet isn't needed for streaming.
That would be tremendous! I've wanted and AppleTV for a while, but for some reason, I haven't been sufficiently inspired to actually buy one. That may not make sense.....
In any event, there's a pretty decent chance that I will pull the trigger whenever they release the next version. Combining an Express would make me run, not walk, to buy one.
No.
And enjoy sending everything you watch to Google's servers....
Except, of course, for actual local files on your computer that it can't even play.
I'm guessing that if you look at the picture below, you'll tell me it's half empty. Let some of us think it's half full, please.
Yes, but the advantage is minimal
So your 802.11n 300 Mbps theoretical throughput is degraded down to < 4 Mbps (1080p stream)?
How does 802.11ac solve this? If you answer "because they are still using 802.11n", then you fail; just change your WiFi channel (also, most routers automatically do this).
Once the ATV has buffered some portion of the stream, packet fluctuation will not affect performance. Also, your throughput will still be limited by your broadband internet speed and the iTunes/Netflix servers, of which neither will saturate 802.11n.
Again, your broadband internet speed will be the limiting factor in this scenario, not your WiFi throughput.
Yes, other hardware that everyone owns already. The barrier for use is non-existent. Might as well say the Apple TV is useless if you don't have a TV. It's a meaningless argument for both, since you buy both with an understanding of the limitations.
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Except for in a chrome browser, which is then streamed to the device. But why let facts get in the way of a rant, right?
The TV is just an output device, not a command and control device. You can use an Apple TV or Roku or whatever without any additional hardware whatsoever apart from the TV and an internet connection. With the Chromecast, you need all that plus a smartphone or tablet, which, in reality, not everyone owns.
Plus, streaming from a computer to the Chromecast is not the same as streaming from the set-top box. With an Apple TV or Roku you can use the device to access resources directly from PCs or the internet. The Chromecast can only receive and display, can't fetch. That means you have to use your PC as a primitive (and huge) remote control if you don't have a smartphone. If you do have a smartphone, then you still have to wait for app loading and connecting in order to skip songs or whatever. Smartphone controlled home entertainment is neat, but horrible as a primary usage scenario.
I might be interested if we see an update next week. I still have an old 2nd Gen sitting around somewhere, and with the price they sell for on eBay and the likes, I'd be able to buy a 4th Gen with some spare change!
I have the same setup & did the same thing a few months back. Canceling Fios saved roughly $100/month being that I was in my 2nd year of contract. They WOULD NOT budge with giving me a better deal.
I thought it would be a problem with my wife but surprisingly, she loves it. Thank god. Greatest thing we ever did since moving in.
I don't have a TV myself so not in the market for an Apple TV but I understand it doesn't even come with iPlayer. Is that true? That does make it sort of a pointless device.
4Mbps would be quite a compressed 1080p stream, so you'd likely see compression artefacts. More importantly, with a faster connection you'll be able to buffer far quicker - can be tedious with a slower connection.
On the "300Mbps", that's a largely meaningless number in my opinion, since so few people reach anything like it. I'd take a 100Mbps wired connection over a "300Mbps" N wifi connection any day.
Plus my wifi is 100Mbps, with 150Mbps widely available here (and Ireland isn't exactly at the forefront of broadband technology) so here my Wifi is the limiting factor, not my broadband.
I can't wait for widespread ac Wifi adoption here.
Believe it or not, some people actually have more than one thing going on at a time across their network. Not everybody lives by themselves and only ever has a single 1080p stream going across their network and nothing else.
Vudu streams are as follows:
SD (480p) = 1000 kbps
HD (720p) = 2250 kbps
HDX (1080p) = 4500 kbps
I believe iTunes 1080p is around 4-6 Mbps.
Still, you're more than likely limited by your broadband speed, not your WiFi speed.
THIS.
I have ATV2, which is nice bc its jailbroken, but I need an update.
I got in on the Madden Deal with Sunday Ticket for $99.
Streamed Sunday Ticket to my new ATV = heaven.
Correct it doesn't have iPlayer or ITV Player or anything else like that. Apart from Netflix and MLB TV there is nothing else worth mentioning. It's only worth buying if you intend to stream content from your iTunes library. It certainly wouldn't replace a cable/sat box for the vast majority of people.
Everyone's getting "the fever" over nothing. There will be no aTV announcement next week. It will be totally focused on iOS7 and iPhones.
Sorry to bust the bubble.
Apple TV and iOS are directly related. If there's any announcement, this *is* when it would come out.
Yes, it relies on other devices, not ONLY the TV and network connection, like the Apple TV.
I don't own one, and I don't plan on getting one. I prefer an Apple TV that I can feel confident about it's ability to be enhanced in the future by Apple, when advancements roll out. The present setup does not give me that confidence.