Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
New Apple TV to Start at $149, Feature Universal Search With Siri
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Last night, I read an article about the Nest (not Homekit compatible). Then I found out about the Ecobee thermostat, which is better AND HomeKit compatible. Got excited because of the new TV with HomeKit coming out and ordered one, lol. Looking forward to sitting on the couch and saying to the TV "Hey Siri, turn down the temp two degrees!" or whatever the command needs to be. 
Wonder if it will work while I'm watching a movie?? Can always use my watch or phone if it doesn't but would be nice if it did. How about auto-pause and answer the phone via the TV via Handoff? That would be cool. I'm always fumbling for the remote to mute the TV so I can answer the phone.
Wonder if it will work while I'm watching a movie?? Can always use my watch or phone if it doesn't but would be nice if it did. How about auto-pause and answer the phone via the TV via Handoff? That would be cool. I'm always fumbling for the remote to mute the TV so I can answer the phone.
Last edited:
Just because something says 4K that does not make it 4k quality. Physical media is the best and really only way to get true 4K outside of very limited options, just like the best 1080p is physical media.
* This thing needs to be able to run Kodi (former XBMC) so I can watch things that are in formats other than Apple formats. If it can't do that, it's a waste of time, IMO.
* I know a LOT of people aren't going to want this thing if it can't handle 4K video (namely 4K Netflix). NO ONE wants to hear that Apple isn't ready to offer it in iTunes so they won't enable for a competitor like Netflix either. This will GAME OVER for a lot of people if it doesn't do 4K. Honestly, I don't think it will do 4K. Tim Cook is a flipping IDIOT, IMO. He's running off the coat tails of Steve Jobs and ever since Jobs died, Apple has been playing CATCH UP with everyone else instead of LEADING. If a damn Blu-Ray player can do 4K Netflix, a freaking higher-end AppleTV should be able to.
* It'd be cool if they had a model with a built-in webcam and a Skype type app (and Facetime I suppose; I don't really use it as Skype has a lot more options for screen sharing, etc.) Frankly, I should be able to make voice calls like in Back To The Future 2 by this October or my hoverboard is going to waste....
* Gaming with a remote control isn't going to work. Apple should be shipping this thing with (or at least advertising that it can use) an XBox or PS3/4 type controller. I can use one on my Mac Mini (wired or Bluetooth) with no extra drivers. A gaming ATV should be able to also. Otherwise, you're going to be stuck with really simple (read AWFUL) games, which defeats the point of even having any gaming support, IMO.
Have you ever tried a compressed 480p versus compressed 1080p????? EVER???? No, you haven't or you wouldn't say such a RIDICULOUS thing. Even 1080p with the same file size as a 480P that has lower compression will blow it away overall with the increased resolution. Compression is not the enemy. Ignorance is.
If you have a 4K screen and sit at a distance where you can see the increased resolution, even compression-less 1080p will NOT COMPARE with compressed 4K in terms of the overall effect of having that much more overall resolution. It's just not even close.
Yes, visible compression artifacts are bad, but MOST reasonable compression settings doesn't produce much in the way of visible (i.e. noticeable) artifacting unless you like to freeze frame and get out a magnifying glass.
Besides, streaming doesn't have to be real time for things like movie rentals. It can download in the background and let you know when it's ready to view. Moreover, not everyone on the planet has slow Internet access. Someone with Google Fiber doesn't want to hear about 4K streaming not being viable when it clearly is.
* I know a LOT of people aren't going to want this thing if it can't handle 4K video (namely 4K Netflix). NO ONE wants to hear that Apple isn't ready to offer it in iTunes so they won't enable for a competitor like Netflix either. This will GAME OVER for a lot of people if it doesn't do 4K. Honestly, I don't think it will do 4K. Tim Cook is a flipping IDIOT, IMO. He's running off the coat tails of Steve Jobs and ever since Jobs died, Apple has been playing CATCH UP with everyone else instead of LEADING. If a damn Blu-Ray player can do 4K Netflix, a freaking higher-end AppleTV should be able to.
* It'd be cool if they had a model with a built-in webcam and a Skype type app (and Facetime I suppose; I don't really use it as Skype has a lot more options for screen sharing, etc.) Frankly, I should be able to make voice calls like in Back To The Future 2 by this October or my hoverboard is going to waste....
* Gaming with a remote control isn't going to work. Apple should be shipping this thing with (or at least advertising that it can use) an XBox or PS3/4 type controller. I can use one on my Mac Mini (wired or Bluetooth) with no extra drivers. A gaming ATV should be able to also. Otherwise, you're going to be stuck with really simple (read AWFUL) games, which defeats the point of even having any gaming support, IMO.
Have you ever tried a compressed 480p versus compressed 1080p????? EVER???? No, you haven't or you wouldn't say such a RIDICULOUS thing. Even 1080p with the same file size as a 480P that has lower compression will blow it away overall with the increased resolution. Compression is not the enemy. Ignorance is.
If you have a 4K screen and sit at a distance where you can see the increased resolution, even compression-less 1080p will NOT COMPARE with compressed 4K in terms of the overall effect of having that much more overall resolution. It's just not even close.
Yes, visible compression artifacts are bad, but MOST reasonable compression settings doesn't produce much in the way of visible (i.e. noticeable) artifacting unless you like to freeze frame and get out a magnifying glass.
Besides, streaming doesn't have to be real time for things like movie rentals. It can download in the background and let you know when it's ready to view. Moreover, not everyone on the planet has slow Internet access. Someone with Google Fiber doesn't want to hear about 4K streaming not being viable when it clearly is.
Last edited:
My guess is a little of both.
Apple, because they don't have an open app store and have requirements for partnerships that Amazon sees as unreasonable.
Amazon, because they don't want to live under the partnership agreements everyone from hulu to Netflix to HBO to Crackle live under.
That said, I think with a more "open" platform Amazon will see the AppleTV like the iPad/iPhone and offer an app. They never indicated they didn't want Amazon streaming to an Apple TV - they were rather quick in supporting AirPlay to the AppleTV from IOS devices - so I don't see why that would change now.
4K. Not happening. 90% of folks in the world don't have it. Some JUST got their "standard" HDTV.
Gaming. Even the newest processor for the upcoming iPhone 6s cannot do the type of gaming so many of you are suggesting (LET ALONE 4K). As the joke goes (but there's truth in it), you WON'T be able to run Crysis on it. Period.
At $149/$199 with the processor that Apple is using any hopes for an Xbox One/PS4 or PC gaming experience is a HUGE PIPE DREAM.
Good lord, for what some of you are asking in terms of a gaming experience, I'd LOVE to smoke what you're smoking.
At $399 for both PS4 and Xbox One - both units can BARELY do 4K gaming. Also, there's not a single 4K game out for EITHER of those consoles. PC gaming doing 4K? That's a heck of a beefy machine. Something that even the highest end Apple mobile processor can't even come close to even trying.
Gaming. Even the newest processor for the upcoming iPhone 6s cannot do the type of gaming so many of you are suggesting (LET ALONE 4K). As the joke goes (but there's truth in it), you WON'T be able to run Crysis on it. Period.
At $149/$199 with the processor that Apple is using any hopes for an Xbox One/PS4 or PC gaming experience is a HUGE PIPE DREAM.
Good lord, for what some of you are asking in terms of a gaming experience, I'd LOVE to smoke what you're smoking.
At $399 for both PS4 and Xbox One - both units can BARELY do 4K gaming. Also, there's not a single 4K game out for EITHER of those consoles. PC gaming doing 4K? That's a heck of a beefy machine. Something that even the highest end Apple mobile processor can't even come close to even trying.
I am way more excited about this product than anything over the past three years or so. I know Apple will lock this thing down, but am hoping the AppStore will create enough of a weaknesses to allow jail breakers to get us Plex and VLC type apps so we can watch ANYTHING we own on the TV.
Finally!
Finally!
Would love to be wrong, but I can't see them allowing apps that let you watch pirated content on the ATV so easily.
I know they are on the iOS AppStore, but has that ever stopped Apple from making 'strategic' decisions? They are still (apparently) negotiating with content providers to get this TV service to market. Let's see.
Sorry, but I don't get this line of thinking. First off... Piracy? A lot of folks do have a legal collection of videos, etc. that they'd like to watch on their TVs with their Apple TV. Second, so many of these apps are ALREADY on the iOS app store (ahem VLC is there too), if Apple didn't stop them then, why would they stop them now?
They won't. Because it doesn't violate any of the "rules" of the App Store.
Plex, etc. will all be on the App Store.
If I can get apps for NZ streaming TV providers I will probably re-purpose my Mac Mini in the media center and replace it with one of these.
I don't need a new iPhone or iPad, but I'm really interested to see what the new Apple TV will offer.
I don't need a new iPhone or iPad, but I'm really interested to see what the new Apple TV will offer.
I'd guess that it's a development problem. Prime Videos is already on iOS, and Amazon doesn't seem to have any political problems with that. It even allows AirPlay, which most of the TV apps don't allow.
It's always been an open question how much of iOS is on the ATV. I'd guess that it's "just enough" for everyone else but not quite enough for amazon. It also could be that the ATV as-is just isn't good enough to do everything it's supposed to do for amazon videos.
Well I don't see any 4K Roku on it's website either. Funny how some of you crap on Apple for not possibly putting out a 4K TV and then you mention Roku which also does not currently have 4K.
Most folks in the US and the world don't have a 4K tv. Apple (smartly) is playing by the numbers. A lot of people JUST got their "standard" HDTV.
I'd love to see the 4K #s for these streaming companies. Not monitors, but TVs. I guarantee it's probably less than 1% of total users. THAT's why Apple didn't go with 4K. Apple always plays with the 90%. And 4K right now ain't even close to that.
Oh yeah? Do you know that even 1080p bluray discs are compressed to hell because otherwise they wouldn't fit on the disc? A 2 hour movie at full resolution uncompressed would take hundreds of gigabytes of disc space.
So stop lecturing us about videophiles who care about picture quality when they are using physical media which are compressed at a 10:1 ratio or larger.
Not sure about that. Vizio is very much considered low end, and cheap TV's tend to always rear their ugly heads at some point early on.
Only the movie studios will have the true 1080P or 4k for their use.
Don't lie to yourself, the physical media you buy in stores is compressed at 10:1 or even larger ratios because it otherwise would not fit in a bluray disc.
Or you can rip it to a file server.
Or the streaming providers can start offering higher quality with more buffering. We don't always have to GET IT NOW!!!
And a new processor. And an App Store. And gaming.
You conveniently leave those out though...
Uh "WE"? More like YOU. Speak for yourself, not others. When I'm ready to watch something on my TV I want it now. Don't want something buffering. That could easily run into a ton of frustration and inconvenience anyway.
They are already half way done with the hyper loop. But it won't be announced until its own event in October.
Why does one need so much storage on Apple TV? Roku is fine without such large storage.