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To be fair, it's "Day 1" of a product delayed for several years.

The OP has a solid point. For a product that was supposed to be graduating from "Hobby" to full fledged product line then it's extremely surprising how unprepared the product turned out. This isn't WatchOS which is a new product in a new category. This is Apples 4th upgrade in 10 years. So it's okay to have expectations.

- Missing 1st party apps
- Very late release of the new OS to Devs
- Missing key hardware components
- Inferior in several aspects to previous generation
- Remote feels untested"
- Double (Triple!) the price
- Yet another Apple product that shipped unfinished

Look, I got mine and like it just fine. But I can see why it's disappointing to some because as a huge AppleTV fan then it's disappointing to me too.

Agree. I upgraded both of my gen 3 units and while this is one step back the potential exists for a solid three steps forward and I'm inclined to believe that Apple will follow through.
 
I strongly disagree with that statement as a generalization: Apple is incredibly good at fixing and upgrading many of their products (I would even say more so than most tech companies). On the other hand, some of their products become less of a priority and they mostly ignore them. Like all the tech companies, directing efforts toward some products and less toward others.

You (and the others who are offended by my post) actually don't "strongly disagree" because you're saying exactly what I said.

Apple shifts priorities post launch

We are all long time Apple users here so when we look back at our products we see very long product lives and Apple deserves credit for that. BUT... The part that we tend to forget is the year in between updates where we are left waiting and wondering IF Apple is going to follow through.

Just because Apple releases a new Mac Mini or AppleTV or iMovie or (a still overdue) Photos update doesn't mean they didn't leave people hanging for 2 years (or that people who mention these long waits should be hung for remembering).

Yes. With a wide angle then sure Apple does fine with supporting old hardware. But ask any Aperture owner if they feel Apple did right in informing them of their plan for support then you won't hear their excuse generator powering up.

In the meantime, if the *current* state of the ATV4 doesn'T fill your needs, then why bother? Go with something else, or wait a few months and see what happen?

Wouldn't it just make sense to buy from someone else then if this is an Apple problem?

As IndianBird stated maybe it's time for you to look for greener pastures elsewhere. Good luck with that
And here I was thinking we were having an adult conversation. :D

Seriously folks. Ownership does not require 100% satisfaction.
 
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I had AppleTV 2 that rarely used. I bought 64gb replaced for family room and 32gb for bedroom.

I didn't expect it to change my life but I'm happy with it. I replaced my Kodi/Xbmc players (small PCs running openelec) with Plex. When infuse is released it will cover the playback for media outside my Plex library.

I can pretty much watch anything I want now in bedroom and living room. I think the hardware is fine (don't care about 4K yet) and all other issues will be fixed and enhanced by software upgrades and new apps.
 
You (and the others who are offended by my post) actually don't "strongly disagree" because you're saying exactly what I said.

Apple shifts priorities post launch

We are all long time Apple users here so when we look back at our products we see very long product lives and Apple deserves credit for that. BUT... The part that we tend to forget is the year in between updates where we are left waiting and wondering IF Apple is going to follow through.

Just because Apple releases a new Mac Mini or AppleTV or iMovie update or doesn't mean they didn't leave people hanging for 2 years (or that people who mention these long waits should be hung for remembering).

Yes. With a wide angle then sure Apple does fine with supporting old hardware. But ask any Aperture owner if they feel Apple did right in informing them of their plan for support then you won't hear their excuse generator powering up.






And here I was thinking we were having an adult conversation. :D

Seriously folks. Ownership does not require 100% satisfaction.
I don't think anyone here is 100% satisfied with the new ATV4. In fact that would simply be impossible considering the wide array of expectations and what people want this tiny box to be. Just remember, it's only a $150 investment. I will more make that up in just a matter a few months when I consider the savings from not having to subsidize a cable company. I think most people here are only saying that the ATV4 is a good start for a new product. My experience with Apple tells me that this a bold new product line that will be aggressively supporting for years to come. Besides if you look around the tech world you'll find it littered with orphans in much higher proportions than what you'll see coming Apple. I won't even begin to list those. So my friend it's ok to disagree...let's see where we are with the ATV4 in about a year from now.
 
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Eh I bought it at Best buy. I have owned every version. Since I bought it after Nov. I have until Jan to return it so I am going to let it ride for the next couple months.
 
And here I was thinking we were having an adult conversation. :D

It's actually a serious comment: one shouldn't feel like they have to purchase the ATV4. It's clearly not for everyone (yet). My ecosystem have been mostly Apple for years, but up until last week I was solidly on the Roku's side as far as streamers go, simply because it was a better device for me. So when I see some people in here (not specifically you, actually) on the verge of mental breakdown for specific missing or incomplete features, my only reaction is just to give a hug and tell them to look for one of the other devices, they are actually pretty great too. No need to lose our mind over a 150 dollar piece of plastic.

You (and the others who are offended by my post) actually don't "strongly disagree" because you're saying exactly what I said.

Not sure where you got the "offended" in my post, but I didn't say what you said. You stated how Apple systematically drop support for their products after launch, and I simply disagree with that statement. Some of their products get love (all the iOS devices for instance), some others are left in the dust for long periods (Mac Pro), but we don't know yet in which bucket the ATV4 will fall into.
 
There's plenty of things I want to see improved on the Apple TV and I'm sure most of them will be in time. But the days when Apple put a new product into a consumers hands that was damn near perfect are long gone. And thanks to the complexity and scope of the devices, the software, the content deals and back room negotiations and the consumer expectation among other things. They aren't coming back.

I understand where you are coming from.
What's disappointing to me is that the new AppleTV doesn't have the baseline content of the previous version so I can continue to use it in a way I am familiar.
The obvious example is the Podcasts app.
They pulled it because it wasn't perfect, or to open up the market to devs to sell paid Podcast apps?

I'm going to keep it because with the inclusion of the USB-C port you can now sideload homebrew on it and IMHO that's and experiment worth trying.
 
They can call it tvOS but the line of what a tv is has been blurred. TV doesn't mean movies and shows consumption device but instead giant window on your wall for about anything you can think of.

What if...
  • Podcasts come back
  • Remote App works again (and the easier text entry it allowed that ALSO works for Android users)
  • Allow a browser(s) (e.g. Chrome Safari Firefox)
  • Allow Bluetooth keyboard
  • Allow productivity apps (Conference Rooms and Classroom keynote, pages, google docs, metrics dashboards, Restaurant menus)
  • Passthrough gaming service (Gamefly or Steam streaming of modern games in HD with normal controller)
  • Homekit (like a central home kit app)
  • Picture in Picture / Split Screen / Notifications (any all)
  • Apple Music-esque content streaming service packages
  • More live events like the Apple Music festival and negotiating blackout free sports packages
  • Apple begins creating content like Netflix -- heck buy RedBox and only allow this special content to be on the Apple TV or rent it from RedBox -- offer RedBox "rentals" on the TV for cheaper
  • Integrated Facebook, Twitter (imagine people live tweeting about Game of Thrones on the side of the screen as it airs on HBO Now live)
  • User logins and profiles
  • Phone or Tablet is second screen like Wii U
  • Wide Angle Lens breakout peripheral (FaceTime or Withings Camera replacement)
  • Porn (i had to :D)
  • Make an Apple TV Pro that can handle 4k, has productivity apps and bluetooth keyboard, camera closer to 350 so it doesn't deter Mac mini buyers *shrug*
 
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In regards to a web browser I use an app called airweb on my phone and I AirPlay it to atv3.

Works quite well.

I do like the idea of notifications, profiles, and others mentioned above.

It has so much potentials but it's as if they are half adding it in alpha mode.

Yes they could have introduced some of these from the start. Yes no podcast app - fail.
 
I know it's just personal preference, but I wish Apple had given a preference to keep the black background like the ATV 3.

That white just strains my eyes. Gone back to my ATV 3 for now. Trying to decide whether to return the 4, or hang on and see how things progress.
 
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Well I'm returning mine today. Got till Friday to return but the stuttering issues when streaming have made my mind up. If I could guarantee it would be fixed by an upcoming software update I would keep it but I don't want to go past the return period and be left with a box that is incapable of streaming. I will revisit it in the future if it is fixed by an update.
 
Not a chance mine is going back! Having come from an aTV3 (and a aTV2 before that) it does everything I used that for better, and without the need for other things running to do it (i.e. PlexConnect)

It's missing a couple of Apps (Podcasts and Trailers) and the ability to control on my iPhone but I'm sure these will return at some point. Given people are still in the return window tells you how long it's been on the street!
 
Not a chance mine is going back! Having come from an aTV3 (and a aTV2 before that) it does everything I used that for better, and without the need for other things running to do it (i.e. PlexConnect)

It's missing a couple of Apps (Podcasts and Trailers) and the ability to control on my iPhone but I'm sure these will return at some point. Given people are still in the return window tells you how long it's been on the street!

I'm assuming you are using Plex? No streaming issues at all? I get about 20 seconds of stutter roughly every 11 mins. Makes watching a movie hard work.
 
I'm assuming you are using Plex? No streaming issues at all? I get about 20 seconds of stutter roughly every 11 mins. Makes watching a movie hard work.

Yes, main use is Plex and it's working perfectly. A few things I'd change about the interface, but no issues streaming content. I have my aTV4 connected via Ethernet and a reasonably fast Xeon server running PMS.
 
I have mine currently hooked up via Ethernet to my quad core Mac Mini for streaming. Works perfect for iOS devices or both Samsung TVs but the ATV4 struggles with streaming, regardless of what options I change. Happening for Home Sharing too and loads of people are affected. Very frustrating because otherwise it would be a keeper.
 
Not a chance mine is going back! Having come from an aTV3 (and a aTV2 before that) it does everything I used that for better, and without the need for other things running to do it (i.e. PlexConnect)

It's missing a couple of Apps (Podcasts and Trailers) and the ability to control on my iPhone but I'm sure these will return at some point. Given people are still in the return window tells you how long it's been on the street!

And I assume that you don't use any media that incorporates surround sound?

Since the ATV4 is fubar in that regard...
 
Eh I bought it at Best buy. I have owned every version. Since I bought it after Nov. I have until Jan to return it so I am going to let it ride for the next couple months.

Where did you hear this? I bought one from Best Buy. And I asked them about their return policy. And they said 14 days.
 
And I assume that you don't use any media that incorporates surround sound?

Since the ATV4 is fubar in that regard...

My TV is only connected to a 2.1 soundbar, and whilst that shows it receiving a surround signal I can't really tell whether it is or not :D

I've not had any streaming issue though, and I've tried some pretty big 1080p files (~15GB) in a variety of formats.
 
I didn't expect much from it, but I've been impressed. I'm actually considering returning my 32GB for the 64GB. Putting a true Apple interface on my TV feels like a transformation and it's so responsive by comparison to ATV3.

If enough people try it and developers work at it, I think it could be the future as Apple tries to suggest.
 
I'm assuming you are using Plex? No streaming issues at all? I get about 20 seconds of stutter roughly every 11 mins. Makes watching a movie hard work.

I watched a good 2-3 hours on Plex since I got mine and it's been flawless. Maybe it's some weird network conditions you are experiencing?
 
And I assume that you don't use any media that incorporates surround sound?
Since the ATV4 is fubar in that regard...

Uh? The ATV4 works perfectly fine with my surround sound system. It even support 7.1 as far as I understand (but I have not tried it, mine is just 5.1).

Is there some kind of audio bug affecting some people?
 
I watched a good 2-3 hours on Plex since I got mine and it's been flawless. Maybe it's some weird network conditions you are experiencing?

Still haven't got an accurate diagnosis but the networking conditions do not impact the Samsung TVs or iOS devices and seem to be specific to the Apple TV.
 
It's missing a couple of Apps (Podcasts and Trailers) and the ability to control on my iPhone but I'm sure these will return at some point. Given people are still in the return window tells you how long it's been on the street!
Are you outside of the US? Because the same Trailers App is available in the US.
 
No streaming issues or bugs for me. Been working great since day 1. For some reason I have been more inclined to sign in on all of the TV apps on the ATV4 and have been using it exclusively opposed to my standard cable. Software will only improve, but I am very happy so far.
 
No streaming issues or bugs for me. Been working great since day 1. For some reason I have been more inclined to sign in on all of the TV apps on the ATV4 and have been using it exclusively opposed to my standard cable. Software will only improve, but I am very happy so far.
Same here. I am trying to use it most of the time. The Hulu App without commercials is great as a replacement for my DVR (at least for those shows). I also signed up for CBS to test it since the current shows are not on Hulu. However, the cost ($6) is too much with commercials. If they could have an option to drop commercials like Hulu then I would prefer it over my DVR. I watch a number of News Show that I record first so even though they may come to the ATV I still think I would like some kind of DVR Service. Maybe cloud based. Anyway, love the direction.
 
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