How is Timmy going to eat if you don't buy more Apple products!?! Sheesh.. pretty selfish if you ask me.
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Verizon Launches Rare Discounts on Apple TV 4K ($89.99) and 2nd Gen HomePod ($174.99)
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HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Best I know, there is no new standard or similar in the works for 8K. H.265 will work just fine with it. So I don't believe Apple going there would be any kind of Betamax-like mistake. If anything- like Lightning, like Airplay, like FaceTime, like Message, like even USB-C adoption, Apple going first lets them somewhat-to-fully stake a claim on any unique (lockdown) elements they want to slip in too (such as DRM for 8K video)... such as devising .m4v as a video standard or AAC as an audio standard.
Wide adoption never comes without adoption. While everyone is waiting on everyone else to adopt something, it doesn't get adopted. 8K TVs are abundantly available. Visit a Best Buy and there are MANY models for sale... seemingly more than 1080p TVs these days. What's the problem with them? There's little to see in 8K on them. What would remedy that? 8K adoption in iDevices... which is where the next generation move usually starts anyway. If the plan is to roll out iPhones with 48 megapixel cameras capable of 8K video (as rumored years ago), it's probably coming as soon as this Fall. If so and anyone shoots anything at maximum resolution, how do they get it from iDevices to their 8K TV if they have one already? Introducing AppleTV 8K... a crucial link in that very chain.
Just as iPhones could shoot "spatial" well ahead of Vpro hardware being able to watch spatial, iDevices could go 8K and the next AppleTV could show up able to play it.
As a tremendous AppleTV fan myself, I see little reason to get excited about a 4th gen 4K AppleTV. Slightly faster chips won't play 4K any better than current chips. Slightly faster wifi isn't needed to stream video to it any faster. Etc. The one real upside of slightly faster is games... but games are still sorely lacking on AppleTV as is. I'd rather see Front Row 2 arrive for Mac Mini and basically let it become AppleTV Pro.
But even without an 8K TV myself... and without any iDevice to shoot 8K yet, I'd be quite interested in an 8K AppleTV... and then "the rest" catching up to it as possible. I have near zero interest in another variation of a 4K AppleTV. But, for others who do have great interest, I hope they build one for you.
Honestly i don’t think so. The only thing i can think of is the facetime app working via your iPhone.
Still really lame of them to quietly rip the Thread radio out of the 64Gb model, but inexplicably include it in the 128Gb model. I don't know that people will realize this. A Thread radio is included in both models of the 2nd gen ATV 4K.
I’ve never regretted getting two of the OG HomePods, they are still awesome in stereo pair.
I have no idea which Apple TV I have, but it's old. Are the newer ones worth it? I only use it to stream. The animations are a bit choppy but otherwise it works fine.
I just purchased the HomePod - definitely an unbelievable deal at over 41% off!
I’ve been waiting for this to go on sale for a while but when Apple didn’t offer their black Friday promotion on this HomePod in November, I never actually bought it so I’m glad that I was able to get a deal that is even better than the $100 Apple gift card (that Apple has offered on the black Friday promotion in the past)
I’ve been waiting for this to go on sale for a while but when Apple didn’t offer their black Friday promotion on this HomePod in November, I never actually bought it so I’m glad that I was able to get a deal that is even better than the $100 Apple gift card (that Apple has offered on the black Friday promotion in the past)
By that logic, there must be new AirPods, AirPod Pros, HomePods, and HomePod Minis on the way too.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I'll see that optical and raise you an AUX audio jack so that when using AppleTV as a music jukebox, zone 2 receivers- which almost always need RCA audio- could get it straight from AppleTV instead of trying to find an "audio extractor" that does that but also doesn't mess up CEC, HDR, etc. For years, one of my favorite ways to use AppleTV was in place of what used to be those 100-200 disc CD changers... now with up to the entire iTunes library of songs available. Get it going, turn off TV, etc and enjoy a music-only experience... lost when they dumped any form of analog audio out. I've since just given up on that great use of AppleTV and instead airplay to a Receiver directly and it now does much of the same.
IMO: perfection would be one that has at least one "normal" USB jack and AUX revived from earlier AppleTVs. AUX for what I just described, normal USB for all kinds of uses such as Gen 1's ability to sync home content to the device instead of only stream it- which was a FANTASTIC feature that motivated hardware hacks to get up to (I think it was) 2TB inside the box. Sync that full of media and then- in a pinch- take the AppleTV on the road with you and use it like it was originally spun: an iPod (video) for your TV.
Another great option for normal USB: hook up a wired video cam so that video conf capability is always at home... not just when a Continuity Camera-capable device is also at home, etc.
"Perfect Pro" would be to revive an app called Front Row and basically allow a Mac Mini or even Mac Mini PRO to be the deluxe AppleTV. If you don't recall Front Row, it was basically the AppleTV interface that ran on Mac hardware, making a Mac become an AppleTV.
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Smart TV has ads all over and is tracking you. So I disconnected it as soon as I got the Apple TV. Plus the apps are now way faster. And the best feature is the screen saver. LOL. There is nothing better than seeing your photos from the last vacation or your family all day long, instead of the photos being buried on a device. It's a giant smart picture frame.
The local MicroCenter is out of stock of Apple TVs 🤔
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
In your situation, the best time to replace is when an app(s) important to you no longer works… which is probably soon if the UI is showing its age. Until you can’t get what you want out of it, take the CSN advice: “Love the one you're with”
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HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Not even 1 rumor about Apple embracing full surround sound setups. HPs are probably already all that they aspire them to be.
However, there are PLENTY of fish in this sea… with many of them completely focused on speakers instead of it being an ancillary add-on upsell. All you need to do is look beyond the brand wall and you can have what you want today.
In fact, a very Apple-like maker of full surround setups is running a rare sale right now… and their offerings are highly compatible with almost everything one can do with HPs… PLUS they already work with all other sources of audio too. Don't be fooled by the non-Apple brand bashing & hating by fans. To some only Apple can make anything good and everything that competes with Apple is useless, gimmicky, abomination, junk, tracking you, exploiting security, trying to steal your mate, corrupt your children, rain misery upon your household, etc. Meanwhile, millions and millions of people outside the walled garden love products from other brands. If in doubt by local influences, go read objective reviews and get a very different perspective. Better still, go give them a listen with your own ears at a Best Buy or similar.
Or go the ultimate way and concentrate any smarts into a traditional receiver and then put high quality “dumb” speakers in your theater room. This option will buy you speakers that will sound just as good 20 or 30 years from now because there’s no embedded “smarts” to vintage and thus force replacements. I went this way myself and my existing Apple tech covers all HP benefits with it. I expect to upgrade the receiver about every decade or so (no HPs will probably last close to a decade. For example, Gen 2 could not even stereo pair with Gen 1). You could have this ultimate option today too and if you buy well, you may buy speakers- ONCE- you'll fully enjoy for the rest of your life... instead of short-term use speakers that will stop functioning properly as soon as a Corp decides its time to move people to buy replacements.
Buy a full solution to enjoy now and let your HPs be all of what Apple will probably ever allow them to be… perhaps in other rooms if you opt for a full home theater in the main room where they are used now. Else, that particular wait may be towards forever.
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Can they still be used in stereo pair outside of Apple apps? For example, watching Youtube in Chrome or whatever browser?
