What are options for connecting Apple TV to SD set?

[sigamy]

I have a 7 year old Sony Wega standard def TV and while I'd love to upgrade I'm just not ready. My set only has one component connection which is of course used by my DVD player.

What are my options for connecting the Apple TV? Is there an adapter to convert the component to S-Video? Or should I run it to a receiver with component video switching?

My next question--my Wega has a 16:9 squeeze mode for DVDs, it ignores the black bars on anamorphic DVDs and gives more resolution. How will 16:9 content from Apple TV display on my SD set?

 

[sigamy]

anyone?

 

[markfc]

I spoke to apple today about this, as I want to do the same thing.

It will only work through the component out.

I've seen some component switch boxes which would save you having to keep unplugging the connections ;

http://www.trustedreviews.com/tvs/review/2006/08/24/AV-Tool-AV-5831-Component-Video-AV-Switcher/p1


Hope this helps.

 

[GFLPraxis]

It will only work through component; and we have to hope Apple built in an SD output option.

 

[Yvan256]

Different problem

My 36" Toshiba has component inputs and supports 480p. However it's a 4:3 television and has no letterboxing feature to force black bars on widescreen content. I'm hoping the TV will have such a feature. Otherwise I'll be stuck with 16:9 content stretched to 4:3.

 

[mkrishnan]

Otherwise I'll be stuck with 16:9 content stretched to 4:3.

Actually, I think it's smooshed!

To the OP -- if the squish mode works on the DVD through component ins, I don't see any obvious reason it would not also work on the Apple TV (assuming this is, as you say, a feature of the TV and not of the DVD player). I personally would echo recommendations that you do something involving a switch so that you are using component ins....

 

[zen]

The Apple TV has component output, which means it can be used on an SD TV. HDTV only works via the HDMI interface. The requirements for the Apple TV are just a widescreen TV. I assume this means it will only output an anamorphic 16:9 signal, which means people with 4:3 TVs need to have a set that will letterbox the image. I don't know of any sets that do this - only DVD players. I don't think the Apple TV will have any other output options in its settings (like 4:3, 16:9 letterbox, 16:9 pan and scan).

The biggest problem is actually for European users - the equivalent of the component system here is RGB, which is pretty much the same thing but it is totally and completely incompatible with component (used in the USA, Australia, New Zealand). So for European users you must have a TV that has component input (only available on high-end TVs) or use HDMI. I have a rather nice and expensive Loewe set, which only has RGB or S-video input.

So the Apple TV is useless for a large number of European users.

 

[MacAnkka]

HDTV only works via the HDMI interface.

Where have you heard this? Why would Apple deliberately cripple the component out and not allow it to output 720p or 1080i? Please cite your sources...

 

[sigamy]

The Apple TV has component output, which means it can be used on an SD TV. HDTV only works via the HDMI interface. The requirements for the Apple TV are just a widescreen TV. I assume this means it will only output an anamorphic 16:9 signal, which means people with 4:3 TVs need to have a set that will letterbox the image. I don't know of any sets that do this - only DVD players. I don't think the Apple TV will have any other output options in its settings (like 4:3, 16:9 letterbox, 16:9 pan and scan).

My circa-2001 SD Sony Wega 32XBR250 has what was called at the time "anamorphic squeeze" mode. This mode gave anamorphic DVDs about 33% more resolution by ignoring the black bars at top and bottom.