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...an HDMI passthrough would make it an AppleTV that's completely integrated into my TV watching lifestyle, as opposed to just another set top box that I have to find an HDMI input for and will only really use occasionally for the odd movie & Airplay.
And what's wrong with having 2 HDMI ports on the telly itself?
 
He didn't. There is zero need for it on a device that will never see that much data.

Self-fulfilling prophecy. It you limit the device in various ways so it only be used for streaming, or, playing basic video games, then, it won't ever need GbE.

OTOH, with its fast 64-bit ARM, if it had UHD/4K support, HDMI 2.0, 2-4 GB memory, lots of flash, an advanced audio interface, a fast network interface, etc., it could be a major part of the home entertainment system.
 
True. A gigabit ethernet port would have been one of the few things that might have tempted me to buy the new AppleTV. I am in a remote location with slow Verizon DSL so I don't use streaming. But I have about 600 movies and 500 TV shows on a Mac Mini iTunes server. I get annoyed by the latency on the Apple TV3 (everything is hardwired on gigabit ethernet). It takes awhile for a movie to start and it can't even begin to keep up when you FF or RW.

But hopefully the 802.ac wifi will improve that a bit. I use my MBA with 802.11ac to connect to the same Mac Mini in iTunes with home sharing. Movies start right up and I can scrub back and forth while playing just like they are local files.

Doesn't blu ray has a max bitrate of 40 Mbps? The ethernet connection should not be the bottleneck when you are streaming.
 
Self-fulfilling prophecy. It you limit the device in various ways so it only be used for streaming, or, playing basic video games, then, it won't ever need GbE.

OTOH, with its fast 64-bit ARM, if it had UHD/4K support, HDMI 2.0, 2-4 GB memory, lots of flash, an advanced audio interface, a fast network interface, etc., it could be a major part of the home entertainment system.

But it doesn't, hence no need. Next product cycle. Just like 4K.
 
Doesn't blu ray has a max bitrate of 40 Mbps? The ethernet connection should not be the bottleneck when you are streaming.

If you read my post that you quoted above, you will see my comment was not about about streaming, it was about the latency on the AppleTV when accessing my library. In other words, the delay between clicking on a movie and when it actually starts playing. It is also evident when you fast forward and the screen goes blank because it can't access the data fast enough.
 
Hence, no need for the ATV4. I'm going to stick with the ATV3 for now, although I'm impressed by the Nvidia Shield and may give it a try.

Only reason I'm picking them up is it will no doubt have a Vudu and Amazon app plus the 7.1 audio addition. Done with multiple streaming devices. Wanted steak, got chicken but chicken isn't going to kill me. Certainly disappointed here on the video front.
 
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If you read my post that you quoted above, you will see my comment was not about about streaming, it was about the latency on the AppleTV when accessing my library. In other words, the delay between clicking on a movie and when it actually starts playing. It is also evident when you fast forward and the screen goes blank because it can't access the data fast enough.

I don't think it has anything to do with your network. The ATV 3 is inherently a slow device.
 
Hence, no need for the ATV4. I'm going to stick with the ATV3 for now, although I'm impressed by the Nvidia Shield and may give it a try.

You really should, I used to have an ATV 3, it was just okay, I mostly use it for YouTube and NetFlix. When I decided to buy the Shield, I did so because of a demo I saw of Kodi. 6 months later and I'm convinced that the Shield TV is the absolute best thing that has ever happened to my TV. The ATV 3 in comparison is a toy, an impulse buy you see at the cash register. Though the new ATV 4 improves on the previous model by a lot, sight unseen, it's still nowhere near as good as the Shield. Not just in features, like USB support for exotic controllers made for emulators, I currently have a replica N64, Sega Genesis, SNES and PS2, web cameras, external HD's, SD Card's etc, but the freedom you have in what kind of software you can install. I love Kodi, so much so that I now refuse to use another TV set-box unless I can install it. I watch TV from all over the world for free, can access my media located across my network with ease and intuitive, etc. I love to surf on my TV, as such I have a really cool Logitech mini keyboard with touchpad, it's a must, in fact I'm writing this post on my TV write now, while watching a film in PIP. I can even watch a movie while playing a game. Gaming is just incredible on it, you can stream games from your PC, from Nvidias Grid and their Shield specific older PC titles like Doom 3, Half Life 2, Crysis 3, etc. are still fun to play.

4K titles are increasing every month, I now have a little over 30 titles and expect that number to triple by the end of November, so those who say 4K isn't here just yet can continue sticking their heads in the sand, but I'm enjoying it now. Things will definitely pick up after 4K BluRays are released in the next two months, we'll see an increase in 4K streams by a factor of a 100, especially from services like Ultraflix, MGO, Google Play and Amazon Instant which I subscribe to now. Not sure what Google is doing quite yet but I expect their streaming service is about introduce a butt load of new 4K movies to promote their new 4K encoder, then there's YouTube and and the ability to watch my 4K movies that I recorded with my phone. The Shield also displays it's UI in 4K so it was a no brainer as I have a 4K TV, 1080p devices are longer an option for me, I don't go backwards in technology.

I would buy the Fire TV v2. before the ATV 4 for the same reasons.
 
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You really should, I used to have an ATV 3, it was just okay, I mostly use it for YouTube and NetFlix. When I decided to buy the Shield, I did so because of a demo I saw of Kodi. 6 months later and I'm convinced that the Shield TV is the absolute best thing that has ever happened to my TV. The ATV 3 in comparison is a toy, an impulse buy you see at the cash register. Though the new ATV 4 improves on the previous model by a lot, sight unseen, it's still nowhere near as good as the Shield. Not just in features, like USB support for exotic controllers made for emulators

I would buy the Fire TV v2. before the ATV 4 for the same reasons.

I also have Nvidia Shield and Kodi. In terms of hardware spec and freedom of installing Kodi, ATV4 is behind. but Apple ecosystem, software polish and consistency will win over time.

Nvidia shield has the latest hardware spec out there but it is using Android TV. There is no consistency on Android TV, fast forwarding on youtube is different from doing so on Netflix. Closed caption is different on different apps. Search only works on youtube and google stuff, not Netlix or other app. Android OS crashes once in a while.

ATV 4 will gain alot of casual users and will attract more delelopers with more apps than android TV.
and once ATV 4 get jailbreak and kodi, my Nvidia Shield might collect dust, I am afraid.
 
My biggest hesitation on the new ATV is the A8 chip. Surprised that the IPhone got the A9. The thing missing IMO is 4K video.

as usually, it takes apple second version to make it complete (ATV4 is technically a first non-hobby tv with tvOS).
 
Just one more thing: a remote finder like the new TiVo Bolt (cable box) has. OBTW, the Bolt supports UHD 3840x2160p60 over HDMI, and has optical audio out and an analog stereo audio out, too.
 
New apple tv is just a developpers device in reality.
It allows apple to iron out issues with content, tv app store and controllers.
And this device will help idevices like the iphone and ipad to get more complex apps based on 2 gigs and the a8 soc as a bottom config.
Too much apps are still based on the a5/a6 and 1 gig base config in the 4s, these apps still work great on these devices, but don' t take full advantage of the new 64 bit socs and increased memory.
By releasing the new apple tv and the new ipad mini with a8 , 2 gb, along with the already 1 year old air 2 with 2gb, and the just released iphone 6s with 2gb. Apple is pushing a minimum of 2gb and a8 requirement to the apps in about 2 years time. (Wished that they used the a9 or the a8x in the apple tv , though).

Together with the release of the ipad pro, that will allow even more complex apps/games with 4 gb, they will raise the bar for apps and games in the next 3 years.

In the meantime apple tv and tvos will have matured.
So in 3 years :
New apple tv with a10(x) soc with 6 gb, with solid software/games library that can rival and even surpass the current ps4, xbox one.

But what am i missing now?
-hd audio support
-4k support
-real gamecontroller from apple itself.
-4 gamecontrollers that can be used at the same time.
-1080 24p movie support.
-a quicker ethernet hardware connection.
-the ability to buy or stream hd music through apple music/itunes.
 
He didn't. There is zero need for it on a device that will never see that much data.

Streaming videos from your LAN to the Apple TV 4 100mb port is slow. If you don't understand that streaming LAN video to the apple tv 4 would benefit from a GIG ethernet port then you fail at understanding LAN basics. Sure gig ethernet on the WAN side will not benefit the apple tv4 but for LAN video streaming it would benefit greatly. Go ahead and take some HD video and stream it from your mac to apple tv 4 over the 100mb port and compare it to the wifi lan streaming the same video. 100mb port sucks and is an utter failure on the part of Apple.
 
Streaming videos from your LAN to the Apple TV 4 100mb port is slow. If you don't understand that streaming LAN video to the apple tv 4 would benefit from a GIG ethernet port then you fail at understanding LAN basics. Sure gig ethernet on the WAN side will not benefit the apple tv4 but for LAN video streaming it would benefit greatly. Go ahead and take some HD video and stream it from your mac to apple tv 4 over the 100mb port and compare it to the wifi lan streaming the same video. 100mb port sucks and is an utter failure on the part of Apple.

I have had zero issues using the 100mb port. Everything plays smooth and instantly. I have gbps internet, but still prefer hardwire over wifi.
 
I have had zero issues using the 100mb port. Everything plays smooth and instantly. I have gbps internet, but still prefer hardwire over wifi.
I didn't even know the port was 100! I never bothered to check the link on the switch.

I've also had no issues. Beautiful fast performance. I haven't even configured wifi on it yet but probably will eventually so I can use it in the other room.
 
I didn't even know the port was 100! I never bothered to check the link on the switch.

I've also had no issues. Beautiful fast performance. I haven't even configured wifi on it yet but probably will eventually so I can use it in the other room.

likewise. I am in an apartment and have so much interference that wifi is nowhere near as reliable as hardwired.
 
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Streaming videos from your LAN to the Apple TV 4 100mb port is slow. If you don't understand that streaming LAN video to the apple tv 4 would benefit from a GIG ethernet port then you fail at understanding LAN basics. Sure gig ethernet on the WAN side will not benefit the apple tv4 but for LAN video streaming it would benefit greatly. Go ahead and take some HD video and stream it from your mac to apple tv 4 over the 100mb port and compare it to the wifi lan streaming the same video. 100mb port sucks and is an utter failure on the part of Apple.


AppleTV doesn't work the way you think it does.

The unit itself can't take that much data so it has nothing to do with the port. When the unit goes 4K they'll add it because 13MBps won't be enough for 4K. The net cost of going 4K was probably a bridge too far. While disappointing, they probably wouldn't have done very well selling a $300 box so they go for a 1080p box they can sell for under $200.
 
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I have had zero issues using the 100mb port. Everything plays smooth and instantly. I have gbps internet, but still prefer hardwire over wifi.
it's more that you'd come across bandwidth loss when using Ethernet on the new Apple TV because the wifi supports up to 866mbps (2x2 config)
I have had zero issues streaming on wifi with the new one compared to HAVING to use Ethernet for the old one which had very un-reliable wifi
 
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