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NICKXXXXXX

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 9, 2014
215
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so I was just about to buy the new Apple TV when I heard that it doesn't play YouTube in 4K. How can you have a 4K device that doesn't even play 4K on the biggest video streaming service? I'm thinking about selling my current AT and just buy a PS4. The prices don't differ so much anyways. I also have a smart tv so for e.g Netflix I've always used through the smart tv app since that's the only way I've been able to watch 4K. I don't know what's going on in Apple, but they continue to over and over again make stupid moves...
 
The problem is Google is using a format that is both unsecured and not at all the standard. Until they upgrade their format, the answer is no. Apple won’t lower their standards because google is cheap.


so I was just about to buy the new Apple TV when I heard that it doesn't play YouTube in 4K. How can you have a 4K device that doesn't even play 4K on the biggest video streaming service? I'm thinking about selling my current AT and just buy a PS4. The prices don't differ so much anyways. I also have a smart tv so for e.g Netflix I've always used through the smart tv app since that's the only way I've been able to watch 4K. I don't know what's going on in Apple, but they continue to over and over again make stupid moves...
 
The problem is Google is using a format that is both unsecured and not at all the standard. Until they upgrade their format, the answer is no. Apple won’t lower their standards because google is cheap.
Or they could just have both...?
 
The problem is Google is using a format that is both unsecured and not at all the standard. Until they upgrade their format, the answer is no. Apple won’t lower their standards because google is cheap.
Apps are able to include their own codecs, like VLC and InFuse does. So Apple doesn’t need to do anything for YouTube to get their act together.
 
Hi All,

I am sure many of you are dissapointed by Apple TV 4K not supporting YouTube 4K.

If you have a minute please file a feedback via https://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html, I have created a template to save you some time:

Title: Apple TV 4K - missing support for YouTube 4K

---------------

Hi,

I have purchased and received Apple TV 4K. While I am enjoying the device, I am deeply and truly disappointed that it doesn’t support the open-source VP9 video format which YouTube delivers 4K video. I was not expecting that device purchased in 2017 (especially from forward thinking company such as Apple) does not support YouTube 4K.

Please fix it otherwise as much as I like Apple products, I will look elsewhere for my TV streaming device!

Best regards,
name

---------------
 
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Reactions: twennywonn
Hi All,

I am sure many of you are dissapointed by Apple TV 4K not supporting YouTube 4K.

If you have a minute please file a feedback via https://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html, I have created a template to save you some time:

Title: Apple TV 4K - missing support for YouTube 4K

---------------

Hi,

I have purchased and received Apple TV 4K. While I am enjoying the device, I am deeply and truly disappointed that it doesn’t support the open-source VP9 video format which YouTube delivers 4K video. I was not expecting that device purchased in 2017 (especially from forward thinking company such as Apple) does not support YouTube 4K.

Please fix it otherwise as much as I like Apple products, I will look elsewhere for my TV streaming device!

Best regards,
name

---------------

How do I submit feedback to Youtube asking them to bundle their codec in with their own app?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Agent2015
Hi All,

I am sure many of you are dissapointed by Apple TV 4K not supporting YouTube 4K.

If you have a minute please file a feedback via https://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html, I have created a template to save you some time:

Title: Apple TV 4K - missing support for YouTube 4K

---------------

Hi,

I have purchased and received Apple TV 4K. While I am enjoying the device, I am deeply and truly disappointed that it doesn’t support the open-source VP9 video format which YouTube delivers 4K video. I was not expecting that device purchased in 2017 (especially from forward thinking company such as Apple) does not support YouTube 4K.

Please fix it otherwise as much as I like Apple products, I will look elsewhere for my TV streaming device!

Best regards,
name

---------------
I just don't understand people getting riled up about something as dumb as Google not simply updating their app appropriately. It is not Apple's responsibility. Google has had as long as developers have to update their app and they have apparently refused to to so. If you are going submit feedback send it to where it belongs namely Google!

Besides, in the meantime, I thoroughly enjoying my new ATV 4K and those lovely HDR movies that upgraded for free! Fantastic!
[doublepost=1506382211][/doublepost]
i disabled all the smart tv functions as well .. i dont know how people could use them
Exactly! My now retired Samsung (was a bit over 2 years old but only HD and not 4K) and now my new LG HDR capable have awful "smart" interfaces. By comparison the ATV 4K is a pleasure to use!
 
Google uses VP9 encoding format for all new 4K content. Although negligible to most, they feel its better than h265 for Youtube content.

Apple doesn't support VP9, so right off that bat their is no hardware decoder built into the AppleTV 4k.

Even if Google wanted to push out a 4k YouTube update using software decoding I doubt the user experience would be good enough for them to actually do it. I think the A10X in the AppleTV could handle it but only just resulting in poor performance given the right (wrong) variables such from background taste like App updates or something.

Once I get an AppleTV 4k I plan on testing its ability to decode various formats using 3rd party apps like VLC or whatever.
 
I think the A10X in the AppleTV could handle it but only just resulting in poor performance given the right (wrong) variables such from background taste like App updates or something.
VLC decodes VP9 on iOS already and the A10X should have more than enough grunt to handle it.

Downloading a 4K VP9 file and will test in VLC.
 
Hi All,

I am sure many of you are dissapointed by Apple TV 4K not supporting YouTube 4K.

If you have a minute please file a feedback via ...
Hi,

I have purchased and received Apple TV 4K. While I am enjoying the device, I am deeply and truly disappointed that it doesn’t support the open-source VP9 video format which YouTube delivers 4K video. I was not expecting that device purchased in 2017 (especially from forward thinking company such as Apple) does not support YouTube 4K.

Please fix it otherwise as much as I like Apple products, I will look elsewhere for my TV streaming device!

Best regards,
name

---------------
This really is not Apple's problem. Apple is getting flack, but, this time:

Google went all proprietary, adopting their own 4K standard (VP9), instead of HEVC/H.265 which has become the standard for, (correct me if I'm wrong), everyone else.

Google is the one to beat up this time, not Apple.

I repeat, this is Google's problem, not Apple's.
How do I submit feedback to Youtube asking them to bundle their codec in with their own app?
Yes, someone link us to Google feedback for youtube...this is the only real answer, but, will they do it?

Google can make their app convert their own video codec to play on ATV 4K, questions is, will they?

All that being said, possibly the absolute worst app on ATV is the YouTube app, it really sucks, and has ever since I got my first ATV 3 (I also have the 4th gen. ATV).


Vimeo is adding Live Streaming, I can't find any info. on the codec they use for 4K, I think it may be H.264, but, if they were to adopt H.265, maybe they could be competitive with YouTube. I don't much like youtube anyway. And, I don't understand the big fuss about not being able to see YT 4K video, do they really have a lot of 4K video? Do they have quality 4K video? I mean, a lot of the 1080p HD content seems like it's upscaled, I can't imagine I'm missing all that much.

As it is, Vimeo is better on ATV than YT and I'd like to see more content move over to Vimeo myself, it'd be great if Vimeo makes improvements and takes the baton from youtube, ...now is the time.
 
so I was just about to buy the new Apple TV when I heard that it doesn't play YouTube in 4K. How can you have a 4K device that doesn't even play 4K on the biggest video streaming service? I'm thinking about selling my current AT and just buy a PS4. The prices don't differ so much anyways. I also have a smart tv so for e.g Netflix I've always used through the smart tv app since that's the only way I've been able to watch 4K. I don't know what's going on in Apple, but they continue to over and over again make stupid moves...
To tell you the truth, Safari doesn't even support 8k when chrome will.... seems like Apple likes cripple certain things...
 
VLC decodes VP9 on iOS already and the A10X should have more than enough grunt to handle it.

Downloading a 4K VP9 file and will test in VLC.

Make sure its also 60fps. The jump from 30 to 60fps will make a huge difference obviously.
 
Yes, someone link us to Google feedback for youtube...this is the only real answer, but, will they do it?
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