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http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/05/31/fortune.apple.tv.a.dud/

Fortune: Apple TV 'a dud'

updated 12:15 pm EDT, Thu May 31, 2007

Fortune: Apple TV 'a dud'

The editor-at-large of Fortune magazine, Brent Schlender, has tested the Apple TV for several weeks and declared that it's "as uninspired as another prominent dud," the Microsoft Zune. Schlender extends this simile to four points: like the Zune's Wi-Fi, the Apple TV also has a crippled central feature, in that while intended for HDTVs, its videos may often be as fuzzy as broadcast TV. Schlender also complains that just as the Zune's best feature is actually cosmetic (a third color, brown), the Apple TV benefits most from its "ethereal" photo screensaver and that even those photos are handled awkwardly.

While users can stream music from multiple computers, photos are restricted to one machine, an oddity that supposedly mirrors Microsoft's blocking of legal music in its own earlier format. Schlender lastly observes that neither the Zune nor the Apple TV can buy music directly, despite their built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.

This leads to speculation that the iPhone might likewise prove disappointing, for reasons of implementation rather than concept. It is suggested that EDGE bandwidth may turn out to be too slow, or that the virtual keyboard may prove impractical. Schlender is, however, withholding his verdict.

by MacNN Staff

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burger
Forum Regular

Joined: Sep 2000

0

05/31, 12:34pm | report spam | close Reply |
regarding AppleTV

Every time I am at the Apple Store, I glance at the LCD showing the AppleTV's capabilities and am concerned over the low quality of the video. It simply looks terrible. I'm sure this is all relative to the quality of the movie or clip that is playing, but this is AT the Apple Store. Props to them for showing customers just how bad it can look, but I am not pulling out the credit card.

eldarkus
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Feb 2004

0

05/31, 12:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
volume

This guy makes the classic mistake of asking for a volume control on AppleTV. WHY?? I asked him if his DVD player or VCR have a volume control... No response...

It's version 1.0... give it some time to grow before calling it a dud. (Think iPod)

lemuel777
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2004

0

05/31, 12:42pm | report spam | close Reply |
I love the AppleTV but

hate the price. Because it is "crippled" it should only cost $199. Then I would buy one and the t*** wouldn't smell so bad.

horvatic
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2002

0

05/31, 12:47pm | report spam | close Reply |
Your confusing a Zune wit

Your confusing a Zune with an Apple TV. The two are way different and the Zune is a t*** while the Apple TV will get better with software updates. Something that the Zune can't do. You could flush the Zune down the toilet like a t*** though. This story jumps the gun and forgets to mention the software updates that will be coming for the Apple TV which will make many improvements including picture quality as mentioned by Steve Jobs himself.

dan20164
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2007

0

05/31, 12:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
Picture quality ?

This reveiw was pretty poorly written, volume controls are a function of a preamp thank you very much... and who on this planet owns an HD widescreen and does not already have a DVD player ? My picture quality is no less than superb. Even using component video it is good. The only time I see broadcast quality is when I play broadcast quality media. Maybe his test was on a low end LCD tv ? And per the crippled comment poster, pull your head out into the sunshine ! Don't know this writer at Fortune, but he sounds like he could easily be Dvorak's illegitimate son..

OtisWild
Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2005

0

05/31, 01:15pm | report spam | close Reply |
no 1080p

It doesn't support 1080p, therefore it sucks. Also, iTunes not selling or renting HD video is terribly weak. I can rent HD on my XBox 360 (but I don't since it's incredibly overpriced), and I can use it to watch unencrypted iTunes stuff of all sorts of formats via connect360.

If I were an early adopter and saw the 160gb for only $100 more so soon after initial launch, I would be SUPER PISSED.

And I still think that PVR functionality should have been in there from the get-go, and that Apple could have done good by buying out Tivo.

Appleman
Mac Elite

Joined: Feb 2001

0

05/31, 01:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
1080

My Apple TV does support 1080, so maybe it depemds on your HD television set? I like the Apple TV very much, despite the detour in making divx and avi playable for iTunes = Apple TV. For the rest it simply needs to mature a bit.

Recto Bold
Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2005

0

05/31, 01:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
He might be right....

Much as I want to love it, it was a missed opportunity really. So many things missing and that little 40GB HD was always going to be too tiny, right from the start. No 1080 - Seems an odd decision. A PVR really would have made it for me - I envisaged it as something to bring all of my media together in one place, something that as much as I am loathed to admit, the X-Box 360 seems to do quite well (I don't own one - Have messed with a friend's (before scrubbing hands aggressively).

I'm sure that there is more to come from Apple TV and that it will end up being a great piece of kit, at which time I really look forward to owning one, but at the moment I'm, holding fire. Really wanted to be impressed with it, but overall I'm not.

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

05/31, 01:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
picture?

what are you guys seeing? i've got it hooked, via HDMI, to a 720p panny plasma. it looks awesome: the menus, the music videos i buy from iTunes and my own DVDs that i transcode via handbrake.

of course, a true HD feed, like Discovery HD, looks better. but that's because the source is true HD. once apple works it out with the studios, the movies, etc should look the same.

as for 1080p, good luck with that. no such beast yet in terms of source, and only the newest TVs support it. and many of those don't take 1080p input, they merely do their own upscaling and interlacing.

1080p is merely 1080i, deinterlaced to 1080p by the TV. there is currently no broadcast or other source of 1080p. and it has nothing to do with appleTV. that's not its job.

i suggest some of you HD n00bs do a little research before you start spouting off.

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

05/31, 01:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
also, the HD...

...is insigificant. the only thing you really need it for is photos. everything else can be stored in iTunes and streamed as needed.

do any of you actually own this thing yet?

zac4mac
Mac Elite

Joined: Oct 1999

0

05/31, 01:59pm | report spam | close Reply |
I got one, then realized

my old Samsung 4:3 wouldn't talk to it, so I buckled and got the Aquos I'd been drooling over. Only 37" but what a massive improvement. Before y'all beat this guy up over his review(I read it yesterday), go easy, he's a big Apple fan himself and was one of the very few that saw the iPod's potential back in 2001. There's a link to that article at the bottom of the story.

Z

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

05/31, 02:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
so zac...

...what do you think of the picture?

MacnnGregor
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2004

0

05/31, 02:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
Not so compelling

The aTV isn't very compelling to me because I don't have an HD TV and even in the stores they look pixelated to me, but that's just me.

As for it being like the Zune due to crippled features, I think that is somewhat legitimate, but of course used to get the attention of Apple to stop doing some things half way. Apple has the time to improve the aTV, just like MS has the time to improve the Zune, but not fast enough for some of us. By the time 30% of the population even has an HDTV, then the aTV will be ready for prime time.

And yes, I wish Apple would have bought TiVo just so that it could better manage the transition to all digital media management a bit better even if it meant competing with itself in the short term.

testudo
Forum Regular

Joined: Aug 2001

0

05/31, 02:32pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: picture?

what are you guys seeing? i've got it hooked, via HDMI, to a 720p panny plasma. it looks awesome: the menus, the music videos i buy from iTunes and my own DVDs that i transcode via handbrake.

That's great. Why not read the first post and go visit an Apple store, and see how well it shows up there.

also, the HD... ...is insigificant. the only thing you really need it for is photos. everything else can be stored in iTunes and streamed as needed.

Why would you really NEED it for photos, but not movies, where photos are small and static (who cares if there's a blip in a transition from one to the other) while movies require constant throughput?

And the point most are trying to make is they'd rather have all their media in one place, where the media is going to be used, rather then having to constantly navigate and stream it over the network.

Although I have no idea why people then are so intent on ripping their DVDs to MPG2/MPG4 and put them in iTunes. Wouldn't it be easier to just plug your DVD into your AppleTV and watch it from there (oh, right, there's no DVD drive on the thing)

testudo
Forum Regular

Joined: Aug 2001

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05/31, 02:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
Oh

And I love the fact that people say "Give it time, its only version 1", but when they mention everyone's "favorite device to loathe" (and who knows why), its just "Its a flop! Its a t***! Flush it!" How is Apple's software update going to fix the issue that their store sells low-quality video?

Basically, if the reviewer thinks it doesn't give you anywhere close to enough bang for your buck, its a dud. They don't care that the v2 box adds a DVD drive, or more harddisk space, since they're now stuck with v1.0.

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

05/31, 02:50pm | report spam | close Reply |
testudo...

...you obviously don't have an appleTV. you haven't lived with it. you are not qualified to comment on how it works, or how it looks.

i don't watch tv at the apple store, i watch it at home. i don't need to see appleTV demo'd - i own it.

i would explain to you how and why it works the way it does, except that it doesn't matter to you. you are a troll. trolls want foods. and i'm not giving you any more foods.

i will continue to highlight your ridiculous trolling, but substantive discussions wth trolls are pointless.

dwoodruff
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2006

0

05/31, 02:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
Odd

I'm not sure I understand why some people would get a bad (blurry or pixelated) image. It looks awesome to me. Not HD, but who cares?

It does exactly what it claims, with a beautiful, simple interface and super-easy to install.

What the h*** do you want it to do? blow you?

jimothy
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

05/31, 03:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
1080p

It's been said here that no sources support 1080p, but that is not true. All Blu Ray, and some HD-DVD, players and discs support 1080p, as does the Playstation 3 (for both Blu Ray movies and games, though most games are 720p). Even so, yes, most people are not going to be able to tell the difference, and it makes no sense for the Apple TV to support 1080p when most of the content is going to be 480p.

But, 1080p is one of those gotta-have-it buzzwords. Heck, I bought my first HDTV, and was swayed by the whole 1080p, despite the fact that I WANT to believe I know better.

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

05/31, 03:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
1080p...

is 1080i source, deinterlaced. that's what i was referring to. nothing is actually "authored" or "delivered" in 1080p. it is deinterlaced after finished to be delivered on blu-ray. not sure about games tho.

and the other dilemma is that many of these so-called 1080p tv's can't even take 1080p input. they require a lower res input and then scale/deinterlace it themselves.

you are right, at this point, 1080p is mostly buzz.

jmonty12
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2003

0

05/31, 03:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
RIght On

Like it or not this article is spot on.

LordJohnWhorfin
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2002

0

05/31, 03:47pm | report spam | close Reply |
Just hack it!

The review is spot on if you use it as intended. However, it neglects to mention how easy it is to hack. You can very easily increase the drive size, add AC3/DivX support, file sharing... By following simple directions I am now able to bypass iTunes completely if I want to, and copy DivX files directly to the ATV, and play them from there in glorious HD. With all these features added, it becomes a compelling box, a worthy opponent to a hacked XBox. One unfortunate characteristic it shares with the XBox: it overheats like a SOB.

fishtech
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2006

0

05/31, 03:56pm | report spam | close Reply |
My AppleTV...

...has revolutionized my TV watching in a simlar way to how iPod changed my music listening.

I no longer have cable/satellite - all my content is from ITMS.

I watch on a 50 inch HD dlp and the quality awesome. It will be even better when the studios allow ITMS to sell 720p, then 1080p.

I don't care too much about the HardDisk size - my contect is mostly streamed from my Mac.

Most of the people dissing this device are speaking from a standpoint of ignorance. Ipod was aslo dissed on lauch through ignrance.

Anyway, back on topic... the original reviewer is an idiot not least because:

1. He complains about video quality without discssuing the source of his content. He proably dl'd it from YouTube?.

2. He complains AppleTV does not have a DVD player... but who/why would anyone want one in there bulking the box and requiring button and a display?

3. He says AppleTV is not as good as advertized... I have seen no features that were advertized that have been dropped.

4. He somehow performs contortions to equate Microsoft's PlaysForSure DRM fiasco (where they kneecapped their partners by preventing Zune pfrom playing p4s tracks) with multiple-computer picture sharing via AppleTV.

5. He suggest Apple is not adverising the AppleTV because 'it's not very good'. He doesn't compare with the successful iPod's launch; early growth came virally from early adopters - NO ADS - and a year or so later ads took the device mainstream.

6. He thinks t*** is a good color for a personal music player.

all done,

ft.

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

05/31, 06:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
fishtech...

...nailed it.

if any of you are interested in the ATV, ask someone who actually has one. do not rely on "journalists" desperate for readership who test drive it, if at all. and do not rely on macnn trolls.

Loren
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2001

0

05/31, 07:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: regarding appletv

[very time I am at the Apple Store, I glance at the LCD showing the AppleTV's capabilities and am concerned over the low quality of the video. It simply looks terrible]

I support this statement. I watched snippets of "24" and a few others just two days ago. It looked utterly crappy. Assuming it's not a Settings faux paux, this should be of major major concern to Apple.

- lsm

Cubester
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2001

0

05/31, 08:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
Apple Store

I, too, have seen the poor quality of the iTunes store videos as demoed on the AppleTV at the Apple Store (to my dismay). I am heartened by some of the more positive reports I read here, but I must admit I can't find a compelling use for one just now. I will watch and wait for Apple to create the market for it, first.

McDave
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2006

0

05/31, 09:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
1080p - why?

When 90% LCD TV owners will never see it? Although they can use 1080p devices they have 1366 x 768 panels so 720p is fine and far more downloadable.

I like the AppleTV - then again, I own one. Then again why let reality get in the way of a theoretical spec-monkey argument.

McD

rubaiyat
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Feb 2006

0

05/31, 09:59pm | report spam | close Reply |
When wishes become dreams

So instead of pretending Apple will supply you with the all in one media-centre on the Apple TV and pretend it will let you see everything on your pretend HD big screen TV, why not just pretend to buy and save your money for when they really deliver the goods?

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

05/31, 11:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
dreams...

...are now. because it is not ONLY about HD. that is one key component that will mature over time as delivery of HD improves for everyone involved. this issue is not exclusive to ATV. HD is in its infancy, and yet many people have sprung for the viewing hardware required (lcd's, plasmas, upscalers, etc).

in the meantime, it is also about centralizing and improving the experience of: - access to my music - access to my photos - access to the music videos that MTV seems to have forgotten about - access to my DVDs, which i was already watching in an upscaled fashion

if someone didn't have a need for such things, save your $300. but if you've got a nice sound system, a sizable music library, huge amounts of photos that you enjoy sharing with people, a pile of legacy DVDs that you often forget you have... it's a no-brainer.

if $300 is worth holding up your life for, then you are not in the ATV demographic.

chas_m
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2001

0

06/01, 05:59am | report spam | close Reply |
Unlike most posters here

... we actually HAVE ONE in our workplace.

Photos (the only component that really MUST be pre-loaded on the HD) -- AWESOME! Seriously AWESOME!

Video Podcasts -- varies depending on the source, but MacBreak for example looks GREAT!

Videos -- not perfect, but I would say that most iTunes videos look as good as SDTV. This will improve in time.

Videos ripped from DVD -- look like DVDs to me.

Videos ripped from YouTube -- look BETTER than they do on YouTube but still look c***.

Overall, the AppleTV is tremendous, but has a few gaps that (contrary to the sniffing nancyboys who turn their nose at anything less than all that imaginary 1080p they're not watching) aren't very significant.

Is it worth $299? For most people who own an HDTV and wireless network, the answer would be YES. Particularly those people: 1. Who have lots of digital photos 2. Would like to rip their large DVD collections to an HD 3. Have kids who destroy DVDs through abuse or use 4. Use El Gato to turn their Mac into a PVR 5. Get a high percentage of their video from the web (will prob want to hack AppleTV to run DivX/XviD tho)

Ignore the pansies who fear the bleeding edge. Apple has already demonstrated that the AppleTV *will* address its few shortcomings over time. Most of the critics don't own one and are talking out of their a$$. Look at the list above and if one or more of the items listed sound like you, you'll probably be delighted.

LouZer
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2000

0

06/01, 08:57am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: 1080p why?

When 90% LCD TV owners will never see it? Although they can use 1080p devices they have 1366 x 768 panels so 720p is fine and far more downloadable.

When the MacBook pro is released with an ExpressCard slot, not a slot that's ever been used before, one that had NO cards for the mac at the time, one that made all existing cards useless. Yet the complaints about this were shouted down with how cards will come, PC Card is outdated, and you're just a PC-loving mac-hater for not wanting the expresscard (let alone asking why they couldn't get the 5/4 card slot).

But with 1080p, its reversed. No bleeding edge hype here. its now "Who's got 1080p? What a waste it would be!".

Maybe people expected 1080p because they expect more from Apple.

jasonsRX7
Mac Elite

Joined: Jul 2003

0

06/01, 08:59am | report spam | close Reply |
Reverse

I would buy one if it worked in reverse. Meaning, I would like to acquire and store my content from the Apple TV and stream it to my Macs and PCs.

I want a media CENTER, not a device that relies on other devices to provide content to it.

Storing gigs upon gigs of content on my laptop, and leaving my laptop up and running just so that the Apple TV can stream content from it is backwards to me. I want to free up space on my MBP by storing my media on a device specifically designed for the storage and playback of it.

Until it can do that, I'm not interested.

russellb
Junior Member

Joined: Sep 2001

0

06/01, 09:00am | report spam | close Reply |
Sigh

Sigh ... they just dont get it.

Since getting my Apple TV the whole families experience of watching all our recorded TV plus Itunes TV shows and Movies has improved 1,000 percent.

It's so easy you really take the Apple TV for granted till you remember how hard or fiddly it was before.

and with what Apple has up it's sleeve for us in the future with Apple TV I can't wait.

rubaiyat
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Feb 2006

0

06/01, 10:08am | report spam | close Reply |
Must get one...

... at your next yard sale.

ronjamin
Baninated

Joined: May 2002

0

06/01, 10:30am | report spam | close Reply |
Dud......I agree

Apple videos are too low quality, disk space is too small, you cant record broadcasts (tivo-esque), you can't load your DVD's. It's a great concept, but poorly thought out.... It's not even on-par with the first iteration of the iPod.

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

06/01, 01:34pm | report spam | close Reply |
it's fun...

...to see the people who don't own one continue to show that they'd rather post a quick jab than read the posts of those with weeks of experience with it.

even more entertaining is those of you who expect it to replace everything in your living, in one tiny box... and $300 is still too high!!

so setting aside that apple would have to overcome the issues involved in supporting ALL dish, OTA and cable providers formats and guide set-ups to be a PVR... let's see what this fantasy device should cost if it were to come out today, as a bleeeding edge all-in-one box:

:: HDPVR - $600 (IYRC, HDTivo was $900 when it debuted!)

:: 802.11n streaming HD video receiver, with internal caching HD, UI, IO, etc -$200 ($201.50 w/on-board volume control k*** for asshat at Fortune)

:: wireless HD streaming photo viewer - $50

:: wireless streaming music device - $100

$951-ish

SHELL IT OUT KIDS! it now does everything you want, plus has a volume k*** on the box!

no doubt, some people can cobble together some thing that uses game consoles and PCs and a variety of wireless tx/rx for cheaper, but we're talking about 1 little wireless box with a simple, elegant interface and about a 10 minute set-up time.

so in the meantime, for $300, those people who don't perpetually wait for the future will be enjoying the same lifestyle-changing benefits of the appleTV, akin to what tivo brought several years ago. and since we still have our Tivos, we've got the PVR part covered as well.

OtisWild
Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2005

0

06/01, 01:35pm | report spam | close Reply |
no excuse for no 1080p

Apple knew it was coming, yet they lazied out and left it off AppleTV.

BTW, I have 1080p, and I feed it natively with a PC. The video it produces is GORGEOUS, and noticeable over 1080i (particularly when it comes to fine detail or text). 1920x1080 displays a LOT more information than 1280x720, and is remarkably different especially close up and for, say, photos taken with 2MP and greater digital cameras.

If I didn't have a direct-attached PC or XBox 360 to my set, there may be a reason to get an AppleTV, but it's still overpriced for what it offers. And a mini will drive 1080p, though Apple's Display preference doesn't have much support for dealing with overscan :/..

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

06/01, 01:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
if you have 1080p...

...already. great. and it is gorgeous. what is your typical content though? does your TV accept true 1080p content? or is it upscaling from 720p and 1080i? 1080p is just 1080i, deinterlaced.

but it's far from necessary on a relatively inexpensive consumer device, until there is a critical mass (meaning millions) of HDTVs that can actually support 1080p input AND a critical mass of true 1080i/p content. that is still at least a year or 2 off. until then, it's pretty much a fun technology demostration. and i would expect the ATV to be upgraded by then, possibly even just with software. or as an evolution, a la XBOX to XBOX360.

LouZer
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2000

0

06/02, 07:39am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: if you have 1080p

But I thought Apple was supposed to always be on the bleeding edge of technology? When the iMac was released, it came with USB, which Apple-lovers always tout as the ignition for the explosion of USB devices. But now you're saying Apple should follow?

And I truly believe if Apple did include it, people here would be proudly exclaiming how it has 1080p, its ready for the future, Apple leading the pack again. I doubt you'd be arguing it shouldn't be there, or how it could be $50 cheaper without 1080p and apple made a horrible mistake.

What if TV makers decide that 1080p isn't necessary because there's no content nor any devices that output to it? And content producers don't produce it because they say there's no displays and no poducts that support it?

Someone has to push the technology.

rtbarry
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

06/02, 11:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
so louzer...

you few trolls need to stop acting like apple is opposed to 1080p for ATV. when in fact, it merely isn't a requirement yet.

apple should add in every little buzzword that PCkiddies crave? eventually, yes, when such buzzwords and their supporting requirements achieve critical mass. duh.

USB wasn't a buzzword, it was a well-defined standard that apple and other manufacturers adopted, and MS supported as well.

1080p isn't bleeding edge or a buzzword, it is an emerging technology whose time has yet to come (ie, when there is a critical mass of true 1080p I/O content and displays). and when it does, appleTV will be quickly and easily ready to comply.

explain to us how ATV buyers are being let down by lack of 1080p right now? are your bootleg 1080p Sailor Moon videos lacking that much schoolgirl panty definition?

inkhead
Senior User

Joined: Mar 2004

0

06/05, 02:54am | report spam | close Reply |
1080p

Actually I'm with the "trolls" on this one, Apple should have supported 1080p in the device. Consumers have too much confusion with HD, so just saying "Full HD" which is the new name for 1080p and down, would have been much better. It's half-assed to do 1080i.

And JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK it doesn't matter, because you bought a 37" LCD TV and can't see the difference that's fine. But don't assume the rest of the world feels the same.

Where I live in Santa Clara, CA all of my 6+ Neighbors have sets larger than 50" and all 1080p.

Anyone with LCoS technology should notice a pretty visible difference in 1080i to 1080p when especially when viewing photos. 1080i is technically HALF THE resolution of 1080p because the horizontal lines are interlaced every other one all the way down.

The reason Apple didn't add it is because the AppleTV hardware is too slow.

Often it seems to "beachball" all the time.

Anyway anybody with an HDTV has either an XBOX or a playstation, and can stream media to the TV.

Both my PS3 and XBox360 make my AppleTV useless.

OtisWild
Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2005

0

06/05, 05:33pm | report spam | close Reply |
connect360

BTW, with connect360 you can spool data off your Mac and iTunes playlists to XBox 360s on the same network. Works great with everything but encrypted iTunes tracks.

Works __GREAT__ with Handbrake-ripped DVDs. And the 360's Jeff Minter music visuals? AWSUM.

And it's $20.

videojunkie
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2007

0

06/06, 06:03pm | report spam | close Reply |
Appletv...

AppleTV with Youtube on it is compelling. Having said that Nintendo Wii brought Youtube to the living room TV 6 months ago. And applications like moowee.tv makes it a snap to watch Youtube with Wii.

sailin74
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2002

0

06/07, 11:47am | report spam | close Reply |
ATV

Well I have to say interesting write ups.

I own Apple TV, bought it at the bleeding edge. I have a 32inch LCD, and it's connected with HDMI to DVI cable (it's not a brand new TV).

I like it, alot. I enjoy being able to access movies in one of three iTunes libraries.

I like that my roomate and I can share source files, without having to copy them.

The video quality is just fine for me. I don't think there is any degradation due to the Apple TV, I think it plays the media it gets at best quality.

When people complain about iTMS not selling HD, they aren't thinking about the costs of the download. The files are pretty large, and the bandwidth isn't exactly free. Nevermind people would complain that it takes too long to download HD on most connections, and would be more expensive.

Handbrake is a great companion to Apple TV, especially now that it has presets for ATV.

My one wish is that I could put a DVD in my iMac or MacBook and view it from ATV without ripping it. Then I could trash my DVD player, and free up another connection, and reduce the complexity of the set-up.

Apple TV has loads of room to grow. Don't be pissed that it doesn't do everything you want it to. It does what it does really, really well. Wonder if that USB port will be activated at some time to connect a much larger hard drive for storage?

I want it to teleport me into the movies, but that'll take some development, and some time as well.

If you don't like it, don't buy it. I really like mine, and think there is alot of potential with the connection to the living room entertainment center.

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Fortune: Apple TV 'a dud'

updated 12:15 pm EDT, Thu May 31, 2007

Fortune: Apple TV 'a dud'

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