Apple TV

scoobysdad - 2012-10-02 1:32 PM

sbsmann - 2012-10-02 1:15 PM

Would be interested in hearing from people who have Apple TV and how they like it?  The only thing kind of holding me back right now is the ability to watch movies in the highest definition available.  From what I understand most content is in 720i or 720p with very little available in 1080i or 1080p.  This tells me it is more like a DVD quality (720) picture and obviously not nearly as good as Blue-Ray (1080p).  This is a big difference to me and maybe I have become a spoiled videophile over the years, but I kind of demand the best picture available on my HDTV.  Apple TV seems like it might be a letdown if all I can get is DVD quality movies and TV shows.  Peoples thoughts?

I have it. I like it. You're welcome to come over and try it out for yourself. I think you know where I live. You're right, the resolution is not as good as Blu-Ray, but it's surprisingly good, even on the really big screen. I also really like that it's basically "plug and play" so we can move the unit around to different TV's when we or the kids want to watch something on a different TV. Apple TV also makes Netflix and Youtube incredibly easy to use with its proprietary interface. Again, you're welcome to come over and check it out anytime, Scott.

Nice...I didn't realize you had it.  I do like the integration with Netflix and the itunes stuff and I also like the concept of that "Air Play".  I suppose for $100 you really can't go wrong with it and I'm not sure why I'm fretting over this so much.  I definitely might take u up on your offer if nothing else just to see the picture and how it works.  Thanks!

DVD is not 720P.

DVD is 480i ( same as standard TV def ).  With a Progressive Scan DVD player, it will output 480P.  Same resolution, just faster screen redraws.

The i or P means interlaced ( a screen redraw takes 2 frames ) or Progressive scan ( a screen redraw takes 1 frame ).

HD is 720P or 1080i or 1080P.  720i is technically a valid combination, but I'm not aware of it actually being used anywhere.

If you have lots of action ( think sports ) 720P is better than 1080i, as it's more important that you refresh the screen each frame to reduce artifacts and such.  1080P is better than 720P, but only if there's enough detail to make it worthwhile and the original was captured in 1080P and not just being up-scaled.

You are very unlikely to notice a difference from 720P to 1080P unless you are *very* discerning or sitting too close to the screen.  Anything you are watching (as a consumer) has gone through ( usually lossy ) compression of some sort so that it fits into the download file, the stream bandwidth size, or onto the disc you are playing it from.

sbsmann - 2012-10-02 1:50 PM

scoobysdad - 2012-10-02 1:32 PM

sbsmann - 2012-10-02 1:15 PM

Would be interested in hearing from people who have Apple TV and how they like it?  The only thing kind of holding me back right now is the ability to watch movies in the highest definition available.  From what I understand most content is in 720i or 720p with very little available in 1080i or 1080p.  This tells me it is more like a DVD quality (720) picture and obviously not nearly as good as Blue-Ray (1080p).  This is a big difference to me and maybe I have become a spoiled videophile over the years, but I kind of demand the best picture available on my HDTV.  Apple TV seems like it might be a letdown if all I can get is DVD quality movies and TV shows.  Peoples thoughts?

I have it. I like it. You're welcome to come over and try it out for yourself. I think you know where I live. You're right, the resolution is not as good as Blu-Ray, but it's surprisingly good, even on the really big screen. I also really like that it's basically "plug and play" so we can move the unit around to different TV's when we or the kids want to watch something on a different TV. Apple TV also makes Netflix and Youtube incredibly easy to use with its proprietary interface. Again, you're welcome to come over and check it out anytime, Scott.

Nice...I didn't realize you had it.  I do like the integration with Netflix and the itunes stuff and I also like the concept of that "Air Play".  I suppose for $100 you really can't go wrong with it and I'm not sure why I'm fretting over this so much.  I definitely might take u up on your offer if nothing else just to see the picture and how it works.  Thanks!

Far from an expert here, but don't most internet-ready TVs come with integration with Netflix (and Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime, etc.) these days?

the bear - 2012-10-03 7:25 AM

sbsmann - 2012-10-02 1:50 PM

scoobysdad - 2012-10-02 1:32 PM

sbsmann - 2012-10-02 1:15 PM

Would be interested in hearing from people who have Apple TV and how they like it?  The only thing kind of holding me back right now is the ability to watch movies in the highest definition available.  From what I understand most content is in 720i or 720p with very little available in 1080i or 1080p.  This tells me it is more like a DVD quality (720) picture and obviously not nearly as good as Blue-Ray (1080p).  This is a big difference to me and maybe I have become a spoiled videophile over the years, but I kind of demand the best picture available on my HDTV.  Apple TV seems like it might be a letdown if all I can get is DVD quality movies and TV shows.  Peoples thoughts?

I have it. I like it. You're welcome to come over and try it out for yourself. I think you know where I live. You're right, the resolution is not as good as Blu-Ray, but it's surprisingly good, even on the really big screen. I also really like that it's basically "plug and play" so we can move the unit around to different TV's when we or the kids want to watch something on a different TV. Apple TV also makes Netflix and Youtube incredibly easy to use with its proprietary interface. Again, you're welcome to come over and check it out anytime, Scott.

Nice...I didn't realize you had it.  I do like the integration with Netflix and the itunes stuff and I also like the concept of that "Air Play".  I suppose for $100 you really can't go wrong with it and I'm not sure why I'm fretting over this so much.  I definitely might take u up on your offer if nothing else just to see the picture and how it works.  Thanks!

Far from an expert here, but don't most internet-ready TVs come with integration with Netflix (and Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime, etc.) these days?

Yes, and Netflix is one of the problems bc from what I have heard their library of movies in 1080 (i or p) is virtually nonexistent.

In regard to Coredump's comments, I'm pretty familiar with the various formats and it's important to understand that there is a significant difference between 720 and 1080 (i or p).  You may not be able to differentiate between any of the formats on a smaller screen.  However as you move up in screen size there is a significant difference between viewing something in 720 and 1080 (i or p).  I can watch a DVD on our 20' TV and compare it to a blue ray on the same tv in 1080p and see no difference.  However, if I do the same thing on our 60" plasma the difference is quite remarkable.

I'm also aware of the differences between interlaced and progressive scan, and not only sports but any movies with any type of fast moving action are subject to compression artificting and ghosting.  In general progressive scan is almost always preferable.

But to stay on course of this thread, I was interested in peoples experience with Apple TV and with its picture quality and interaction with Netflix.  Overall it sounds like people are pretty satisfied and quick frankly for $100 it seems like a good purchase.  From what I can tell most of the content from Netflix will be in "lower definition" HD or even DVD quality and really the only place you can view "higher" definition HD is through items you purchase through iTunes.  Watching Netflix on a PC the picture looks just fine, but streaming it through a larger TV I will have to see myself at Scoobysdad's house

Far from an expert here, but don't most internet-ready TVs come with integration with Netflix (and Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime, etc.) these days?

Yup, many do these days.  However, most TVS purchased just a few years ago did not have that functionality.  Unfortunately, in my case none of my 3 HDTVS have that functionality built in

Yup, many do these days.  However, most TVS purchased just a few years ago did not have that functionality.  Unfortunately, in my case none of my 3 HDTVS have that functionality built in

Not comparing it, but rather trying to find the best combination of devices.  Someone can get an $84 Blu-Ray player and connect it to his or her $3,000 tv and get the BEST picture available versus spending $100 on Apple TV and getting an inferior (DVD quality) picture on that same $3,000 tv.  Or someone can own both and have the best of both worlds.

I guess it all depends on what is most important to each person.

Not you, Bear. 

I kind of get what you are trying to do, but honestly I don't think there's much out there that provides true 1080p. Selections when they do are very limited.

I only have AppleTV (no cable) and a 2.5 year old plasma TV (no idea about the p or i rate or whatever). Sometimes when I watch things on AppleTV it is HD. I don't know if I have seen any Netflix content that is HD, but certainly I have with YouTube or Apple Content, can remember exactly what now.

However, I kind of dislike HD. I prefer things a little more blurry and to look like I'm watching TV. I find HD too jarring or something. 

Apple TV provides it's content in 1080 format if you download it that way from Itunes (which you should, but some people don't know you can choose your format).  So in other words if you buy (because you can't rent from Itunes) season one of Breaking Bad in iTunes, you will get that in 1080 on your TV which will indeed look perfect.  It's important to understand that ONLY content you purchase in iTunes will you be watching in this awesome format.

However (and this is the key), Netflix does NOT provide this high level format.  Most people don't know or don't care, but basically you are getting something closer to DVD resolution when you are streaming from Netflix.  Not that this is bad, but IMO it is not as good as the high-end HD.  

People seem to think that bc the AppleTV box and advertising touts 1080p, that they are getting everything in that format.  If you are using Netflix and since they don't provide anything in 1080 (i or p), it doesn't matter what the AppleTV box is capable of.  You are only getting what the source (Netflix) provides.

Hope that helps make some sense of things.

I'm no expert either, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I have a Samsung 3D/LED, and while it's internet compatible, it requires their wifi dongle, which costs around $50. As mentioned, you can get a blu-ray player with wi-fi adapter pretty cheap nowadays. But for me, I went with a PS3. You get blu-ray, gaming, and all of the movie apps (netflix, hulu, etc) and wifi adapter all in one. It's a little more pricey, but the bundle was worth it for me.

I'm considering going with an Apple TV though, just to be able to stream my itunes library through my home entertainment system without connecting my phone.

lol...I know.  That great picture sometimes makes one dizzy in pleasure sometimes

Agree...and that feature is definitely a nice-to-have.