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iPO at Macworld - Digging Deeper Into Apple TV

Friday, January 12th, 2007 at 6:00 AM - by

SAN FRANCISCO -- iPodObserver.com has learned more about Apple's newly renamed AppleTV, including some details about networking options, what kind of content can be shown through the unit and more.

1. In addition to an AirPort base station, a standalone Macintosh with an Airport card can be configured to connect directly, point-to-point, with an Apple TV.

2. 802.11n is not strictly required. Video can be transmitted using the 802.11g protocol.

3. The 720p output mode matches the resolution of most HDTVs already purchased, and the Apple TV price point is based on 720p hardware technology.

4. Apple's technical specification page for the Apple TV makes no mention of HDMI 1.2 or 1.3. When the product actually ships, we'll know more.

5. Only content contained within iTunes can be transmitted to the Apple TV. However, any H.264 or MPEG-4 file can be dragged into iTunes and made available to the Apple TV.

6. Movie content on DVDs is copy protected. There is no formal mechanism to allow movies on DVD to become part of the iTunes library.

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:38 am

I've been wondering a few things:

What is the ethernet port for? Does Apple TV have any wireless routing capabilities or can the ethernet port be used for wired streaming. Also, can it interact with AirTunes enabled Airport Express routers for listening to music?

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:48 pm

The ethernet port is for connecting to it via a wired network. Nothing odd there. Some people will have the ability to run ethernet between the AppleTV and their Mac/PC/Switch.

The wireless capability is there to allow it to be used by people without the ability to run ethernet to their living room.

Considering even the new 802.11n wireless standard still isn't as fast as 100 base T ethernet, you're better off running ethernet if you can. If you can't the wireless will work as well.

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jan 12, 2007 1:07 pm

Guest wrote:
I've been wondering a few things:

What is the ethernet port for? Does Apple TV have any wireless routing capabilities or can the ethernet port be used for wired streaming. Also, can it interact with AirTunes enabled Airport Express routers for listening to music?

I attended MacWorld on Wednesday and asked the Apple guy about ethernet and yes you can load Apple TV via that type of network.

I don't know about AirTunes, but you can listen to iTunes music on your TV using this Apple TV so I would say that they essentially have the same thing functions.

Edison Carter

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:28 pm

My biggest concern is picture quality. I know when I watch a TV show from iTunes at 'fit to screen' on my 17" PowerBook, it loses quite a bit of quality. How will it look on a 32" LCD TV using HDMI?

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:32 pm

My biggest question, which I've sent to Apple, is when - not if - will they start doing online movie rentals. They have the library (albeit growing), and now they have the mechanism to show the movies on your home hardware.

Curt

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:32 pm

Guest wrote:
My biggest concern is picture quality. I know when I watch a TV show from iTunes at 'fit to screen' on my 17" PowerBook, it loses quite a bit of quality. How will it look on a 32" LCD TV using HDMI?

It will look a lot better than a TV broadcast. Try it! I have a Mac mini connected to my TV and show from iTunes are way better than getting them from cable or satellite.

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jpfreeman said:

member since 12 Jan 2005 with 48 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:19 pm

With all the hype about the iPhone, there hasn't been as much discussion of the Apple TV. My questions:

Can I use it with my normal TV, which is not HDTV?

I'd love to watch youtube videos on my TV. Can't Apple work something out with their buddies at Google? The quality of most of those videos is very low, though.

Can we attach an external HD for more storage?

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:03 pm

I'm kinda scratching my head here... I've been using Airport as my wireless hub for a couple of years it seems, and all that wass missing was an ability to stream synched video. Does this have the ability to both receive wireless signals and generate them? If it's not a wireless hub the price is less interesting.

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Rainy Day said:

member since 07 Jun 2005 with 607 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:28 am

“Can I use it with my normal TV, which is not HDTV?”

Yes, it has a 4:3 letter boxed mode. If your TV doesn’t have an RGB or other Apple TV compatible input, you may have to run it through a VCR or RF modulator (about $30 from Monster Cable).

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A guest said: (hide)

Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:19 pm

The TV appears to need to accept progressive scan input (480p)

With respect to the video that can be streamed :

The 720p that used to be on Apple's site was 24 fps

The 720p that used to be on Apple's site has been deleted

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A guest said: (hide)

Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:11 pm

Well the 720p is back in the Apple specs but still only at 24fps. It still says it requires a TV capable of accepting progressive scan input, so MOST TVs are out, although most new TVs today will work....

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Intruder said:

member since 07 Jul 2004 with 3149 posts, TMO Mac Specialist, send him a message or view his profile

Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:33 pm

From the website:

Quote:
VIDEO: Video formats supported: H.264 and protected H.264 (from iTunes Store): 640 by 480, 30 fps, LC version of Baseline Profile; 320 by 240, 30 fps, Baseline profile up to Level 1.3; 1280 by 720, 24 fps, Progressive Main Profile. MPEG-4: 640 by 480, 30 fps, Simple Profile

TV: Enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen TVs capable of 1080i 60/50Hz, 720p 60/50Hz, 576p 50Hz (PAL format), or 480p 60Hz

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A guest said: (hide)

Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:34 pm

Why can I hear music through my Airport Express connected through component cable directly to a borrowed tv; BUT cannot hear it when I connect an RF Modulator through coax to my own tv? All components work fine in other scenarios - but do not seem to play nicely together.

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