Any rumours of a new ATV with 1080p?

[parish]

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Having now got an iPhone 4S I'm starting to shoot video, but trying to display it on my Sony TV is a pain so I'm thinking of getting a ATV.

However, the current ATV only supports 720p. I'm kind of surprised that Apple didn't launch a new 1080p model alongside the 4S (I guess it needs new h/w not just a s/w u/g).

Has anyone heard any rumours of a new model in the pipeline?

 

[Intell]

Nothing new until 2013. The current ATV2 is capable of 1080P with just a software upgrade.

 

[kiranmk2]

There were rumours around 6 months ago with reports of an A5-equiped ATV that could play 1080p 'like running water.' I have no doubt this exists, but looking at what's happened I wouldn't expect to see it this side of Christmas at the earliest. The fact that the iPod Touch has remained with an A4 chip this year where as every year previously it followed the iphone specs suggests that Apple needs every A5 chip for iPhones and iPads and there aren't enough to spare for the iPod Touch/ATV (or they're too expensive). Then this time next year (when the iPhone 4S moves to become the second tier iphone) we'll only be a few months away from the ratification of the follow-up to H.264 (HEVC). Now it might make more sense to wait and release an ATV with A6 chip that can decode 1080p HEVC which would allow 1080p downloads at roughly the same size as current 720p downloads using the new codec.

Either that or the ATV will be updated with the iPad 3 and Apple will really push the mirroring mode.

 

[parish]

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Nothing new until 2013. The current ATV2 is capable of 1080P with just a software upgrade.

Really? Wonder why they didn't include it in the latest update then? Would have made sense.

 

[Intell]

Really? Wonder why they didn't include it in the latest update then? Would have made sense.

Apple's only device that can record 1080p is the 4S. AirPlaying that over most people's home networks would lag too much for Apple's liking. And they are probably waiting until home internet speeds average enough speed to easily download/stream iTunes 1080p content.

 

[peterjcat]

Really? Wonder why they didn't include it in the latest update then? Would have made sense.

Because it's not true The ATV will output 1080p when it has an A5 chip in it.

 

[kiranmk2]

As far as I am aware, the A4 chip can decode 1080p, but there are lots of reports of high bitrate material stuttering so I think Apple prefer to er on the side of caution and not advertise it as 1080p if some 1080p won't play smoothly.

 

[peterjcat]

It can decode 1080p but nobody has managed to get it to output at 1080p instead of downscaling to 720p.

 

[sanford]

Don't sweat the p. If you want great video on your Sony TV, get a real video camera with a huge amount of storage and high-quality optics -- that is, a lens that doesn't have to be thin as a yak's hair -- and connect that by wire to your Sony TV. If you want easy viewing of home movies shot with your iPhone 4S, get an ATV and don't even think about resolution.

HD resolutions are tantamount to marketing gimmicks. Even 1080p Blu-ray is heavily compressed to disc from the master. In the real world -- Airplay, streaming services like Netflix, iTunes Store content, cable TV services -- you get 720 or 1080 lines of resolution, but the bit rate is low -- it's only a max of 40 mbps in a Blu-ray player.

I recently covered one of these AMC Theatre Uncharted 3 video game previews for a publication for which I write. Admission wasn't limited to press and industry -- they sold tickets to the gaming public. Although avid gamers, these guys and gals weren't accustomed to gaming industry dog-and-pony shows. They were simply stunned, blown away, by how good a 720p -- the game's not even 1080p -- PlayStation 3 game looked on a large movie theater screen. They didn't realize what they were watching was processed by a very, very expensive theater projection system with ultra-high-end upscaling.

Don't sweat resolution numbers. They will mess with your head, just as marketers intend. If it's convenient and looks reasonably good to you, then it's fine. It's never going to look as good as it does played out of flash storage on that tiny little high-res iPhone screen.

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Having now got an iPhone 4S I'm starting to shoot video, but trying to display it on my Sony TV is a pain so I'm thinking of getting a ATV.

However, the current ATV only supports 720p. I'm kind of surprised that Apple didn't launch a new 1080p model alongside the 4S (I guess it needs new h/w not just a s/w u/g).

Has anyone heard any rumours of a new model in the pipeline?