AppleTV for displaying Photos?

[Dick Campbell]

I would like to hear from any one who has used AppleTV for displaying photos, especially if they used the HDMI connection to an LCD TV.

1. What resolution is possible?
2. Is the resolution in TV terms (720p, 1080i etc) or hardware terms, my TV is 768 x 1366 for example.
3. I have heard that iTunes "processes" the images in some way. What that all about?
4. How good is the picture quality?
5. I would assume (being Apple) the the UI for the slide shows is reasonably nice. Is it? I haven't seen a single example of what it looks like.
6. If I use HDMI to connect my Windows notebook the my Samsung TV I get a messge that say "not supported device" so I have to use VGA at 768 x 1366. I presume that this is Digital Copy Protection (or what ever it is called) at work. Is my TV likely to respond the same way to Apple TV (I certainly hope not)?

Apart from the above questions Apple TV sounds like the photo storage and viewing device that I have been waiting for, and at an acceptable price.

Dick Campbell

 

[zap2]

Looks really nice...but you can pick which photo your looking at, you can't skip on, or go back


That kills it for me

 

[p0intblank]

If it's anything like displaying photos via the Xbox 360, then the photos will look excellent. Photos in HD... simply beautiful.

 

[imacdaddy]

I would like to hear from any one who has used AppleTV for displaying photos, especially if they used the HDMI connection to an LCD TV.

1. What resolution is possible?
2. Is the resolution in TV terms (720p, 1080i etc) or hardware terms, my TV is 768 x 1366 for example.
3. I have heard that iTunes "processes" the images in some way. What that all about?
4. How good is the picture quality?
5. I would assume (being Apple) the the UI for the slide shows is reasonably nice. Is it? I haven't seen a single example of what it looks like.
6. If I use HDMI to connect my Windows notebook the my Samsung TV I get a messge that say "not supported device" so I have to use VGA at 768 x 1366. I presume that this is Digital Copy Protection (or what ever it is called) at work. Is my TV likely to respond the same way to Apple TV (I certainly hope not)?

Apart from the above questions Apple TV sounds like the photo storage and viewing device that I have been waiting for, and at an acceptable price.

Dick Campbell

Answers:
1) Don't know what resolution but my 8MP pics looks AMAZING on my 42" via 1080i ATV output.
2) TV terms
3) iTunes only process photos to fit on iPods. For use with ATV, iTunes does not process the photos in any way. You're only using iTunes to select the directory/folder where your photos are stored. If you're using a Mac, you select iPhoto or Aperture.
4) Mouth dropping...eyes popping...good!
5) Yes you are correct. Also, when you play music on ATV, your photos are used as a screensaver. ATV displays them with around a 50 random photos on the screen scrolling around your tv...very nice touch! Something else to be aware of, there won't be any music for your slideshows if no music is stored/sync'd on the ATV. I stream all my vids/music to the ATV but I've created a "slideshow music" playlist in iTunes and I sync that to the ATV for my slideshow music.
6) The AppleTV will most likely self discover and select 720p for its output to display properly on your Samsung. It's really that plug and play.

 

[Dick Campbell]

Answers:
1) Don't know what resolution but my 8MP pics looks AMAZING on my 42" via 1080i ATV output.
2) TV terms
3) iTunes only process photos to fit on iPods. For use with ATV, iTunes does not process the photos in any way. You're only using iTunes to select the directory/folder where your photos are stored. If you're using a Mac, you select iPhoto or Aperture.
4) Mouth dropping...eyes popping...good!
5) Yes you are correct. Also, when you play music on ATV, your photos are used as a screensaver. ATV displays them with around a 50 random photos on the screen scrolling around your tv...very nice touch! Something else to be aware of, there won't be any music for your slideshows if no music is stored/sync'd on the ATV. I stream all my vids/music to the ATV but I've created a "slideshow music" playlist in iTunes and I sync that to the ATV for my slideshow music.
6) The AppleTV will most likely self discover and select 720p for its output to display properly on your Samsung. It's really that plug and play.

Thanks for the informative reply. I figured that 720p (720 x 1280?) was the closest to 768 x 1366. It really sounds like what I am looking for and of course it will be nice for playning musis as well. Being able to synch by WiFi is also a good feature.

Is the picture scaled up or displayed pixel for pixel?

 

[imacdaddy]

Is the picture scaled up or displayed pixel for pixel?

Pics from my Fujifilm F10 6MP camera are 2848 x 2136 and my Canon 20D 8MP are 3504 x 2336. The pics don't run off of my TV set at 1080i so I assume they are not displayed pixel for pixel. Does this mean they are scaled down? The pics are very sharp and crisp on my TV.

 

[Dick Campbell]

Pics from my Fujifilm F10 6MP camera are 2848 x 2136 and my Canon 20D 8MP are 3504 x 2336. The pics don't run off of my TV set at 1080i so I assume they are not displayed pixel for pixel. Does this mean they are scaled down? The pics are very sharp and crisp on my TV.

Obviously 6 MP and 8 MP pictures must be scaled down to display at 720p and from what you are saying Apple TV must to a decent job of that.

My question was more do do with whether the 720 x 1280 resolution is scaled up to the physical TV resolution of 768 x 1366 or whether there is a black border of 24 pixels vertically and and 43 pixels horizantally.

I have a Canon 300D by the way.

 

[jdanilson]

The resolution seems to be 720p all the time. I don't know if iTunes adjusts it or not, but the resolution on my 37" sharp lcd is excellent. I use the hdmi interface.

We love the pictures and when we have people over put it in automatic mode to just randomly show pictures. People rave about it.

I love the apple tv and the price point is excellent. We've also bought and rented a few movies but the lack of captions and dvd extras keeps us form using this more.

I have heard from others that the xbox is actually a better alternative but I have no experience with that. I have had the apple tv for several years (early adopter).

 

[jaw04005]

The Apple TV will display pictures up to 1080p, depending on which display setting you choose.

 

[redgaz26]

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I like looking at pics as the screen saver on my atv!!!

 

[westernmass]

Imacdaddy "5) Yes you are correct. Also, when you play music on ATV, your photos are used as a screensaver. ATV displays them with around a 50 random photos on the screen scrolling around your tv...very nice touch! Something else to be aware of, there won't be any music for your slideshows if no music is stored/sync'd on the ATV. I stream all my vids/music to the ATV but I've created a "slideshow music" playlist in iTunes and I sync that to the ATV for my slideshow music."

great idea!! I am not always thrilled with the songs it picks.Once I get my unit working again I will do this for sure.

 

[carlgo]

It all works very well. Mine is connected via HDMI through a home theater receiver which in turn connects to the 42" Panasonic plasma. All my stuff is HDMI and I am very happy about that.

I was afraid that my little 6mp photos would look bad on a 42" screen. I sure wouldn't attempt to make a print that large, but whatever pixel things that go on seem to work and the photos look good. The tv is a 720p and the photos look like a the best quality HD, so that is pretty good.

Somebody lend me a 60mp Hasselblad so I can compare.

People like the music that goes with the slideshow mode. Mine is random iTunes and sometimes the matchups are great. Also, I like the floating random photos that act like a screen saver when iTunes is selected.

ATV is excellent for what it was designed to do. If Apple showed an informative, not just amusing, commercial showing it in action, they would sell a lot more of them.