I've never used Apple TV but my parents would love the ability to view a library of movies and televisions series like what Apple TV offers. Just wondering if I should know anything about the product? Warnings, recommendations, tips? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
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Bought My Parents Apple TV for Christmas....What to expect?
- Thread starter ovlasidm
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Not really much to know about it, the ATV2 isn't really anything special, once connected (HDMI + power cord) you can Buy or Rent movies from iTunes, you can Stream whatever you got in your library on a local computer connected to the local network (if they have one), and you can stream Netflix (If they got an account, if they don't I would add that as part of the gift). That's about it (edit: o forgot youtube if your parents are into anything in there)
LOL what to expect? hopefully they give you a present worth $99 dollar or more?
Seriously though, this thread wasn't meant to be man. Search "AppleTV" and read some stuff, or even look at the apple website they explain everything to a certain degree.
Thanks
AE
Do they own a computer (they will need 1). How adept are they at stuff like DVD ripping and encoding. Do they have internet access and if so what speed.
A computer is not required to use the ATV2 (it is nice to have, but they don't "need" to have one)
You don't need a computer at all.
I bought one for my mom for Xmas, ended up giving it to her at Thanksgiving because I couldn't wait.
My mom is not tech-savvy at all and she can work the AppleTV & Netflix just fine. Your parents will love it.
Sorry, my bad. So if all you want to di is netflix and iTune rentals you do not need a computer running (i did not know that).
You would need internet access though right?
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
If they do have a computer, here's a few suggestions to really "wow" up this nice gift:
Any of those 4 things will make the little box almost magical to them. My own parents especially appreciate the on-demand home movies and old photos, which otherwise are hard to get at when they want to share them with some visiting relative or friend.
- gather all of the old home (family) movies and convert them to a format compatible with AppleTV, tag them in iTunes, then put them into their iTunes. On demand home movies are "wow" to the older generation
- gather all of the greatest family photos and either scan them or send them to one of those "1000 photos scanned for $50-$100" service. Then, put all of them in their copy of iPhoto or similar. Having all the great family photos readily available on the TV screen also wows that generation
- If they have any favored old-time TV shows or movies, the "oldies" are often priced quite low on DVD. For example, old westerns can sometimes be found by the dozens (video box sets) in the bargain bin. If any of that gets them going, consider buying some of those collections, converting them for them and putting them in their copy of iTunes.
- If they have an old record and/or CD collection, show them how to scan their CDs in iTunes, so they have easy access to their music collection.
Any of those 4 things will make the little box almost magical to them. My own parents especially appreciate the on-demand home movies and old photos, which otherwise are hard to get at when they want to share them with some visiting relative or friend.
I bought my Dad one. Me and my Mom have been feverishly ripping his insane DVD collection to disk in so that he has them all on his Apple TV. Sadly I overlooked a HUGE detail when I bought his Apple TV. The TV he would probably want to put it on has a DVI not HDMI connection, and there is NO way to get sound to that TV (that I can figure out). I can get the video through an adapter but no sound : /
Make sure you check details like the one above out and maybe set it up for him before Christmas just to be safe.
Make sure you check details like the one above out and maybe set it up for him before Christmas just to be safe.
There is an optical audio output on the Apple TV? Does the TV have an optical audio input? If not there are optical audio to analog (RCA etc..) converters.