Had it with ATV - how does Apple Composite AV Cable work?

[ManhattanPrjct]

After sticking with ATV for about a year, I can safely say it's not for me. I don't feel the need to own the rights to anything I watch, the ATV's processor is too slow and 160GB is a joke. I like Handbrake to use when I want to put something I have on DVD on my Ipod for a long trip, but when I think about putting my entire collection of DVDs onto some massive hard drive solution, I laugh.

Netflix (both the discs and the streaming) just make too much monetary sense for somebody who doesn't feel the need to own what I buy forever. Maybe if there were a subscription plan for TV shows... but no. It's only a matter of time before somebody figures out how to get the PS3 to receive Netflix videos (who knows, maybe a used Xbox is worth it!).

That said, I would still love to watch some videos on my TV. How does the Apple Composite AV Cable work, especially with a relatively good 1080p TV? Does it fit the screen? Any degradation issues?

 

[ravenvii]

Composite cables cannot carry HD signals. Only SD signals. So it doesn't matter if the TV is HD or not, you're getting a SD picture.

 

[hefeglass]

not sure what you are planning to hook the composite cables to...but if you want to use an iphone...good luck.

I bought the composite AV cables (non HD use)...and they worked...sometimes..

then i exchanged them for the component AV cables which never worked..and they tried them at the apple store with a tv and phone on display and could not get them to work.

the boxes for both of the AV cables say that they are compatible with the ipod touch and iphone...but it doesnt seem so.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Any degradation issues?

The fact that you can't do HD with it might be degradation. Buy a $3 HDMI cable from Monoprice.

 

[ravenvii]

The fact that you can't do HD with it might be degradation. Buy a $3 HDMI cable from Monoprice.

orly? There's a $3 HDMI cable at Monoprice for the iPhone/iPod touch?

 

[Peace]

orly? There's a $3 HDMI cable at Monoprice for the iPhone/iPod touch?

I think the discussion is about the ATV not the iPod.

 

[Tallest Skil]

orly? There's a $3 HDMI cable at Monoprice for the iPhone/iPod touch?

Ach. Thought he was still on about the Apple TV.

I think the discussion is about the ATV not the iPod.

And now I'm confused.

 

[ManhattanPrjct]

I think the discussion is about the ATV not the iPod.

It's more about - "why can't I just plug my iPod into my TV" instead of the ATV. I guess I lose HD... but anything else of value?

 

[xraydoc]

It's more about - "why can't I just plug my iPod into my TV" instead of the ATV. I guess I lose HD... but anything else of value?

HD video and digital surround sound would be the two things you'd lose. If you can live with that, then there's no real issue.

For me, I'm happy enough with the Apple TV that I have 3 of them. They get quite a bit of use. I've got one on the family room TV; the kids use it all the time to access all the kid movies I've got on the iTunes server in the other room. One is in the room where my wife and I often watch TV at night after the kids go to bed. We'll use it to watch rented movies and our TV show subscriptions. And I've got one in the basement connected to the home theater & projector. Great for HD movie rentals.