So i got my appletv

[i.Feature]

So i got my apple tv. Wow. I'm pretty impressed. I guess after reading many complaints i was worried that i'd be dissapointed. Not at all. I mean there are things i'd like the ability to do out of the box:

- Native xvid syncing (yes i have home movies and rips encoded with xvid that arn't pirated)
- Some basic web browsing feature or even RSS would have been amazing.
- ability to create and upload screen savers (aquarium one would be cool!)

I can wish for things like everyone else, but in the end I really like how it handles the feature it does have. Best new "toy" i've got since my original ipod.

 

[05elstonc]

I was worried as well. But since I have been using it for the past month I am very happy with my Apple TV. I am using it on a 27" standard def 4:3 TV and I still enjoy it even though there is some squishing due to the fact that it is not on a widescreen tv. The TV shows and movies look fantastic on the SD screen and when Apple bumps iTunes to HD I will buy an HD TV. It is really a perfect combo. Also since Apple has stated publicly that they will be making updates to features and software to AppleTV I am excited to see what the first software update brings.

 

[i.Feature]

I am excited to see what the first software update brings.

I am as well. I think the things i want are likely to be added eventually(except possibly xvid) and maybe ipod games too.

 

[Scarpad]

I like mine alot. Enough so that when the store glitched and sent me a second one I kept it for my Basement HT. I was amazed to see that even wireless in the basement it streams my ripped DVD's and TV Shows without a hiccup.

 

[rockstarjoe]

I was worried as well. But since I have been using it for the past month I am very happy with my Apple TV. I am using it on a 27" standard def 4:3 TV and I still enjoy it even though there is some squishing due to the fact that it is not on a widescreen tv. The TV shows and movies look fantastic on the SD screen and when Apple bumps iTunes to HD I will buy an HD TV. It is really a perfect combo. Also since Apple has stated publicly that they will be making updates to features and software to AppleTV I am excited to see what the first software update brings.

Are you videos and other content squished, or is it just the AppleTV menu itself that is squished? I have a standard def 4:3 tv, and I would love to get an AppleTV. I wouldn't mind it if it was just the menus that were squished, but I think it would bother me if it affected my content playback as well.

 

[kuebby]

I like mine alot. Enough so that when the store glitched and sent me a second one I kept it for my Basement HT.

When you say that do you mean that Apple sent you a second one for free or sent you two and charged you for both?

 

[gkarris]

I was worried as well. But since I have been using it for the past month I am very happy with my Apple TV. I am using it on a 27" standard def 4:3 TV and I still enjoy it even though there is some squishing due to the fact that it is not on a widescreen tv. The TV shows and movies look fantastic on the SD screen and when Apple bumps iTunes to HD I will buy an HD TV. It is really a perfect combo. Also since Apple has stated publicly that they will be making updates to features and software to AppleTV I am excited to see what the first software update brings.

Why do people like to watch shows squished or stretched to the WRONG FORMAT?

I have a bunch of people at church with very high-end high def TVs, and they stretch the 4:3 pictures to 16:9. They also have the TVs set to watch 16:9 in letterbox 4:3 and then strech that to 16:9, looking totally squished and stretched.

I can't stand it...

What's the deal???

 

[MovieCutter]

Why do people like to watch shows squished or stretched to the WRONG FORMAT?

I have a bunch of people at church with very high-end high def TVs, and they stretch the 4:3 pictures to 16:9. They also have the TVs set to watch 16:9 in letterbox 4:3 and then strech that to 16:9, looking totally squished and stretched.

I can't stand it...

What's the deal???

I'm a video professional, and I just don't see the big deal. Personally, I like using all of the screen real estate that I paid for.

 

[greg555]

You know the saying about TV cameras adding 10 pounds? Well, when you view 4:3 video in 16:9 you add another 30 pounds

It bugs me too. Even the ones that just stretch the edges because it is supposed to be less noticable. Now when the camera pans and things change widths!

Greg

 

[RedTomato]

You know the saying about TV cameras adding 10 pounds? Well, when you view 4:3 video in 16:9 you add another 30 pounds

It bugs me too. Even the ones that just stretch the edges because it is supposed to be less noticable. Now when the camera pans and things change widths!

I call that America's latest invention. Being well known for obesity, and for sensivities to people's feelings, they invented a new form of TV that makes everyone look fatter, thereby making the 65% (official figures) of americians that are overweight feel perfectly normal and happy, sitting in their homes watching other apparently overweight people on TV.

I first noticed this when I was watching some gymnastic championships, and I was thinking 'mm these gymnastics women look really healthy and sexy and well rounded, not stick thin like they used to be'.

Then the commenter came on, and I realised it was a stretched picture. D'oh! For giggles, I switched to some wrestling, and blimey! Two ton massive hulks lumbering around!

Now, to me, it's instantly noticeable, and I can't stand stretched or squashed pictures. I've noticed a lot of other people find it hard to detect - they seem to accept any picture that's in front of them.

If the poster above is really a video professional and is happy to accept stretched or squashed images, I'd keep very quiet about that at work.

 

[MovieCutter]

If the poster above is really a video professional and is happy to accept stretched or squashed images, I'd keep very quiet about that at work.

At work and at home are different things. I'd prefer to see a marginally stretched image taking up the entire screen when I'm relaxing at home instead of having gray vertical bars staring me in the face. That being said, most of the programming I watch is in HD anyway, but until the Daily Show goes HD, I just don't care if Jon Stewart is stretched a little bit, I don't watch a lot of SD shows for the visual appeal.

 

[05elstonc]

Widescreen content on the 4:3 screen is full screen but the edges are truncated, if the content is filmed well with the action in the center 2/3rds than there isn't too big of a deal. 4:3 shows get bars to the right and left.

watching video in the wrong format is like walking into a smelly room. It bothers you at first, but within a few minutes you get used to it and can't smell it anymore.

Would I prefer watching everything as it was intended to be watched? Yes. Do I prefer having the convinience of the Apple TV now and get the HD tv later? Yes.

 

[Scarpad]

When you say that do you mean that Apple sent you a second one for free or sent you two and charged you for both?

I Should be so lucky, no I was billed for two, I ordered one, was going to return it but decided to keep it, now I have content available to me both Upstairs and Downstairs, its a beautiful thing.

 

[neven]

I just wanted to add my vote of satisfaction to this thread. I got my AppleTV the first day they became available, and I'm very happy with it. I don't mind converting everything for it since I'm hoping that future Apple devices - iPhone, iPods - will be able to play back the same files. That way I only have to worry about converting my media, not about hacking each device. I already stream all the videos I imported into iTunes to my other computers - it works great. Four computers, one library, nothing to hack.

In any case, I'm watching this puppy every night and it's already justified the cost. I'm looking forward to enhancements to the software and iTunes content. Too many people in this forum are whining without ever having used an AppleTV.

 

[zap2]

Yup the ATV is great...I use all formats support in iTunes, because I've built my whole music, vidoe and photo collection on a Mac. Its perfect, and the only real draw back is limited format support but that a none issue for me