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So what does Apple TV have to offer for us brits.....

Pez555

Pez555

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 18, 2010
2,320
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do we get access to the same stuff as the US?

im really tempted to get one of these, however i need someone to justify why they are cool for us people in the UK.

my assumption is we wont get as much as the people in US get?
 
No TV rentals for the moment, anyway: the apple uk site only mentions movies. No netflix either, as they aren't in the UK, and no mention of a deal with Lovefilm or equivalent. Might come eventually, I suppose, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
 
I'm going to go for a "wait and see" approach.

Current attraction is streaming my existing video collection, and iTunes music, from my iMac to my TV (they're in different rooms) - which may be enough for me to get one at that price.

Will be watching out for UK content though - BBC iPlayer would be good, being able to buy TV series would be nice (and not currently listed on UK Apple pages), and as i have an iPad seems like i won't get most of the functionality with that until November, so may be eorth waiting.

But then, we all know that Apple products never drop in price until they're replaced, so maybe worth just getting one now anyway :rolleyes:

David
 
im also thinking of getting one for the streaming of my itunes content also.

question, do you have to stream it from an Apple product or will it work with my laptop? (windows itunes).
 
thats awesome.

im definitely going to get one.
 
Pez555 said:
do we get access to the same stuff as the US?

im really tempted to get one of these, however i need someone to justify why they are cool for us people in the UK.

my assumption is we wont get as much as the people in US get?
Click to expand...

I'm assuming that all content available to the UK in the store currently is also available on the tellybox? Not sure.

I'm getting increasingly annoyed with the content providers and the massive delays between airing a series in the US and in the UK/elsewhere. Don't they realise it's a small planet - people are increasingly going to resort to illegal measures to watch programmes that are airing in the US, so when they are finally broadcast (six months, a year?!) later over here, many people have already seen them and perceived viewer numbers are smaller. It's a very dangerous position and it's going to result in series being cancelled internationally as they are perceived as 'failures' and can't attract the necessary advertising revenue because of small viewing figures. This will only hurt the studios.

Something has to change, but it's in the hands of the studios. Good on Apple for keeping the pressure up and trying to release more content to the consumer.
 
Well since we don't get netflix, for UK users its best though of as a "TV iTunes" box.

  • you can stream anything you can play in itunes from iTunes on your PC or Mac
  • you can rent movies and shows from iTunes
  • browse and play youtube

Presumably the desktop's itunes libabry will appear in the TV interface,
and I wouldn't have to go and start playback on the dekstop (like you have to on iphone/ipad) ?

iPlayer is available on iphone and ipad, so hopefully that will appear on apple TV at some point too.
 
nelmat said:
I'm getting increasingly annoyed with the content providers and the massive delays between airing a series in the US and in the UK/elsewhere. Don't they realise it's a small planet - people are increasingly going to resort to illegal measures to watch programmes that are airing in the US, so when they are finally broadcast (six months, a year?!) later over here, many people have already seen them and perceived viewer numbers are smaller. It's a very dangerous position and it's going to result in series being cancelled internationally as they are perceived as 'failures' and can't attract the necessary advertising revenue because of small viewing figures. This will only hurt the studios.

Something has to change, but it's in the hands of the studios. Good on Apple for keeping the pressure up and trying to release more content to the consumer.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure who's fault this is, but it's not as simple as you make it seem. There are a number of reasons for the delay (including schedules, contracts, prices), and US studios don't take international viewing figures into account when cancelling a show (they've sold the broadcast rights, they don't care how many people watch it).

It would be nice if they could get iPlayer and the other catchup services available through the tv (SkyPlayer for sky subscribers would be nice too)
 
I've ordered one - but I'll be using a US iTunes account with it to take advantage of renting US TV shows that we either don't get in the UK, or get many months later.

I've previously been downloading TV shows to my iPad and hooking that up to the TV, which worked well, but ATV will make it all the easier.

Without the US account though, I don't see I would get any benefit from it just yet.
 
Do netflixs have all the latest movies and can we use it here in the UK if we pay the fee?
 
nlr said:
Do netflixs have all the latest movies and can we use it here in the UK if we pay the fee?
Click to expand...

You could, but that's illegal, as you'd have to give a US address (fraud).

I wouldn't mind if they contracted with BBC and Channel 4 etc for iPlayer and 4oD. That'd be freaking awesome if iPlayer and 4oD and ITV's equivalent was on there.
 
nlr said:
Do netflixs have all the latest movies and can we use it here in the UK if we pay the fee?
Click to expand...

Yes, pretty sure they have all the latest stuff. No idea if you can use it over here though - would also be interested to know this. My initial feeling is that Credit Card might be a problem when it comes to opening a Netflix account. iTunes can be worked around by buying US Vouchers.
 
At £99 I'm willing to take a shot at the Apple TV just as a method to easily stream content from my iTunes library and possibly rent the odd film or whatever. I think that price point is pretty compelling even if it is more expensive than the US version and currently without as many features.

I'm not going to dive straight into it, mind, but I'm not too dissapointed by what they've presented us.

I generally find alot of the complaints of Apple TV in the UK aren't restricted just to this instance. The lack of UK alternatives to Netflix and other US streaming networks has hampered my experience of the iPad, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the past as a UK resident. Lovefilm are probably the most natural fit to step up and offer that sort of service over here but they and others have been pitifully slow at best (and non existent at worst) in actually doing that.
 
TheBritishBloke said:
I wouldn't mind if they contracted with BBC and Channel 4 etc for iPlayer and 4oD. That'd be freaking awesome if iPlayer and 4oD and ITV's equivalent was on there.
Click to expand...

Yeah and Sky player like on the xbox but I really doubt apple care for non-us residents.

Will there be a jailbreak where we can install these ourself?
 
The problems with the new :apple: Tv is that your mac needs to be on all the time for you to use it, if you want to watch a ripped dvd etc. So means you have to boot up, launch itunes wait for it to be found then you can watch. Also when your mac goes to sleep when you forget to change the settings, then you do this for a year or so and o wait the hdd goes in you imac from spinning too much!

The old system in my opinion is better, I prefer that i can just turn it on and watch stuff i have on it. They still havent nailed it. I think the sales of the old one will go through the roof especially when you can put a 1tb drive in them now!
 
tomscott1988 said:
The problems with the new :apple: Tv is that your mac needs to be on all the time for you to use it, if you want to watch a ripped dvd etc. So means you have to boot up, launch itunes wait for it to be found then you can watch. Also when your mac goes to sleep when you forget to change the settings, then you do this for a year or so and o wait the hdd goes in you imac from spinning too much!

The old system in my opinion is better, I prefer that i can just turn it on and watch stuff i have on it. They still havent nailed it. I think the sales of the old one will go through the roof especially when you can put a 1tb drive in them now!
Click to expand...

For 'geeks', this is true. However, for the average Joe (which, lets be honest, are the people we really need to see buying these if ever they will become mainstream) - the ability to just 'click and watch' is the most important thing. As Steve said in the keynote - the average Joe doesn't want to have to Sync stuff.
 
stream video/audio from safari?

question i had was can you stream from mobile safari via airplay?

This would bring the iplayer to appleTV....

Of course the real hope is that apple work with the beeb etc to add it to the internet tab on the appletv menu. But wasnt that the case with the previous appleTV anyway?
 
Does itunes support all movies format?

Could I download a movie and put it on itunes and watch it on apple tv?
 
New ATV for Brits is the equivalent of the iPod dock, av cables, usb power adapter and remote without the need for an iPod or the hassle of hooking it up to TV/stereo and synching to computer etc.
 
I've ordered one for my parents, as they really are the demographic that Apple seem to be targeting with this.

Movie rentals - joining Blockbuster is "a hassle" :rolleyes:
Photo streaming - they're currently burning cd's and playing those on the tv
YouTube
Flickr - I can make an account and keep it updated with pictures of their granddaughter. No more emailing and viewing on the pc.

So for them it makes sense. For me? Nah :cool:
 
Short answer- Not a lot.

I would buy one in a second if it supported Divx (95% of my collection) and streaming from NAS. Then I would probably rent iTunes movies from time to time, which is obviously the point of Apple TV from Apple's perspective. I can see adding on-demand services (iPlayer etc) boosting UK sales too.

I was really impressed with the Apple media event until it got to Apple TV!
 
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