unhappy with apple tv display quality

[nomorestupids]

hey there -

so I got my ATV up and running (super fast set up) but the quality is so poor I am likely to return the unit. (looks like an old VHS that had been recorded over and over).I've tried with content previously purchased from the ITS as well as with content converted from avi to h262

questions before I return it:

1. I have a 5 yr old 16:9 HD tv and had to use a DVI to HDMI converter - could this be part of the problem?
2. has anyone else experienced dropping wifi? I've had to reset my modem 2x so far - seems to happen when I switch from ATV to regular TV - wifi drops on other machines in the house. (cable modem/linksys WRT54g/2 Macs)

thanks...

 

[JonHimself]

hey there -

so I got my ATV up and running (super fast set up) but the quality is so poor I am likely to return the unit. (looks like an old VHS that had been recorded over and over).I've tried with content previously purchased from the ITS as well as with content converted from avi to h262

questions before I return it:

1. I have a 5 yr old 16:9 HD tv and had to use a DVI to HDMI converter - could this be part of the problem?
2. has anyone else experienced dropping wifi? I've had to reset my modem 2x so far - seems to happen when I switch from ATV to regular TV - wifi drops on other machines in the house. (cable modem/linksys WRT54g/2 Macs)

thanks...

My TV is also a 16:9 HD TV and is 5 (maybe 6) years old. I have not purchased content off of iTS and can only point to DVDs that I have ripped straight to h.264 at 2500kpbs (pretty good). On my computer the quality is fantastic but on my TV it is worse. It's not terrible but it is nowhere near DVD quality. When I tried my Apple TV on my friends year-old HDTV it looked as good as it did on my computer.
Additionally, the reason that yours may look poor is because the stuff from the iTS is not that good quality to start with (again, I haven't purchased anything, but the specs are below DVD) and also because with the other content you have, you're converting a compressed file into another compressed file and the resulting file is not going to be that good (even on your computer). I would try to rip a DVD you own with Handbrake and see how that looks, it should definitely be an improvement.
But as I said, my TV is as old as yours and even with my own rips, I was disappointed with the quality. After seeing it on my friend's TV, I at least know that whenever I do get a new TV, the movies will look excellent.

 

[MikieMikie]

hey there -

so I got my ATV up and running (super fast set up) but the quality is so poor I am likely to return the unit. (looks like an old VHS that had been recorded over and over).I've tried with content previously purchased from the ITS as well as with content converted from avi to h262

questions before I return it:

1. I have a 5 yr old 16:9 HD tv and had to use a DVI to HDMI converter - could this be part of the problem?
2. has anyone else experienced dropping wifi? I've had to reset my modem 2x so far - seems to happen when I switch from ATV to regular TV - wifi drops on other machines in the house. (cable modem/linksys WRT54g/2 Macs)

thanks...

All I can tell you is that the picture quality on my 57" 16:9 Samsung is the same as DVD quality. I rip with MacTheRipper and encode with either Handbrake (AppleTV preset) or Visual Hub.

So, if your DVDs look good on your set, regardless of its age or other qualities, then there are only two places to look: source and connections.

I would rule out source first, as that can be done without an investment in new cables, etc.

I would suggest you rip a few minutes of a film you own], sync it to the AppleTV, and then see whether it was DVD quality. If not, it's your cables or the lousy content from ITMS.

-- Mikie

 

[ClassicBean]

Download some free HD podcasts from iTunes and see how it looks. It should look HD. Try the NASA Hidden Universe one. Go to the iTunes store, choose podcasts, under 'featured podcasts' choose HD and you'll see a whole bunch.

 

[Killyp]

I'm perfectly happy with the quality of mine.

Mind you though, it is connected to a 17" HD telly, and viewed from about 3 metres It's fine from close up though.

 

[nomorestupids]

thanks everyone

hey all -

so I gave it a shot with a converted dvd (one that I own, of course) and am pretty happy with the quality.

thanks also for the podcast suggestion - downloading and syncing some right now.

 

[je1ani]

I use Connect 360 and it's GREAT! things that show up pretty crappy on the computer actually aren't that horrible on my 42" plasma.