Youtube update on Apple TV

[Kusanagi6913]

I've just joined the small but proud group of TV owners and am disabling cable TV once on Wednesday.

That said, I've loved it thus far. The HD clarity via a HDMI cable is ridiculous--it is quite stunning. I do not own an HDTV over 32" but I do find it amazing that atleast on my relatively tiny Olevia (in comparison to my parents 60" Sony) that the sharpness and clear clarity of image for video content (as well as pictures from iPhoto) look AMAZING.

I'm going to be watching an HD movie tonight but one thing that has bothered me is the Podcast option. I'm perfectly comfortable forgoing live TV (save for sports games--but I'll be hitting the bar or catching local feeds) but I do find it curious that my Podcast is not updating everyday. I don't mean update as in download to my TV--I'm talking when I search content to view--the last refresh was in some cases 12/23. I know programs like Democracy Now have updated since 12/26 but on my podcasts favorites tab on TV it shows last new ep of 12/23. Is this something because of the holidays? Or (I'm truly hoping not to be) is this the case of a silliness on Apple's part where they do not push the latest loaded podcasts to the ATV as they do the iTunes store on your computer.

This would seriously challenge my goal of dropping cable TV if I cannot atleast get up to date news podcasts.

 

[pjarvi]

I haven't run into any podcast issues myself. I think to a certain extent that it's dependent on the podcast host updating things on their end. I don't actually know how Apple handles podcasts though. I would assume they just scan a published file on each podcasts respective site for updates and add the update to their list, then direct the person directly to that site for the download or stream, rather than host the files themselves.

 

[hitekalex]

I do find it curious that my Podcast is not updating everyday. I don't mean update as in download to my TV--I'm talking when I search content to view--the last refresh was in some cases 12/23. I know programs like Democracy Now have updated since 12/26 but on my podcasts favorites tab on TV it shows last new ep of 12/23. Is this something because of the holidays?

Yes.. most of the daily shows are on hiatus during the Holiday season.. and therefore there are no fresh podcasts. I subscribe to a few news podcasts (Rachel Madow Show, Countdown, AC360) - and they typically get published within 1 hour of original show airing..

 

[dmm219]

Yes.. most of the daily shows are on hiatus during the Holiday season.. and therefore there are no fresh podcasts. I subscribe to a few news podcasts (Rachel Madow Show, Countdown, AC360) - and they typically get published within 1 hour of original show airing..

Agreed. Its just the holidays. I normally watch Nightly News, the same night it is Broadcast. It isn't always consistent for some reason. Sometimes, its available right after the podcast, at other times, I've had to wait till 11pm for it to update.

 

[Kusanagi6913]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm not sure yet if I know for sure where it stands --I'm going to give it to midnight tonight and see if any of the normal updates occur. I just find it hard to believe there is not an update option for refresh of content on podcasts. I'm sure the movies/ tv shows update every Tuesday morning (as it does on iTunes) but we'll see. It just seems a shame that this is a feature not installed or added to allow us a chance to stream podcasts up to the minute they are released online.

Secondly, I am still very much enjoying the unit--so much potential. I'm amazed they set these up on sch big screen tv's in the Apple stores--the quality looks horrendous in every store I've been in but I can honestly say thus far that HD Dark Knight and an HD ep of 30 Rock both looked quite beautiful.

Lastly, I'm believing that if Apple is smart--they'll move this "hobby" to the next logical step--

1. game apps (such as what exist on iPhone--check any NPD data and fact of the matter is that casual games are truly the growth part of the industry--for every Gears of War 2 there are literally hundreds of titles that lose money) like Uno or Pool or what have you.

2. Ad supported tv streamed--there's no reason TV cannot basically pull its' own HULU. People who believe this goes against the Apple eco-system are looking at things through very strange glasses...some shows you want to own and hence why many shows are sold and sell well I might add on DVD. iTunes will not suffer from this at all-- if anything they can bring a certain cache to shows like they have music via their iPod commercials and thus inspire more purchases.

3. Allowing iPod Touch keyboard integration for typing long threads--e-mail addresses, searches

4. Last but not least, can we please get some widgets??? Would love an app store type thing for very awesome TV options like weather, a TV Guide (local TV still has my needed college games/ nationally televised sports games), restaurant reviews--and so on.

 

[hitekalex]

It just seems a shame that this is a feature not installed or added to allow us a chance to stream podcasts up to the minute they are released online.

I am not sure I understand your point.. The podcasts ARE available to AppleTV the moment they're published by the content owners. It is up to content owners (e.g. MSNBC or CNN) to publish the podcasts. There is usually a short lag (typically ~1 hour) between the show airing and podcast availability. But it's nothing that Apple has any control over, or can somehow improve by a "feature".

 

[rickeym]

Agreed. Its just the holidays. I normally watch Nightly News, the same night it is Broadcast. It isn't always consistent for some reason. Sometimes, its available right after the podcast, at other times, I've had to wait till 11pm for it to update.

Yep, me too.

 

[Kusanagi6913]

I am not sure I understand your point.. The podcasts ARE available to AppleTV the moment they're published by the content owners. It is up to content owners (e.g. MSNBC or CNN) to publish the podcasts. There is usually a short lag (typically ~1 hour) between the show airing and podcast availability. But it's nothing that Apple has any control over, or can somehow improve by a "feature".

Hitekalex, you don't understand what I'm talking about clearly. I will concede that the process as it relates to Apple TV content may be slightly different than it is on iTunes proper but that still is no excuse for why Apple cannot fix it. For example, the App Store is a similar concept. Developer X has a bug fix that is killing his business and he works over a day, weekend -- what have you to fix it..he has to submit it to Apple, they have to approve it before it can be uploaded properly. Therefore be it improving the app approval timelines or creating a more efficient loading program as handled by the creator--there's plenty for Apple to do. I don't understand your dismissal of this..it's a $200+ item that Apple markets as being iPod for your TV--my iPod updates regularly, routinely and with very little lag--it's reliability is the feature---therefore yeah, it's a 'feature' I expect within my Apple TV as well and if you think it's difficult to make something so simple as regularly uploaded podcasts (some of which like newspod by BBC are every few hour refresh while others like Democracy Now are everyday by 10am) a standard procedure of the TV then I have to respectfully disagree--my money requires competency and reliability.

 

[hitekalex]

Hitekalex, you don't understand what I'm talking about clearly. I will concede that the process as it relates to Apple TV content may be slightly different than it is on iTunes proper but that still is no excuse for why Apple cannot fix it. For example, the App Store is a similar concept. Developer X has a bug fix that is killing his business and he works over a day, weekend -- what have you to fix it..he has to submit it to Apple, they have to approve it before it can be uploaded properly. Therefore be it improving the app approval timelines or creating a more efficient loading program as handled by the creator--there's plenty for Apple to do. I don't understand your dismissal of this..it's a $200+ item that Apple markets as being iPod for your TV--my iPod updates regularly, routinely and with very little lag--it's reliability is the feature---therefore yeah, it's a 'feature' I expect within my Apple TV as well and if you think it's difficult to make something so simple as regularly uploaded podcasts (some of which like newspod by BBC are every few hour refresh while others like Democracy Now are everyday by 10am) a standard procedure of the TV then I have to respectfully disagree--my money requires competency and reliability.

You're right - I don't understand what you're talking about. And that's because you're not being very clear about what it is your beef is with ATV & podcasts. Is it (a) Apple approval process that delays podcasts availability on iTunes Store, or (b) ATV ability to sync podcasts in "real time"?

If it's (a), I am pretty certain it's a non-issue for major networks like ABC, CNN, etc. I doubt Apple staff reviews the content of CNN podcasts before making them available to the end users. And I can't see (b) being an issue either - Podcasts are available for Apple TV streaming the moment they're published on iTunes Store, just add them to your 'Favorites'. On computer iTunes - you can set your subscribed podcasts to check for updates every hour, which is more than reasonable in my mind.

 

[Kusanagi6913]

You're right - I don't understand what you're talking about. And that's because you're not being very clear about what it is your beef is with ATV & podcasts. Is it (a) Apple approval process that delays podcasts availability on iTunes Store, or (b) ATV ability to sync podcasts in "real time"?

If it's (a), I am pretty certain it's a non-issue for major networks like ABC, CNN, etc. I doubt Apple staff reviews the content of CNN podcasts before making them available to the end users. And I can't see (b) being an issue either - Podcasts are available for Apple TV streaming the moment they're published on iTunes Store, just add them to your 'Favorites'. On computer iTunes - you can set your subscribed podcasts to check for updates every hour, which is more than reasonable in my mind.

This is getting into semantics and moreso being driven by a silly tit for tat..what's so hard to understand? I've explained it 3x and on another thread it was understood. Here you posited a question with no real substance - basically saying--why worry about it--Apple cannot fix it. You don't know they can't. You don't argue as to whether my examples are false (they're not--it's 2:10am and Rachel Maddow isn't updated on TV although it is on my iTunes). This may seem like a non-issue to you to which you have the right to not respond but I had figured it was a given that we're all Mac fans and either posit questions with earnest responses or spread fanboy love with likeminded souls. I'm just asking a question--perhaps there is a fix I do not know about but my point was well-made and you either choose to minimize it at your own risk or do not get simple commentary. Likewise, the whole point of update 2 was to avoid your computer. I do not fancy building episodes of daily video content like rachel maddow on my already extended time capsule and mac mini when I just shelled $200+ for an TV with it's own HD. Perhaps you missed the marketing and the point but that is the point--a HD based streaming device for storing movies, music and photos without your computer (although you can use it). So, to that end--I choose not to make more work for myself after spending this money and likewise, expect my TV to if nothing else--update it's podcasts regularly so that I can watch them as I please--not to update myself on my computer and then migrate them. Seems pretty simple--I expect competency and reliability in what I pay for..others may not.