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Apple TV

82

Very Good

Avg User Rating
5 User Reviews | add yours »

Pros
Very easy to set up
Offers HD movie rentals
Cons
Doesn't support non-Apple video standards
Slow HD downloads

$200.00 - $269.00
From 11 Merchants

Full Specifications
Pricing	$229 (Average)
Warranty (parts and labor)	One year
Design and usability	Superior: 96
Overall ease of setup	Superior
On-screen user interface	Superior
Device design and build quality	Superior
Remote control ease of use and build quality	Good
Documentation	Very Good
Ethernet performance	Very Good: 86
Standard-definition video streaming quality	Superior
High-definition video streaming quality	Good
Audio streaming quality	Very Good
Photo streaming quality	Very Good
Features	Good: 72
Dimensions (width by depth by height)	7.7 by 7.7 by 1.1 inches
Weight	2.4 pounds
Device display	No
Hard disk	40GB drive (160GB version also available)
Networking	10/100 ethernet, draft-802.11n Wi-Fi (with WPA, WPA-2, and 40-/128-bit WEP security)
High-definition video	Up to 1080p
Video outputs	HDMI, component
Audio outputs	Optical S/PDIF, stereo RCA
Bundled hardware	Apple remote and batteries, power plug
Bundled software	Works with Apple iTunes (free download)
Supports Apple Store DRM	Yes
Supports Windows Media DRM	No
Major file and format support	Any video purchased from the iTunes Store, .mp4 (QuickTime MPEG-4 with AAC audio), H.264 (up to 5 mbps) at 1280 by 720 pixels/24 fps or 960 by 540 pixels/30 fps (as .mp4, .m4v, or .mov)
Supported photo formats for slide shows	.jpg, .tiff, .bmp, .png, gif
Supported audio formats	.mp3 (up to 320 kbps), protected .m4a/.aac from iTunes Store (up to 320kbps), Apple Lossless, .wav
Internet radio	Not without unofficial plug-ins
Surround-sound support	Dolby Digital 5.1
Playlist file formats	.m3u, .pls
Subtitle format support	None
Weather information	None
RSS feed support	Not without unofficial plug-ins
Internet photo streaming	None
Internet video streaming	Apple QuickTime movie trailer site and iTunes previews
DVR/electronic program guide functionality	None
PC application access	None
Multiroom playback features	None
Number of USB ports	One
Firmware upgradable	Yes
Key standards compliance	None
Supported operating systems	Windows Vista, Windows XP, Mac OS X

Apple TV Review

by Lincoln Spector

- Editors' note: This is an update of our previous Apple TV review, reflecting a lower price and new features added early this year. The hardware has not changed; existing Apple TV customers can add the new functionality, including movie downloads, with a free firmware update.

Read Complete Review »

User Reviews for Apple TV

Reviewed by: andersonoscar5

Duration of ownership: 2 Months

Strengths: everything

Weaknesses: nothing

Overall Evaluation: what if you want to play movies, TV shows, movie trailers, podcasts, photos, and YouTube videos from your computer on your TV? In 40GB and new 160GB models starting at $299, Apple TV brings iTunes and more to the big screen. www.mp4-converter.net/apple-tv-converter/
Reviewed by: rumplestiltskin

Duration of ownership:

Strengths: Told cable TV to take a hike.

Weaknesses: Not enough time in this life to watch everything available.

Overall Evaluation: Disconnected cable TV last year. Subscribed to many podcasts and, with just the local news over antenna, we've got enough shows; more, actually, than there are hours available to watch.I don't bother syncing much of my music but that's a personal choice. I do sync a number of iPhoto albums and they become my TV's screensaver.Any videos I get that aren't in the MP4/H264 format required by the AppleTV can be easily converted using ViddyUp or MPEG Streamclip or ffmpegX.Do note that you will need a wide-screen TV with HDMI or Component inputs. While a 4:3 (standard def) TV can be made to work (if it has the inputs), the video proportions will be wrong and, while there is a work-around (altering the video content by shrinking the height 25%), it isn't convenient; I know because I did it before I finally bought that HDTV.In Apple's defense, they plainly note that you need a wide-screen TV, not a standard-def TV, so be aware of this fact before you buy an AppleTV.

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News, Reviews, How-To's about Apple TV

Best Streaming Media Players The stylish and compact Apple TV now lets you enjoy high-definition and standard-definition movie downloads from the iTunes Store.
Best Products to Stream Audio and Video With Ease Want to watch your movies in the bedroom of listen to your albums in the kitchen? We identify which devices do the best job of streaming PC-based video and audio all over your home.
Reviewed: Apple TV Shows Its Quality Streaming-media hardware is simple to set up and use with iPod content, but imposes some limitations on the content you can play.
Review: Apple TV Just Plain Works With a 40GB hard drive, Apple's new device copies video, music and photos from your computer's iTunes collection and plays them on your TV.