[WvB22]

There is a small flaw in this article. "Instead of the Apple A4 chip found in the previous Apple TV and the iPad 2, the new model hosts a single-core A5 chip. The improved horsepower finally allows the Apple TV to support 1080p video output.". This is not completely true. The iPad 2 houses an A5 chip not an A4 chip. So basically the new Apple TV houses the iPad 2 chip (which was known to be able to play 1080p in theory). The new iPad houses the A5X chip which is believed to bet the same chip as the A5 but with improved quad-core graphics and a dedicated chip for image capturing. By using last years chip the cost of the AppleTV stays quite low.

[sensel]

A pretty meaningless upgrade. If you have the first version of this little black box, just run the interface upgrade and keep it. That's what I did. Showing 720p on a 1080p set looks great too.
The new interface is just OK. In many ways, I found the previous version to be superior to navigate. It was a simple menu method. Now stuff looks splashier but takes up more screen.
I am hoping that Apple did this anticipating it will work better as channels/apps are added. But, the track record and stagnation with Apple TV means I don't hold out much hope.

[LelandHendrix]

I will bet I'm in a minority here...but I actually preferred the OLD interface in general. You know, where sources are arranged horizontally, and categories appear vertically in each source category (movies, music, Internet is split vertically into podcasts, YouTube, and Netflix, etc...)

I don't find the new navigation method intuitive, and even when it's mastered, it doesn't seem to provide any logical improvement--to ME at least...

Is there something I'm missing here!!

[LelandHendrix]

Nickos84, on 07 March 2012 - 03:45 PM, said:

I have purchased a bunch of movies from the iTunes store at 720p. Is there anyway to "upgrade" my purchases from 720 to 1080 for a small fee? Like when iTunes removed the DRM and improved the quality of music you could upgrade individual purchases for a small amount.

I have read that any prior purchase that becomes available in 1080p will be available to you in 1089p as an iCloud download or stream.

[trip1ex]

I like the look of the new one and find it quicker to access services or as quick.

The ultimate is less us rearrange the icons just like on an iPad or iPhone.

[trip1ex]

Backpacker, on 07 March 2012 - 09:00 PM, said:

No Gigabit ethernet? That's a big disappointment.

Why? You are only streaming to it. Not transferring files.

[LelandHendrix]

classicmacs01, on 07 March 2012 - 04:39 PM, said:

You can also get a Logitech Harmony remote and it does a much better job controlling the AppleTV than the basic Apple remote included with the AppleTV. You can use all the standard play/stop/ffwd/frwd/skip transport controls, not just the directional arrows and select button.

I use my ONKYO A/V Receiver's remote to control my AppleTV (2nd Gen)

People should know that the AppleTV can LEARN to use practically ANY remote control...and it offers far more button controls like you mention.

I trained my AppleTV 2 to use the Receiver's remote right away, and put the little Apple aluminum remote away and haven't touched it in months.

I don't know why more people don't do this. The AppleTV software makes it extremely easy and quick to do so.

[ckasper]

SO if you have a Gen 2 Apple TV there is no need to spend any money here. This is an update to put the Apple TV in the same league as Roku.

[LelandHendrix]

likethepear, on 07 March 2012 - 08:44 PM, said:

Why can't I see an option to redownload my previously purchased movies? All I see is the usual music, tv, apps, books. Where's movies??? I updated iTunes and iOS and everything. Come on Apple!!!

Mine is working.

Even before updating my AppleTV 2 to the new interface, a new option appeared under the first column ("MOVIES") called "Purchased" and it showed me two movies I purchased about 18 and 20 months ago. Same AFTER I updated my AppleTV 2 with the new iOS software and user interface,

Also, iTunes on my Mac under "Purchased" has a new "Movies" category that wasn't there before.

Are you sure you've signed in with the same Apple ID that was used to purchase the movies? What movies are you looking for, and if you search for them in the iTunes store can you still find the ones you purchased? I've heard of some movies being removed from the iTunes library before, because of studio deals.

[LelandHendrix]

Cantabro, on 07 March 2012 - 11:49 PM, said:

Another piece of trash that obsessively tries to make you buy more and more movies and entertainment services and continues to dsicriminate on Mac users given that, for example, mirroring whatever you have on your display is possible for iOS devices but not for Mac ones. In addition to two iMacs and a Macbook Pro, I have a Macbook air mid 2011 and, yet, I remained barred from taking advantage of AirPlay, just because Apple doesn't want to, for it is perfectly possible. Fortunately, there are several non-Apple devices that give you the freedom to do whatever you wish wirelessly. I'm really getting fed up with the great disregard that Apple is exhibiting before the millions of faithfull Mac users who are the foundation that enabled Apple to born again after almost disappearing from the business scene.

What are you on about?

The AppleTV 3rd generation has nothing to do with limiting its inputs! Yes, you can AirPlay mirror screens from your iPhone and iPad...because that's a feature of the INDIVIDUAL DEVICES. I also have a MBP (first unibody, late '08) and an i7 iMac 27", and just got a mid-11 MacBook Air on Monday. But none of those devices ever said they would mirror when I bought them.

But take note--OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion will be released this summer, in just a few more weeks, and IT will have a new feature to mirror the display on your Mac to an APPLE TV, 2nd generation OR this newly announced AppleTV 3RD GENERATION.

So yes, it's coming, but it's a feature that's being added to your MAC software. It has NOTHING to do with what you so blithely call "another piece of trash"

[LelandHendrix]

sensel, on 08 March 2012 - 09:03 AM, said:

A pretty meaningless upgrade. If you have the first version of this little black box, just run the interface upgrade and keep it. That's what I did. Showing 720p on a 1080p set looks great too.
The new interface is just OK. In many ways, I found the previous version to be superior to navigate. It was a simple menu method. Now stuff looks splashier but takes up more screen.
I am hoping that Apple did this anticipating it will work better as channels/apps are added. But, the track record and stagnation with Apple TV means I don't hold out much hope.

Hey man, I agree!!

Before I did the software update, I started up my AppleTV yesterday and immediately noticed a new "Purchased" section under the "Movies" category. I selected it, and it showed my movie purchases from something like 18-20 months ago. (I have only bought two moves, but have rented more than 40!!)

I have to say, the new interface make look flashy, but it's NO WHERE NEAR as intuitive or clean as the last method, where there were types arranged horizontally, and then for each type there were sub-categories that fell vertically into each type. Now, it's all over the place...like you LAUNCH a category, and then get an entirely separate scren of different selection methods for each category. There is no commonality or unification of the selection method between categories anymore.

I have a strong feeling that the new method will have at least a slight learning curve....where before, anyone could pick up the remote and within 60 seconds know exactly what they were doing to navigate the entire system.

[DilRibeiron95b]

LelandHendrix, on 08 March 2012 - 09:04 AM, said:

I will bet I'm in a minority here...but I actually preferred the OLD interface in general. You know, where sources are arranged horizontally, and categories appear vertically in each source category (movies, music, Internet is split vertically into podcasts, YouTube, and Netflix, etc...)

I don't find the new navigation method intuitive, and even when it's mastered, it doesn't seem to provide any logical improvement--to ME at least...

Is there something I'm missing here!!

I agree with you. I also prefer the old interface.

[Halibut]

Like the new iPad, I'm underwhelmed!

[jjepyy]

Hey guys, do you think this new Apple TV is going to stay for a while? Because I want to buy it to use it with the Airplay Mirroring feature in Mountain Lion, but I don't want to buy it if there's going to be an updated Apple TV released with Mountain Lion.

I don't mind to wait and buy it with Mountain Lion if theres going to be a new one.

What do you think, should I buy it today?

Thank You