This article was created for eBay via Fractl in fall 2014.
Apple TV is a little black box that streams digital media and online entertainment to your high-definition TV screen. This is for people who want a lot of viewing options, and want to see them big. (Who doesn’t?)
This $99 device can stream virtually anything: movies, shows, news, sports, music, photos, etc. From where, you ask? Well, the iTunes Store, just to start. (It’s not just tunes anymore.)
You can also use Apple TV to access content from Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, HBO GO, SHOWTIME ANYTIME, WatchESPN, and many, many more subscription services and sources.
The icing on the cake of AppleTV is AirPlay, which allows you to stream content from your other iOS devices like your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, or Mac. This means you can watch content stored on any of your devices without having to buy or rent the material again. You can also stream your own home movies and photos, as well as games and content from websites.
In addition, peer-to-peer AirPlay allows others to share content from their devices directly to your TV without having to learn your password or connect to your network. And, AirPlay Mirroring allows you to display the screen of your small devices on your big screen.
Why Do I Want This?
- You bought an HDTV and should actually use it.
- You will always be able to find something good to watch.
- It’s far better during gatherings than huddling people around tiny screens.
Apple TV Specs
Did we mention this thing is tiny? It’s less than an inch tall and less than 4 inches wide/deep. It utilizes Apple single-core A5 chip and has ports and interfaces for HDMI, optical audio, Ethernet, a built-in IR receiver, and micro-USB for service and support. It also offers Bluetooth support for the Apple Wireless Keyboard and has a built-in 6-watt universal power supply.
Apple TV comes with an Apple remote control, or you can use an app to control it via your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch.
To use it, you’ll need a high-definition TV with HDMI and capable of 1080p or 720p.
You’ll also need:
- Your own HDMI cable
- A Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) wireless network or 10/100BASE-T Ethernet network
- An iTunes Store account for buying or renting content and listening to iTunes Radio
- An iCloud account for viewing material from the iCloud photo stream and movies in iMovie Theater
- iTunes 10.6 or later for streaming media from a Mac or PC
- For peer-to-peer AirPlay, a Mac or an iOS device from 2012 or later with OS X Yosemite or iOS 8.
The set-up is simple. After you plug the Apple TV in and connect it to your high-definition TV using your HDMI cable, you hold your iPhone or iPad with Bluetooth turned on near the Apple TV. It will receive the information about your home network and get your account settings automatically.
How Does Apple TV Compare to its Competitors?
If you’re a die-hard Apple person, does it matter? Of course! Even if your mind is made up to add to your Apple infrastructure, know what you’re getting. The other most popular and comparable options are the Amazon Fire TV, Roku 3, and Google Chromecast.
All of these devices provide on-demand content on your HDTV but they have different options and present them with different bells and whistles.
(None of the other devices supports iTunes or AirPlay, so if these features are top priorities, your decision is made.)
Amazon Fire TV
Also $99, this device is the newest addition to the ring and it could be a compelling choice for Amazon members and Kindle users. It offers access to the competing Amazon Instant Video library. The device also offers two stand-out features: its Voice Search option, and ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) video buffering, aimed at predicting what you’ll want to watch next so it can eliminate the wait you normally experience.
Fire TV lets users mirror material from their Kindle Fire tablet to their TV as well as control the display remotely, or turn their TV into a second screen in order to run content there while freeing up the tablet for other activities.
For an extra $40 users can purchase an optional game controller and access a library of first- and third-party games. This could be a lure for kids and casual gamers, but isn’t likely to turn the heads of high-end gamers.
Roku 3
Roku is Apple TV’s main competitor. It’s a company that originally spun off from Netflix and it offers a range of media streaming products, with the Roku 3 being their top item priced at $99.99. Its most notable asset: it is the king of content, with the largest channel library of the bunch (including access to Amazon Instant Video.)
Many users appreciate that it is “content-agnostic” and call it customer-friendly, in that the interface is customizable and doesn’t push users to a particular service.
The device is also praised for its cross-platform search capabilities.It has the best ability to search for a title or keyword across numerous services—such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, HBO Go, and more—which can save you money by finding content “free” from a source that you already subscribe to, rather than steering you to pay for it.
One fun feature it offers: a headphone jack in the remote control, which automatically mutes your TV. This makes it convenient to watch TV without disturbing others.
Chromecast
This is the budget option at $35, and it takes the form of a dongle rather than a black box. At that price, it feels like an easy buy even if you aren’t sure how much you’ll use it. The big difference is that there’s no remote—everything is controlled through your smartphone or tablet, which some users may find less convenient. It also lacks an integrated cross-platform search function, though there are third-party apps for it.
Chromecast offers mirroring from Android phones or tablets.
What’s Coming?
There’s been a lot of speculation that Apple may release a new Apple TV sometime in late 2014 or in 2015, given that the current version is two years old—from a time before so many competitors and such a wide world of streaming content. While it’s impossible to say what to expect or when, it’s a safe bet that Apple TV will continue to wow.