Apple Releases new Apple TV 4k, adding HDR10+ (1 Viewer)

[Colin]

Apple just announced their newest generation of Apple TV 4k. I have the previous generation Apple TV that we use with a 4k OLED TV. And we have fiber internet so we can stream 4k when offered.

I'd love to hear the opinions of those of you with more expertise than me. Is this new version much of an upgrade? I'm not sure how many things are actually streamed in HDR10+.

Thoughts? Opinions? Pitchforks?

 

[Colin]

Or perhaps @Martin Dew will be doing a writeup?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'd love to hear the opinions of those of you with more expertise than me. Is this new version much of an upgrade? I'm not sure how many things are actually streamed in HDR10+.

On paper at least (since I don’t actually have the new one), it doesn’t seem like a major upgrade for users who’s primary purpose is simply to stream film/video/TV content - but to my mind, that’s a credit to just how good the previous generations of the device are. I have one from a couple years ago I think, or just before the pandemic started, and it’s working as well for me now as it did the day I got it.

I don’t stream a lot of 4K so I can’t really relate a lot of firsthand experience on which formats are offered more frequently. Informally and anecdotally, I seem to see things tagged as being offered in Dolby Vision much more than I’ve ever seen HDR10+, but I’m also not looking enough for it to be the final word on that

I’m not a gamer so I can’t speak to whether any of the improvements enhance that part of the experience - I remember reading that one of the prior updates was really useful for people who did use it for games but I forget which one that was.

The advice I’ve given a couple times to people who asked me was that if your current box is working fine, there probably isn’t cause to upgrade it, but that if you’re thinking about buying one for the first time, or using one of the older HD-only boxes, or if your current one is on the way out, that it’s a great piece of hardware that should serve you well.

I hope this is helpful but I also look forward to opinions from others who have more firsthand experience.

 

[Robert Crawford]

My preordered unit just arrived! More to come when I set it up early tomorrow morning.

 

[Colin]

On paper at least (since I don’t actually have the new one), it doesn’t seem like a major upgrade for users who’s primary purpose is simply to stream film/video/TV content - but to my mind, that’s a credit to just how good the previous generations of the device are. I have one from a couple years ago I think, or just before the pandemic started, and it’s working as well for me now as it did the day I got it.

I don’t stream a lot of 4K so I can’t really relate a lot of firsthand experience on which formats are offered more frequently. Informally and anecdotally, I seem to see things tagged as being offered in Dolby Vision much more than I’ve ever seen HDR10+, but I’m also not looking enough for it to be the final word on that

I’m not a gamer so I can’t speak to whether any of the improvements enhance that part of the experience - I remember reading that one of the prior updates was really useful for people who did use it for games but I forget which one that was.

The advice I’ve given a couple times to people who asked me was that if your current box is working fine, there probably isn’t cause to upgrade it, but that if you’re thinking about buying one for the first time, or using one of the older HD-only boxes, or if your current one is on the way out, that it’s a great piece of hardware that should serve you well.

I hope this is helpful but I also look forward to opinions from others who have more firsthand experience.

Yeah, this is great advice. I'll stick with the one I have since it's already 4k. Thanks!

 

[Sam Posten]

If you have the 4k it’s probably not a big upgrade. I’m replacing my parents Roku with one for sure thi

 

[JohnRice]

If you have the 4K Gen 2 I can’t imagine there is any reason to upgrade. I also have two of those and haven’t even considered it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

If you have the 4K Gen 2 I can’t imagine there is any reason to upgrade. I also have two of those and haven’t even considered it.

I’ve now replaced all of my 4K Gen 1 units with two Gen 2 and one Gen 3 units.

 

[Robert Crawford]

My preordered unit just arrived! More to come when I set it up early tomorrow morning.

I did set up my new Gen 3 unit this afternoon. In regards to installing my apps, it was the fastest setup ever on an AppleTV unit. I haven't played around with it much, but it does appear to be a little faster than the Gen 2 unit it replaced which I have moved into my Bedroom HT to replace my last Gen 1 unit.

 

[DaveF]

I'd love to hear the opinions of those of you with more expertise than me. Is this new version much of an upgrade? I'm not sure how many things are actually streamed in HDR10+.

I'm wondering if HDR10+ matters. I bought the prior 4K units this year on sale. I'm wondering if I will want to upgrade again to HDR10+ for a 4K projector?

 

[Clinton McClure]

I’m already set up for Dolby Vision with my 1st and 2nd gen units. I can’t see upgrading to a 3rd gen until the 1st gen units need replacing and they still feel just as snappy and quick as the 2nd gen units.

Apple continually shoots themselves in the foot in my household because their products are so good and last for so long. (It wasn’t until this year that I finally replaced a 10 year old MacBook Pro with an M1 Mac Mini.)

 

[JohnRice]

I did set up my new Gen 3 unit this afternoon. In regards to installing my apps, it was the fastest setup ever on an AppleTV unit. I haven't played around with it much, but it does appear to be a little faster than the Gen 2 unit it replaced which I have moved into my Bedroom HT to replace my last Gen 1 unit.

I use Apple's Home Sharing, or whatever they call it, and the result is virtually zero manual setup, especially if you have an iPhone. It automatically sets up every AppleTV exactly the same. Same apps, same home page, same everything. I know I just did it about a month ago with the (not) on sale ATV4K Gen 2 I recently got. Of course, if you want different ATVs set up differently, that doesn't help much.

 

[JohnRice]

I don't think this new ATV makes a real-world difference, except for people who have projectors. PLEASE UNDERSTAND, I in no way have EVER belittled HTs with projectors, so let's not go there again. It's just a plain fact that projectors, as far as I know, don't do DV, so if someone has one that does HDR10+, then yeah, this new unit would be a benefit. It's just that HDR10+ is no where as common as DV, so with displays that have DV, I doubt HDR10+ is much of a real-world benefit.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I use Apple's Home Sharing, or whatever they call it, and the result is virtually zero manual setup, especially if you have an iPhone. It automatically sets up every AppleTV exactly the same. Same apps, same home page, same everything. I know I just did it about a month ago with the (not) on sale ATV4K Gen 2 I recently got. Of course, if you want different ATVs set up differently, that doesn't help much.

I use Apple’s Home Sharing too. It’s not the loading of the apps that I’m talking about. It’s re-activating my accounts in which some apps make it easier than some other apps.

 

[Sam Posten]

I'm wondering if HDR10+ matters. I bought the prior 4K units this year on sale. I'm wondering if I will want to upgrade again to HDR10+ for a 4K projector?

It’s not a projector feature that I know of. It only matters for owners of Samsung tvs that don’t support Dolby vision

 

[DaveF]

Thanks. My 4k Tv is a Sony that supports DV, I think, so that should be fine too.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Apple TV Streaming Device Adoption Far Behind Roku and Fire TV - Media Play News

As a new Apple TV 4K model is bowing at a reduced price, Apple TV streaming devices rank far behind competitors Roku and Amazon Fire TV, according to data from Interpret. The updated Apple hardware features the A15 Bionic chip for “faster performance and more fluid gameplay” and support for HDR...

www.mediaplaynews.com

 

[dpippel]

I'm not at all surprised. Simple reason - price.