Apple TV 4K official (1 Viewer)

[ManW_TheUncool]

Nice that the AppleTV 4K can be controlled by Harmony remotes, including the low end ones.

I'd consider getting a ATV4K if it can take 4K streams and downconvert to 1080p for higher quality than typical 1080p streams (and much more comparable to Blu-rays). I don't expect to upgrade my FP rig to 4K for another couple years, but would like better 1080p output now.

I googled, but can't find any info on that. Probably means it can't/won't do that... Is that correct?

Currently, I just use a Roku Premiere Plus for streaming in the HT.

_Man_

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The AppleTV 4K unit doesn’t downconvert streams; it plays the version most appropriate to the system being used. I use one attached to a 1080 projector and I’m thrilled with the results. Media from the iTunes Store is typically encoded with higher bitrates than other storefronts and to my eyes looks significantly better than the same master streaming at the same resolution on a competing device. For instance, a new release movie looks better on an AppleTV playing from their storefront than the same movie on a Roku from Vudu.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

The AppleTV 4K unit doesn’t downconvert streams; it plays the version most appropriate to the system being used. I use one attached to a 1080 projector and I’m thrilled with the results. Media from the iTunes Store is typically encoded with higher bitrates than other storefronts and to my eyes looks significantly better than the same master streaming at the same resolution on a competing device. For instance, a new release movie looks better on an AppleTV playing from their storefront than the same movie on a Roku from Vudu.

But there's an AppleTV app for Roku now -- and it seems to work quite well. In fact, that's part of the reason I started buying some content on "digital" (and favoring iTunes for the most part and will probably stop doing Vudu D2D).

Unless ATV4K yields significantly higher quality streaming of iTunes' HD content than the app on Roku, I don't see much point in spending the $$$. But either way, it would be nice to get higher quality from downconverting 4K streams.

Currently, the ATV app for Roku doesn't provide access to bonus features, but I'm ok w/ that...

_Man_

 

[JohnRice]

Lately I seem to have to restart my ATV 4K to get it to access some streaming services. It might only be Hulu, but I thought I had to do it for Prime as well. It just sits and the wheel spins when I try to access them. After a restart, it's fine. I'm having this happen with both units I have.

Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[DaveF]

I haven't experienced that with my HD models.

 

[Tino]

Lately I seem to have to restart my ATV 4K to get it to access some streaming services. It might only be Hulu, but I thought I had to do it for Prime as well. It just sits and the wheel spins when I try to access them. After a restart, it's fine. I'm having this happen with both units I have.

Anyone else experiencing this?

I’ve had to restart my ATV 4K unit numerous times over the past few months. Sometimes my iTunes movies just don’t load.

 

[dpippel]

I’ve had to restart my ATV 4K unit numerous times over the past few months. Sometimes my iTunes movies just don’t load.

This happens to me occasionally when I use the TV app. The Movies app never has this problem on my system.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Lately I seem to have to restart my ATV 4K to get it to access some streaming services. It might only be Hulu, but I thought I had to do it for Prime as well. It just sits and the wheel spins when I try to access them. After a restart, it's fine. I'm having this happen with both units I have.

Anyone else experiencing this?

I have been experiencing this with the TV Shows app ever since I bought the ATV4K a few years ago. After it hasn't been rebooted for a few days, when I try to access my library of purchased TV Shows, it will just sit there and spin. I have to press the "home" button, and then go to the settings and reboot the device. Afterwards, it can once again access my library.

What's ironic is that I originally purchased the ATV4K because my Roku Ultra was so unstable. Now, none of my Roku devices hardly ever need to be rebooted, yet I have to reboot the Apple device about once a week.

 

[dpippel]

I have been experiencing this with the TV Shows app ever since I bought the ATV4K a few years ago. After it hasn't been rebooted for a few days, when I try to access my library of purchased TV Shows, it will just sit there and spin. I have to press the "home" button, and then go to the settings and reboot the device. Afterwards, it can once again access my library.

Have you tried just killing the TV Shows app, Scott?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Have you tried just killing the TV Shows app, Scott?

I prefer using the TV Shows and Movies apps instead of the ATV app, so I really don't want to do that.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Any one having trouble with the CBS app? We’ll be watching a program and it will go blank though there’s still audio. This might last 2 or up to 5 seconds. It might happen once or it might frequent. I have noticed when I menu button up out of the program, the displayed screen is incomplete.

 

[JohnRice]

Well, there was just an update, so maybe it has a bug fix.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Any one having trouble with the CBS app? We’ll be watching a program and it will go blank though there’s still audio. This might last 2 or up to 5 seconds. It might happen once or it might frequent. I have noticed when I menu button up out of the program, the displayed screen is incomplete.

Well, there was just an update, so maybe it has a bug fix.

Well, now it’s the PBS app doing it. Screen goes blank momentarily and the sound is also interrupted. There was a system update a couple of days ago, and maybe that fixed the CBS app. But now the PBS app is doing it.

How do apps get updated? I don’t see any indication that the App Store does it.

 

[Carlo_M]

So I'm starting to get tempted by an Apple TV 4K, because my Samsung KS8000's UI for apps is...unawesome. But I have a 3rd gen AppleTV that I never use now, so I'm afraid I'll just be throwing good money after bad. I am not tempted to hook my ATV up to my Samsung because I would give up 4K HDR Netflix.

The other boggle is that the current ATV4K is a couple of years old. I'm one of those who doesn't like to buy something, if an upgrade is just a few months away...first world problems.

4K and HDR are important in whatever I buy to supplement my Samsung TV's apps. My Sony 900F TV has a pretty decent UI and apps, so that's where I watch my 4K streaming mostly.

EDIT, found the rumor that has me hesitating, from...fittingly...Macrumors!

Signs of a new Apple TV with an A12 bionic chip were uncovered in the iOS 13.4 beta in January, suggesting Apple is working on a refreshed model that could debut sometime in 2020. Beyond an updated processor and a "T1125" codename, there's little else known about the new Apple TV, but rumors indicate it may feature higher capacity 64 and 128GB storage options.

Leaker Jon Prosser has suggested the new Apple TV will be equipped with an A12X Bionic chip, while a rumor from 9to5Mac indicates it will use an A14 chip, the same chip expected in the 2020 iPhones.

The new Apple TV set-top box will allegedly come with a new Apple TV Remote, according to code found in iOS 14. Little is known about the Apple TV Remote, and it is not clear if it will include design changes or new features.

Really do hope that there is a new remote. I'm not a fan of the one that came with my 3rd gen, and the current one isn't much better.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Really do hope that there is a new remote. I'm not a fan of the one that came with my 3rd gen, and the current one isn't much better.

Hmmm... hope it'll still be IR capable and fully compatible w/ low-end Harmony remotes... as I just may finally get an ATV4K w/in a year or so...

_Man_

 

[Osato]

I went with an Apple 4k tv in March. It’s been fantastic for me.

 

[Mark-P]

I went with an Apple 4k tv in March. It’s been fantastic for me.

Apple doesn’t sell 4K TVs, but they do sell Apple TV 4K units.

 

[Mark-P]

Anyone else experiencing a broken Amazon Prime app on AppleTV box? I have two AppleTV 4K boxes and both are at the same firmware level. However one has Prime Video app with the old interface which works fine and one has a newer interface, and will no longer stream shows or movies in 4K or HDR.

 

[JohnRice]

Prime started having trouble remembering where I am in a series recently, but otherwise it's working.

I haven't tried any 4K recently. I'll have to give it a look.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Any one having trouble with the CBS app? We’ll be watching a program and it will go blank though there’s still audio. This might last 2 or up to 5 seconds. It might happen once or it might frequent. I have noticed when I menu button up out of the program, the displayed screen is incomplete.

The CBS app on all three of my TVs would freeze video but audio would keep playing. Made watching season 1 of Picard a bit painful to watch. This was winter / early spring before we moved so I thought maybe it was just my old lousy internet connection. I can’t check it now because I canceled CBS until the 2nd season of Picard drops, whatever year that ends up being.