Apple TV Take 2 out now
Does anyone out there actually own an Apple TV? If you do, today is your lucky day. Apple has just released the software update promised as a part of this year’s Macworld Keynote. The update sports a number of significant enhancements, including set-top HD/Standard def movie rentals, HD output, and 5.1 surround audio. There’s also a newly redesigned user interface, which sports a slick new look much more closely aligned with apple’s new Front Row interface. The best part, of course, is that this download is being offered free of charge to all current Apple TV owners (sorry, iPod Touch early adopters!). If you do happen to get the update, let us know what you think!
Called the wife to have her download it, it is taking about 3 minutes… 95% complete right now! My coworker also demon dialed his wife but she is busy cooking! HA HA!! YES ATV TT FTW!
(Re: Mark Howard) I’m waiting until I get home to enjoy the full experience.
Oh you joker… well I own an Apple TV – I bought it a few weeks ago specifically for this update, and am excited it’s finally here.
It’s very nice. I was surprised at the podcast capability, which I wasn’t expecting. You can now accessing podcasts without the PC. Apple does need to filter the podcasts to only show those AppleTV compability.
It grabbed a movie I had rented but not played, waiting on the update. There’s several movies now available, including several HD.
Worked nicely with Flickr, though you have to manually add in all contacts.
The picture quality seems improves, as does the sound. Interface is still clean, simple, but very effective.
All in all, A+
Geez, sorry for typos. You can now access podcasts, picture quality seems improved.
I’m so close to canceling cable and going just through subscription (itunes).
but sports are so hard to leave behind.
Only 121 minutes till I leave work and get to download the ATV 2!!! Yippeekiay!
There’s video floating around of Android in action and BGR is still writing yawn-fest articles about Apple.
How typical.
I’ve been playing with it for about an hour and and all I can say is Wow! Nevermind the great movies interface, Flickr access, or TV Shows…Podcasts are the killer app here. You can access any podcast available through iTunes and watch/listen to anything without having to download. You can add podcasts to a “Favorites” menu so you can instantly watch your favorites whenever the feed is updated without the need for a computer as the middle man. Also, if you sync part of your library and your computer is turned on, everything appears in one menu (both streaming and synced content), or, you have the option to only display synced content.
Other first impressions?
Airdisk.
1080p upconversion via HDMI.
Coverflow-ish interface.
Sort TV shows by season (finally!).
The only thing I would like to see added would be support for their new external DVD drive via the USB port. How great would that be?!?
I’m video taping the whole thing in HD. Right now the timer says 14 minutes and it looks like it’s going to start with the new opening any second!!!
Download was quick. Install and reboots felt like forever (not really), but it’s up and running now. Thanks for the heads up!!!
Still, it’s not like there’s a useful aspect to it. If you have an DVI-I connected 1080 monitor it gives you the same experience.
I have an AppleTV and it is seriously one of my favorite toys. I have it synced with a Hard Drive with 300 movies. (The .itl file is on a 1.5 TB external)
i have been pissed they delayed this and even tried to chat with apple today in the apple.com/store and they said that there was no official timeline for this release. what a jip. I am SO stoked.
download now.
Jeff B., i think you really need to see the difference. its much more than you can get by hooking a pc to a tv.
Well, yea there are some differences but it’s basically the same thing since you’re still running iTunes and watching it on a hi-def tv or monitor.
but it looks and acts nothing like itunes. Also has online photo section from flickr and others as well as podcasts in HD.
Jeff B. … I can say with quite certainty that you don’t own an Apple TV. Along with that I can say your the typical Windows user … No one ever said you can’t do things another way, its just that some times there is a better way ~
Kudos to Apple. 2.0 is great!! Thought it was cool before, but now I can rent movies in HD w/o leaving the house and with great simplicity, love it!
Ill stick with TiVo.
Downloaded and installed, interface is great BUT it will not recognize my Apple ID login for iTunes Store! This defeats the purpose of the update, very frustrating…
Have contacted Apple Support for solution. I can access everything else, however, all my existing movies, tv shows, music, podcasts, trailers, etc. It is great that I can now save HD podcasts and trailers directly instead of taking up valuable hard drive space on my Macs!
I just don’t see where, at that price, it would ever pay for itself.
I own one! what’s wrong with owning an Apple TV? want something that works for streaming my music correctly and efficiently. I don’ want to deal with software types!
anyway…..the update is great and a lot faster! works well so far and the sync to your mac is much more improved than before. so far so good.
I think the upgrade was very much needed. Especially to enjoy the HD. It is nice to be able to purchase the movies and tv shows directly from itunes. I loved the concept of the apple tv before the update. Now the overall package is much better allowing for HD viewing.
Great update, however I don’t see the TV shows by season. They are still in one list from oldest to newest. Is there a way to see them by season like on my ipod?
OK, well I got totally hooked on the In Treatment podcast, which came with 15 episodes to download, but where is the rest of it? Is it supposed to upload the additional episodes automatically? If so, it does not seem to be doing so — or am I missing something BIG?
I just got my Apple TV. Its great. One thing I can’t figure out is how to do a smart playlist with podcasts. My itunes creates the smart playlist, but when I sync my ATV, the podcasts don’t transfer to the ATV. I am not having problems transferring podcasts as podcasts, but would like to use smart playlists to manage them. Any help greatly appreciated.