http://gadgets.engadget.com/2007/03/20/apple-tv-now-shipping/

eMails are arriving in the inboxes of the faithful detailing shipments and tracking numbers.

Update: Apple's website updated to show new orders shipping in 3 - 5 business days.

Here's a review from today's Wall Street Journal:

http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/solution-20070321.html

in our tests, it worked great, and we can easily recommend it for people who are yearning for a simple way to show on their big TVs all that stuff trapped on their computers. We tried it with various combinations of Windows and Mac computers, with movies, photos, TV shows, video clips and music. And we didn't even use the fastest wireless network it can handle. It performed flawlessly.

Video formats supported
H.264 and protected H.264 (from iTunes Store): Up to 5 Mbps, Progressive Main Profile (CAVLC) with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 1280 by 720 pixels at 24 fps, 960 by 540 pixels at 30 fps)
iTunes Store purchased video: 320 by 240 pixels or 640 by 480 pixels
MPEG-4: Up to 3 Mbps, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 720 by 432 pixels at 30 fps)

These updated specs on the Apple Website suggest that HD movies from the Apple Store will be coming soon (why else mention it).

Just picked up the AppleTV today and I have to say, it is awesome! Come on Apple, bring us those HD movies.

my semi reply, repost from another thread, BUT...

http://stevenbothe.com/up/hv20-raw-24df-AppleTV.mov

From the hv20, single pass 720p via compressor. The quicktime export preset SUCKS, so used compressor, single pass to save time.

Test on apple tv, I REALLY AM IMPRESSED.

5Mbit/sec, 90 minute indie release would be around 3.5GByte.
Competitive bandwidth pricing, indies can now distribute almost hi-def, CHEAPER than pressing a freaking DVD!!!!

35c cost per download to distribute a 90 minute movie at h.264 5Mbit/sec 720p

I AM FREAKING OUT, THIS IS AWSOME!!!

The Apple TV could be revolutionary and maybe eliminate the need for HD-DVD burners and players for anyone with a computer. But, correct me if I'm wrong. It has a 40GB drive with only 33GB useable. For someone who produces a 90 minute HD movie, will it fit? Also, a review I saw said that the Apple TV will only stream and not sync (load) non-ITunes movies. Couldn't that result in buffering and portability problems?

Not an expert but it seems that if this technology works, it could kill the Blu-ray/HD-DVD format war.

Personally, I hate the idea of all my purchased media being digital in a file form. I prefer something tangible on a disc as opposed to an HD, for the same reason even if I rip a DVD from Blockbuster, I still want to buy the DVD myself.

- Kyle

Whoa... calm down here, this is NOT as exciting as it seems. This is the first step in you buying something that you do not own. If I "buy" a movie, I want to be able to take it in my car, loan it to a friend, etc. I also dont want something i BUY to sit on spinning platters. Let's imagine you have a huge DVD collection, I have about 750 or so. Unless my house burns, I have those, they are loanable, resellable, etc. Now, lets pretend they are on a HDD dies. They are not loanable, I cannot resell them and if that HDD, I lose $10,000 worth of movies I have already paid for.

Apple TV is a great way for the public to stream off their computer easy (this is not new tech, devices have been around for YEARS, I use a Buffalo unit to do the same thing, even streams from iTunes) but it should not be a distribution avenue....maybe for free TV but no way for movies... it is DIVX players part 2.



ash =o)

I think we're just going to have to wait and see what public reaction is. I also have a lot of DVD's (not 750 though!), and like having the physical media. But I usually buy them on sale in the $5 - $10 range, so for downloads to be attractive to me they need to get much cheaper.

It seems to me that once you have an AppleTV, all the building blocks are in place for Apple essential be one of your cable TV providers. And the fascinating thing is, they can do it using bandwidth on the expensive infrastructure which Verizon, Comcast and others have already built.

The Apple TV could be revolutionary and maybe eliminate the need for HD-DVD burners and players for anyone with a computer. But, correct me if I'm wrong. It has a 40GB drive with only 33GB useable. For someone who produces a 90 minute HD movie, will it fit? Also, a review I saw said that the Apple TV will only stream and not sync (load) non-ITunes movies. Couldn't that result in buffering and portability problems?

Not an expert but it seems that if this technology works, it could kill the Blu-ray/HD-DVD format war.

Just got my AppleTV the other day.... Haven't had much of chance to really play with it though, maybe tomorrow. So far there are some good things about it and some bad. The biggest shortcoming was the choice of 720p as the target format, IMO. Other than that, it's a nice little unit.

Asof for the 40GB HD, that makes sense. Helps keep the price down and should be plenty for most early adopters. It's designed to stream media from other computers or NAS and not be the sole storage solution for your media downloads. Connect a 1TB NAS to your LAN and you're rockin'. <illegal suggestion> Rip all your DVDs sans menus and whatnot and have your movie collection all conveniently at your fingertips for a lot less than any other solution out there like Kaleidescape.

I'll jump in with my $.02 since I got my Apple TV on Thursday and lived with it a few days. I've viewed HD trailers, purchases/watched a show & done several tests in converting HD and SD clips to the h.264 AppleTV setting.

In my opinion, this device rocks for content creators. I am a first adopter, but have waited and waited...and waited...for this silly format war to die with HD DVD's and Blueray. I am not going to invest in that yet. That said, Apple has put out a very easy way to show HD content.

I just did a 3-4 minute file that was 3 gigs and converted in QT to the AppleTV setting. It came out 150 megs. That's small...and it looks great...really great on my 42" Sony HDTV. I am buying another one soon so I can put all my company HD demo clips on it for playback for a client. Perfect use of it.

I was also thinking, how easy is it to send these to a tradeshow with a 10 hour HD file on there. Hopefully Apple will put a "loop" function in later so you won't need to do a 10 hour file!

The ONLY downside to the Apple TV is that you need to use your computer. Once they change it (and I think they will) to where you can browse content directly from the store...and then immediately purchase it, it will change the tv world. Not now, though, except for the serious geeks. :-)

One other idea I had and thought I'd share:

We're soon to be finishing an all HD show by a regional funk and soul band. We will deliver an SD DVD, but with the h.264 file size so small, I think I'll dump that on the DVD, too, if there is room. At least a "bonus" that is on the DVD that they can just add to their iTunes and move to their Apple TV.

Pretty cool...

KW

So tell me... what is the advantage of this box over just running from the A/V out on my laptop? I don't think I know enough about what this has to offer.

Is the A/V out on your laptop high definition? S-video is more common, unless you're talking about a DVI port for a second monitor.

But really the idea is that this is dedicated device with user-friendly software designed for ordinary consumers, and it automatically syncs with your iTunes library on a host machine. More info here: http://www.apple.com/appletv/

It didn't take long for the hackers to start in on the AppleTV: http://www.appletvhacks.net/

Apple TV OS can now run on a Macbook! AppleTVHacks.net was able to patch to the Apple TV Finder.app, and now has an operating Apple TV. You can use your remote as normal, it shows up in iTunes on other computers.

There's a nice in-depth review of AppleTV over at Ars Technica: http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/appletv.ars/1

We'd almost like to give the Apple TV two scores: one for our audience, and one for everybody else. Geeks are more likely than anyone else to hate the Apple TV out of the box. There are currently too many limitations to justify the price to many of us, although the potential is there for Apple to push down a few major software/firmware updates and make this device into (almost) everything we wish it could be.
__________________________________________

However, almost everyone else who witnessed the Apple TV in action in our presence fell in love with it instantaneously (about half of which were not Mac users). The look and feel of both the device itself and its functionality impressed all those who touched it. We would not worry whatsoever about our technophobic parents' ability to set up the Apple TV and use it on a daily basis.

It didn't take long for the hackers to start in on the AppleTV: http://www.appletvhacks.net/

Have been watching the modding process all weekend, Boyd. There's a thread at a site called SomethingAweful that has been a hotbed of getting the AppleTV hacked to do all sorts of things. The main attempt is to get the device to the point where you can have it recognize and use network attached storage, and use different software codecs for content playback as you would on your regular computer.

Replacing the hard drive with a larger unit took less than a day to figure out.

-gb-

I just got mine last night..... works well...... I'm excited about going dvd-less and mail-less.....

It seems to bring my router to it's knees when hooked up via cat5..... but works fine wirelessly. hmmm?

Image quality looks great on my 720p projector ( 10' wide screen )

The "300" movie trailer looks really good!

I've exported a few of mt z1 footage files thru appletv setting in qt..... looks great!

I'm a little scared I'll loose the remote..... also..... if my macbooks open, the remote works frontrow... so they must be the same

I'm a little scared I'll loose the remote..... also..... if my macbooks open, the remote works frontrow... so they must be the same

Yeah they're the same to not have that problem you've gotta pair each remote to each device.

cool.... I'll try "pairing" them. I'm alergic to to instruction manuals.... something genetic.... so thanks for the info.

oh.... and man does this thing get hot! I think I'll use it to pre-warm my espresso cups!

I have seen reports that the ATV is a stereo device. But a HD-trailer downloaded and iTuned from the quicktime site played in glorious 5.1 through my surround reciever. :)

This is a great and simple device. I am converting a old pc to serve our 90+ Gig music collection using WiFi. Finally - Music at your fingertips!

A few of you said the image looks great on a HD TV. By great do you mean HD quality? The reason I ask is I too bought an Apple TV, loaded some 720p and 1080i footage onto it and was not impressed. The picture is soft and not HD quality at all. I've viewing is on a new Samsung 40" LCD HD.

Please tell me I'm doing something wrong because there is a $30 fee to return the Apple TV to the Apple store if the box has been opened.

Thanks,
Joe

hmmm.... things to make sure are done

apple tv....
make sure 720p tv is checked

files....
1080i footage will only display at 540 size.
make sure your compression is not to extreme.
make sure 720 footage is 24p and not interlaced.

Something is wrong. The footage I put on there is anything but soft. It's excellent.

Are you sure you're plugged component into one of the HD channel ins? Many TV's like my Sony Rear Screen LCD, have 5 component in's, but only 2 are HD compatible.

Check that. It also could be that you're blowing up an HD clip from a smaller file already. I have been amazed at the quality...it is not soft at all.

KW


A few of you said the image looks great on a HD TV. By great do you mean HD quality? The reason I ask is I too bought an Apple TV, loaded some 720p and 1080i footage onto it and was not impressed. The picture is soft and not HD quality at all. I've viewing is on a new Samsung 40" LCD HD.

Please tell me I'm doing something wrong because there is a $30 fee to return the Apple TV to the Apple store if the box has been opened.

Thanks,
Joe

I checked out apple TV today at the Apple Store and it didn't look like the movies/ TV shoes that were playing for display were HD. I would have to see it again when they have HD clips from itunes and running in the store. But the device it self is very cool to use.

This reviewer was not impressed....

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070404/tech_test_apple_tv.html?.v=6

It's surprising, then, that videos from Apple's online iTunes store look horrible on an HDTV set. The movies and TV shows have the same nominal resolution as DVDs, but look much blurrier, approaching the look of standard-definition broadcast TV.

To make it worse, these barely watchable movies aren't cheap. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" costs $15 on iTunes, almost as much as the DVD.