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Apple TV |OT|
- Thread starter wachie
- Start date
PhoncipleBone
Banned
The TV app is going to be nice I think. I am still disappointed that it won't integrate content from a home server though. I just want to be able to search the TBs of media on my computer easily through the appleTV. Right now, especially movies, it is a pain in the ass.
infiniteloop
Member
not really. if it's missing Netflix.
clearly what they were planning for their live TV app, they've just removed the Live/DVR part.
badcrumble
Member
I think if it integrates viewing progress it'll be great (like, if I watch half of a movie on HBO GO and then it drops off the HBO GO list, I can still in theory rent it from iTunes in order to finish it and pick up right where I left off). Bummer that Netflix isn't joining in but it makes sense for them to say no (just as it might make sense for cable companies to say no to single sign-on).
If anything, it'll be a good way to lump together the shows I do give a shit about while avoiding all of the crap I don't care about (especially on Hulu).
It sounds decent to me. I do think the app is missing a couple of features (personalised reccomendations as well as curated ones) and they do need to get Netflix on board somehow. Reminds me of Apple Music though.
Though personally it will never work as I use apps from more than one region, so universal search doesn't even work.
Maybe I'll start using it when they incorporate Netflix. But I don't really have a problem just launching Netflix and other apps on its own. So for now there isn't that big of an use case until they start doing some stuff exclusively in it.
It also just launches the apps anyway as of right now. The home button then brings you to the TV app though.
There is something to it but not at this seemingly unfinished stage.
It also just launches the apps anyway as of right now. The home button then brings you to the TV app though.
There is something to it but not at this seemingly unfinished stage.
They are doing single sign on within this TV app.
Over year later and despite Apples promise of an open API you still can't use Universal Search with Plex
jts
...hate me...
It's hard to believe that Netflix will play ball knowing how much they want to control the experience, so in that case the app will be a non-starter for me. Nice end-goal for Apple TV though.
edit: also, it seemed from the presentation that iOS Siri can finally control Apple TV? That would be awesome.
edit: also, it seemed from the presentation that iOS Siri can finally control Apple TV? That would be awesome.
Over year later and despite Apples promise of an open API you still can't use Universal Search with Plex
Did Apple ever promise an open API? Certainly I wanted it, just like what AndroidTV had but it kind of limits the maturity of searches. I mean with androidtv it just passes search terms to the app and so in the context of Plex all it does is a title search.
I can't for Instance search for say 'western movies' and have it return all the westerns on my plex server. I can't even search for actors.
But I guess that's more an issue if the search functionality in media apps.
jts
...hate me...
By the way, I have my Apple TV set to update automatically, yet I always always have to force every update manually, including this most recent one I'm doing just now.
Is this normal for everyone? Is there something that is supposed to trigger automatic updates that I've been missing?
Is this normal for everyone? Is there something that is supposed to trigger automatic updates that I've been missing?
Got the Shakes
Member
Yep same here. It's very weird.
Today I bought a movie from iTunes and it just won't load. I tried a few others (including TV shows I have on iTunes) and they fail as well. Any one else having any troubles? I just get "an error occurred loading this content." Everything else seems fine, Music, other streaming services etc. Very annoying as this is the first time I've tried to watch a movie from iTunes in months.
PhoncipleBone
Banned
Over year later and despite Apples promise of an open API you still can't use Universal Search with Plex
I am just using iTunes on a Mac Mini with all my movies and TV shows. I just don't understand why Apple can't search within their own system.
I have ours set to automatic and have never manually checked for an update. I checked the version and it said we had tvOS 10.0. So I tried playing some iTunes purchased movies, both from my computer and streamed from the Internet. Worked flawlessly.
So then I made the biggest mistake of my life. I manually checked for an update. Huh. It says there's an update. So I install it. After installation I check the version and it says 10.0.1. I try playing some iTunes content off my computer. AAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHH! Now it's ****ed up!!!!!!
So the answer is 10.0.1 is broken. And manually checking for an update is a terrible idea. I will NEVER do it again.
Everything in the loop is Apple. Apple MacBook Pro, Airport Extreme, and, of course, AppleTV (64 GB because I'm an idiot).
Heh well at least it's not just me. Although I couldn't get iTunes content to play BEFORE I upgraded it to 10.0.1 either
jts
...hate me...
So it seems to be a case of shoddy software. Unfortunate :/
On the bright side, if that's the biggest mistake of your life, you did well so far!
I got it working again for me by turning "Quick Start" off in the settings for iTunes. I realized the only movie that would start streaming was the one standard def movie I own (Fog of War, unbelievably good documentary) so I figured it was something about the HD movies that wasn't working since they wouldn't even start streaming.
Turning Quick Start off is meant for really slow connections and it forces the movie to download longer before playing so that it will support higher resolutions, but in my case it started streaming after a few seconds despite warning me it would take 40 minutes to download the whole movie. Once it actually starts trying to download the movie instead of freezing on the initial load everything is normal.
Turning Quick Start off is meant for really slow connections and it forces the movie to download longer before playing so that it will support higher resolutions, but in my case it started streaming after a few seconds despite warning me it would take 40 minutes to download the whole movie. Once it actually starts trying to download the movie instead of freezing on the initial load everything is normal.
Thank you for that discovery. I will try it later when my wife is done watching TV.
I was coming by to report that I eventually got it working by repeatedly restarting iTunes on my computer. Sometimes the AppleTV works, sometimes it times out with an error.
I will try your suggestion to see if it solves the problem.
In unrelated news, our Comcast DVR (which records "in the cloud" rather than on the local disk drive) is tripping out (or Comcast's servers are). Instead of recording the right program once, it recorded the wrong CHANNEL three times (simultaneously). The triplicate recording had the correct program name on each copy but was of some other channel. Great, Comcast. Just great. You and Apple should get together.
I don't understand this thing. Now I can't make it fail. Earlier, if I got it to work, I could screw it up again by restarting the AppleTV. Then I'd have to play the lottery again by restarting iTunes until the AppleTV would talk to it.
Now it just works. I can restart the AppleTV and it immediately connects to the MacBook and lets me stream anything in iTunes on the computer.
I can't even begin to speculate what has changed. I didn't change any setting.
Well, if it acts up again I'll definitely try disabling Quick Start. Thank you for figuring that out.
Now it just works. I can restart the AppleTV and it immediately connects to the MacBook and lets me stream anything in iTunes on the computer.
I can't even begin to speculate what has changed. I didn't change any setting.
Well, if it acts up again I'll definitely try disabling Quick Start. Thank you for figuring that out.
Can't say I agree with that whine. The biggest issue to me still seems to be Apple struggling to get others to play ball. Well that and the new functionality being totally US focused. Though I guess at least their devices are available around most of the world, unlike say Amazons and Rokus.
But Roku is able to get others to play ball, that's the point of the 'whine'. What use is selling the Apple TV in China at a high price if the content is not there?
Well...I think the content is there, aside from Amazon who is stonewalling just to sell more fire crap. Same reason why they won't even sell the ATV and Google devices.
I guess Amazon feels more threatened by Apple and Google than they are Roku, NVidia and Sony.
Dunno about China content deals....though Netflix isn't in china, nor are the other US services.
Got the Shakes
Member
Funny that this came up because I sold my Apple TV last night with the intention of picking up a Roku Premiere + tomorrow. Granted this isn't anything terribly new for me as I've owned Rokus, nVidia Shield TV, Fire TV, and a 3rd and 4th gen Apple TV (I obviously have a problem when it comes to streaming boxes lol). I'm not invested in iTunes movies and though I'm an Apple Music subscriber, I never play it through the tv that my streaming box is hooked up to. I'll be the first to admit that the Roku home screen UI looks like something that was designed in 2006, but for me personally that is the only compromise. I've come to learn that I value Roku having Amazon video and the wider support for file formats, such as actually allowing passthrough for DTS audio over what is the much better looking UI of tvOS. I'm sure 6 months down the line Apple will announce something for Apple TV that will make me want to comeback, but in my quest for a box that can do everything I want all in one place right now it seems like Roku is the closest I'll get.
osiris3355
Banned
Doesn't your requirements make the Shield the best choice since you can side load the Sony Android Amazon app? Shield supports pretty much every audio/video format out there.
Got the Shakes
Member
I'm still sort of considering a Shield TV. I owned one in the past but ended up returning it because I had nothing but problems with the Plex app on it. Not sure why it was the one platform where Plex didn't want to play nice with my media and I know the Android app gets constant updates so maybe it's been fixed. Are the getting close to a Shield refresh? It's out of stock from nVidia, Best Buy no longer has stock in store, and Amazon doesn't have it anymore.
Cost is also a consideration. Can get a Premere Plus for $100. A Shield with the media remote so I wouldn't have to use the game controller for navigation is $250. The Shield does support the widest variety of media formats since it will pass through 7.1 surround, but I only have a 5.1 setup so 7.1 support isn't something that is necessary right now. I also wouldn't use any of the gaming stuff on the Shield.
For me Roku isn't even at the starting line. Is not even available in Australia, aside from an proprietary one branded for a particular ISP, and its an old version at that.
At this point Apple seems the best option for me if I want an actual box. I'd consider the shield as it has better hardware, but it lacks all the local apps I need. That's in part due to weird Sony exclusive deals when it comes to certain apps on AndroidTV.
That said the ATV has not quite lived up to what I imagined. I assumed every media stream app on iOS would also be on ATV. And the other ecosystem players (Amazon and Google) have held back. Though for google at least there's the work around where i can watch that content through the youtube app.
Got the Shakes
Member
Like I say, I'm a bit of a maniac when it comes to this stuff. I've learned that much like cell phones, you're going to have to compromise somewhere. Roku has an outdated UI, but just about every service you could want all in one place. The Shield TV can get you just about any streaming service you want once you sideload Amazon (also lets you install Kodi which opens up a lot of possibilities). Problem I have with it is price though, it's double Roku because you are playing for it's gaming capabilities (which I have no use for). The Apple TV has the best looking UI and access to Apple's services like Apple Music and iCloud Photos. It has the worst selection of major streaming apps though.
Obviously I am speaking from someone who lives in the U.S. where we have access to all of the options out there. For as much as I like Apple stuff, or at least did in the past, I'm slowly finding my way out of their ecosystem. I no longer own a MacBook or Apple TV, still have an iPhone and iPad though.
Bell Fibe TV now available on Apple TV
see also:
You can now subscribe to CraveTV through iTunes with the Apple TV (Oct 13 '16)
Bell to offer Fibe TV as standalone service beginning early 2017 (Sept 7 '16)
VMedias IPTV service is coming to Roku devices in Canada (Sept 16 '16)
Bell aims to halt VMedias skinny basic package Roku app (Oct 3 '16)
:O This is huge news for Canada.Mobilesyrup said:
see also:
You can now subscribe to CraveTV through iTunes with the Apple TV (Oct 13 '16)
Bell to offer Fibe TV as standalone service beginning early 2017 (Sept 7 '16)
VMedias IPTV service is coming to Roku devices in Canada (Sept 16 '16)
Bell aims to halt VMedias skinny basic package Roku app (Oct 3 '16)
infiniteloop
Member
Playstation Vue is out on ATV now:
http://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/17/playstation-vue-now-available-on-apple-tv/
http://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/17/playstation-vue-now-available-on-apple-tv/
The Elite
BOSS
I guess this is a thing I should look out for in the future. I may need it.
Zeyphersan
Banned
Looks like Apple is reducing the App Store fees for video apps from 30% to 15%. I don't even care if Amazon and VUDU don't let you buy stuff I just want fucking player apps like on iOS!
Seconded. My mom has been interested in an Apple TV and cord cutting. She only "needs" her TV plan for (ironically enough) DVR'd 24 hour news, and even the cheap Vue plans have the channels she cares about.
In the cord cutting places I hang it seems pretty well positively received ask de from the lack of consistency across all devices due to the rights Sony has able to obtain.
I doubt that will change amazon. They could put the app on there now as they have iPhone/iPad. They choose not to because they want to pimp fire devices instead.
SmackCrackleNPop
Member
I actually prefer this because I don't want my parents or siblings to be buying shit accidentally (and I know there's settings I can turn on but I don't want to manage it)
SmackCrackleNPop
Member
AT&Ts DirecTV Now launches November 30th with over 100 channels of streaming TV
Kind of interested in signing up to get that pretty much paid for Apple TV and give it away as a gift.
You can get the $60 plan for $35 if you sign up on opening day. Pretty cool?
Kind of interested in signing up to get that pretty much paid for Apple TV and give it away as a gift.
You can get the $60 plan for $35 if you sign up on opening day. Pretty cool?
badcrumble
Member
I'm hoping this gets them Amazon and that it gets Netflix to buy into the TV-app/universal watchlist APIs but I don't think it'll happen in either case.
No it won't.
I really do think with Amazon given how they treat the AppleTV and AndroidTV/Chromecast that its wholly about them building their own fire ecosystem. Its not about fees at all. So Apple cutting any fees will do nothing. They could have a Prime Video and Audible app on ATV right now as they do on iOS and it cost them nothing.
As for Netflix, I don't see them doing it as I think the fight is over consumer data. Netflix doesn't want to give up all that data to Apple about what everyone watches.
badcrumble
Member
Amazon's also culturally about not letting *anyone* else have any margin.
TheCochese
Banned
Got my ATV tonight with my Now sub, so I guess I'll be active in this OT now.
Pretty cool. I like it better than the Fire stick and my Rokus. The only miss is the lack of Amazon.
Pretty cool. I like it better than the Fire stick and my Rokus. The only miss is the lack of Amazon.