Equipment from a famous American brand is always in demand, which is not surprising. After all, it combines original design and an unlimited range of functionality. Now let’s figure out what Apple TV is and how it works. As a result, each user will understand whether it makes sense to spend money on purchasing this gadget.
What is Apple TV
In short, Apple TV is a device designed to broadcast media content from the iTunes Store and other online services to the TV screen. Why do users buy this gadget? Apple TV will turn the most ordinary TV into a smart device. Additional functionality, which will be available to the user immediately after connecting:
- access to a library of high-quality video content, which is stored on special resources;
- broadcasting multimedia content to the TV screen from smartphones, tablets, players, and other devices running operating systems Windows systems and Mac OS;
- access to an impressive repository of audio tracks, podcasts, images, video games.
The Apple TV set-top box works on the principle of streaming media content. The latest models of devices of this type have a limited amount of built-in memory. Therefore, content must be stored in the cloud or on removable storage media: flash drives, external hard drives.
To watch a movie or TV series, you don't have to buy the content. Users have access to the “Rent” function. Therefore, your balance will be charged solely for viewing. This is a good way to save money.
The gadget is equipped with a built-in adapter for wireless connection to the Internet. Therefore, after connecting the set-top box, the user will be able to connect the TV to a wireless home network, even if it didn't natively support Wi-Fi. No additional wires, adapters or adapters are required to set up the connection.
Apple integrates many useful technologies into its devices. For example, AirPlay, with which you can quickly set up synchronization between your TV and your computer or laptop. Management will be carried out remote control, which is included in the basic package of the console. The remote control can also be used as a computer mouse.
Analyzing Apple features TV can't ignore performance. UHD and Full HD content plays without any delay. Multichannel sound will make watching movies even more rich. An 8 GB flash memory serves as a streaming data buffer. The devices in question are equipped powerful processor Apple A5.
Connection process
Modern TV models are equipped with an HDMI interface, through which a set-top box is connected. The cord is not included in the basic package of the Apple TV. Exists alternative way equipment connections - component cable.
Plug the set-top box into a power outlet using the power cable, and then connect it to the TV using a component or HDMI cable. The initial synchronization setup is carried out using the remote control remote control. Connect to home Wi-Fi networks to sign in to iCloud. If you have not previously created a profile, register a new account.
Subsequent setup is carried out according to the same principle as in the case of other gadgets from Apple. You can achieve the clearest sound possible while watching movies or listening to music by connecting an audio system. The acoustics are connected via a fiber optic cable. Insert the plug into the interface marked “Toslink”.
Use as a TV set-top box
The device operates under control operating system iOS. The desktop of the console is practically no different from the iPod or iPhone. Practice shows that users have no problems with an intuitive interface. All desktop icons are labeled. The only inconvenience is entering text from the remote control. It does not have a keyboard. Therefore, typing is carried out by selecting letters on the joystick; the keyboard is displayed on the screen.
There are several ways to solve the problem described above. You can connect a wireless keyboard or smartphone to the set-top box. You must first install the Remote application on your iPhone or iPad. You can download this program from Apple Store. What else can this application be used for? In addition to entering text, you can use your smartphone as a gaming joystick.
Films music and photos
Advanced functionality is a significant advantage, but most often Apple console TV is used to listen to music and watch movies from the iTunes Store, Apple Music, and other services. Owners of this device have access to a store with Russian-language films. The interface automatically adjusts according to the diagonal of the TV.
As mentioned earlier, users will be able to purchase films and also rent them (viewing will be available for 2 days). Renting is the optimal solution that allows you to watch new films in excellent quality online at an affordable price. By activating the family sharing feature, you will have access to content that was purchased by your family members.
You can download online cinema apps from the Apple Store to watch movies completely free. Music tracks are played from the iTunes library. Activate the " Sharing"to use iTunes on your laptop, tablet, smartphone and TV simultaneously.
The Apple Music service allows you to transform your set-top box into a player with a multimillion-dollar library of music tracks. Users will be able to collect their own collection of hits. The set-top box can also be used to listen to the radio. In total, more than 200 radio stations are available, including Apple’s proprietary frequency – Beats 1. Broadcasting in 24/7 format, tracks from the best DJs, current music, expert opinion when choosing songs - this is not a complete list of the advantages of this radio station.
The Apple set-top box allows you to watch movies, photos and home videos from cloud storage iCloud. Subscribe to updates from other users to see the latest photos of your friends and acquaintances.
Why Apple TV is better than its analogues
If we compare Apple TV with gadgets, set-top boxes and game consoles, then all of these devices provide a narrower range of functionality. The convenient touch panel provides access to proprietary Apple services, which help maximize the range of options.
Many people are interested in whether Apple TV is really much more efficient than Smart TV? In terms of functionality, the set-top box is slightly inferior to smart TVs. However, if you evaluate the price/quality ratio, then Apple TV is the undisputed winner. It is cheaper to purchase a set-top box and connect it to the TV than to upgrade and buy new equipment. We are talking about savings of 20-30 thousand rubles.
Many providers offer their customers their own set-top boxes, which provide access to exclusive content and also expand the functionality of the TV. A 1-month subscription will cost much more than the price for a specific movie or series. Consider this feature as it is a great opportunity to save money. There will be no charge for inactivity.
An additional advantage will be the availability of other equipment from Apple: iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc. Convenient Wi-Fi synchronization makes sharing files between all devices even easier. No additional wires or cables are required. It is also worth noting that games are available on Apple TV. A tablet or smartphone can act as a joystick.
Please note.
Apple, like any public corporation, is accountable to investors. Therefore, every three months he holds a telephone conference, during which he reports to members of the board on the financial success of the company entrusted to him. Of course, to satisfy investors, reports must be positive and earnings must be steadily growing. There is nothing unusual in this, since all large enterprises operate according to this model, without exception. But Tim Cook sincerely believes that this should not be the case and that any company should put its customers first.
The speed at which the coronavirus is spreading is frightening. Despite the fact that the World Health Organization is in no hurry to reclassify the epidemic as a pandemic, the virus has already caused colossal damage. True, it was not people who suffered the most from it, but the world economy, due to the fact that many enterprises were forced to suspend their production due to the indefinite quarantine announced in China. However, for prevention purposes, mass events are still canceled regardless of their significance. MWC, F8, Google I/O, SXSW have already been cancelled. Now the March presentation of Apple and WWDC is in question.
Apple is quite adamant about setting dates for the launch of new products. That is why new versions of the company's proprietary operating systems and new iPhone and MacBook models are released at approximately the same time every year. Of course, the days of the week may vary, but they generally stick to a consistent schedule, scheduling presentations in June for software updates, September for smartphones, and October for laptops. However, there is Apple products, which receives upgrades outside of any schedules and schedules, namely as needed. For example, computers from the Mac mini and iMac lines.
In the modern world, success is a phenomenon that has ceased to have an unambiguously positive meaning. And the point is not that some achieve it by not entirely honest means, but that as soon as one company achieves success, there will immediately be one that complains about the violation of its rights and legitimate interests. Not because the first stole something from the second, but because she simply did not take her share. Do you think this is fiction? But no. Living proof of this is Apple, which is constantly being sued, accusing it of creating a monopoly.
The smart home is an area that has not yet succumbed to Apple. Of course, they tried to test the waters by releasing HomePod and even the “Home” application, from which you can control the speaker and other gadgets, but it is still too early to talk about any significant conquest. It would seem, why would it cost a company like Apple to set up production of smart modems, light bulbs and other gadgets that fill the range of Chinese vendors? But apparently, she just doesn’t want to do anything, and therefore teamed up with Google, Amazon and the Zigbee Alliance to collaborate on a smart home ecosystem.
If the ranking of the DxOMark laboratory, which evaluates smartphone cameras, included the category “The most unusual camera phone,” the Google Pixel would be guaranteed to win. Still, getting a single camera to take portrait shots, stabilize the image, and brighten photos taken in the dark so that they look as natural as possible using software algorithms alone is worth a lot. Despite the fact that at first this development path looked rather unusual, gradually many companies, including Apple, came to the conclusion that there is nothing wrong with software image enhancement.
I think you have already heard that last week the State Duma, in the third reading, adopted a bill that obliges electronics manufacturers to install software from Russian developers on their gadgets. Despite the fact that for now this is just a blank that does not contain any mention of specific types of devices, or programs required for pre-installation, or those responsible for fulfilling these requirements, the business has seriously strained. And how can one not get tense here, if not only Russian media, but also foreign ones write about it. As a result, they even decided that they needed to defend their interests, even if they had to go all the way to the president himself.
If you followed the development of Apple in the early 2010s, you probably remember the despondency that gripped the brand’s fans due to the departure of Steve Jobs. Despite the fact that he himself chose his successor, many refused to believe that he could lead the company on the same course as its founder. After all, Jobs was not just a leader; he was directly involved in the development of each new product, giving advice on making certain changes. Tim Cook, on the other hand, prefers not to interfere in the work of the design team, allowing them to do their work on their own, but this does not mean that he does not follow the precepts of Steve Jobs.
Honest reviews that we receive during personal communication with the client and publish with his permission.
I don’t understand programming, when I found this service, I was surprised, they told me so well and in detail: what to do and how to do it, that I created my website very quickly and it turned out to be beautiful and functional.
The young people who answer me are very well-mannered and polite, it is very pleasant to communicate with them. They answer all questions very quickly. The guys answer on weekends and late at night. Everything is very functional and clear.
I made one store very quickly and am planning to make a second one.
Alexander Barkov - owner of the online store of fresh roses in a flask “Rosa Store”
I used different constructors - paid and free, even a self-written engine.
In a month of testing I made a fully working store. I didn't have to buy any additional modules. I did everything I needed with the help of the support service. The admin area can be fully mastered in 1-2 days. Good program loyalty, prices, everything is great in terms of customer focus.
The website - www.urbech.org - you can see for yourself, all your friends say that the site is beautiful and convenient, unlike the previous ones, where much more labor and money was spent.
In fact, this is a platform for those who are ready to immediately begin fruitful work in their business.
I learned here: to make good pictures; some HTML; I know a little about site development without hearing! This platform allows you to plunge into the world of website construction for a very cheap price, while assistance is 100 percent guaranteed to you!
I am writing this review not to praise, but honestly! I made my website SnabJet.ru with my own hands with the help of advice from storeland specialists, I simply rent a site from them. No one today will offer anything like this!
I would like to share useful information for "newbies". A fairly simple and intuitive editor. Indexing in Yandex and Google, as well as in other search engines, is excellent! (And this is definitely one of the main keys to the success of your store). A system of communications with the client has been developed. Differentiation of access rights to site functions. - Goodwill and most importantly the DESIRE to help on the part of the storeland administration.
We have been using the service for more than 3 years, there are two online stores on the platform that are actively working and generating income! (a nice bonus - you will be given a month of free testing).
I'm not a fan of writing reviews, but in this case the guys leave no choice. In the good sense of the word!
I am a complete zero in programming and creating websites - but everything worked out with the guys!
1) Admin support, forum, quick answers to questions help resolve issues as quickly as possible.
2) Low tariffs - the ability to choose a tariff for your store.
3) The functionality of the store, in my opinion, is more than sufficient - there is everything you need to work.
If you want to make an online store, you can do it very quickly in Store-land.
A large number of integrations of different services! The number of templates is suitable for quickly solving any problems, but if necessary and with proper knowledge css html everything is customizable, works quickly and stably.
There is a forum where you can calmly ask for help with layout and more, and they will come to your aid quite quickly! I use it myself and recommend it to you. Protest a niche? launch a full-fledged online store? Everything can be done quickly here!
Maxim Stukalin - owner of the online confectionery store “Shop Forever”
I have been using the Storeland platform not so long ago, but I am 5+ satisfied with everything! And I don’t even think about switching to other similar platforms.
Everything in StoreLand is thought out to the smallest detail.
I recommend this platform to everyone!
Irina is the owner of the online store for profitable purchases “Shop Best Prices”
Inexpensive price, you can test for free for a month, beautiful, adaptive templates, everything can be easily edited to suit you, excellent technical support, fast indexing of the online store, free domain, many free automatic services.
I am a real person, I have a physical store in a large shopping center. I was looking for a resource for independent EASY creation site. So, today I have created a store that is valued at several hundred thousand by programmers. And most importantly, DO IT YOURSELF!!! The customer service is absolutely amazing! The speed of solving problems can be the envy of any other service! What else does the head of an online site need???
Some users can sign up for a free subscription for one year. However, the service has certain conditions that you need to know before subscribing.
How to use Apple TV+ free for a year
When purchasing any iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV and Mac after September 10, 2019, get a free one-year subscription to Apple TV+. The device must work on latest version iOS, iPadOS, tvOS or macOS.
When you open Apple TV+ for the first time, a blue button will appear asking you to sign up for a one-year subscription.
When is the offer valid?
A trial subscription can be activated within three months from the date of purchase of the device.
If the gadget was purchased between September 10 and November 1, then three months are counted from November 1.
Is it possible to disable a subscription?
Yes, but you will lose access to Apple TV+ and to all series. If you cancel your subscription, the remainder of the trial period will expire without the possibility of reconnection.
Therefore, you should not cancel your subscription immediately after connecting. It’s better to set a reminder for the end of October 2020 so you don’t forget to turn it off.
Free subscription is issued once
The trial period can only be activated from one device, regardless of the number of devices purchased.
Family Sharing
The subscription can be shared with up to five family members. To do this, Family Sharing must be configured.
If you have an Apple Music student subscription
Apple TV+ is included with your Apple Music student subscription. In this case, the annual period is not included. [Apple]
On November 1, the Apple TV+ video streaming service began operating with several exclusive series. All of them are available under a single and inexpensive subscription: 199 rubles per month. And owners of iPhone 11 (any version) will be able to use Apple TV+ for free for a whole year. We don’t know whether it will become a serious competitor to Netflix, but we answer the main questions about the service itself.
Where and how to watch
The most important thing: to access the service you need to install the latest version of the Apple operating system. In the case of iPhone this is iOS 13, on iPad - iPadOS, on computers - macOS Catalina, on Apple TV - tvOS 13. Unfortunately, nothing will work without updating.
In our review of macOS Catalina, we told you that instead of the previous iTunes applications there are now three apps, one of which is Apple TV. This is where you need to subscribe. Likewise on all other devices.
However, it's important to understand that this app isn't just for Apple TV+, but for all video content from the former iTunes store. Therefore, in addition to subscription series, there are individual films for a fee, and your library, which includes past movie purchases on iTunes. The screenshot below shows several Apple TV+ projects (they have corresponding icons), but there is also “The Lion King” (it has nothing to do with the service, you need to buy it) and “Mad Max” (it has already been purchased and is also not associated with Apple TV+). The “Up Next” menu is what we have already started watching (it doesn’t matter whether this content is from Apple TV+ or not, and whether it was watched on this device or on another).
All this is true for mobile devices. Although on the iPhone at first you may get the feeling that TV+ has literally taken over everything. But if you scroll down, there will be regular movies from the store.
An important point: through Apple ID, information about your views is synchronized across all devices. So you can start watching on your smartphone, then continue from the same place on your laptop, and finish on your Apple TV media player. In addition, on any of your devices you can download the series and watch it offline.
However, it is worth considering that each series can “weigh” several gigabytes. And, for example, the one and a half hour documentary “Queen of Africa” - more than 7 GB. Therefore, downloading may not be the most rational solution. Rather, it is needed for those who want to take a few episodes on a trip or like to watch TV series on the way to work or home.
What to watch
What is the content itself? What is the range of films and TV series? So far, at the start, the choice is very small: one documentary film - the already mentioned "Queen of Africa"— and seven series, each of which has several episodes available (at least three).
It’s interesting that the series are completely diverse and designed for different audiences. "The Morning Show"- an acute drama about a popular TV presenter (Jennifer Aniston), whose partner on the TV show was accused of sexual harassment. Viewers will find behind the scenes of the TV world, intrigue and total cynicism. "For the sake of all mankind"- a story about an alternative reality where USSR cosmonauts landed on the moon and the space race continued. "See"- a spectacular post-apocalyptic saga starring Jason Momoa. According to the plot, after a global epidemic, only two million people survive on the planet, and they lose the ability to see, and the achievements of progress are gradually forgotten, so that a century later, humanity finds itself thrown back into the Stone Age.
"Ghost Messages"- an adventure story about a schoolboy whose parents work in a bookstore, and all sorts of miracles begin to happen there, while the boy tries to solve his problems in a new class. While "The Morning Show" and "See" are aimed at adult audiences, "Ghost Messages" will appeal to middle school-aged viewers. And older children, teenagers, may be interested in the series "Dickinson"— an ironic costume film about the 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson. The main role here is played by Hailee Steinfeld, known for the films “True Grit” by the Coen brothers and “Bumblebee.” And, in fact, this is a typical teenage drama about rebellion against adults and one’s environment, attempts to find oneself and conquer the world. The actors, however, overact, but, in general, it is suitable for high school age.
There are also two projects for very little ones: "Helpers" And "Snoopy in Space". In the first, there are puppets in the spirit of Sesame Street and real actors, in the second, everything is drawn. It’s difficult for me to evaluate them, but my seven-year-old son was skeptical about both series: even for younger schoolchildren, they are already boring. But “Helpers” is so far the only project on Apple TV+ with full Russian dubbing. All other Russian-speaking viewers will have to watch with subtitles. Even Snoopy in Space.
Perhaps the most impressive work on Apple TV+ right now is "Queen of Africa". This is a truly magnificent documentary about a herd of elephants, which their leader - the elephant Athena - leads across the vast African expanses in search of the best place to live.
On the one hand, there is amazing wildlife footage here - from huge elephants, which you can see in such detail (you can't help but fall in love with them), to tiny East African frogs, mantises, chameleons and other jungle inhabitants. On the other hand, this is not just a documentary in the spirit of Animal Planet, but a touching story, a whole drama with many branches and colorful characters.
What's under the hood
All content presented on the service is played in 4K. Moreover, if the Internet connection is not fast enough, the quality automatically decreases. In case you download the episode to your computer, it ends up at the following address: Macintosh HD/Users/username/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/TV Shows/series name/season number/episode file.
If you download a movie (for now there is only one on Apple TV+, but others will appear later), then its address will be slightly different: Macintosh HD/Users/username/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Downloads-TV/movie title . And here's what's interesting: the file format is now HLS Video. It can’t be played by any player other than Apple TV+, and we couldn’t even get information about the resolution, codec and other parameters, either using built-in or third-party means.
The HLS Video file can be opened as a package, and the contents are quite interesting. There are a huge number of folders inside, but almost the entire volume is made up of the first one. It contains many approximately identical files with the .frag extension.
Apparently, those that weigh 10-15 MB are just pieces of video. And the rest are auxiliary files. In another folder there is a similar number of many times smaller files: apparently, this is sound. Why the files in the remaining folders are needed is a mystery.
Please note that some movies previously purchased from iTunes will still download in good old M4V. The screenshot below is the “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” file, which was uploaded while I was writing this article.
But, for example, the latest “Mad Max” is also in HLS Video. We can assume that this is a file format designed specifically for 4K content.
Strictly speaking, the average user, of course, does not care in what format what is downloaded there, since it was impossible to freely transfer files between devices before: iTunes content has always been well protected from any unauthorized use. But in this case, from the researcher's point of view, the problem with HLS Video is that we cannot get any information about the video. By the way, you can't take a screenshot during playback on Apple TV, no matter what device you're using. More precisely, you can formally take a photo, but instead of a frame you will see a black screen.
The only way to roughly estimate the bitrate, for example, is to simply divide the file size by the duration of the movie/episode in seconds (well, multiply by 8 to get megabits from megabytes). However, you can notice that the volumes vary greatly. An hour and a half movie is more than 7 GB, and an hour episode is less than 3 GB. In general, everything is very individual.
Subjective impressions of the video quality are very good. In “Queen of Africa” the picture is simply amazing - it is so detailed and expressive. “Dickinson” and “See” look great. “For All Mankind”, “Ghost Messages” and “The Morning Show” are a little less impressive - the video sequence itself is simply more boring. But there are no complaints.
Overall, we can say that Apple is setting new quality standards for streaming services: 4K and no compromises.
How much does it cost and who needs Apple TV+
Apple TV+ costs 199 rubles per month in Russia, before which a free trial seven-day subscription is available (but if you don’t like it, don’t forget to cancel it, since after a week the money for the first month will be debited automatically). For owners and future buyers of new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch and Apple computers the service will be free for a year. And you don’t have to do anything - the system automatically gives you the opportunity to sign up for an annual subscription. The service will be free for those who have an Apple Music student subscription.
But if we still proceed from the cost of 199 rubles per month, is this a lot or a little? It all depends on whether you like at least one of the series currently presented on the service. If you find one, the price will be justified. Still alone new movie in iTunes - already more expensive. And here are several episodes at once. A huge plus is, of course, multiplatform and convenience. The downside is the lack of Russian-language voice acting (except for “Helpers”). But still, the cornerstone is content.
True, it will be replenished. Several more films and TV series are promised in the near future. Of these, judging by the announcement and the names of the creators, the thriller “Servant” by M. Night Shyamalan looks the most promising. The problem with everything else is the clear emphasis on the American audience and its problems. We are promised the following stories: “the trendy true crime podcasts taking over America are forcing us to think seriously about media ethics and the boundaries of privacy,” “a series based on the true stories of the lives of immigrants in America,” “two black entrepreneurs try to circumvent the racial restrictions of the 1950s.” 's, providing mortgage loans to African Americans in segregation-era Texas," "the main character tries to find a balance between the ordinary life of an American teenager and the realities of a traditional Muslim family."
Is any of this impressive? Would you like to see it? Of course, everyone has their own tastes, but for now I would like to classify both announcements and already released projects, rather, into the category “you can look at it at your leisure if nothing more interesting comes along.” However, this is just the beginning. Even at the presentation, projects by Spielberg and JJ Abrams were promised, and such authors do not waste time on trifles.
In general, if you have Apple devices and you are interested in foreign TV series, and the prospect of watching with subtitles or in English does not bother you, sign up for a trial subscription and watch at least parts of Apple TV+ projects. Well, “Queen of Africa” - in its entirety. And then decide whether to pay 199 rubles or whether it’s better to wait for a fundamental expansion of the range.
