“The Apple TV has evolved from a slow, hard-drive-based extension of your computer to a fairly capable media streamer,” Jonathan Seff writes for Macworld.
“It gives you access to Netflix, Hulu Plus, major sports subscriptions, and more,” Seff writes. “On top of that, it’s the only media player on the market that lets you access your iTunes library and previous purchases from Apple, as well as stream content directly from a Mac or iOS device using Apple’s AirPlay technology.”
Seff writes, “If you have a second- or third-generation Apple TV in your home entertainment setup, here are several tips for getting the most from it.”
Six tips for getting more from your Apple TV:
1. Update your software
2. Move icons around
3. Sign up for (some) pay subscriptions directly
4. The Menu button is your friend
5. Download the Apple Remote app
6. See the highest-quality video you can
Read more in the full article here.
7. ATV Flash
Plex!
8) Beg apple to support more video formats like .avi.
.mkv is a must.
Roku with PLEX does them all. I’d love to see FireCore jailbreak ATV3 otherwise fuggedaboutit. Standard ATV3 is a hobbled mess that does almost nothing useful. No storage options, no tuner support, no apps, no optional local media server support, etc. Apple made sure they crippled it well.
I’m sorry but F!ck .avi. Not liked, much less loved, by anyone except hard core smug Windows-only eccentrics.
Doesn’t look like many people care about this thing. And, why should we? We’ve been hearing about AppleTV for so long that we don’t want to get screwed like we did in jumping on the iPad a few weeks ago and had a new one introduced yesterday. Bottom line: Tim is no Steve and until some overhaul of the company is accomplished, Apple will continue to descend into ordinary. And, so will AAPL.
how exactly did you get screwed?
Bought the latest iPad 90 days ago – became obsolete with the faster, better, brighter and fancy new lighting connector that Tim rolled out couple of weeks ago along with new iMacs that won’t be available as promised and some more stuff that seemed to disappoint everybody – especially Wall Street.
Boo hoo hoo!
The more Apple products you buy, the more you’ll experience it (quickly being left behind by newer versions). Relax, be happy, the iPad or iMac that you have now is a freekin’ miracle.
Please tell us how your iPad is now obosete; [i]no longer on use[/i].
You say faster, better, brighter but you can still use it for everything you still bought it for the iPad 4 was announced.
Quit whining and enjoy what you’ve got till it’s truly past it.
You read MDN and weren’t aware of all the rumors about a new Dock Connector design? Boo-hoo! Your iPad still works just as good. I have a feeling if you held off and got the new iPad, you’d be here complaining that you’d have to go out and buy new devices for the Lighting Connector, or complaining about having to buy the adapter.
You didn’t buy anything Apple you troll. Get back under your bridge.
I can understand how you feel, but as you already know, this is indicative of technology in general. I had a guy that keeps saying he wants up get a new iMac, but wants to wait because they always get better. He still does not have one and I believe with that attitude he will never get one, always waiting for the next best thing. If I was in your situation, I would contact apple and see if they will exchange it, you never know, worth a try. It probably depends how you approach them. If not, just wait for the next cycle, or not. But I do sympathize, but do not feel that yours is obsolete, it is a long way for obsolete. It is the chance we take when we buy tech. Cheers.
EXACTLY! You have to be happy with what you buy now, and can’t worry about what’s going to come out later.
Or, develop a “cascade eco-system” like I have – I buy the new iMac, I give my current iMac to my kid, give her’s to my Mom, give my Mom’s to my sister-in-law’s sister, move her’s to my basement as a media center, then sell the old media center on Craig’s list. I can usually get about $500 for an iMac that is 4 generations old. I’d care to see any other 4 year old computer sell for about 1/3 of it’s original MSRP.
That attitude, Mr. Dialtone, is exactly why Apple has lost 25% of it’s value in the last 30 days. The arrogance worked when it came from Steve but it’s simply offensive from anyone else such as Tim or Apple Fanbois. People aren’t going to keep buying Apple’s stuff if they don’t work then expect consumers to keep running back to the store for the newest version. The miracle that was once Apple is now common among all competing brands of phones, pads, and pods. And, serious desktop computers, which used to deliver the miracle power users demanded, are no longer being made by Apple.
The flipside of your point is that Apple now has more competition and if they DON’T innovate and put out quicker they will lose to customers looking for the next ‘newest’ thing.
BTW, why did you wait so long to by your iPad?
What could it NOT do the day after the new one was released that it could do the day before, rendering it ‘obsolete’?
The only thing that changed was you being able to say “look at me, I have the newest, and I want it to stay that way for MY benefit….!”
I say, come on iPhone 5S, I’ll see you next April….I hope.
Dude, the one with the irrational attitude is you.
“attitude” is NOT why Apple shares are down. AND, when Steve was around, Apple shares also had their ups and downs. Suggesting anything else is flatout lying.
Do you remember 2008? Look at the stock price as it dropped from $201 to $130 in less than 4 weeks. It continued on down to low $80s until March of 2009.
You’re the kind of person who would complain if you had waited for the new iPad, because it had a new connector. Other mfrs come out with new product constantly. If you freak out because of new product coming out 3 months after you buy something, you’ll never buy anything.
For $99, the Apple TV is great. I dumped my sattelite and enjoy Hulu and Netflix….saving almost $80 a month. Now if I could get the Pac 12 network and ESPN , i would be set!
Companies upgrade products all the time, Televisions, computers, etc etc, and most do not advertise that there upgrade is coming because they don’t want to stall sales of an existing product. How many more IPhone 4S models would have sold if Apple could have kept the rumors of the iPhone 5 to a minimum, thousands, millions? No one is really screwed when a product gets upgraded, you always have a choice, enjoy what you have, or sell it and get the new one. Will you lose a little money, probably, but that’s the way it goes no matter what the product.
“1. Update your software”
Anyone with an Apple TV version 3, like me, still have some major issues with 5.1 update which still have not been fixed. Half of these issues revolve around the Apple TV plugged in via Ethernet as opposed to Wi-fi. Issues include Hulu Plus = broken, Netflix search = broken, iTunes is very slow to load purchases. I’m one of those folks who prefers the hard-wired connection over the Wi-fi where my TV is. Still waiting for a simple fix from Apple.
Yess all the hard work has gone into crippling and stopping jail breaking not into the fuctionality or working of the iTv apps. As soon as the is a jailbreak for iTv 3 go to firecore.com and install awesomeness to your Apple Tv. I am a recent convert to XBMC + aTv-saf skin that makes using a media centre all worth while. I use an Appletv in my home office but have a Mac mini under my tv with an Elgato tuner and with some additional software and tweeks this is the most awesome media center on the plannet.
Xbmc is the beat way to enjoy apple tv. So many ways to get free movies and tv shows. Navi x, channel1 and ice films all great add ons for Xbmc.