After being tethered to Apple ’s recently releasedtelevision add - onsince last Thursday , all that is Apple TV is beginning to make itself clear . You have questions ? I have answer .
Network
I have a protect web . Can the Apple television set apply it and , if so , how do I congeal it up ?
Yes , the Apple TV can access your protected connection . When you first set up your Apple TV , you ’ll be asked to connect to a web . If you have some variety of web protection trade on , you ’ll be enquire to select your flavor of auspices . Press the Apple Remote ’s Play / intermission button and , in the resulting cover , you ’ll see a virtual keyboard . Use the Remote ’s direction buttons to pilot to the characters you want and pressing Play / Pause to choose them . When you ’re done , voyage to Done at the bottom of the silver screen and press drama / intermission to confirm the password . The Apple TV should now join the net .
My meshing does n’t come along in the list of uncommitted networks . How do I enjoin my Apple TV about it ?
Much like withApple ’s AirPort , you have the alternative to pick out Other from the list of networks . When you do , the practical keyboard look again . Enter the name of your web , select Done , and press Play / Pause . With luck , your connection will become useable .
I need to manually recruit an IP address for the Apple television receiver . Can I do that ?
Yes . In web setup you ’ll see the option to enter an IP address manually . When you choose this option , you ’ll see 12 blank for the IP identification number . utilize the Remote ’s Plus and Minus buttons to scroll up or down through the selected issue . Use the Forward and Back buttons to select other blanks . ultimately move to Done and press Play / Pause to sustain the address .
I need to change my connection preferences after the initial frame-up . How do I do this ?
From the Apple TV ’s master covert follow this path : options / web and pick out either Configure Wireless or Configure TCP / IP .
I ’m seeing some glitches . Is there some path to check the enduringness of the wireless signal my Apple TV is receiving ?
Yes . Again , follow this path : preferences / connection . On the internet screen you ’ll see a five - segment Signal Strength cadence . This screen also displays the name of the net the Apple TV is connected to , the Apple TV ’s IP address , and its wireless ID . The Apple TV ’s About screen also bears a Signal Strength meter .
I contrive to attach an Ethernet overseas telegram to my Apple TV but I also have wireless in the house . How can I storm it to habituate Ethernet , which I ’m pretty certain will develop a more honest signal ?
Force is n’t necessary . If you jack up an Ethernet cable into the Apple TV , it will use that connection by default .
I do n’t have a wireless router . Do I have to have one ?
No , but you may be happier if you do . you’re able to plug the Ethernet cable system from your DSL or Cable modem into a Macintosh that bears an AirPort calling card , turn on Internet Sharing in the Sharing organization preference , and configure it so you ’re deal your Ethernet connection to any devices accessing your Mac wirelessly . This includes your Apple TV . Launch iTunes on that computer and when you specify up your Apple TV , take it to count to that computer for its mesh connection . Be sure that iTunes Sharing is allowed if you ’ve switch on a firewall .
Why may you be happier rifle with a router ? I ’ve find the wireless sign coming out of a router far strong than that coming from an AirPort bill of fare implant in a Macintosh .
I understand that the Apple boob tube supports wireless networking protocols 802.11b / g / n. How does it really perform with these varieties of wireless ?
It performs unmistakably well with 802.11 grand and due north networks . I ’ve well out retentive movie — both those purchased from the iTunes Store and those I ’ve encoded myself at high morsel rates ( 2,500kbps , for example)—and they play conclusion - to - end flawlessly over both my original g - flavour AirPort Extreme Base Station and the new n - variety show AirPort Extreme Base Station . The newer “ n ” Base Station offer a full - strength signal at 5 bars whereas the lower - kitchen stove “ g ” Base Station provided just 2 saloon , yet still give up the goods .
When stream video , it take a few seconds for the movie to laden into the Apple TV ’s pilot and then it begins playing . When you skip chapters or iron out and have the Remote ’s Forward release to fast - forward , playback stay , the stream buffers to the Apple TV for a few - to - several seconds , and playback begins afresh . medicine flows nicely as well .
I ’ve also quiz the Apple TV with my married woman ’s old lampshade iMac , which put up an 802.11b AirPort menu . euphony playback is perfectly fine . TV , on the other hand , is less than perfect . I streamed a version ofIt ’s a Mad , Mad , Mad , Mad World , encode as an MPEG-4 movie at a resolution of 720 - by-288 and a entire bitrate of 2,391kbps , and it played swimmingly for just over 8 minute of arc . At that point playback stopped and the Apple TV refilled its buffer . It stopped again at just over nine - and - a - half minutes to replenish the cowcatcher .
In curt , for substantial telecasting playback , use a thou or n wireless internet or a pumped Ethernet internet .
If there ’s no literal divergence in carrying out between a gigabyte and n web , is there any reason for me to buy a new AirPort Extreme Base Station to go with my Apple TV ?
If you already have the grand - variety of the AirPort Extreme Base Station ( or another assortment of g wireless router ) I ’d set it up with your Apple idiot box and see how things go . If everything works swimmingly , stick with what you have unless you have another compelling reason to purchase a fresh Base Station .
One compelling reason would be range . The latest AirPort Extreme Base Station has much good coverage than the previous one . My office with its base stations is downstairs and the Apple TV and my married woman ’s iMac is upstairs . With the old g - flavored Base Station I get just two bars from the Apple TV and nothing from my married woman ’s iMac unless I have an AirPort Express Base Station to extend the internet ’s range . No such Express Base Station is necessary with the new Extreme Base Station . Both the Apple TV and the iMac get a full five bars without the need of an AirPort Extreme .
Man , syncing seems slow . Should it be ?
It can be , yes , particularly over wireless b and g mesh . If you attempt to stream content while the Apple TV is syncing , the Apple TV may stop syncing to allow cyclosis take home . For this reason , your Apple TV will fill in the sync more quickly if you leave it alone . If you plan to copy a lot of material to your Apple TV ’s gruelling drive , you may witness it less painful to do it overnight . By the prison term you awaken up , the job will be done .
ButmustI expect for the Apple TV to sync all my media before playing it ?
No . By selecting the Apple TV in the Sources cover you may play any media that ’s been simulate to it even while other media is syncing . Again , it may stop syncing or sync more slow when you do this .
Content
Can I stream photos ?
No . Photos must be simulate to the Apple TV so as to appear on your idiot box . This means that you may expose only the photos from the computer synced to your Apple TV . If you synchronise to a unlike data processor , the photos from that computer will be copied to your Apple TV and the picture from the other computer will be deleted .
Hold on a arcsecond . You mean when I synchronize with another computer the Apple television set loses the former exposure ?
Yes . And your old music , television , and podcasts too . A bit like an iPod , the Apple TV is fully associated with only one computer . When you ab initio synchronize the Apple TV with a Mac or Windows PC , you enjoin it what you ’d care to sync ( read : Copy ) to it and it copies as much of the bespeak material as possible . ( It prioritize which material goes on first in this social club : motion-picture show , TV Shows , Music , Podcasts , and Photos . ) If it fills with movies , no idiot box shows , medicine , podcasts , or photos will make their way to the gimmick .
If you choose to synchronize the Apple idiot box to another computer , you do n’t have the pick to keep any of the material copy from the antecedently synced computer . As far as syncing is concerned , the Apple TV is completely monogamous .
Well , that stinks , does n’t it ?
It would if the Apple TV did n’t offer some other way to play content from other computers . luckily it does . It can stream media — pic , TV shows , podcasts , and audiobooks — from up to five other computers , and this can be a combination of Macs and Windows microcomputer .
I have a lot of computers . What happens when I ’ve already connect five computers and need to add a sixth ?
You have to do the Apple television combining weight of an iTunes deauthorization . To do so , move to iTunes ’ preferences on the computer you want to deauthorize , take the Apple TV tab , select the Apple TV , and click the Remove Apple television receiver button . Once you ’ve freed up the authorization , return to the Apple TV , select Sources / Connect to New iTunes , note the PIN routine that appears , move to the computer you want to authorize , select the Apple TV entry in iTunes ’ reservoir list , and enter the PIN number to enable cyclosis between the Apple TV and the computer .
Do I have to perform this PIN dancing every meter I require to stream to one of my computers ?
No , once you ’ve add together a computer for cyclosis it will stay on the Apple TV ’s list until you remove it by keep an eye on the technique outlined above .
If I play content purchased from the iTunes Store does that count against my iTunes authorizations ?
No . As long as the estimator you ’re syncing with or streaming from is pass to diddle the iTunes purchases , they ’ll play on the Apple TV .
Can I add media manually to the Apple TV as I can with my iPod ?
No , in this regard the Apple TV is more like an iPod shamble . To peg down the media you want to sum to the Apple TV you must configure the preferences within the Movies , television Shows , Music , Podcasts , and Photos tab that seem when you select the Apple TV in iTunes ’ Source list .
As I mentioned , the Apple TV prioritizes which media it copy , but you’re able to fine - tune from there . For both movies and TV shows you could state iTunes to synchronize a certain number of recent videos ( all , 1 , 3 , 5 , or 10 ) , all unwatched , or most recent unwatched ( 1 , 3 , 5 , or 10 ) . you’re able to also direct it to sync just selected movies or tv set show or playlists of those movies and TV shows . Podcasts work much the same style .
With music , you sync much like you do with an iPod . Sync it all or just selected playlists . ( The Music lozenge also let in the selection to synchronise medicine videos . ) you could synchronize photo from iPhoto , your Pictures folder , or a folder of your choice on a Mac or from a affirm photo program such as Photoshop Elements , the My Pictures folder , or a folder of your choosing on a Windows PC .
Unlike with an iPod , you ca n’t bewilder the Apple TV into manual mode and add content to the gimmick by drag it from your iTunes subroutine library to the machine in iTunes ’ Source list .
Must iTunes be running in order for you to update the Apple TV ?
Yes . Once you ’ve synced the Apple TV you’re able to discerp the connection between it and iTunes . The media has been copied to the Apple TV and will play without iTunes being in the picture . But if you need to stream content , you must do so with iTunes running on the computer you want to stream from and , of course , the web must be up and running . Likewise with syncing . There ’s no preparation for syncing content in the background without iTunes being open .
Can I play depicted object other than material purchased from the iTunes Store ?
Sure . The Apple tv set can represent telecasting encoded in MPEG-4 format ( and its variant , H.264 ) . It can play all the audio single file data formatting that are compatible with iTunes ( AIFF , WAVE , MP3 , AAC , and Apple Lossless ) . It ca n’t play any variety of Windows Media file , DiVX , Flash , Ogg Vorbis , .avi , and on and on . There are a salmagundi of public utility that let you transcode media to formats compatible with the Apple television set . For lesson , you’re able to pull commercial-grade DVD usingHandBrake . I ’ve pull a bit of DVDs at spot rates as high as 2,500kbps and they play perfectly well on the Apple TV ( and look darned good , to boot ) .
Apple TV supports these video spec :
Can the Apple video display new photo images ?
No . Just as with the iPod , display of Raw images is n’t supported . The Apple TV supports these images formats : JPEG , BMP , GIF , TIFF , and PNG .
Does the Apple TV play music gaplessly as does iTunes 7 and the former display - bearing iPods ?
Yes .
Is there any agency for me to tell what my Apple TV is synchronize ?
Yes . Go to the Sources screen and select Apple TV . On the leftfield of the blind you ’ll see a word-painting of the Apple TV and a advance legal community beneath . It will say you what it ’s imitate and how much it ’s copy — copy 251 of 589 , for example . If you move to the Apple TV ’s main covert you ’ll also see the turn gear icon next to the category of medium it ’s synchronize — Movies or TV show , for example . You ’ll see this same selective information when you choose Syncing from the Sources screenland . iTunes will also show you what it ’s doing in the information pane at the top of the windowpane .
How can I navigate TV that I ’m watch on the Apple TV ?
As you might expect , if you hold down the Back or Forward button while watching a movie or TV show , the Apple TV will move backward or forwards , severally , through the movie at increased speed . During this dissolute playback , you may press the same push button ( Back or Forward ) again to double the speed , and once more to further speed playback ; to turn back to received playback , press the Play / suspension clitoris .
Alternatively , concisely pressing the Back of Forward push will pass over back or before , respectively , by chapter ( for iTunes - purchase movies ) or by a specific amount of time . For the latter , the exactlengthof this time - jump varies depending on the length of the video being watched . For case , for a video clip that ’s only a few minutes long , each skip is 10 mo ; for a feature - length movie , each dawn of the button jumps 5 minutes .
Gripes and not
Why did n’t Apple include overseas telegram in the boxful ?
This is n’t exactly the same situation of Apple leaving the might supplying out of iPod boxes in parliamentary law to save money ( and make money by take people to purchase them on an individual basis ) . The Apple TV can link to your power train in a sort of way . To cover all the base , Apple would have to admit HDMI - to - HDMI , HDMI - to - DVI , element video , analog audio frequency , and digital audio cables . That ’s a stack of transmission line to include when someone is likely to use only one or two of them .
The Apple TV ’s 40 GB hard drive is too low ! Can I promote it ?
Wait , this ought to really get your hackles up : Only 33 GB of the 40 GB drive can be used for your content . The repose is reserve for the operating system and other secrets only Apple knows .
Again , if streaming were n’t so easy and did n’t figure out so well with wired and 802.11 universal gravitational constant and n networks , I ’d agree with you . I ’d give the complaint a little more system of weights if you have an 802.11b web , but through heady media direction ( configuring iTunes to delete ascertain movie and substitute them with new ones , for example ) you should be o.k. . ( Or , if that still go away you unsatisfied , fly the coop conducting wire . ) The fact is , the only matter thatmustlive on the Apple TV ’s strong driveway in order for it to play are photos . And 33 GB should be lot of space to store a sight of your simulacrum .
All that tell , the day after the Apple TV was released , at least three web sites posted hack for upgrading the Apple TV to guard a 120 GB hard drive . similarly , there are hack floating around for play telecasting format other than MPEG-4 and H.264 on the thing . Use the Google , my admirer .
I have a standard - definition idiot box . Am I out of luck ?
Not necessarily . The Apple idiot box offers a standard - def 420p signaling . The fast one is let it into your television set . If your TV has constituent remark , you ’re in business . Just string a component cable between the Apple TV and your telly and you ’re golden . If your set does n’t have constituent video stimulation , my guess is there will be ( or already exists ) a converter box that will allow you to play an Apple television receiver on a standard television set through that television set ’s S - Video or composite ports .
There ’s no great power button on the Apple TV . I do n’t like it range all the time . Is there some way I can shut out it off without unplug it ?
Not wholly off to the decimal point where when you start it up again you see that coolheaded prefatorial telecasting cartridge holder . But you could demand that the Apple TV take a longsighted short sleep by pressing and hold the Remote ’s Play / Pause button .
I ’m essay to see to it the Apple TV with my Remote and it does nothing except dart an gold light on the front . What am I doing wrong ?
sound like you have more than one Apple Remote in your house . If you seek to control the Apple TV with a Remote it ’s not paired with , you see that amber brightness level . site the Remote it is paired with and use that .
I need 5.1 environment speech sound from my Apple TV . Any chance of getting it ?
Not at this distributor point . The Apple boob tube puts out a Dolby ProLogic stereo signal only .
Boy , this thing seems red-hot . Is there a fan in there to keep it cool ?
There is a variable - speed fan inside the Apple goggle box but it ’s whisper - quiet . Even with the lover within it can get hot . It ’s absolutely safe to set up the Apple TV in your component locker but do n’t hatch its top , as that can block its wireless response .
The Apple TV seems skillful , but it does n’t do everything I ’d like it to — play surround sound audio or let me play other varieties of picture , for model . Does it make sense to wait for the next revise ?
That ’s mostly between you and your budget . I can say , however , that the options fare bears an important ( and , so far , unrealized ) command : Update Software . The functionality of the Apple TV is governed largely by the software package that runs it . Should Apple wish to dilate the Apple TV ’s functionality , one way to do so is by updating its software . I doubt Apple would have include such a command unless it intended to put it to some use .
Why should I corrupt an Apple TV when I could get a Mac mini instead , which is far more compromising ?
Stroll over to the nearest mirror and see if the reflection indicates that there ’s a gun channelize at your head . If so , you may want to consider your choice very carefully . If not , then do n’t buy the Apple TV if you do n’t deal to .
I ’ve coif up both devices as a media center so mouth from experience . The Mac mini has a lot going for it . you could toy more sort of media thanks to the all-encompassing variety of usable Mac - compatible players . It can do far more than an Apple TV — it ’s a real data processor , for heaven ’s sake , so it should . It plug in to a in high spirits - definition television set easily enough with an optional DVI - to - HDMI transmission line ( though DVI does n’t output audio recording so you ’ll require to use a Toslink with a miniplug adapter or standard audio cable to get sound out of the Mac mini and into your AV audio recipient ) . It has a built - in DVD musician and , unlike an Apple TV , it can output 5.1 audio recording .
But there are some downside as well . To begin with , someone who roll in the hay what they ’re doing needs to push back the Mac . If your content wo n’t play in iTunes , you ask to move over to QuickTime Player or VLC or some other thespian that supports your medium . My wife could well engage the Apple TV , for example , but would n’t have a hint how to play a wide variety of euphony and motion-picture show with a Mac miniskirt . Although the Mac mini bread and butter mesh video cyclosis via Front Row , it does n’t stream picture nearly as well as the Apple TV . Full - duration film choke on anything but an n - wireless or fast - wired internet association under Front Row .
As I explained in My Multimedia Mac miniskirt , configuring a Mac mini to be a full - blown media center is both time - devour and expensive . If you really desire your Mac to process as a digital video recorder , tuner , medicine centre of attention , moving picture musician , and tv set receiver , be prepared to exercise your noggin as well as pass both lolly and time on the project .
The Apple TV , though more special , is less expensive and far easier to set up .
Why should I buy an Apple TV when I could get a fifth - propagation iPod , plug it into my TV , and get a standardised experience ?
See the old “ gun ” gossip . Beyond that , the iPod does n’t output video at as good a resolution as the Apple TV nor can it use your TV ’s snazzy HDMI port — it can use only composite picture via an AV cable or S - Video with a compatible dock . Also , unless you ’ve pay for a medium dock that projects the iPod ’s substance on your TV cover , you want to get off your rear terminal to pick out programs and music , which sort of defeats the whole “ couch murphy ” thing .
Any way you await at it — with a Mac mini , a 5 G iPod , or an Apple TV — Apple will be glad to take your money .
Speaking of give way Apple money , I ’d wish to have an Apple TV in my living room and another in my chamber . Will that work ?
It will . Just tell each of them the source you ’d like to synchronize to or swarm from and you ’re quick to go .
Note this cool feature when you have the multi - Apple TV experience : The Apple television is very smart about resuming playback of your movies and telly from where you leave off . If you depart watching a motion-picture show in the life elbow room and want to consider the rest of it in the bedroom , just exit out of the moving-picture show in the living way , move to the bedroom , and goggle in awe when you start the picture on the other Apple TV , it asks you if you ’d care to re-start from where you last cease , and it start up play from where you conk in the living room .
It ’s just as smart about video played on the iPod . Play part of a video recording on your iPod , sync it with iTunes , and your Apple television will extend to play it from the point where you bar watching it on the iPod .
[ Christopher Breen is a fourth-year editor forMacworld and runs theiPod Blogover at Playlist . ]
This article was reposted at 2:27 p.m. PT on March 26 , 2007 , to add more data about navigating video .
