To say that Apple TV is the world ’s best medium streaming gimmick could be considered timid kudos , the tech equivalent weight of calling someone the world ’s tallest dwarf . After all , most old versions of these devices , which take music , video , and photo from your PC and represent them on your TV and stereo , have been unreliable , hard to use and loosely shunned by the purchasing public .

Applehas superintend to rise above that kind of bankruptcy with its distinctive mantra : Keep it simple and make it pretty . set up our $ 299 Apple TV was a walkover , and anyone who ’s used an iPod will be immediately familiar with its richly attractive interface .

With a 40 GB hard drive for storing content , the sleek twist looks like capable to avoid the exposure break - ups and bug that ofttimes make out with streaming video over a wireless electronic connection . The basic rule of Apple television content seems to be : If you may play something in iTunes , you may play it on Apple television . That puts some limitation on drug user , but then , that ’s the price of simplicity .

A squished Mac miniskirt ?

The machine reckon a bite like theMac mini after an elephant sat on it . It ’s about 7 inches straight and a picayune over an inch tall . It comes with a power cord , a remote about the sizing of an iPod nano , and that ’s it . ( WatchPC World ’s video onUnboxing the Apple TVto see all included components . )

You ’re on your own to purchase other cable television you ’ll take . For illustration , if your television receiver is HDMI equipped , you ’ll have to buy a HDMI transmission line ( about $ 20 at theApple Store ) . The Apple TV has port for HDMI connectors , component television , and analog picture connection .

Once I connected the corner to ourPCWtest high-definition television ( you must use a widescreen TV , by the way ) , the twist started looking for a meshing connection . ( take our purchasing advice on buy a new telly to work with your Apple TV . ) I was using Wi - Fi alternatively of an Ethernet connection , and the Apple TV could n’t initially find my internet . Once I typed in the web ’s SSID on the on - screen keyboard , though , I was up and running . The box seat is very subdued but catch significantly hot after about an hour .

You must connect the Apple TV to a copy of iTunes on a microcomputer or Mac . ( The screen bring home the bacon you with a passcode you must type into iTunes to make the association . ) Then Apple TV set off copying your content from your iTunes program library onto its hard crusade in a specific order : first movies , then telly shows , then music , etc . If there was a path to move something to the front of the blood , it was n’t obvious to me . I wanted to reposition some of my pic to the equipment , but kept arrive a content enounce it was too in use imitate my music and I should judge again later on .

Apple TV remote

Once some of my telecasting and music was on the Apple TV ’s hard ride , I started jumping around using the tiny remote . While the remote appear like an iPod , it does n’t quite act like one . What looks like a click bicycle does n’t operate just by moving your ovolo around the circuit of the wheel . Instead you need to click up , down , or sideways to move .

And while it ’s admirable that Apple has contend to shave a remote control down to essentially six push , you ’d well be careful of this one . Given how often the bad honking remote for my TV gets lost in the plica of the layer embrace , this one wo n’t last a workweek unless it ’s strapped to a boat keystone and a pager .

Video tests

For my video testing , I bribe an episode of a new show from FX , The Riches , from iTunes . Picture quality for this play was okay , but not sensational . Overall , the images seemed a number dark and washed out , even in colorful outdoor scenes . Apple TV can decode up to a 720p signaling and it can output up to 1080i . You may have trouble recover 720p content to expose , though . The iTunes Store does n’t deal it .

Apple TV will also play video that ’s not on its hard thrust . But for that , you ’re dependant on streaming over your wireless internet .

Music playback was very reminiscent of the iPod ’s interface , with draw of ways to view your collection . Album art for the music I was playing display beautifully — so beautifully it made me wish I could pilot my assemblage by the covert art , like the cover menstruation view in iTunes . But , alas , that option is n’t uncommitted . One other charge : Once you forget the music expanse , your album stopped playing . I would have liked to be able to continue listening to my choice while I was picking through pictures or watching a slideshow .

My fellow worker Jonathan Seff at Macworld.com talked to Apple and post this instructive blog with more contingent about the Apple TV .

Bottom line

As well as Apple TV is , I was still result thinking it could do more . For instance , it ’s set out an Internet connection and a severe crusade , so why do I have to download a telecasting or album to my PC , then have it sync to the Apple television ? Would n’t it be easier to cut out the interlocutor and have Apple TV link up directly to the iTunes Store ?

Despite those reservations , though , Apple TV is more than just the tallest dwarf out there . It ’s the first medium streaming gimmick I could imagine recommend to a non - geek . And I would n’t be surprised if it acquire into something even more powerful .