All About AppleTV

Do you have movies and TV shows stored on your computer that you have downloaded from the iTunes store? Do you want to watch them on your high-definition television instead of on your computer screen? If so, then you need to check out AppleTV. AppleTV allows you to wirelessly stream your movies and television shows from your computer to your television.

AppleTV is a device manufactured and sold by the Apple Corp. Once you plug the device into your existing television, you can watch movies and television shows that you have stored on your computer.

AppleTV connects to your high-definition television either by component video and audio cables or by a single HDMI cable. Because AppleTV comes with an 802.11n wireless network capability, all of your programs can be streamed wirelessly from your computer to the device. AppleTV works with computers running either Microsoft Windows or Apple OSX operating systems. You must have iTunes installed on your computer to use AppleTV.

AppleTV comes in two models: one with a built-in, 40-gigabyte hard disk that retails for $299 and another with a built-in, 160-gigabyte hard disk that sells for $399. The built-in disks allow you to store downloaded movies directly on the device.

 

Another new feature of the AppleTV is that it lets you browse the Internet and view YouTube videos on your TV. AppleTV also allows you to listen to your iTunes music through your home entertainment system. Input is controlled through a wireless remote control that is included with the device.

AppleTV has a relatively simple interface based on Apple's existing Front Row software. The menus are ordered based on the type of content and feature hierarchical lists with multiple sorting options. The initial menu breaks down content into five categories: Movies, TV Shows, Music, Podcasts and Photos. This screen also features options for altering Settings and Sources.

AppleTV supports a limited number of file formats:

Shortly after the release of AppleTV on May 21, 2007, users began experimenting to see what hacks could be devised to alter the performance of the device. Hacks were available within days that allowed upgrades to the hard drive and upgrades to support additional file formats. Although Apple currently allows hacks to the device, installation of such software will void the factory warranty.

As with all new devices, there is some criticism about AppleTV. Some reviewers have bemoaned the lack of support for older televisions. Many older TVs don't feature the component connectors and widescreen support that are required for AppleTV.

Additional criticism comes from the inability to easily upgrade the internal hard drive. There is currently no support for additional hard drives after the installed one has been filled. Users may also experience degraded video quality with some of the files downloaded from the iTunes store. Many critics suggest that this is not the fault of AppleTV but rather of the files available in the iTunes store.

Currently the only way to repair an AppleTV device is to take it to an Apple store or send it back to the factory.