The difference between apple tv 3 and 4. Fourth generation Apple TV: key features, features, video

Overview of the Apple TV (fourth generation)

Contents of delivery

  • Console
  • Network cable
  • Remote control
  • Lightning cable
  • Documentation

We deal with the new Apple TV set-top box, not updated, but new - yes, you can still rent a movie for the evening, but you can also install karaoke if you wish and sing on TV, or play, or watch Comedy Club and the series "Fizruk" ...

Positioning

When you tell or show someone the capabilities of Apple TV, they can immediately object, they say, because advanced modern TVs have all this and without any set-top boxes, there are Smart TV, Android TV and other shells that can make it possible to play or buy movies in third-party services . All this is so. But there are at least a few reasons to buy an Apple TV:

  • If you have a perfectly good TV, but without any shells.
  • If you have a perfectly good TV, there is a shell, but it does not suit you.
  • If you have been using iTunes for a long time, there are hundreds of films, music albums in the library and you would like to easily run all this content on your TV, rent films.
  • If you want to play games on your TV, but you have never done it and there are doubts about the convenience of this process, then you should definitely try Apple TV.

There are other reasons too, but they might seem a bit far-fetched - I would recommend the Apple TV to anyone who loves OS X and iOS and wants something equally sleek and thoughtful for the biggest screen in the house. I would recommend Apple TV to girls, it has been empirically established that they instantly master the remote control, programs for the set-top box, start watching TV shows - I don’t know how this would happen with Android TV. Maybe so, maybe not. I would recommend the Apple TV for family entertainment, the game of chicken may seem cruel, but there are other games out there. For example, Shadowmatic perfectly develops spatial thinking, but Asphalt does not develop anything, but it’s very cool to drive in turns.

In general, I would recommend everyone to try the updated Apple TV, it’s a pity that you can’t rent it. Well, prices in Russia are now cruel. When you remember how much the old Apple TV cost, a tear of nostalgia immediately appears. Okay, let's not be sad, but rather let's see what the updated console is.

Design, construction

It’s a pity that Apple forgot to put an HDMI cable in the kit, I seem to have a lot of cables at home, but they all turned out to be occupied - they could well not be stingy, it’s not very expensive (to put it mildly). The kit includes a remote control, a network cable, a set-top box, a strap for the remote control is inserted into the Lightning connector, and you also need to buy it separately. But in the kit there is a Lightning cable for charging the remote control, yes, there is now such a plug. As you can see in the photo, the branded iPhone stand can also be used for the remote control. The operating time of the remote control is several months when used in normal mode, which is good, you don’t need to think about the state of the battery all the time, you don’t need to buy batteries, the built-in battery will probably work for several years. I must say right away that many existing joysticks can be used with Apple TV, in a couple of days we will post a video review where we try to connect and use one of them - go to this material, there will be a video.



Accordingly, this gives hope for the emergence of many other accessories for Apple TV, such as small keyboards, advanced joysticks and who knows what else. If tvOS continues to develop, the developers' imagination should be enough for the most unprecedented add-ons. After all, there are already good races, the already mentioned Asphalt, so why not make some simple steering wheel? Racing after all good, bright. The branded remote can be used, but not very convenient. I note that you need to hold it by the tips and imagine that this is not a remote control, but a steering wheel, turn from side to side - the car is moving. You need to get used to it, but then everything will turn out naturally and easily. The touchpad also requires getting used to, but then rewinding in films is a pleasure, it is very easy to choose the right moment, quickly rewind to the right place, step back, repeat - easy, elegant, great! But at first, typing on the virtual keyboard makes you wince. Out of habit, you skip letters, move your finger faster than necessary, miss, miss again, but damn you! Little by little he manages to get used to it. Then, I also found another problem at the very beginning, Apple TV is demanding on the quality of Wi-Fi. We tried to use "Iota" - it was not possible to log into the account, we tried to connect to the iPhone operating in modem mode - nothing happened either. The set-top box connected to the home access point instantly, and you can find it (the point) on the TV screen or configure it using the iPhone, put it on the Apple TV, and voila, the settings are transferred. Well, then only the remote control will help you, the plump black box can be hidden away.





Compared to the previous version, the set-top box has become larger, the connector for connecting an optical cable has disappeared, but everything else remains the same. Here is the complete list of connectors and more:

  • HDMI 1.43;
  • Supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac with MIMO technology;
  • 10/100BASE-T Ethernet port;
  • IR receiver;
  • USB-C for service and support;
  • Built-in power supply.

If suddenly you have a desire to take screenshots, then you need a USB-C to USB cable, connect it to your MacBook Pro, turn on QuickTime Player, and the image from the TV appears there. Unfortunately, I did not find such a cable, so I shot it with a camera. I repeat, a detailed video about the menu, applications and more will soon appear.

The remote control itself is a complex device. There is an IR sensor for controlling the volume on the TV, and Bluetooth 4.0 for communicating with the set-top box, Lightning for charging, an accelerometer and a gyroscope, a glass touch pad, you can not only move your finger on it, but also press it. In some games, there's a difference between swiping in the center or swiping in the edge and that's where the emphasis is; impressions after working with the touch surface - as after using other Apple technology, such as iPhone or iPad.


operating system

The capabilities of the operating system are very good in the future, but even now the device is not perceived as something unfinished, raw, neither I nor those to whom I gave the prefix to try it had such a feeling. On the contrary, the thing is perceived extremely positively. If you already had an Apple TV and you are used to renting movies there, then you can do it here too, only along the way you can install RuTube, watch Dances or TV shows, many people like Comedy Club - you can watch Comedy. There are also 2x2, only the choice of series is limited. I personally am waiting for the Amediateki application to calmly watch new series of my favorite TV series, movies on TV - by the way, there is a very good selection of movies, there is a lot of stuff that you won’t find anywhere else. The choice of applications is already great, here you have The Nat Geo TV, and HBO NOW, and news, and YouTube - you know, you can hang out there for a day if you wish. All applications are reminiscent of counterparts for iOS, that is, these are video directories, choose and watch. The quality is good, I use Apple TV with an old Samsung TV, except for Full HD, there is not much to boast about.








Yes, if suddenly there are karaoke lovers among you, there is karaoke here. I myself am not a fan, but I was told that karaoke works effectively here, and it is better for fans of this business not to talk about such an opportunity for Apple TV. And for singing there is not one, but several programs.

If a soundbar or other speaker system is connected to the TV, you can listen to purchased music or use Apple Music, which is great when meeting with friends. A TV in the living room, a table in the living room, everything is logical - especially since music can work in a number of applications. Listening to Igor Nikolaev and playing Crossy Road is possible. True, in some programs this cannot be done, either this is a bug, or voice acting will be possible everywhere.



Yes, I can't help but notice that there is also Mixcloud, a program with mixes, different music formats - it's quite possible to listen for days on end, without stopping.


That is, if earlier Apple TV was limited to the music you bought (I exaggerate, but nevertheless), now there are no boundaries. The entire iTunes library is at your disposal thanks to Apple Music, there are applications like MixCloud, there are catalogs of Internet radio stations for Apple TV.

Moving on to films, all purchased films are available for download and viewing, some can be rented. Contrary to popular belief, this does not apply to all tapes - for the most part, new items can only be bought, no rental. For example, now "Everest" is sold for 349 rubles in HD, 199 rubles in SD, it's better to take it in HD, but it's even better to raise your ass from your chair and walk to the cinema. Here, Everest is much better to watch than at home. But "Agents of A.N.K.L" can already be bought for 349 rubles, and rented for 99 rubles - a good offer.






Either way, iTunes prices are reasonable, and if you're buying an Apple TV, you should be prepared for paid content. I know that most of the readers are already used to paying for books, music and films, but, nevertheless, there are those who do not understand where the money goes and why you need to pay for "air". This is always a personal choice of everyone, and we will not discuss the topic of paid content here, I will only note that in Russia people still show unexpected enthusiasm for services - there are much more of those who want to receive a quality service and are ready to pay for it. In the case of iTunes on Apple TV, there are no questions about the service itself, the previously purchased movie was downloaded in a minute, the quality is excellent, and the sound too. If you slide your finger down on the touchpad, the audio menu will appear, where you can select the audio track, subtitles, through which device the sound will be played.

As in the case of the previous set-top box, it is possible to transfer pictures to Apple TV from the device, the quality is so-so. Tried to transfer the image from MB Pro.

In addition to programs, audio and films, there are also games. And here, besides Crossy Road and Asphalt, there are also Shadowmatic, Rayman, Manticore Rising, Guitar Hero. I suppose it will be possible to separately write about a dozen good games for Apple TV at the end of the month, but in the meantime I will say that the programs are sensible, they are interesting to play even for me - most of the things here are arcades, but this does not detract from their merits. In the same Crossy Road, it's great to play in a company when everyone around is trying to tell you to snatch the remote control to play on your own.










And so, now imagine that all this is on your TV. It has become much more functional, don't you think? Yes, I used to be able to easily buy Interstellar and watch it with my family while relaxing after a busy day. But now there is an easy, understandable and simple access to programs of very different directions and with a variety of content - we can already not only choose Interstellar, but also watch the latest episode of Dances, if we feel like it. And there is no need to carry a laptop, transfer an image from an iPad or iPhone, or complicate life in other ways.

Performance and Specifications

The prefix is ​​available in two versions, 32 and 64 GB, as I understand it, Apple made a version for those who will install a lot of applications, and a version for those who install the main one and calm down, will not experiment. Of course, there is a difference in price, 13,990 and 17,990 rubles. As far as I heard, there is currently a limit for the size of applications, it is 200 MB, in the future it may be removed. A lot could change for Apple TV in the future. For example, now the desktop repeats the design of the first Apple TV, although it would be better to emphasize the continuity of tvOS and iOS and allow the user to simply put all the icons on the desktop, if they want to add widgets there, as in Android - now the navigation is frankly stupid, go to the desired item the first time i still can't do it. You will definitely go somewhere in the wrong place, there is also a remote control that “helps”, an extra movement, and immediately somewhere left the desired menu item. While the search for Siri in Russian does not work, that's when it appears, it will be of help.

Apple, as always, took care of people with disabilities. Press the Menu button three times, and VoiceOver turns on, voicing menu items, here is a list of all Accessibility items:

  • Voiceover;
  • Increase;
  • Bold font;
  • Increase in contrast;
  • Reduced movement;
  • Support for closed captioning and subtitles for people with hearing impairments;
  • Keyboard shortcuts (I don't quite understand about this).

A little about video and audio formats:

  • H.264 video up to 1080p, 60fps, High or Main Profile level 4.2 or lower;
  • H.264 video, Baseline Profile 3.0 or lower with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 ​​kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov formats;
  • MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640x480 pixels, 30 fps, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 ​​kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov formats;
  • HE- AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 kbps), Protected AAC (for iTunes Store files), MP3 (16 to 320 kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4) ), Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Plus 7.1.

Let me remind you once again that Apple TV is sensitive to the quality of the Internet connection, you can connect to the network both via Wi-Fi and using an Ethernet cable, this method seems to me an anachronism. Although you can retort - the speed and reliability of the cable connection is higher. Well, if you don't mind another cable in the living room, it's up to you.

The heart of Apple TV is the A8 processor with 64-bit architecture, the set-top box works quickly, the transition from section to section is fast, the only shortcomings are the lack of thumbnails for some movies on the main page, but this is already a tvOS problem. For all the time of use, there were no crashes of applications, I would like to get some kind of intelligible menu of running applications, as in iOS.








conclusions

Let me remind you that the price is 13,990 and 17,990 rubles, a good gift for the New Year and for any other holiday. The whole family will be able to use Apple TV, and there is something to do for dad, mom, and kids. I hope, albeit somewhat chaotically, told about the main features of this interesting device. I remember how they “broke” the first Apple TV, used it to watch movies, after so many years in the living room there is a device completely in the spirit of the century - everything is on the network, and it’s a sin not to use it. If you want to upgrade (sorry) your TV, Apple TV will do just fine.

P.S. As promised, I will write about the programs and games used on Apple TV separately.

  • * The subscription price is 199 rubles per month after the end of the trial period. A single subscription to a Family Sharing group. The offer is valid from November 1, 2019 and is valid for 3 months after the activation of the corresponding device. The subscription renews automatically until cancelled. There are certain restrictions and other conditions.
  1. Not all content is available in 4K or 4K HDR. To view 4K content, a 4K capable TV is required. Dolby Atmos may not be available for certain movies in some regions. To listen to Dolby Atmos audio, you need a device that supports this format. Playback quality may vary depending on hardware and internet connection speed.
  2. Some content may require a subscription to access. Availability is not guaranteed. Some apps are not available in all regions. Application availability is not guaranteed.
  3. Access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade requires a qualifying subscription.
  4. Game controllers do not work with all games and are sold separately. Availability varies by country.
  5. iCloud requires an iCloud-enabled device. Some features require iOS 13, iPadOS, or macOS Catalina. Some features require a Wi-Fi connection. Some features are not available in all countries and regions. Access to some services is limited to 10 devices.
  • Dolby Atmos features may not be available in all movies or in all languages.
  • Featured content is available on the Apple TV app. Copyright © 2018 Paramount Pictures. Hasbro, Transformers and all related characters are trademarks and copyright © 2018 Hasbro. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Legendary. Copyright © 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. SHAZAM! and all related characters and elements are trademarks and copyrights of DC Comics. © 2018 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. © 2019 Legendary and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. GODZILLATM and © TOHO Co., Ltd. Copyright © 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. LEGO, the LEGO logo, minifigure and configuration pieces are trademarks of The LEGO Group. © 2019 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved. See
Apple TV 4K - Now you can watch movies and TV shows in 4K HDR. There are already a lot of them in iTunes and other popular applications. It's time to change your perception of the possibilities of television.

4K HDR. Sets a new standard.
In 4K, the picture looks much sharper because this format uses four times more pixels than standard HD. And HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology is responsible for more realistic reproduction of colors and the smallest details. From hot premieres to favorite TV shows, the image looks even more natural now.

Applications. That's where the television is now.
Applications give freedom of choice: you decide what and when to watch. With them, it's easy to find all the most interesting - from blockbusters to the latest news and weather forecast. In addition, there are various programs for children, concerts, podcasts and much more.

touch. Switch TV with touch.
The Apple TV Remote lets you quickly find what you need with just a swipe across the Touch surface. You can also use it to adjust the volume of your TV or AV receiver. And with Bluetooth, you don't have to point the remote at the screen. Apple TV will respond from any corner of the room.

Cool speed. High quality picture.
The A10X Fusion processor is a powerful platform for high-demand immersive gaming and a smooth application experience. All of them are already in the App Store for Apple TV. And if you connect game controllers or headphones, you will find out what else your TV is capable of.

Your photos, videos and music. On TV.
Photos and videos from iCloud Photo Library or shared albums are easy to share on the big screen. Watch content from your devices with friends and family directly on TV. And also connect Apple Music to your home theater.

The 32GB Apple TV 4K is the technology of the future of TV. With it, you decide what to watch and at what time. Connect the gadget to your TV and enjoy your favorite movies, series, music videos in excellent quality. Install interesting applications from the App Store, view content from iCloud, play your favorite online games through the console on the big screen in high resolution. And all this thanks to a small device that turns the TV into a home theater.

Impressive features Apple TV 4K 32 GB
Incredible 4K and UHD picture quality. With the Apple TV 4K 32 GB, you can watch movies and TV shows in 4K or Ultra HD quality, and see every detail of the latest releases from around the world.

Apps right on your TV. With the console, you can download your favorite apps from the App Store. Install Apple Music and choose your favorite tracks among 40 million songs. With the Home app, you can control all Home Kit-enabled accessories - lights, locks, home appliances from a distance.

Fast and powerful processor. Apps and programs open instantly thanks to the A10X single-chip system, the same as in the iPad Pro tablet. The powerful platform allows "heavy" games with detailed graphics to run smoothly and without freezing. All content from iCloud on the big screen. Photos and videos from albums in the media library are easy to show to relatives and friends - just turn on the application on the set-top box.

Convenient Apple TV Remote. The touch surface allows you to adjust the TV volume or find the information you need with a single gesture. The remote doesn't need to be pointed at the screen, thanks to its Bluetooth connection it responds quickly from any angle.
The photo and video playback system with Memories lets you compile your best content to watch on the big screen in 4K resolution.

Much more than just a gadget for streaming good video to your TV. In addition to the functions of an audio and video player, the device perfectly copes with the role of an entry-level console. Since the announcement of the very first version of the Apple TV box, a lot of time has passed, and the app store has been filled with a ton of great content.

The most interesting thing is, of course, the games. Here you will find colorful platformers (Duck Tales: Remastered, Badland 2, Icycle: On Thin Ice, Heroki), and addictive turn-based RPGs (Lara Croft Go, Deus Ex GO, Hitman GO), and dynamic racing (Real Racing 3, Raptide GP : Rene-gade, AG Drive), and full RPGs (Oceanhorn). Plus a lot of cool quests and puzzles. Well, without Minecraft, so beloved by many, it could not have done.

The graphics quality and speed do not disappoint. Still, inside the console is a powerful six-core Apple A10X Fusion processor. Exactly the same is used in the brand new iPad Pro 10.5 and 12.9, and these tablets without brakes and glitches even cope with multi-layered graphics in Photoshop and editing mobile 4K video.

Do not forget about a separate button for interacting with the virtual assistant Siri. If there is, then the TV can also be controlled using voice commands.

  • pros:today, Apple TV 4 gives you the opportunity to fully enjoy watching videos. In the presence of an instant quick response and not only a familiar, but also a nice looking interface. The choice of applications is very rich, and AirPlay technology allows you to use even unsupported applications. The highest quality remote control available on the market. The Siri virtual assistant works just fine, and voice commands add their own note of uniqueness.
  • Minuses A: The cost of Apple TV is higher than similar set-top boxes such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. Despite the fact that they have almost the same key functionality. No app for Amazon, no other video services other than iTunes.
  • Verdict: With a smart remote control and voice control, Apple TV 4 is one of the best entertainment, especially for those whose apartment is already littered with Apple products.

Apple TV 4 Fall Update

In October 2016, Apple discontinued its pilot versions of its Apple TVs, reducing the product line to two updated models released in 2015. The 32GB model will cost $149 and the 64GB model will cost $199 (£129 and £169 or AU$269 and 349 respectively). The update includes Apple's built-in app store, support for voice search, voice device control, and a new remote control with a touch surface.

For those who have already invested in TV shows, movies, songs and games on iTunes, buying an Apple TV home media player will be a good decision. Apple TV has the most TV-focused services, including Netflix and FXNow. And iTunes is still the only service on the console where you can buy TV shows and movies first hand. Competitor apps such as Amazon Video, Vudu and Google Play Movies & TV are delisted.

Voice search with smart remote

photo: apple tv 4 remote

The most striking distinguishing feature of Apple TV against the background of online markets for games and applications in the same set-top boxes based on Android is support for voice commands via the Siri Remote. The remote supports voice search by keywords and genres, which allows you to find exactly what the user wants. In addition, Apple plans to release its application soon. Through it, it will be possible to directly go to specific TV shows without downloading applications from video services.

For those who like 4K and HDR video, want a wider selection of TV shows, or want access to Amazon and Vudu, other set-top boxes like Roku and Amazon Fire TV are worth checking out. Their prices start at $30. Despite the fact that Apple's set-top box remains one of our favorites, we still prefer the Roku Streaming Stick media player. It costs less, it has more applications (including Amazon), it has the same basic functions.

Please note that this article reviews the American version of the console. Some little things, namely various services, will differ depending on the country.

What's new?

Anyone familiar with Apple TV may want to take a look at a short list of innovations and changes since launch. And here he is:

  • More apps. Apple says over 5,000 as of May 2016
  • Voice search works on numerous TV services including PBS, Disney channels and Starz
  • Siri virtual assistant works with Apple Music and App Store apps
  • Direct inclusion. You can ask Siri to go straight to a live channel through supported IPTV apps like Watch ESPN and CBS All Access
  • Voice typing
  • Keyboard connection via Bluetooth
  • Separate folders for applications
  • Podcast recording app
  • Support for iCloud Photo Gallery and Live Photos
  • Create online conferences in the Conference Room Display for business and educational purposes

One of the biggest frustrations when launching the console was the difficulty of entering text into the search field in the app store and search service. But what darkened the picture the most was dancing with a tambourine when entering a username and password for an account in applications from services such as Netflix, Hulu, Watch ESPN and others.

At first, the only solution to the problem was an on-screen keyboard. I even became one of the few who first discovered it. Most often, it was enough to enter a couple of letters before relevant search results immediately appeared. But it took time to get used to.

With the March 2016 update, Apple introduced a few other options. I especially liked the RemoteApp remote access application, it helps when you need to enter user data when authorizing on services. It allows you to use your Apple phone or tablet as a keyboard for your Apple TV.

You can also dictate letters, numbers, and even symbols into the microphone. At first glance, this is a cool option, but it worked crookedly for me. No matter how clearly I spoke, often a few letters fell out during recognition or my speech was incorrectly recognized. I advise you to use the above application so that you do not suffer when entering text.

As I go through the review, I carefully examine and test the many other improvements that have been implemented.

Same black TV box, but overall different feel

Compared to the previous version, Apple has not changed the shape of the console. Shiny edges, rounded corners, the company logo on the matte top of the box - if you put two set-top boxes of the new and old version next to each other, by eye they will be approximately the same. However, the new device weighs 153 grams more. When I took the prefix out of the box, there was a feeling that you were holding such a decent brick in your hands.

But most importantly, the 2015 Apple TV feels better than the pilot set-top boxes. Let's start with the remote. It has a touchpad, a few buttons, and the familiar microphone icon for activating Siri, Apple's virtual assistant with a female, emotionless voice. Unlike its phone variant, Siri does not have a voice on Apple TV. Her responses are limited to text and on-screen images, but she is generally accurate and can perform some useful actions.

The touchpad of the remote control is sensitive, has a fast response, and a well-chosen degree of sliding of the surface with an ideal size for thumb manipulation. It took me a second to realize that I had to press the touchpad to select something. And right after I was already rushing through different menus, I enlarged the thumbnails. I also noticed that navigation is much faster compared to any other button pad. In the settings you can change the response speed. Since I am one of those who love adventures, I put the fastest one.

Apple TV interface

The design of the menus - what you need. Well, you know, those still blank white canvases from phones that have been adorned with app icons over time. You can also customize the Apple TV home page for yourself. After I installed everything, I wanted to put the icons of Netflix , Hulu , Disney Junior , HBO services in the top row. And iTunes - to the bottom, since I rarely buy TV shows and movies from Apple. When you hover over a movie, series or game, a picture and a brief description of the content are shown at the top.

In addition, you can organize applications into folders. Folder names can be changed to anything. All these actions are easy and simple, especially if you use voice commands. To do this, you just need to press the button with the microphone and start talking.

The old version of Apple TV included a bunch of screensavers that were displayed in idle mode. On the new one, for now, you can only select images from your photos and the Aerial album. And believe me, you should go to this album. Here you will find stunning shots of urban and natural landscapes, videos of sights in slow motion. They can be so enticing that you may not even want to turn off the TV.

Browse the app store on a 65-inch screen

To fill the void of windows, let's go to the app store, which will be more like the store on the iPhone or iPad, only with larger icons. One problem with Apple stores is the incompatibility of a huge number of applications, which is also available on Apple TV.

Apple has been working on improving the organization of the store since launch, adding voice search capability. And considering the number of apps available, the organization of the store is really all right. At the top there are main tabs through which you can browse and search for new applications.

  1. The Home tab is dominated by TV apps, but apps from other categories are constantly appearing: games, apps for kids, sports, news, and there are others that Apple is considering. For example, "new apps we like" and "games with intuitive controls".
  2. The next tab is Top Applications. Here are collected the most popular applications, which have three categories of applications: paid, free and the most profitable.
  3. The "Categories" tab is similar to the "Search" tab in the mobile version of the app store, here the applications are divided into three categories: "Games", "Education" and "Entertainment".
  4. The Purchased Content tab contains a list of all apps installed on other devices that are compatible with Apple TV. Applications are installed one at a time. To do this, you need to select and select it (But I can’t wait until they make a big “Install All” button). In most cases, if the user has already purchased the app or game on another device, they will be able to use it for free on Apple TV as well. Although the decision about the possibility of using previously purchased content remains with the application publisher.
  5. Finally, the Search tab shows up-and-coming applications and allows the user to search for keywords that can be typed or dictated.

Games for Apple TV - control with one finger

The first thing you need to know about playing on Apple TV is that it is quite possible to play using the remote that comes with the set-top box, you do not need to buy a separate controller. The second - after all, it is more convenient to play with a game controller.

Most of the games I've tried have worked fine with the touch pad on the remote. However, the convenience of playing with just one thumb should be noted: I could easily hold my child with my other hand while playing, say, Crossy Road.

This is an exciting game with simple controls and the same graphics in which you have to spank chickens. I liked the gameplay, and the picture on the big screen looked just great.

The same positive impressions remained from playing JetPack Joyride and Bandland, in which the main part of the gameplay comes down to pressing one button and jumping at the right time. Games with more complex controls and gameplay were just as comfortable to play. For example, to drift in the Does Not Commute race, you need to quickly press the left or right side of the touch surface. To move in the game Beat Sports, you need to lightly swipe your finger on the touch surface, and to hit the bat, wave the remote, like on Nintendo Wii. The touch surface fails in games where you need to quickly move in certain directions. For example, when controlling a spaceship in Geometry Wars, or when directing and moving the protagonist around the map in Oceanhorn and Transistor.

The game with the most difficult control turned out to be Galaxy on Fire: Manticore Rising, whose genre is an arcade shooter in space. When playing it, you need to move and wave the remote control, as well as press the touch surface. However, all this does not prevent you from enjoying the game. And again, you can play with one hand.

In two racing arcade games, Asphalt 8 and Beach Buggy Racing, you had to hold the remote control horizontally, like a steering wheel. Both were simple and fun, but I definitely wish the remote was more accurate. I also tried the Steel Series Stratus XL controller and found it to be more accurate and responsive overall. For casual games, one remote control that comes with the kit is enough.

By the way, the graphics are amazing. Even such simple toys as Crossy Road and more advanced ones like Galaxy on Fire and Transistor looked very cool on the big screen.

Choice of memory size: 32 GB or 64 GB

Photo: Apple TV 4

Two different versions of Apple TV with 32 and 64 GB - in the style of Apple - outwardly do not differ from each other. Unlike the Amazon Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, and Roku set-top boxes, which have SD card slots, the user is not given the option to expand the memory themselves.

For those who enjoy playing on Apple TV, there's an even more expensive version with double the storage that gamers will probably love. And people who are used to filling up the memory of their phone and tablet with photos, videos and games will surely be delighted to learn that on Apple TV access to user files is carried out through a cloud service. So there is no need to store files on the device itself.

The operating system has an intrusive free space management system. It requires downloading several small download files (only 200 MB per app) which are explained as "required resources". These are small pieces of data that download quickly and can be deleted if you need to free up space on your device. Ultimately, only hardcore gamers might want the 64GB version.

What to watch on Apple TV - TV channels and movies?

With games and other applications, Apple TV is all right. But most of your time will be spent watching TV. And with the obvious exception of Amazon, the Apple TV is as good as any Smart TV set-top box. AirPlay allows you to watch Amazon or visit other unsupported services like Sling TV, Pandora and Spotify, but I would like to see official apps for these services added.

If you're used to the generic look and feel of apps on older Apple TVs, you'll immediately notice that some familiar apps like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO look different, more like their counterparts on other devices. Some apps, namely Watch Disney, on Apple TV have a completely unique look. But most, including YouTube, Showtime and Watch ESPN, are similar to each other and to their previous Apple TV versions. As Apple explained , developers can update the look and feel of their apps on Apple TV over time .

All Apple TV apps offer the same series, movies, and videos as apps on any other set-top box. The quality of the video is also no different, but still the picture looks sharper on Apple TV.

With a good internet speed, apps and TV shows will launch quickly, like on any device, and images will load in no time. The touchpad on the remote control allows you to scroll through videos with unprecedented speed and accuracy.

Plex - the head of everything

Since the launch of its set-top box, Apple has constantly increased its range of entertainment services. Notable changes include the addition of services such as Starz, Pandora, Comedy Central and CNN Go, as well as access to the Plex. The latter for the Russian user will be a nice addition, as it allows you to configure the viewing of Russian TV shows and films via a DLNA server.

The free version of the Plex app gives you access to TV shows, movies, videos, music, and photos on your home computers or other remote devices connected to the network. Once you've tried Plex, you'll forget the Computers icon on your Apple TV forever.

During my short test, the app performed well, loading videos quickly and showing all the detailed information about home and remote devices that I'm used to seeing in other apps from Plex. The version of the application for Apple, in my opinion, is still better. I liked the speed of response, which pleased me in any place, wherever I was. To use the app on Apple TV, you need the latest version of the server software. Plex's blog has a lot of detailed information on this topic with screenshots.

Siri to help you

If you yourself do not know what you want, Siri is right there - a virtual assistant with the best voice recognition system available today. It recognizes your speech pretty well on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV, but you can get a more accurate search result by saying the name of the TV show, the name of the actor or director. Siri understands such search queries, I must say, it understands perfectly. In general, such a search will help everyone who has not yet decided on the choice of a TV show.

I asked Siri to show me some good movies, and immediately a list of several new movies popped up: Spotlight, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Room, Inside Out, Mad Max: Fury Road " and others. "According to critics, this is one of the best films" - such was the comment on this list. The films suited me, although most of them had to be bought through iTunes to watch.

Then I made another request: "Show me films available for free viewing." The response was: "Unfortunately, I can't search by price." You know, I once asked an Apple representative in October about whether the price filter is already built into the search interface, I was told that it was not. And now the May update, which also does not have a search for free movies and a filter by price.

The search for "Movies for kids" also came up with good results, but again, you had to pay to watch it. Then I said, "Children's movies on Netflix." And hit the spot! A list of two dozen good cartoons from this service has surfaced, for example: "Home", "Monster Family" and "Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle." Since I have access to Netflix, I no longer had to pay to watch. I tried the same queries for other genres on other video services that I purchased access to and got what I was looking for. I have access to comedies on Hulu, sci-fi on HBO, and dramas on Showtime. Therefore, on these video services, I could watch films, relatively speaking, for free. Why conditionally? Because before that, I purchased access to these services, which cost money.

"Siri, what else can you do?"

Launching applications via voice commands works as it should. While watching a video on most services, you can ask Siri to turn on subtitles and they will appear on the screen. If you don't feel like using the remote's touchpad to scroll through the video, you can say "Fast forward two minutes." Or give another command like that.

If you don't hear something, you can ask "What did he say?" and the video will rewind 15 seconds back with subtitles turned on, which will turn off after 15 seconds. Subtitles work great on iTunes (which is no surprise), and I'm also pleased that since launch this option has been added to other services such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO. And now on Showtime too.

You can also ask, "Who's in the movie?" and a list of actors will pop up, while the video playback will not stop. If you click on the actor's name, the video will pause and the filmography, biography and other information will be displayed in full screen. Press the button labeled "Menu" on the remote control and playback will continue. This option works in most cases and is supported by many apps, but on some you can get a response like this: “Sorry, the service did not provide me with results for this request” (Siri can be passive-aggressive at times).

But as always, there are a lot of limitations. While watching Game of Thrones on HBO Now, I told Siri to show me similar shows. The answer to me was "Unfortunately, I can not find anything on request ...". When Jessie's touching song from Toy Story 2 was playing, I asked, "Who sings this song?" and “What is the name of this song?”. To which I was given only a link to the Pixar studio. I said "Mute" and Siri told me to use the remote to adjust the volume.

Also, I let my family try out Siri, saying they can ask for anything they want. My six-year-old daughter, who is well acquainted with voice commands on the Roku console, on which she watched her favorite cartoons, took the remote control and shouted “Weird Squad” (cartoon name). The answer was the text on the screen "Sorry, I can't recognize Strange Debug" which I read to my child. A new attempt yielded nothing. But on the third time, Siri correctly recognized the name of the cartoon, and pages with it opened on Netflix and iTunes.

This is where I want to remind dear readers that from children and from unwanted people, and in order to save your money, you should set a password in the settings for all operations related to the purchase.

What doesn't the Apple TV 4 have?

The answer in one word is Amazon. Well, another word - many third-party Russian-language online cinemas, of which there are many for the Android platform. Although on the console you can find official Ivi.ru, TNT, Amediateka.

Almost every series and movie you can buy on iTunes is available on iTunes. Amazon (you remember that the service recently appeared in Russia). But Amazon TV shows can be watched on many more devices. Therefore, I usually take what I need from this service. In addition, I use my Amazon premium account and watch a lot of different content for free. Those who like iTunes better, or who don't have premium access, or who don't have money problems, won't even notice the absence of this service.

On Apple TV, movies and series by season or episode can only be purchased through iTunes. On the other hand, Roku has apps for just about every payment service except iTunes, including Amazon, Google Play Movies & TV, Vudu, and M-Go. In addition, Roku's search engine searches a total of 20 services, allowing you to compare prices. It also has more TV and audio apps available, including Sling TV, Spotify, Fox News, Twitch, and more.

But you have to give credit to the Apple TV search engine, it also combs through many services, for example, iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, PBS, PBS Kids, FXNow, Disney Junior and so on. Since launch, Apple has added about a dozen, bringing the total to 18.

On the pages with series and films, a clear list of video services is shown where you can watch the material you are looking for. And if some of the installed applications have options with free viewing of content, then they will appear higher in the search results than the option from iTunes. When searching for series, iTunes always comes first in the search results. As Apple explains, this is due to the fact that their service is the first to give access to new seasons of TV shows.

Apple Universal Remote

The Apple TV remote can be used on TVs and even some AV receivers. I tried to connect the remote directly to several TVs, and I managed to change the volume and turn it on / off (I held down the button with the TV icon) using it. Moreover, I even managed to switch the TV to the correct input. There will be no problems with the remote control if the TV supports the HDMI-CEC connector.

However, the results when connected to an AV receiver were mixed. In one case, the remote turned it off, but could not turn it on, in another case it turned off the TV, but could not turn off the receiver. To control the volume of the AV receiver, I had to manually program the remote. However, after that it worked as it should.

4K picture - do you need it?

And to sum it up, unlike the Roku 4, the 2015 Amazon Fire TV, and the Nvidia Shield, the Apple TV doesn't support 4K resolution. Although even to me - a picky reviewer - it does not seem that this is such a big drawback. Especially when you consider that there is not much content at this resolution today. But more importantly, there is not much difference compared to regular video streaming. Streaming video in high, but not 4K quality looked great. And I had a hard time distinguishing non-4K video streaming from 4K resolution video.

I have no doubt that the next generation of Apple TVs will support 4K resolution. And, perhaps, the remote control will already be with a fingerprint scanner.

Conclusion

Conclusion: an indescribable pleasure from watching videos, especially for fans of products from Apple.

Among all set-top boxes, Apple TV is by far the most expensive option for a buyer's wallet today. It has video services such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime and others in its arsenal. Speed ​​and simplicity, a convenient remote control with an incomparable voice (Hey Siri!), voice commands and an established search will themselves push many buyers to such an obvious and simple decision as purchasing an upgrade from the good old Apple TV. This is especially true for those who have huge collections of TV shows, movies and songs on iTunes, not to mention games.

The rest, probably, should not overpay and go to the store for the prefix now. The same Roku is available today at a more modest price, but the quality of the “stuffing” is lower. But there is a video search by price and direct access to Amazon. On the Amazon Fire TV media console, a rather extensive list of games opens up before the user, and the Nvidia Shield is an even more powerful game console that appeals to all fans of this kind of technology.