Setting up your Apple TV

The first thing you need to understand is that if you want to connect your Apple TV to your TV, then you need to do so by using the HDMI port. This port is used for delivering both video and audio. Before setting up the Apple TV, check the ports on your TV and be sure you have the required cables.

1. You will need an HDMI cable to connect your Apple TV to your home theater receiver or TV.

2. (Optional) You may also need an optical digital audio cable. This cable can be used if you’d like to connect your Apple TV to a receiver.

Connecting the cables

At this point you’ll need to connect the cables. Using the HDMI cable, connect one end of it to the back of the TV. The other end should be connected to the appropriate port on the back of your Apple TV. Some people may use an optical digital cable for audio. If that’s the case for you, then be sure to connect one end of it to the appropriate port on your Apple TV (optical digital audio) and the other end to the audio input on your TV or receiver.

Note: The Apple TV features 802.11 Wi-Fi technology, allowing it to connect to your network automatically and wirelessly. However, if you have an Ethernet based network, be sure to use an Ethernet cable to connect your Apple TV to it.

Connect the power cord

One end of the power cord needs to be connected to a power outlet and the other to the power port you’ll find on the back of the Apple TV.

Note: You should never place any objects on top of the Apple TV. Doing so may result in bad signal. Placing the Apple TV on top of electronic equipment is also not recommended.

Turn on your TV and select the input

Since this is the first time you’re using the Apple TV, you’ll be greeted by a screen where you have to select your language and network. However, if the only thing you see is a black screen, then don’t worry. All you have to do is check whether the input setting selected on your TV is the same as the input you connected the cables to on your home theater receiver or TV.

Configuring your Apple TV 3rd gen

If you want to connect to iTunes, then you’ll be very happy to know that the Apple TV can help you configure your wireless network to do so. With iTunes, you can watch and listen to a lot of high quality content from the iTunes library.

Configuring your Apple TV

When configuring your Apple TV, you need to have your Apple Remote, but also your network pass and name ready. The path between the Apple TV and the remote should also be clear. Keep in mind that if you’re on an Ethernet network, then the Apple TV will detect your network automatically. If you’re on a wireless network, then the Apple TV will help you connect to it.

Using the Apple Remote, make sure to enter your network name or select it from the list and then enter the network pass (if you’ve set one).

Entering your IP address along with your DNS address, router address, and subnet address may be necessary if you do not connect using DHCP. Be sure to follow the onscreen instructions to complete the network connection.

How to connect to iTunes

If you’d like to use your Apple TV to access the content of your iTunes library, then you need to have the latest iTunes installed (recommended). Any version earlier than 10.5 won’t work so be sure to keep that in mind. If you do have iTunes, but you’re not sure if you have the latest version, then update it. You can do this by using Software Update (if you’re on a Mac). If you’re using a Windows machine, go to iTunes Help to update the software.

How to set up home sharing

Once your network connection is finally set up, you have to set up your Apple TV and iTunes so you can share your iTunes library. To do so, you need to use Home Sharing on both the Apple TV and iTunes. If you’d like to set up Home Sharing in iTunes, then you need to open iTunes, go to Advanced, and there you’ll see Turn On Home Sharing. You’ll now need to enter your Apple ID and your password. Next, click on Create Home Share.

Now, if you’d like to set up Home Sharing on your Apple TV, then you first of all need to go to settings and then to Computers. Here you’ll see an option that says Turn on Home Sharing. Click it and again, enter your Apple ID and pass (the same ones you entered on your laptop or computer).

As you can see, setting up your Apple TV 3rd generation is not hard at all. Just follow these tips and you’ll be able to watch your favorite videos, movies, shows, and also listen to your favorite music in no time!

The post How To Set Up Apple Tv 3rd Generation appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

AirPlay requirements

One thing you need to know about AirPlay is that you can use it on basically any device that Apple currently sells. This important and incredible feature was introduced with iTunes 10 for the Mac. Later on, Apple decided to also add it to the iOS with version 4.2 on the iPad and version 4 on the iPhone.

To run AirPlay, you need to have the following:

1. At least iOS 4.2
2. A 2011 Mac or newer
3. An Apple Watch
4. At least an iPhone 3GS
5. Any iPad model
6. At least a second Gen iPod touch

Unfortunately, you cannot use AirPlay on the original iPod touch, iPhone, and on the iPhone 3G.

AirPlay for Photos, videos, and music

With AirPlay, you can stream video, music, and photos from your iOS device to Wi-Fi connected stereo components, speakers, and computers. However, they all need to be AirPlay compatible to begin with.

While that’s not possible for all components, a lot of manufacturers have begun to release products that support AirPlay.

If you do have a pair of speakers though that doesn’t support AirPlay, you can still use AirPlay with them. How? Well, with an AirPort Express of course! This is a small Wi-Fi base station that you can easily use with AirPlay. All you have to do to use your speakers with AirPlay is connect AirPort express to the Wi-Fi network and then use the appropriate cables to connect the speakers to it. Once you do that, you’ll be able to stream music to your speakers.

If you have a 2nd Gen Apple TV, you should know that it works in the same way with your home theater system or your big screen TV.

Just keep in mind that you need to make sure all devices use AirPlay and share the same Wi-Fi network. For example, you cannot use your iPhone at work in order to stream music to your car.

AirPrint: AirPlay for printing

Did you know that AirPlay also makes it easy for you to print content from your iPhone or any other compatible iOS device to Wi-Fi connected printers that support this technology? You may actually have a printer that doesn’t support AirPrint and if that’s the case, then don’t worry about it. You can easily connect it to an AirPort express (as you did with the speakers) and make it compatible.

AirPlay Mirroring

Generally speaking, AirPlay Mirroring is used in order to display content from devices with smaller screens to bigger screen devices (such as your HDTV). Thanks to AirPlay, you can show the video, game, website or any other content you’re currently watching to your friends, family, coworkers, and more. You can do this via Wi-Fi, but the good news is that you can also achieve it via wire mirroring.

Using this method, you’ll need a cable that connects the iOS device to the TV (basically, an HDMI cable). For this type of mirroring you do not need to have an Apple TV. As for the devices that support AirPlay Mirroring, they include:

1. 2nd Gen Apple TV or newer.
2. Mac.
3. iPad 2 and newer.
4. iPhone 4s and newer.

How to enable AirPlay and stream music/movies on the iPhone

To do this, the first thing you need to do is download 5KPlayer and then launch it. By doing so, you’ll enable iPhone to PC/Mac AirPlay that is otherwise not possible by using independent AirPlay.

Thanks to this connection, you’ll be able to turn your iPhone into an AirPlay sender to PC/Mac to enjoy your favorite music or video content.

Instructions:

1. Connect the iPhone and the PC/Mac so you can activate AirPlay. Prior to turning on AirPlay, you need to ensure that your PC/Mac and iPhone are on the same Wi-Fi network.
2. If your iOS version is 8, 9 or newer, you need to launch the control center and then enable AirPlay from there.
3. Thanks to the AirPlay server 5KPlayer, you can enable AirPlay to your PC or Mac so you can then stream videos from your personal computer to your Apple TV.

To turn on AirPlay on your Mac, be sure to take the following steps:

1. Download 5KPlayer on your Mac and install it.
2. Tap the AirPlay icon to activate AirPlay. A user guide will appear if you click the AirPlay icon in the main interface. Please note that if 5KPlayer acts as a receiver on the Mac, the process ends here.

AirPlay supported files

AirPlay supports a lot of files, including MP3, AAC, M4A, MOV, M4V, and MP4. If you want to stream files of a different format, then you’ll need to cover them to one of the supported file formats before you can play them.

AirPlay is by far one of the best features Apple has introduced to its devices, making it a great way to share content with friends, family, and coworkers in a few simple taps. Now that you know how useful it is, how about you give it a try and let us know how you like it?

The post What is Airplay Mirroring and why should you care? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Admit it, you’re not necessarily a fan of all Apple’s products. Some are life changers for sure – you’ll have to pry my iPhone out of my cold, dead hands. Others are maybe more, ‘meh’. iTunes falls into that latter category for a lot of people. While it was groundbreaking back in the day, these days it is more of an unkempt warehouse for Apple to cram things into. So how do you maintain your love for your Apple TV, while hating iTunes and not using it?

The big problem is that your Apple TV requires you to fully incorporate all your media (music, photos and video) into your iTunes catalog, if you want to connect that media to your Apple TV. This is easy if you’re buying all your stuff in iTunes. But if you’re like a lot of people, your media comes from a lot of different places – ripped CDs/DVDs, downloads from Amazon, friends, etc. Not all this is quickly or cleanly imported into iTunes, ignoring that many of us just don’t remember to do it all the time.

younity makes it easy to use your Apple TV for all your media, even if it is not in iTunes. When you install younity on your computer, it indexes your hard drive for all your video, music and photos. When it discovers all of it, it reads the file metadata (stuff like the artist name, album, song, movie title, etc.). If your content is in iTunes, younity will have all your library categorization, like your playlists; but for all your media not in iTunes, younity will automatically organize it into the same type of sections for Artist, Album, Songs, etc.

younity turns your computer into a personal media server, so you can stream all your video, music and photos to your iPhone or iPad without having to sync. This means you can carry all your digital content around with you, without taking up any storage on your mobile devices. When you want to access something, younity streams it from your computer to your mobile device.

Of course, younity also uses AirPlay, which means that you can stream everything on any of your computers directly to your Apple TV – with or without using iTunes. You can still browse your music library by Artist, Album, Playlist, etc., because younity will read all your media’s metadata and recreate those lists for you – no importing required.

You can also use younity to access all your computers at once , instead of one at a time, to stream any of your content to your Apple TV.

Click here to learn more about younity.

Throughout our series on hacking your Apple TV with younity we’re giving away FIVE Apple TV 4s! Enter below until 10/31 for your chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

younity is a simple easy and free app that enables your computer to work like a home media server, giving you access to all your media files on your computer from your iPhone or iPad.

The post How to love your Apple TV and hate iTunes, successfully (and Apple TV 4 giveaway!) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

The Star Wars classic series has just gone digital for the first time ever. The Star Wars Digital Movie Collection, including all six epic films in the saga, is now available on iTunes and you can watch it on your Apple TV.

Star Wars: Episodes I-VI are available for purchase as a complete digital movie collection for $89.99 (HD) or individually, at $19.99 each episode.

The collection is also available on Amazon.

Enhancing the movie collection are a host of never-before-seen special features including Star Wars: Discoveries from Inside and insightful Conversations between key contributors from across this celebrated film franchise, plus a curated collection of classic Star Wars extras from each film.

The complete list of bonus material includes:

Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace

• Conversations: Doug Chiang Looks Back
• Discoveries From Inside: Models & Miniatures
• Legacy content includes “The Beginning”; The Podrace: Theatrical Edit; plus eight deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones

• Conversations: Sounds In Space
• Discoveries From Inside: Costumes Revealed
• Legacy content includes “From Puppets To Pixels: Digital Characters In Episode II”; State Of The Art: The Previsualization Of Episode II; and “Films Are Not Released, They Escape”; plus Episode II Visual Effects Breakdown Montage and six deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith

• Conversations: The Star Wars That Almost Was
• Discoveries From Inside: Hologram & Bloopers
• Legacy content includes documentaries “Within A Minute: The Making Of Episode III”; The Journey Part 1; and The Journey Part 2; plus six deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope (20^th Century Fox)

• Conversations: Creating A Universe
• Discoveries From Inside: Weapons & The First Lightsaber
• Legacy content includes “Anatomy Of A Dewback”; Star Wars Launch Trailer; plus eight deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back

• Conversations: The Lost Interviews
• Discoveries From Inside: Matte Paintings Unveiled
• Legacy content includes “A Conversation With The Masters” (2010); “Dennis Muren: How Walkers Walk”; “George Lucas On Editing The Empire Strikes Back1979”; and “George Lucas On The Force: 2010”; plus six deleted scenes.

Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi

• Conversations: The Effects
• Discoveries From Inside: The Sounds Of Ben Burtt
• Legacy content includes “Classic Creatures: Return Of The Jedi”; “Revenge Of The Jedi Teaser Trailer”; Return Of The Jedi Launch Trailer; “It Began TV Spot”; “Climactic Chapter TV Spot”; plus five deleted scenes.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Star Wars movies going digital, watch it on your Apple TV appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Family Sharing is probably one of the few awesome features on iOS 8, which are mostly directed towards users and not developers. Unsurprisingly, the Apple TV 7.0 update, being the biggest one yet for Apple’s set-top box, brings the feature to Apple TV 3 too.

Family Sharing comprises of two main features.

The first is the ability to link up to six family members to one account, so that everyone can share the same credit card and download all the purchases the family makes. On Apple TV, you can now access all the purchases (movies, tv shows, music, etc.) made by others in your Family Sharing group, even if they were made on iPhone or iPad.

Because all your purchases are stored in iCloud, whenever one person buys a movie or TV show, everyone in your family can enjoy it on Apple TV or whichever device they’re using.

The second part of Family Sharing provides for children below 13 years of age the possibility to have their own iTunes account. But every purchase they try to make on Apple TV will have to be approved by a parent before it is completed (Ask to buy feature). That ought to prevent lawsuits like this one in the future.

How to enable Family Sharing for Apple TV?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to set up Family Sharing directly from the Apple TV. The screen just shows a notification to read more about it from the Apple website. So you’ll have to set it up from an iOS 8 device, and then access it on Apple TV.

Just go to your iPhone or iPad Settings -> Choose iCloud -> You’ll find a “Family” tab on top -> Go in there and choose “Add Family Member”.

An invitation will be sent to the person. If the recipient is sitting next to you, you can let him enter his password on your iPhone to accept it or else he can accept it from his own device. From this screen, you can create an iTunes account for your child and also set another family member as the parent who can approve the purchases your child makes.

Now go into your Apple TV Settings and make sure you are logged in with the same account which is included in the Family Sharing group. There isn’t much left to do here. Go into your Movies channel and choose the Purchased tab. You’ll find a Family Sharing option here, which will show all the accounts in the group (image on the top). You can select someone and access all his purchases.

Read more on the Apple TV 7.0 update and Family Sharing.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post How Family Sharing works on Apple TV appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV

Netflix, Hulu Plus and other streaming services have revolutionized the way we consume video content, changing it from from the model where the cable operators show their own scheduled content to a VOD model where we ordering what we like, when we like. And having access to thousands of movies and TV shows at a fixed and reasonable monthly rate is every movie buff’s dream come true. But the major drawback is, of course, the unavailability of some of the main streaming services in all countries. Those outside the United States (Canada and UK too, for some services) will be fed by a “Your country is not yet supported” screen and many would be craving for a bypass method. So if you’re residing outside the US or are a travelling US citizen, read on.

In this guide, I will show you how to stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go and other US-exclusive channels on your Apple TV, in countries where it is not supported officially.

(Note: HBO GO requires an HBO subscription available through participating US TV providers; by following this guide travelling US citizens can get HBO GO working abroad.) 

PREREQUISITES

• An Apple TV, of course: the below methods support all three generations of Apple TV
• A PayPal account (recommended); or any other internationally accepted payment service; or an US-based credit card. If you don’t have any of these, you cannot proceed.

Step 1 – Setup a Virtual Credit Card

Those with US addressed credit cards can skip to Step 2.

Others need to sign up at Entropay and apply for a Virtual Credit Card. Amex, BankFreedom, ICICI and Kotak also provides similar services but Entropay is the most popular, and probably the best one.

You can transfer an amount to your VCC via PayPal and it will act as your US based credit card. Don’t worry, it is legal and safe.

Step 2 – Setup an US iTunes account

If you already have one, skip to Step 3.

This isn’t much of a trouble once you have the VCC or PayPal. Select ‘Create a new account’ on iTunes and set your country as United States. Fill up the fields with a US address (doesn’t have to be real) and use a valid US post code (find one here).

For payment details, you can enter the Entropay VCC details or use PayPal directly (latter is reported to be not working for some users). That’s all, your US account is up and running.

Step 3 – Signing in to Apple TV

On your Apple TV, make sure that you’re logged in with the above US iTunes account. In the Settings, change the region to United States, if it isn’t showing that already.

Step 4 – The tricky part

Now, we are going to make the Apple TV believe that it is indeed located in the US. And for this, I’m describing three methods, their merits and disadvantages. I will be giving you my final take on the methods but will leave the final choice to you.

I. VPN METHODS

VPN or Virtual Private Network simply put, is a service which helps us to connect via someone else’s internet connection, securely and miles away from it. It is mostly used by corporations and companies to share confidential files within one or more offices around the world.

Here, we’re going to sign up for a VPN service based in USA so that we can connect via it and force a US digital location.

Though there are many such VPN providers, we’re going to use HideMyAss, which is the most popular one. You can browse through the alternatives here.

• Method A – via VPN router

This method will require you to have a VPN Router or VPN supported modem to make the magic happen. Lets see how it’s done.

1. If you already have a VPN router, you can contact the HMA team to know if it’s compatible. Else if you are willing to buy a new one, they’ll recommend one for you too. By the way, these are the routers commonly recommended by HideMyAss.

You can find more VPN routers here.

2. Once you’re sure that your VPN router will work, you can proceed to get a subscription on HideMyAss. It costs $7-$12 per month based on which bulk pricing plan you choose. Non-US card holders can use PayPal for this and even setup a recurring plan.

3. Setting up the router. This step is highly variant depending upon the client you choose and the router you own.
Basically, you’ve to enter into your Router dashboard, click on VPN Setup and fill in the fields with VPN settings and HMA credentials.

Don’t worry, once you sign up at HMA, you’ll have access to an elaborate, comprehensive and step-by-step guide on doing this, based on which modem you own. They even have an Automatic Installer for the same.

4. Once this is done, Apple servers will fetch your location as United States. You’ll be able to open and use all the apps on your home screen.

Overview

Things you’ll need: a VPN Router, HideMyAss subscription.
Total cost: $50 – $100 (one time) for the router + around $10 per month for HMA + channel subscription fees (i.e. $7.99 per month for Netflix)

Pros

• Once setup, any device connecting to your Wi-Fi network will be deemed as US device and hence can be used with any number of devices without further tweaks.
• It gives the most comfortable and flexible experience, once setup.

Cons

• The most expensive method.
• A bit difficult to setup, especially if you’re not well versed with the basics.
• It is complained to be a bit slow, but personally I din’t feel any lags.

• Method B – VPN via your PC/Mac

As you might’ve noticed, buying a VPN router just for this purpose could be a burden for many. So we’re going to eliminate that and use our household computer or laptop as a VPN router. Here, we’re actually connecting our ‘computer‘ to the VPN of HideMyAss and then making it a wired hotspot (network sharing) for the Apple TV.

1. Open a HMA Pro account.
2. Use your PC/Mac to login to your account and download the corresponding client to your computer.

3. Open the client software and log in with your HMA credentials.

4. Now, choose an American location from the drop down list and start the VPN server.

5. In order to confirm that the service in working, just open your browser and goto Netflix.com. Without VPN, this will be blocked, but now it should bring up a Getting Started page. If this happens, you’re doing great.

6. All the steps till now were similar on both PC and Mac. However, in this step, you’ve to setup network sharing on your computer, which is a little different in each:

On a PC – Windows 7

– Click on WiFi/Network icon on the right side of bottom toolbar. Take “Open network and Sharing center”

– Open Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings (left sidebar) > Right Click on your connection > Properties

– Take the Sharing tab > Check “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s internet connection” > Select your Connection > OK. Network Sharing is now setup.

On a Mac

– System Preferences > Sharing (under Internet and Wireless)

– Check mark “Internet Sharing” > Select USB Ethernet > Start

7. Now, you can connect your Apple TV to your laptop (PC or Mac) via your Ethernet cable. In case you have a Macbook Air or any device without an in-built Ethernet port, you might need to purchase an Ethernet adapter.

8. Make sure in Settings > General > Network that you’re connected via Ethernet and not via any WiFi available.

9. Done! Apple servers will now fetch your location as US. You’ll be able to open and use all the apps from the Apple TV home screen.

Overview

Things you’ll need: subscription to HMA Pro, a laptop with Ethernet port, Ethernet cable, Ethernet adapter (optional)
Total cost: $10 per month (HMA subscription) + channel subscription fees

Pros

• Can be turned off easily with a click, which none of the other methods can do.

Cons

• Well, … it’s a dumb method. You’ll always need to have your laptop connected to your Apple TV to stream. If so, you could very well connect a HDMI cable from your laptop directly to TV and eliminate the need of an Apple TV. Also, due the large number of cables, devices and services invloved, the clarity and load speeds will be low.

II. DNS METHOD

Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchically arranged list of IP addresses and these IP addresses in turn, determine our locations. In this method, we’ll use a DNS service to connect to a foreign DNS server and update our IP, so that our digital location also gets changed. Much easier than it sounds!

1. Get a DNS service: Unotelly is unequivocally the best and cheapest out there with plans of under-5-bucks/month (for VPN and DNS together). HidemyAss also provides DNS services and UnblockUS is another one.

2. Once that is done, login to your account and you’ll see a screen like this.

3. As you can see, the setup is still incomplete. To complete, you’ll have to change your DNS settings and update your IP. We’re going to use our PC or Mac to do this. This is an one-time step, don’t worry.

On a PC (Windows 7)

 – Click on Wifi/Network icon on the right side of bottom toolbar. Take “Open network and Sharing center”

– Open Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings > Right Click on your connection > Properties

– Under “Network” tab > Double click “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” > Change the option from “Obtain DNS server address automatically” to “Use the following DNS server addresses”

– Goto this link and find two servers closest to your location. Update the DNS server address on your PC with these.

On a Mac

– System Preferences >Network (under Internet and Wireless)

– Select Advanced > DNS tab

– Goto this link and find two servers closest to your location. Update the DNS server address on your Mac with these.

4. Now go back to your Unotelly account and click on ‘Update IP Address’ from the left sidebar. You’ll see a message on top that UnoDNs is active.

4. Now switch on your Apple TV. Goto Settings > General > Network > Wi-Fi > Select your connection. You’ll see this.

5. Navigate down and select Configure DNS > Manual

Go to this link and find a server closest to your location and update the DNS settings accordingly. Click Done!

6. That’s it. Apple servers will fetch your location as US.

Overview

Things you’ll need: Unotelly subscription, a PC or Mac (for one time)
Total cost: $5 per month (Unotelly) + channel subscription fees

Pros

• Easiest setup,
• cheapest service
• very stable connection

Cons

• If you have other devices, separate setup is needed for each, unlike VPN Router method which is an universal setup

Step 5 – Setting up Netflix, Hulu Plus or other services

Once the digital location and IP problem is solved (Step 4), you can use your Apple TV just like if you were in the US. The first time you launch Netflix or Hulu Plus, you’ll need to create an account and subscribe for a recurring plan via iTunes. Alternately, you can setup the Netflix account on another device using Entropay and just login here. Now, you can start streaming movies and TV shows (starting with the free first month on Netflix!). Any other US-only channels can also be setup similarly.

WRAP UP

Method A is the most elegant way, but pricey and needs a techy to be setup. It should be preferred if you already have a VPN router and you know exactly what you’re doing. It is also suitable for hotels, restaurants, tourist inns, etc., where individual setup of each device is not feasible. But VPN is notorious for being slow and if you’re one of the affected, the purchases would be a waste.

Method B is to be avoided at all costs. It is mentioned only for the sake of completion.

Method C is best of both worlds with a low tag and easy setup with good results. Personally, I have been using Unotelly for quite some time now and they work surprisingly well at a very reasonable price. Surely recommended for all home users!

Though the tutorial looks a bit lengthy, it consists of fairly simple processes and describes three separate methods. Once you know which method to follow, it takes only about half to one hour to setup. Once done, you can enjoy all US content forever without much additional maintenance processes. It is surely worth it!

Please do try this at home and let us know your results.

(This article is also available in Spanish/Este artículo también está disponible en Español)

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post How to watch Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go and other US-only services on Apple TV outside the US – the only tutorial you’ll ever need appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

So let’s all bid a not-so-fond farewell to old man winter (finally) and catch that breath of fresh, spring air coming our way as we heat up those Apple TV’s and bask in the reassuring glow of our cinematic security blankets this lovely, lovely weekend. And when it’s time to kick back on the couch after all your vigorous outdoor activities we do hope this week’s Pix Picks are equally refreshing for your weekend soul.

NETFLIX:

• Adult TV Pick of the Week– If you’re in need of a riotously rude, lewd laughing fit then get ready to blow your beer through your nose with the all new addition of Season 4 (that’s thirteen- 21 minute episodes to you) of the obnoxiously hilarious, “Archer”, from Creator Adam Reed. Yes, everyone’s favorite Superspy/Mama’s Boy/Burt Reynolds’s fan is back with his equally dysfunctional crew of I.S.I.S. co-workers as they try their best to keep their jobs and fight…well…mostly each other. If you’re a fan, you’re in for a great weekend of wicked putdowns you’re going to save for later use and if you’re an “Archer” novice get ready for a marathon viewing session of TV’s most politically incorrect and socially inappropriate Spy. And Aisha Tyler…WE LOVE YOU! Serious WARNING: This animated series is for ADULTS ONLY and while your children will undoubtedly enjoy some of the humor, you’re going to have a lot of explaining to do if you let them watch it all.

Buy “Archer” on DVD from Amazon.

• If you’re in the mood for a quiet character study about three good-hearted fringe dwellers carefully treading water as they gently go their own way then take a look at 2003’s excellent indie, “The Station Agent”, from Writer/Director Thomas McCarthy. The passionate cast include a pre-GoT Peter Dinklage as Finbar, a dwarf-sized man studiously attempting to mold his world to fit his need for solitude and Bobby Cannavale as a gregarious, good natured entrepreneur who meets him along the way then actively seeks his friendship. The casually sultry Patricia Clarkson rounds out the socially reclusive trio as a recently divorced woman suffering from a terrible loss and the story unfolds at a leisurely pace to accommodate all of them as they gradually, tentatively reach out for connection. This is a character driven piece that takes its time with its epiphanies so enjoy as you get to know everyone along the way.

Buy “The Station Agent” on DVD from Amazon.

• Young friends and cine-fans, if you watch only one American film from the 70’s then you can’t go too far wrong with Director Martin Scorsese’s 1976 urban classic, “Taxi Driver”. And if you somehow haven’t seen it…the time is now! Set in the hothouse jungle of a 70’s summertime NYC, Screenwriter Paul Schrader’s story of one lonely man’s gradual descent into dangerous isolation is a fiercely riveting ride that will immediately resonate with any city dweller, anywhere, anytime. A young Robert DeNiro is Travis Bickle, a tense, troubled and socially awkward, spiritually disconnected cabbie searching for meaning in his otherwise empty void of existence. Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, a 13 year-old Jodie Foster and an absolutely ravishing Cybil Shepard are just a few of the unforgettable characters he encounters as he pinballs around the mean streets desperately seeking his true purpose and meaningful direction even as he inexorably slides through the NYC cracks. This is a film that scorches through every moment until it ignites and burns to a climax that remains shocking even after all these years. Watch for the deeply disturbing cameo from the Director himself as a vengeance-fantasizing cuckold passenger splitting at the seams. And please bask in every single moment of music legend Bernard Hermann’s timeless, lush, evocative score (his last) that propels the film with its spirit and will haunt your memory with its darkly romantic soul.

Buy “Taxi Driver” on DVD from Amazon.

• And for a much gentler tale of disconnection and loneliness in a much different city, try Writer/Director Sofia Coppola’s 2003, “Lost in Translation”. The priceless Bill Murray and the voluptuous Scarlet Johansson are two mismatched foreigners (He-old and jaded, She-young and confused) who gravitate towards each other as they’re set adrift while trying desperately to stay afloat in the vibrant, urban ocean of modern day Tokyo then gratefully find soulful connection in each other’s company. Laughs are frequent as Murray, in full on fish-out-of-water mode, struggles to center himself as he carefully falls in love with the beautiful girl of his youthful dreams and Johansson is a perfect picture of inspiring youth and delectable beauty. Coppola’s empathetic script deftly captures the casually flowing rhythms of two star-crossed lovers pushing and pulling towards and away from each other even as they cherish their time and yearn for more. A film about loneliness and the delicacy of connection that will make you fall in love with the human spirit all over again.

Buy “Lost in Translation” on DVD from Amazon.

HULU PLUS:

• Apple TV Adult Pick of the Week– Season 2 of NBC’s masterful, engrossing, shockingly visceral and cinematically visual series, “Hannibal”, is now available on Hulu Plus and you don’t want to miss the opener, “Kaiseki”. Our official mancrush Mads Mickellsen absolutely inhabits the mantle of the infamous Dr. Lecter like a gleaming crown and seamlessly brings his own level of sophisticated sexycool mixed with disturbing, freaky fun to the Bad Doctor. Hugh Dancy is a thoroughly damaged Agent Will Graham, Laurence Fishburne is FBI Agent-in-Charge Jack Crawford and if you make any Apple TV choice this week then check the wild free-for-all brawl between Dr. Lecter and Crawford at the beginning of the episode. WOW! Fantastic throwdown in any medium so bravo to NBC and Producer Bryan Fuller for raising the bar so high. This series is an amazing, visually stunning accomplishment and not to be missed.

Buy “Hannibal” on DVD from Amazon.

• Apple TV Family Pick of the Week– It’s a TV kind of week at Hulu and this week Fox has debuted a very rare gift from the Gods of Television with, “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey”. Host and rockstar astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson takes us on a thrilling journey into our world of Big Questions and even some of the answers of our human existence as a tiny part of this fascinating universe we call Life. And trips don’t get much better than that! The excellent and very accessible opener is one that the entire family will enjoy whether you happen to be an avid fans of science or not. Thanks Professor and thanks to the late, great Carl Sagan as well for keeping the torch of knowledge and scientific inquiry burning strong.

Buy “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” on DVD from Amazon.

• Ready for some gut-wrenching, whiplashing horror thrills, South Korean-Style? Then steel yourself for Writer/Director Jeong-ho Lee’s 2010 pulse-pounder, “Bestseller”. Jeong-hwa Eom is a soon-to-be-single mom and professionally rebounding novelist caught in yet another plagiarism scandal after her newest bestselling novel, to her disbelief, appears to have been previously published a decade earlier. She returns with her daughter to the remote retreat where her ideas originated to clear her professional reputation but…let’s just say things take some decidedly nasty turns. The canny plot plays some subversive games with truth and fiction all the way and the twists and turns will likely surprise you. We told you so…

Buy “Bestseller” on DVD from Amazon.

iTunes:

• This week crack open iTunes and treat yourself to some of the best that the world of cinema has to offer with the Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films 2014. A great collection and global selection of shorts that includes Finland’s, “Do I have to Take Care of Everything?”, the UK’s “The Voorman Problem”, France’s, “Just Before Losing Everything”, Spain’s, “That Wasn’t Me” and 2014’s Oscar Winning Live Action Short, “Helium”, from Denmark and Director Anders Walter. iTune it up with any and all of these fresh, excellent choices and enjoy!

• Youth in peril is the subject of this thoughtful and mature 2013 feature from Writer/Director Deston Crettin (who expanded it from his original 2008 short) and, “Short Term 12”, takes you for a rough ride to the finish. Brie Larson is a mostly adult counselor at an adolescent treatment center who struggles to build meaningful relationships with her “kids” or actually help her wounded flock even as she tries to juggle her own life with her own not-so-solid relationships. Harsh reality is wrapped up tightly in the young hope on display and lessons are won and lost along the way as this film turns in ways you can’t expect. And that is a very good thing.

Buy “Short Term 12” on DVD from Amazon.

• Now for a film that’s quite a bit more predictable and a lot easier to mix with your popcorn, this week iTunes has 2013’s, “300”, from Director Zack Snyder. Yes, the sequel is opening now (in case you just landed on this planet and didn’t know) so why not review this visually fresh and robustly energetic original that was faithfully based on the popular Frank Miller graphic novel. A ferociously committed cast that includes Gerald Butler, Dominic West and an unheralded Michael Fassbender as Spartan warriors at the legendary Battle of Thermopylae hurl themselves at this pulpy material and everyone, including a fierce Lena Headley, leaps from the screen with just the proper amount of hammy machismo to make this film come to vivid life. “This is madness…” “THIS…IS…SPARTA!”

Buy “300” on DVD from Amazon.

That’s all for this week so save us a seat on the couch and we’ll bring the beer!

The post What to Watch This Weekend On Netflix, Hulu Plus and iTunes with Your Apple TV (Mar. 14 – 16) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Besides rolling out the Apple TV 6.1 firmware, Apple also updated their Remote app for iOS aiming for better and easier use with Apple TV. The highlight features of Remote 4.2 are:

• Now, you can browse the catalogue of purchased movies and songs on the app and play it via Apple TV. So no more searching iTunes on TV or using that pesky remote with the on-screen keyboard.
• Access iTunes Radio within the Remote app and play directly on your Apple TV – no need for AirPlay anymore.
• Also, the remote works great with the new “easy hide” feature of Apple TV 6.1, as you can use the Options button to bring up the juggle mode and tap Play/Pause button to bring up the hide option.

The features added, though few, are really handy for Apple TV users and make so sense that we wonder why Apple haven’t came up with them earlier. Now we have a solid reason to use the Remote app over the physical remote. The Apple TV experience is evidently getting more and more attention from Apple.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Remote app for iOS now shows purchased items and iTunes Radio for better Apple TV experience appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

The dreary winter doldrums are hanging on tight around here so now more than ever, we may all be in desperate need of some Apple TV warmth and comfort. And if the bitter cold has you stuck inside this weekend we certainly hope our weekly Pix Picks deliver all the toasty heat you need to recharge in front of your electronic fireplace.

NETFLIX:

• If you’ve somehow managed to miss this all-time classic then I envy you because this week Netflix is offering one of legendary Director Stanley Kubrick’s finest of his many fine, groundbreaking moviemaking accomplishments, 1964’s “Dr. Strangelove (or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb)”. right here for your mind blowing pleasure.  If you happened to be born after 1980 and didn’t realize they made movies before then, where do we begin to describe the Bronx Native’s work of sly genius? Well, it’s primarily a very dark farce (with George C. Scott in a rare comic role as a gung-ho, hawk General Buck Turgidson and World Class chameleon Peter Sellers gut-bustlingly funny in 3 very different roles) set in a disturbingly realistic world of Cold War era politics that’s thrown into utter chaos by one very loose screw (a frighteningly believable Sterling Hayden as General Jack D. Ripper). Kubrick pulls out all the stops (the War Room scenes alone are a feast for the eyes even as you fall apart laughing) and leads us merrily down the path to nuclear annihilation with a wicked glee and an absolute abandon that only he can frame. Sellers’ comic chops were never sharper and the whole film takes you on a wild ride straight to bomber pilot Slim Pickens’ final wild ride. YEEEEE-HAAAAAW!

Buy “Dr. Strangelove (or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb)” on DVD from Amazon.

• Can you handle that crazy little thing called Love in all its wondrous forms? Then load up 2013’s, “Blue is the Warmest Color”, from Director Abdel Kechiche and available for the first time this week on Netflix. This controversial film lovingly depicts the ravages of young amour between its protagonists, Lea Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos, in all their gritty, sensuous, searing, maddening glory. This is a raw coming-of-age film that doesn’t shy away from the fluidity of female sexuality or its magnetic power to enrapture. And at just under 3 hours running time, that’s a lot of rapture.  WARNING: This film depicts scenes of explicit sexuality and is strictly FOR ADULTS ONLY. You lucky, lucky dogs!

Buy “Blue is the Warmest Color” on DVD from Amazon.

• And now for something completely different…Feeling as giddy as a 10 year-old hopped up on Coca-Cola and candy bars? Well, are you ready to at least laugh like one? Then check the balls out comedy that broke the mold, 1980’s irresistible “Airplane!”. Sold to the studios as a “disaster flick” parody, the Zucker Brothers (Dave and Jerry) and Director Jim Abrahams took the raw anarchic spirit of a 70’s “Mad” magazine, crammed it into their cameras then blasted it to crazy life all over your screen. Mere words simply cannot begin to describe the non-stop barrage of goofball hilarity that’s shamelessly machine-gunned at the audience with not a moment of cease fire on the all-out comic assault. There’s just so many great performances from the committed cast of comic cliff divers that there’s just too much to mention so just turn ON, tune IN…then just laugh your damn ass off! “Surely you can’t be serious?”  “I’m completely serious…and don’t call me Shirley.”

Buy “Airplane!” on DVD from Amazon.

HULU PLUS:

• Available this week for the first time on Hulu is the criminally overlooked 1995 noir from Writer/Director Carl Franklin, “Devil in a Blue Dress”. Denzel Washington stars as “Easy” Rawlins, a fledging Private Eye in post WWII Los Angeles hired to find an innocent femme who has somehow disappeared into the shadows and whose enigmatic motives and dangerous company turn out to be more fatale than at first expected. Based on the best-selling book (and series) from author Walter Mosley, the stellar cast (Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, Don Cheadle and Maury Chaykin) bring Mosley’s prose and vivid characters to canny, crackling life as a reluctant Easy gets unwittingly and unwillingly drawn into a taut mystery until he’s backed into a corner and is forced to come out fighting. Like all great noirs, it’s all about One Man wrestling with a world of corruption while trying to walk his own line with Director Franklin and his riveting cast of characters nailing it down from start to finish.

Buy “Devil in a Blue Dress” on DVD from Amazon.

• One for the Adults– This one may be a little too close to home for some (right now) but no one can accuse Writer/Director Woody Allen of attempting to mask his personal peccadilloes in 1992’s, “Husbands and Wives”. Woody and then-inamorata (ouch) Mia Farrow play a Manhattan couple whose marriage is thrown for a loop when their best friend’s marriage, Sydney Polack and the always electric Judy Davis, suddenly and rapidly unravels down the road to divorce. It is a comedy and you will laugh but…it’s gonna feel a bit uncomfortable now, isn’t it? But try not to think too much and instead just enjoy the sparkling script along with the nervy emotion on display as things spin out of control for Woody’s regularly very under control, upper crusty social climbers of his beloved Manhattan jungle.

Buy “Husbands and Wives” on DVD from Amazon.

• Yes, Liam Neeson is certainly the flavor-of-the-month action hero of late (for good or ill…discuss) but if you feel like setting your Apple TV back to 1995 then check a truly rousing adventure from Director Michael Caton-Jones with Liam as the title character of Scotland’s, “Rob Roy”. The forever gorgeous Jessica Lange is his lady love, Tim Roth his hated enemy and John Hurt is the Big Baddie in this Robin Hood-like tale of an honest man forced to fight as an outlaw who discovers he may just be good at it after all. Set in the 1700’s, don’t be deterred by the period trappings as the flick boldly stands up as a fantastic action film in its own right as well as  featuring some of the most exciting swordfights (remember them?) you’re likely to ever find anywhere. A slam-bang tale of Scotland that’ll have you root, root, rooting for the Home Team!

Buy “Rob Roy” on DVD from Amazon.

iTunes:

• It’s a bit late for Oscar night but iTunes is ripe with Winners this week including one from the Coen Brothers (Best Director), 2007’s Best Motion Picture and one of our personal faves, “No Country for Old Men” Based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel, the Coen boys grab this ball of rich source material and take off! Yes, Tommy Lee Jones is dead perfect as one of the men from the title but he’s surrounded by a stunning cast that tears the lid off these characters then serves them up raw and real. Where do we start? Josh Brolin is steely perfection as a Good Man who makes one crucial misjudgment that sets the wheels of this heart hammering plot into motion and brother…the wheels start spinning fast! Javier Bardem (Best Supporting Actor) is unforgettable as a nightmare force of fate with a too-clever-for-his-own-good Woody Harrelson, a properly slimy Stephen Root and a heartbreaking Kelly McDonald as just three of the obstacles in his path. Watch for the earthy, urgent and deeply moving Barry Corbin cameo (as a philosophically minded Uncle Ellis) near the end as Sheriff Ed Tom struggles mightily to figure out his place in his disturbing, brave new world. NCfOM is as perfect as movies get…and it gets better every time.

Buy “No Country for Old Men” on DVD from Amazon.

• Also available this week is 2013’s, “Nebraska”, from Director Alexander Payne with the always rock solid Bruce Dern as a possibly dementia addled old man on a quixotic, cross-country quest for gold at the end of his long life’s rainbow. Will Forte flexes his dramatic chops as the dutiful Son coming along for the ride and fresh, fiery octogenarian newcomer June Squib is sizzling as the Wife who has long since tired of saving the men in her life from their foolishness. A subtle American portrait painted in shades of lustrous grey that we all recognize even as we struggle to see the light.

Buy “Nebraska” on DVD from Amazon.

• And, yes, the Big Winner is here for your viewing edification if you’re ready to take on this tale of human brutality and social evil. The Academy Award Best Motion Picture of 2013, based on the 1853 memoir of Solomon Northup, “12 Years a Slave”, from Director Steve McQueen is available for download. History doesn’t get much darker than Northup’s recounting of his horrific kidnapping and subsequent enslavement and McQueen’s beautiful visuals eerily add to the pain and terror involved in the degradation and deprivation of actor Chiwetel Ejiofor as he’s hurled down a dehumanizing rabbit hole of despair. Benedict Cumberbatch is insidiously revolting as a casually “kind” slave owner before Michael Fassbender’s committed performance as a passionately corrupted slaver hammers home the horror even further in just one of the stops along Northup’s trail of tears. This won’t be the easiest film to watch but McQueen and Ejiofor make Northup’s terrible journey echo in your heart and, especially, your human soul.

Buy “12 Years a Slave” on DVD from Amazon.

That’s all for this week folks. And hey…where is Spring anyway?

The post What to Watch This Weekend on Netflix, Hulu Plus and iTunes with your Apple TV (Mar. 7 – 9) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

It’s time to get your designer gear working Ladies while all you Gentlemen out there brush those tuxedoes because Sunday is Academy Awards Night and we expect you to rock that red carpet all night long! So in keeping with the back-slapping party atmosphere we’ve included some of our favorite Oscar recipients from the past in this week’s Pix Picks for your viewing pleasure. Oscar may not always get it right but he consistently delivers the great Goods so enjoy and pour that wine!

NETFLIX:

• Oscar Pick of the Week– Set your Apple TV way back to 1969 and dig this timeless western adventure from Director George Roy Hill, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. We know that BCatSK didn’t win Best Picture  (“Midnight Cowboy” took home the big prize that great year) but it went on to essentially create an entire subgenre (the “Buddy” movie) and its unmistakable influence still holds sway. In our humble opinion the onscreen chemistry and effortless repartee between co-stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford as the title anti-heroes remains unmatched in its ease, wit and genuine affection and the slyly subversive plot (Butch and Sundance spend a great deal of the film running away and/or hiding out) altered the modern Western forever. A gorgeous, glorious elegy to a fast fading wild west and a devilishly charming look at two of its most notorious outlaws. Gentlemen, it just doesn’t get much better than Katherine Ross’s intro (those lips) and Ladies…we hear that the lead duo are also pretty easy on the eyes so enjoy the ManCandy while your man keeps laughing all the way to the end. And what an ending!

Buy “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” on DVD from Amazon.

• One for the Adults– If you’re feeling blue and ready for a downbeat drama with empathy to spare, try 2009’s overlooked effort from Director Kirk Jones, “Everybody’s Fine”. This melancholy story of an elderly recent widower’s (a restrained Robert DeNiro) somewhat scattered attempt to reconcile with his estranged adult children (Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore and Kate Beckinsale) will no doubt strike a chord with those of us who grew up with mostly absent fathers. An imperfect but honest, open and gently lyrical film about some deeply imperfect but heartfelt facts of life that all of us can easily relate to at our most human level. Remember the tissue paper because you may need it.

Buy “Everybody’s Fine” on DVD from Amazon.

• For our money 2003’s threequel, “American Wedding”, is the comedy grand slam for the beloved “American Pie” series and the best work yet from this effervescent ensemble cast that we’ve all grown to know and love. Director Jesse Dylan knocks it out of the park for an all grown-up Jim’s (the lovable Jason Biggs) big wedding day to his One-and-Only Bandcamp Girl (the even more lovable Allyson Hannigan) with his collection of quirky friends all there to keep the comic balls rolling. Seann William Scott absolutely crushes it as the obnoxious yet somehow lovable social miscreant Stifler, and comic vet Eugene Levy steals the show and our hearts with his pitch perfect portrayal of the endlessly sympathetic Dad-we-all-wish-we-had. So smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, pop some corks and prepare to laugh your asses off because the Gang’s all here and they’re peaking.

Buy “American Wedding” on DVD from Amazon.

• Apple TV Pick of the Week– For our North American Friends…it’s finally, finally, finally arrived. Yep, the final 8 episodes of perhaps the best American TV drama to come down the pipe since forever, “Breaking Bad”, is here this week and we are officially GEEKED! If, like us, you’ve been patiently waiting what seems like forever (all while rigorously dodging the ubiquitous spoilers) to find out what happens to the monstrous Walter White’s rotten empire then this is your Netflix gift from Apple TV heaven. Your standing orders are- Invite your friends, confiscate the cellies, crack the brews and then prepare for passionate debate. BrBa creator Vince Gilligan…Thanks for doing it up right!

Buy “Breaking Bad” on DVD from Amazon.

HULU PLUS:

• Oscar Pick of the Week– 1950’s, “Rashomon”, from Director Akira Kurosawa was late to Oscar’s party, winning in 1952 as Best Foreign Film, but it packed one hell of a powerful punch upon landing that’s still felt today. This masterful film from peerless master Kurosawa influenced generations of film makers with his groundbreaking use of editing and stunning handheld camera work, telling a riveting crime story of rape and murder from the shifting perspectives of all four players involved in the terrifying ordeal. The alternate perceptions of the identical “reality” give the viewer a uniquely human glimpse at our universal strengths and weaknesses as the dramatic point of view whirls around all of the flawed human beings caught up in terrible circumstances. A razor sharp look at the shadowy truth of life set in a beautiful light that illuminates the soul.

Buy “Rashomon” on DVD from Amazon.

• Our B-Movie Pick of the Week– Movies just don’t get much rowdier, raunchier, sweatier, saltier or sexier than 1989’s, “Road House”, from Director Rowdy Herrington. 80’s heartthrob Patrick Swayze plays Dalton, a Zen Master bar bouncer (yes, you read that correctly) hired to handle all the down-n-dirty action at a hard rocking honkytonk bar. There’s a local love interest (luscious Kelly Lynch as the town doctor), a house band blues musician (Jeff Healey in his film debut), good guys (a perfectly cast Sam Elliot and his All-World moustache) and, of course, the Bid Bad Guy (Ben Gazzara) who wants to control the whole town and who comes into direct conflict with Swayze’s Dalton. Great music, great fights, gratuitous nudity and plenty of overheated dialogue make this a B-Movie classic that will live forever! “I want you to be nice until it’s time to not be nice.” Dig that bouncer Zen, Baby!

Buy “Road House” on DVD from Amazon.

• Now ready for some big laughs to go along with your freaky, queasy, hammy horror fun? Then load up 1981’s, “An American Werewolf in London”, from Writer/Director John Landis. Landis nailed the perfect comedy/horror balance in this slick story of two American backpackers who run into some very hairy trouble in jolly old England. One (a wry Griffin Dunne) is killed but that doesn’t end his screen time and the other (fresh-faced David Naughton) goes on to deal with an ancient curse as he tries to woo a comely Brit lass (a gorgeous Jenny Agutter) desperately trying her best to help him. Fantastic F/X and brilliant make-up effects by Master Artist Rick Baker still stand the test of time (and that’s a lot of time) and give this grimly goofy tale a real kick. A great time for Boy and Girls of all ages!

Buy “An American Werewolf in London” on DVD from Amazon.

iTunes:

• Oscar Pick of the Week– We’ve mentioned it before but you just can’t go wrong with 2012’s, “Silver Linings Playbook”, from Writer/Director David O. Russell. This straight-on look at the troubled paths of some troubled personalities as they struggle to come to grips with regular life and extraordinary love won an armful of Oscars (including Best Picture) and as you watch you can see why. Pretty boy Bradley Cooper (Best Actor) sheds his skin to become the tortured obsessive who’s trying, but failing, to right his ship as his pained family watches him sink under his own mental waves. Everybody’s fantasy GF Jennifer Laurence (Best Actress) enters the picture as a young widow carrying a heavy weight of her own and then tormented worlds collide. With Robert DeNiro (Best Supporting) as the compulsive but caring Dad and a knockout performance from Jacki Weaver as the loving Mom trying desperately to save everyone from themselves.

Buy “Silver Linings Playbook” on DVD from Amazon.

• Chick Flick of the Week– Hard to believe that it’s been 13 years but “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, is back to entrance romance lovers everywhere. Written by Helen Fielding (and based on her smash best seller) and directed by Sharon Maguire this film hits all the romance targets, rings all the bells and blows all the whistles with the deadly charming cast (Hugh Grant and Colin Firth for the ladies) and Renee Zellweger scores consistently as the slightly zaftig everygirl figuring it all out. Pour that vino and rally around for some dreamy romantic fun, Bridget Gals!

Buy “Bridget Jones’s Diary” on DVD from Amazon.

• One for the Kids– Disney’s 2010, “Tangled”, takes on the Rapunzel fairy tale and gives it a charming update with an empowered girl hero at the center and set on a grand adventure. This amped up, action version is designed especially for the little girls in your home but the boys will doubtless enjoy it all as well. Take a break from parenting and let the Kids be mesmerized for all of 100 stress free minutes. Thanks again Disney!

Buy “Tangled” on DVD from Amazon.

That’s all for Oscar week kids, so if you bet on “Gravity”…congrats! And…can we borrow a fiver?

The post What to Watch this Weekend on Netflix, Hulu Plus and iTunes with Your Apple TV (Feb. 28 – Mar. 2) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.