Pros

1. The Apple TV is a stylish, easy to use and affordable set top box.
2. It costs $149 and $199 for the 32GB and 64GB variant, respectively.

Cons

1. The Apple TV ties in to iTunes, which some people may not really like.

What is Apple TV?

The Apple TV is basically a set top box that give you access to a lot of content, including movies, TV shows, apps, and more. You can purchase them or rent them from iTunes and other services, including Netflix, YouTube, etc. In other words, Apple TV simply takes the content that would otherwise be tied to your Mac, iPad, and iPhone and lets you enjoy it on a bigger screen. In terms of quality, the Apple TV is capable of outputting content in Full HD resolution.

Apple TV channels

One thing you need to know is that the Apple TV doesn’t actually offer you access to free to air channels as it’s the case with a regular TV. On top of that, it’s also not a digital video recorder that can help you record your favorite movies or shows while you’re at work. On the other hand, it does offer you access to channels where you can watch a lot of content based on your preferences. You can also use OnDemand services in the same way you would on your iPad and iPhone.

If you’re in the US, then by getting an Apple TV you can gain access to a lot of useful apps and channels. Some examples include WatchESPN, Lifetime, History, but also A&E, PBS, Disney Junior, Disney XD, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, and more. The good news is that Apple adds new channels quite frequently, so the amount of content you can access greatly increases over time. This is amazing if you’re the type who wants to keep up with the latest TV shows and movies.

Can I use my current TV with it?

One of the first things you need to know if you want to get an Apple TV is whether your current TV is compatible with it. As long as your TV has an HDMI port, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to use the Apple TV with it. Keep in mind that your TV needs to also be capable of 720P or Full HD output at 50/60Hz. While the chance your TV may not meet these requirements is low, there may be expectations. This is usually the case if you have an old CRT TV. Also, in order to access content stores, including the iTunes store, you need to have a broadband connection.

What can you play on the Apple TV?

The Apple TV supports a wide range of file formats, including M-PEG, MPEG-4, and H.264. In terms of audio, it supports Audible (formats two, three, four), MP3 VBR, MP3, protected AAC, AAC, HE-AAC (V1), WAV, and Apple Lossless. In terms of image formats, the Apple TV supports TIFF, GIF, and JPEG images.

One of the most important things you need to know about the Apple TV is that you can use it to turn your dumb TV into a smart TV. You can easily access the likes of Vimeo, YouTube, Netflix, but also iTunes movies and TV programs to enjoy the latest video content. Better yet, you can also view images on Flickr and watch Sky news live.

Verdict

As you can see, there are many things to like about the Apple TV. First of all, it’s simple to use and it’s very well built as well. On the other hand, some people may argue that they don’t really have access to as much content as they would like. If you look at the competition (we’re looking at you Roku!) you’ll notice that there are other options you may want to check out.

Truth be said, there are certain features that will only work with the Apple TV, so that’s also something you may want to bear in mind. All in all, the Apple TV is a great way to access large libraries of content and keep up with your favorite movies and TV shows. If you’re a couch potato or find yourself spending too much time looking for great content on your cable TV, then you may want to switch to the Apple TV as soon as possible. It’s definitely worth it!

The post What is Apple TV good for and why should you get one? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

It wasn’t just the updated Events channel that Apple TV got today, as Nat Geo TV just joined the channel list on your Apple TV home screen.

National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild have clubbed their content into this channel, creating a blend of nature and science. The channel looks to be similar to the Nat Geo TV iOS app. Here is the description of the app:

Watch your favorite National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD shows the day after they air. Sign in with your TV Provider account and never miss an episode from top shows on the National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD including:

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL: Life Below Zero, Ultimate Survival Alaska, Wicked Tuna, Brain Games, Live Free or Die

NAT GEO WILD: The Incredible Dr. Pol, Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet, Dr. K’s Exotic Animal E.R., Big Cat Week, Pond Stars

The channel comes in three different sections – Featured tab, with curated picks for shows, episodes and clips; Shows tab with full episodes of National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild station TV shows, added the day after they are aired and Categories tab which includes Animals, People, History, Travel, Adventure, Science, Technology and more.

Like many others, the Nat Geo TV does require you to sign in with a supported cable operator account, if you’ve to enjoy full length episodes. Without a cable subscription, users can access some free clips.

NAT GEO TV currently supports many TV providers including Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, AT&T U-Verse, Optimum, Suddenlink, Mediacom, WOW! and many more. Visit natgeotv.com/TVEverywhere for our full list of supported TV Service Providers.

Hopefully, we will be able to cut the cord completely when Apple comes up with their rumoured TV subscription service, which will include both online content and local cable stations.

If you are not into the Nat Geo TV stuff, you can hide the icon and organize your Apple TV home screen by following our guide on How to easily hide unwanted channel icons on Apple TV.

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

The post Nat Geo TV channel comes to Apple TV appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple just updated the Events channel on the Apple TV announcing that they will stream the WWDC 2015 keynote live on June 8th, at 10 am Pacific Time.

This isn’t something new. Whenever Apple decides to broadcast their events, Apple TV users get to enjoy it via the Events channel. However, this time things are a bit different.

Usually in such cases, Apple updates their website first, at apple.com/live, announcing the live stream to be available on the web and iOS devices. We then have to wait a couple of days or even till a few hours before the event for the Events channel to be updated on the Apple TV.

This time Apple has refreshed the Apple TV channel a week before the event and, more interestingly, there is no sign of the announcement on their website yet. This might be an indication as to how special the event would be for Apple TV users. Is it yet another proof that the Apple TV 4 will be launched at the event?

Apple has a long history of hiding major event highlights in their invites, illustrations and tag lines. This might very well be one of those. Even in the WWDC 2015 logo, observant users swear that the background square with rounded edges refers to the next Apple TV’s footprint.

In the end, these omens just confirm our previous reports that the Apple TV 4 will be unveiled on Monday. We believe it to be slimmer, pack a redesigned interface and a new OS with support for Siri and third party apps.

Read more on Apple TV 4 specs, hardware, remote, OS and release date.

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

The post Apple will livestream WWDC 2015 keynote via the refreshed Events channel on Apple TV appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

We already know that Apple is preparing their own video subscription service, and it was speculated to get launched in June at the WWDC 2015. However, a recent report by Re/code suggests that the launch might be a bit delayed, thanks to Apple’s ambitions to include local programming in the streaming service.

As originally reported, Apple’s subscription service will come with over 25 channels including ABC, CBS and Fox, and would be available at a monthly subscription fee of $30-$40.

But Apple apparently thinks this won’t be enough to lure in cable customers, as local stations would still need a cable connection. In order to encourage complete cord-cutting, Apple is taking it to the extreme by wanting to include local US stations in the streaming service.

This doesn’t look so odd to come from Apple as we reported recently that Apple halted their entire ultra-HDTV plans just because they couldn’t find a ‘breakthrough’ feature to compel users to switch.

However, addition of local channels to a subscription service of this magnitude is better said than done. For most cable operators, they only have rights to broadcast the channels and not the rights to the contents itself. Which means, Apple needs to engage individual stations separately to get their rights, and that takes time.

Business executives have told Re/code that Apple hasn’t started any such negotiations yet. A similar situation faced by HBO Go took them around 2 years to get the streaming rights to local channels. So it seems Apple is at least a few months, if not years, away from adding local stations to their subscription service.

At this time, Apple has two choices: to launch the service without local contents and add it later on or to delay the launch of the service itself. You might remember Gurman’s post on Apple TV 4, where he suggested that the next Apple TV will ship with current content model and the subscription service would be launched at a later date.

Reading all these together, we believe that we won’t see the launch of Apple’s subscription service at next month’s WWDC. However, the Apple TV 4 with better remote, new hardware, redesigned interface, Siri support and third-party apps is surely coming.

Read more on the Apple TV 4.

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

The post Apple wants to include local stations in subscription service, might delay the launch appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Just a week after Apple added new channels to the Apple TV in several countries across the world, the tiny black set-top box got a new content once again, this time in Australia, Japan, UK, Ireland and Scandinavia.

Here’s a complete list:

• Viaplay (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden): live sports, movies, TV series, children’s programs;
• Stan (Australia): streaming service offering subscription to unlimited viewing of selected movies and TV shows;
• WWE Wrestling Network (UK, Ireland): WWE Network brings all their twelve Pay-per-view streams including WrestleMania and WCW, the complete home video library, selected weekly matches and some specials; available for unlimited 24×7 streaming;
• Bandai (Japan): a local, subscription-based network offering localized shows and anime.

All channels are available as an automatic over-the-air update, no software update required.

Also read: Apple TV 4 to be introduced in June

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

The post Apple TV gains new channels in Australia, Japan and Europe appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple has added a whole bunch of new channels to the Apple TV yesterday. Here is a full list of all new channels:

• CBS Sports (worldwide; free)
• USA Now (US, cable subscription required)
• Shomi (Canada; available to Roger’s and Telus Optik TV subscribers for $8.99/month)
• Crave TV (Canada; available to Bell subscribers for $4/month)
• Arte (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland; free)
• FOX Sports (Australia, $4.99/week)
• Hopster TV (UK; £3.99/month)

All channels are available as an automatic over-the-air update, no software update required.

Also read: Apple TV 4 to be introduced in June with web-based TV service and a new remote with touchpad

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

The post Apple adds new channels to Apple TV in US, Canada, Europe and Australia appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple TV has just gained a new CNNgo channel featuring live streaming and on-demand content. CNNgo requires a subscription to a participating pay-TV partner for viewing live content and full shows, while the short clips can be watched without a cable subscription.

Pay-TV customers can log in for access to Live TV and Shows, such as CNN Original Series Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, Finding Jesus, Mike Rowe’s Sombody’s Gotta Do It,Morgan Spurlock Inside Man, This is Life with Lisa Ling, The Wonder List with Bill Weir and Anderson Cooper’s nightly news program, AC 360°.

All users of Apple TV can enjoy a collection of hand-curated clips by topic – from world and politics to entertainment and tech – in the Must See section.

This marks the first Turner brand to launch on Apple TV. CNNgo’s launch on Apple TV joins CNN’s current offerings on CNN.com and on the CNN app for iPad.

This Apple TV offering refresh comes just a day after Apple added TED Talks, Tastemade and Young Hollywood channels to its set-top box.

On a similar note, Apple is working on their own standalone streaming service, and the HBO NOW service is coming to Apple TV next month. Also, Apple TV 4 with a new interface, upgraded specs, own App Store and Siri integration is expected to be unveiled in June.

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

The post CNNgo channel added to Apple TV appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

The wait is finally over Down Under. As promised by Netflix, their streaming service has just opened doors to media lovers in Australia and New Zealand. And that means, Apple TV users in these countries will have a new favorite channel on their homescreens from now on.

You can sign up directly on Apple TV (or on web) for a free one month trial but you will need to attach the iTunes account or credit card info for future payments.

Netflix plans in Australia are as follows:

• single-stream access to standard definition content: A$8.99/month;
• two-stream high-definition access: A$11.99/month;
• four-stream Ultra HD access: A$14.99/month.

MacRumors has noticed that the Australia and New Zealand Netflix catalogs are not the same as the US one.

Movies like The Wolf of Wall Street, Silver Linings Playbook, World War Z, and The Croods are available on Netflix in the U.S., but are not available in Australia and New Zealand.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Netflix has several thousand fewer titles than the U.S. version of the service, but it has 693 shows that are not available in the U.S. or Canada.

Netflix announced however that the content available in Australia and New Zeland will improve over time as they make new deals with TV Shows and movie distributors.

Meanwhile, if you really want to gain access to the complete US Netflix catalog, you can follow our guide: How to watch Netflix on Apple TV outside the US.

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

The post Netflix lands on Apple TV in Australia and New Zealand appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Nowadays, it seems like a routine when a new set of new channels gets added to the Apple TV. This time we have three channels, namely TED Talks, Tastemade and Young Hollywood.

TED is the channel which I am really glad to see on my Apple TV. It features lectures and presentations by thousands of people who want to make a difference, to share their story, to inspire, to awe and much more. Their Apple TV channel comes with a stylish home screen, a talks section for browsing different categories and a tab of TED’s featured playlists.

Tastemade channel which calls itself a “food and travel lifestyle network” is of course, mostly about cuisines and cooking shows.

Young Hollywood channel features music, lifestyle, movies, sports and fashion. It packs a featured tab as home screen, shows section for originals like Pop Culture Underground and Amp’d Up, and a studio tab for browsing various artists and genres.

All three channels are completely free to stream.

But if any of these don’t make any sense to you, follow our guide on how to easily hide unwanted channel icons on Apple TV.

On a similar note, Apple is working on their own standalone streaming service, and the HBO NOW service is coming to Apple TV next month. Also, Apple TV 4 with a new interface, upgraded specs, own App Store and Siri integration is expected to be unveiled in June.

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

The post TED Talks, Tastemade and Young Hollywood channels appear on Apple TV appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

The news of Apple’s standalone streaming service is getting hotter hour by hour. As The Wall Street Journal now reports, Discovery and Viacom are currently in talks with Apple to bring their channels to the service as well.

The Discovery group owns The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and TLC while Viacom rules over MTV, Comedy Central, TV Land, WH1, CMT and Nickelodeon. And if the reported talks turn around as we hope them to, these popular channels will become a part of the 25+ channels already lining up for the Apple Web TV.

As we reported earlier, Apple is developing a $30-$40 streaming package which lets you select a set of channels to view on the Apple TV. The service is expected to include a “skinny bundle” of channels with the likes of Fox, Disney, ESPN and more, and will launch in September this year.

According to WSJ:

Adding additional channels would also make Apple’s service more likely to succeed. Currently, Sling TV offers live streaming of 17 networks at $20 per month, while Apple is supposedly going to offer 25 networks at $30 to $40 each month. The math just doesn’t add up for the service to be double the cost of Sling TV but only offer eight additional channels.

It is worth noting that HBO NOW streaming service is coming to the Apple TV next month and that NBC is bringing a standalone channel later this year. And with the new pricing of just $69 (or just $67.87 on Amazon), there has never been a better time to cut the cord and get an Apple TV.

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

The post Discovery and Viacom in talks to join Apple’s TV service appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.