4k TVs are so advanced, whats the point of Apple TV 4k?

[Macalicious2011]

During the past two weeks I've watched youtube clips on a 55 inch Samsung a meeting room at work. It's been one of my few experiences with Smart TVs. While the navigation is straight forward, the user-experience is not as free flowing and fast as on the Apple TV.

In the YouTube app, you don't get an animation preview in the thumbnail either. Some apps takes 1-2 seconds to open too. Whether or not you care about the Apple "eco-system" the ATV is worth buying as an easy to use brain for your smart TV.

 

[Snoopy4]

While I would agree about any streaming 4K service, and have my Apple TV set on 1080p for most programs, Netflix does offer HDR and DV on 1080p programs. The 4K service also adds more streams to the same account. I find the HDR worth the extra money, and I currently have a need for more than 2 simultaneous streams, so it all works out for me.if it were just 4K content, I’d definitely not pay the premium.



Movies Anywhere allows most of your content to be available on many platforms and services. It’s true you still need Apple to access some studio’s content purchased through iTunes, and while here are other ways to access the content, the Apple TV offers many other integrated solutions with other Apple products. One thing in particular I like about the Apple TV is that iTunes movies are offered in 1080p HDR and DV, which really speeds up streaming and buffering while still providing an excellent picture. The other services don’t offer that yet.

Our ITunes collection is 690 titles. In the others services we’ve tied through Movies Anywhere it ranges from 350-400 titles. There is a whole lot that doesn’t migrate.

 

[Dgame1234]

Thinking of buying apple tv 4k, i already have a samsung smart 4k tv...
anyway i tried back reading the posts here and to sum it up, in terms of picture quality there is no really difference when playing netflix and amazon prime using built in smart tv and using atv 4k?

The main use of still having an apple tv 4k is better integration and better streaming of apps... plus if there are some streaming apps not included in the built in smart tv....

Also you could buy or rent movies through itunes store...

Did i got all these infos correct? Do i also missed some more info?

 

[WarHeadz]

Thinking of buying apple tv 4k, i already have a samsung smart 4k tv...
anyway i tried back reading the posts here and to sum it up, in terms of picture quality there is no really difference when playing netflix and amazon prime using built in smart tv and using atv 4k?

The main use of still having an apple tv 4k is better integration and better streaming of apps... plus if there are some streaming apps not included in the built in smart tv....

Also you could buy or rent movies through itunes store...

Did i got all these infos correct? Do i also missed some more info?

No difference in picture quality whatsoever. Just a better OS for your TV, even if you're not an Apple user. And if you are an Apple user, then its just a familiar addition to your ecosystem. Your can pair up your AirPods to the ATV, get a gaming remote to play the games in the app store, and its also the most streamlined way to send media from your iPhone iPad or Mac to your TV. I personally don't think Smart TV's are a good idea. The manufacturers should focus on making the best panels for their sets, and let companies that already make OS's to make set top boxes. It makes sense for so many reasons such as upgradability, variety, and customer support.

In short, just get an Apple TV and treat your smart TV like a dumb, beautiful, 4K panel.

 

[Dgame1234]

Another question also, do i need a high end hdmi cable in connecting the apple tv to my tv? So that i could maximize the best picture quality it could give, orany regular hdmi cable is fine?

 

[400]

Another question also, do i need a high end hdmi cable in connecting the apple tv to my tv? So that i could maximize the best picture quality it could give, orany regular hdmi cable is fine?

No. Absolutely not needing "high end". Snake oil (my pet hate when the salesperson at the TV shop tries this on, I shoot them down in flames).
Have a look through this link.
https://www.hdmi.org/consumer/finding_right_cable.aspx

If your existing cable works, then use it. You will soon know if there is an issue. Distance will be an issue at 4K more than 1080. Normal lengths and correctly certified then should not be an issue. Over 8-10 meters then optical probably a better option. Never had to go that far myself so not sure there.

Assuming correct inputs on the TV are used and TV input settings are correct. They do vary.

For me, £5-£8 maximum. 6' cables.

 

[Macalicious2011]

Another question also, do i need a high end hdmi cable in connecting the apple tv to my tv? So that i could maximize the best picture quality it could give, orany regular hdmi cable is fine?

I order all my HDMi cables from Amazon. They don't cost much and work brilliantly.

 

[Juicy Box]

Thinking of buying apple tv 4k, i already have a samsung smart 4k tv...
anyway i tried back reading the posts here and to sum it up, in terms of picture quality there is no really difference when playing netflix and amazon prime using built in smart tv and using atv 4k?

The main use of still having an apple tv 4k is better integration and better streaming of apps... plus if there are some streaming apps not included in the built in smart tv....

Also you could buy or rent movies through itunes store...

Did i got all these infos correct? Do i also missed some more info?

I posted on this thread a while back, but my opinion on the matter has changed over the past few months.

A few months ago, my "dumb" Samsung Plasma TV stopped working and I purchased a Series 6 TCL with built in Roku. I also purchased a few Fire Sticks and one Fire TV on Amazon Day.

While I still think the ATV has value, I have been really impressed by the Roku on my TCL. It has a much faster response than my ATV4, and probably on the same level as my ATV4k and ATV3. The quality of the apps on the Roku is much better than the tvOS imo, and the picture looks much better on the Roku than the ATV4. Using the Roku remote is so much nicer than the endless swiping of the Siri Remote, and has been my favorite thing about using the Roku.

The comparison has been mostly from the ATV4, as I have not used my ATV4k that much to make a good comparison due to me giving it away. I got it from the Directv Now deal, but the 32GB was not big enough, so I gave it to my parents.

The Fire sticks were less impressive, but @ $20 from Amazon Day, they are well worth it. The issue with them is that the UI is horrible and slow, but the picture was good. The Fire TV is still in the box, I haven't had a chance to mess with it yet, but I assume it would be faster than the Fire Sticks.

The best thing that the Apple TV and tvOS has is the apps, especially the games, iTunes, and the UI. The ATV is a better device overall, but I don't think it is worth the very high price point.

If you have no interest in games, and use basic streaming apps such as Netflix, Hulu, or HBO, I would just use the built-in apps of a Smart TV, or get something much cheaper such as a Fire TV. If you don't have a 4K tv, a ATV3 or Fire Stick. They are almost as good as an ATV4k, but a tiny fraction of the price.

 

[Dgame1234]

If i airplay or mirror a specific hd video (cause it is not included in the app store), will it output also hd video on the tv?

 

[Tech198]

If i airplay or mirror a specific hd video (cause it is not included in the app store), will it output also hd video on the tv?

If the app supports it, then it will work. All i'm finding is you need an Airplay.

Samsung i thing and LG use "Airbeam"

 

[jljue]

Not sure if available on other platforms, but I do know that WatchESPN has multiview on AppleTV. Doesn’t happen on the Roku, even though my 4K TV has Roku built-in.

 

[Donfor39]

Not sure if available on other platforms, but I do know that WatchESPN has multiview on AppleTV. Doesn’t happen on the Roku, even though my 4K TV has Roku built-in.

There's quite a few Amazon Prime viewers wishing they had this for u.k. Tennis launch recently.

 

[vikram909060]

I have just purchased a brand new Apple 4K TV. I have setup Kodi on Apple TV and installed Exodus Repository but Exodus is not working for me. Actually, I'm a newbie to Kodi and does not know which are the best addons. There are many guides for it but it would be great for me if someone wants to share a personal favorite add-ons list.

You can purchase 1 Year KODI signing service without Revoke from HERE and now just get a Build doing Youtube Search for Best KODI Build August 2018 and all done

 

[Dimwhit]

There is one main reason I love my ATV 4K: iTunes integration. I have a lot of TV shows (some older) and movies on my computer, and nothing else comes close to the ATV/iTunes integration. I've tried Plex and others, and they all suck. So I need my ATV to watch everything from my computer. I also buy my movies in 4K on iTunes, so I need it for that.

There are other benefits, but that's the main one. I have a Roku TV and I absolutely love it, but I don't use many of the Smart functions on it.

 

[Dgame1234]

I have a smart 4k tv hdr but not capable of dolby vision, what should be the video setting of my apple tv 4k?
Should i set it to 4k sdr, 4k hdr or lower on these two option?
Will mostly used on amazon prime and netflix which are some shows are in hd and even 4k hdr?

Should i change the video setting when watching lower video quality or should i just leave it just one setting then the atv 4k will automatically convert the video quality from the source?

 

[priitv8]

Set it to 4k sdr with range matching ON.
It will upscake everything to 4k as resolution matching is not available on tvOS.
I have set and forgotten them, not worth fiddling constantly. People have found tvOS upscaler to be very decent.

 

[Mac 128]

I have a smart 4k tv hdr but not capable of dolby vision, what should be the video setting of my apple tv 4k?
Should i set it to 4k sdr, 4k hdr or lower on these two option?
Will mostly used on amazon prime and netflix which are some shows are in hd and even 4k hdr?

Should i change the video setting when watching lower video quality or should i just leave it just one setting then the atv 4k will automatically convert the video quality from the source?

I have a Sony Bravia 900E, which has one of the best upscaling engines I've seen, and as a result I generally prefer to let it do the work, not the ATV.

So I leave my ATV set to 1080p SDR, with auto matching. I find this actually improves most of my TV watching, since I'm not waiting for 4K streams to buffer, particularly when I'm just channel surfing. Netflix and Apple both offer HDR on 1080p streams. Amazon does not yet. Personally I think HDR makes a big difference in a program and 4K not so much. That said, I will switch the ATV to 4K SDR (and let the matching feature do its thing) when I know I'm going to settle in for a blockbuster movie night for a 4K HDR movie I've rented, or purchased.

The only exception to this may be if you watch Amazon Prime, Vudu, or other apps providing 4K HDR streams, which do not offer HDR on 1080p streams. The only way to get them is by streaming in 4K. So I tend to treat those services like purchased films, so I know whether something is in 4K HDR or not (it's not otherwise listed if limited to 1080p by the ATV). While this isn't a big issue for me as those aren't the primary services I use, it may well be for you. And most of Amazon's content is not in 4K or HDR.

Whatever you do, don't force the ATV into HDR as that will give you a distorted picture, if the program is not in HDR.

 

[Dgame1234]

Set it to 4k sdr with range matching ON.
It will upscake everything to 4k as resolution matching is not available on tvOS.
I have set and forgotten them, not worth fiddling constantly. People have found tvOS upscaler to be very decent.

So does it mean when im streaming 1080 hd it will just upscale it to 4k, then if i will stream 4k hdr, the atv will automatically adjust its video to 4k hdr? Or do i need to change the setting to 4k hdr?

 

[Mac 128]

So does it mean when im streaming 1080 hd it will just upscale it to 4k, then if i will stream 4k hdr, the atv will automatically adjust its video to 4k hdr? Or do i need to change the setting to 4k hdr?

Yes. Whichever resolution output you choose, set it to SDR -- do not set it to HDR, use the match feature which automatically kicks in HDR. HDR will give you an inaccurate picture on non HDR content.

 

[Donfor39]

@Mac 128

I tried your settings on my 2015 Android 4k tv -non hdr model.
My Sony displayed 1080p.24hz -not 4k resolutions.
I have to change ap4ktv to 4k sdr 60hz or at least that's what I prefer -only then will sony tv change to 4k resolutions.
I'm referring to Sony osd resolutions.
Interesting though I'm leaving my ap4k tv on the mentioned settings as above.
Note my Sony isn't top of the range though nice enough t.v. If I eventually go hdr -those were very expensive in 2016 when I purchased my Sony.

 

[Mac 128]

@Mac 128

I tried your settings on my 2015 Android 4k tv -non hdr model.
My Sony displayed 1080p.24hz -not 4k resolutions.
I have to change ap4ktv to 4k sdr 60hz or at least that's what I prefer -only then will sony tv change to 4k resolutions.
I'm referring to Sony osd resolutions.
Interesting though I'm leaving my ap4k tv on the mentioned settings as above.
Note my Sony isn't top of the range though nice enough t.v. If I eventually go hdr -those were very expensive in 2016 when I purchased my Sony.

I think you misunderstood. There is no auto resolution switching on the ATV 4K. You either choose 1080p or 4K, but always SDR with auto range match, which switches into HDR automatically as needed.

You have to understand why I choose 1080p over 4K most of the time, and chose to manually switch into 4K. I have a 30mbps internet service, and in channel surfing Netflix, I’d rather not wait for the extra load time it takes for 4K to start streaming. Since Netflix offers HDR on 1080p, I don’t feel I’m losing much, since 4K doesn’t really add much to the picture anyway (mainly due to little of it being native 4K to begin with). I also believe my Sony does a better job upscaling 1080p to 4K than the ATV.

If you prefer 4K, due to preference or source, and don’t want to manually switch between resolutions, then you set the ATV to 4K SDR and leave it there, allowing the ATV to upscale all of your content rather than the TV, and deal with the extended load time for 4K content.

 

[Donfor39]

I think you misunderstood. There is no auto resolution switching on the ATV 4K. You either choose 1080p or 4K, but always SDR with auto range match, which switches into HDR automatically as needed.

You have to understand why I choose 1080p over 4K most of the time, and chose to manually switch into 4K. I have a 30mbps internet service, and in channel surfing Netflix, I’d rather not wait for the extra load time it takes for 4K to start streaming. Since Netflix offers HDR on 1080p, I don’t feel I’m losing much, since 4K doesn’t really add much to the picture anyway (mainly due to little of it being native 4K to begin with). I also believe my Sony does a better job upscaling 1080p to 4K than the ATV.

If you prefer 4K, due to preference or source, and don’t want to manually switch between resolutions, then you set the ATV to 4K SDR and leave it there, allowing the ATV to upscale all of your content rather than the TV, and deal with the extended load time for 4K content.

Thanks my error in mistaking match content range as match resolution.

 

[priitv8]

Thanks my error in mistaking match content range as match resolution.

This may be a bit confusing at first, but aTV can automatically adjust only

1. Dynamic range (sdr/hdr) - behind the scene, this causes a major change in image processing for the display.
2. Frame rate (fps) - this does not, codec and decoding remains the same, just the speed of frame processing changes.

 

[Mac 128]

This may be a bit confusing at first, but aTV can automatically adjust only

1. Dynamic range (sdr/hdr) - behind the scene, this causes a major change in image processing for the display.
2. Frame rate (fps) - this does not, codec and decoding remains the same, just the speed of frame processing changes.

I keep waiting for Apple to add #3. Resolution matching, so I can just let my TV handle the post processing for all native content. As it is, I have to let my Apple TV upgrade 480i/p, and 720p, and 1080i content to 1080p, to say nothing of switching it into 4K output, which further limits my TVs adjustment options.

I also hate that whenever I switch the resolution manually, I have to confirm it. With HDMI and CEC, one would think that it would be smarter than that, and not switch into a resolution my TV didn’t support in the first place. If Siri just took me directly to the setting I wanted to change, it might not be so bad ...

 

[Dgame1234]

So if i set my atv to 4k sdr with range matching on, will the atv or my tv itself will upscale 1080 show to 4k? And who will convert a hdr shows to hdr?