Apple TV 4 is Apple’s latest generation of TV product, launched last year with 2 storage options: 32 GB and 64 GB. When this product was announced, I have no intention to get it. I had Apple TV 3 and was quite happy using that for Netflix and few other things. When I saw a very good price few months ago, I decided to let my curiosity got the better of me. I mean, sure my Apple TV 3 still works fine, but I can’t argue that its functionalities are quite limited, especially that after so many years there’s still no jailbreak for it. This new Apple TV allows us to download apps, meaning third party movie players, streamers and even other apps would be available. So, I ordered one.
I received my Apple TV 4 delivery on the day I moved house few months ago. So I had it still in sealed box for a while before I finally start using this. My first impression on the hardware, well, it looks almost identical to my previous model. With the exception that this new model is noticeable thicker. Kinda unusual for Apple, but understandable considering this Apple TV brings a lot more functionalities compared to the previous generation.
The new remove looks awesome. It has built-in trackpad with nice feeling and sensitivity. It has built-in mic to take voice commands, powered by Siri. The only downside is that I really fear it would break into pieces if I ever drop it. And getting a replacement cost more than half of the device’s price. So as silly as it might sound like, I’m getting a silicon case for my new remote.
One annoying quirk I quickly found is that Apple still don’t include HDMI cable. I already have my own cable. But some people buying this product and excitedly bringing it home in excitement to enjoy it may face disappointment.
Initial installation is very easy. I had to wait for a while for it to download the latest OS and updating itself, but as soon as it’s done, I can start using my new Apple TV. First, of course I went to download some apps. According to Apple, by May 2016, there are more than 5000 apps in its app store. I quickly grabbed VLC, Plex and some official apps from Australian TV stations.
At a glance, the interface of tvOS is somewhat similar to the UI of previous Apple TV. Of course, the availability of App Store is a fundamental difference but in the end, what we get are rectangle icons, each represents an app. We can either use the trackpad to navigate, or we can use voice command. Overall experience is snappy and intuitive, the usual Apple-esque that feels just right for someone using whole Apple ecosystem devices like myself.
So far I spent most of my time watching videos using VLC app. I can play movies from my Apple AirPort Time Capsule, or I can also put movies into VLC’s local storage in Apple TV. The app shows warning that any videos being saved locally might get wiped by operating system at any time when more empty space is needed. Sounds somewhat fair, which is also the reason why I got myself the 64 GB model (instead of 32 GB) in the first place.
True to their reputation, VLC app does play any file in my test list. However, playing is not always smooth. High bitrate movies suffer from lagging in scenes with incredible amount of detailed movements. Since such scenes are not that frequent, I can still somehow tolerate it.
In the end, it comes down to expectations vs. delivered experience. Is this a good product? Yes. Does it worth the upgrade from Apple TV 3? For me, it only makes sense because of the good deal that I got. If I had to pay regular price, the answer is no. Will I be using it as my primary TV device? Yes for now.
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