Even though smart TVs have been around for quite some time, most people still don't have one. Some people consider this pampering, not seeing any practical benefit in connecting the TV to the Internet . And some people simply don’t want to spend extra money and, in an attempt to save money, buy a regular LCD panel, and then expand its capabilities with the help of smart attachments or sticks. In fact, it turns out to be quite profitable. But if you look at the Apple TV, it won't be that cheap. So, it’s more logical to immediately decide whether it’s worth buying an Apple console and does it even have any advantages that others don’t have?
Apple TV doesn't look like the best choice for 2022
Russian films and TV series will begin airing on Apple TV+
I won't beat around the bush. In my opinion, Apple TV today objectively makes no sense. Not only is this a rather expensive set-top box, which will cost you half the cost of your TV, if you take average models, but its range of capabilities is also quite limited.
It will coolly replace HDMI via AirPlay
I burned out a MacBook Pro via HDMI - this happened in March of this year. After a tragic event, after which I had to buy another Apple laptop to replace it and spend a lot of money on repairs, I do not use such cables at all.
After connecting the HDMI to USB-C cable to one of the four ports of the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2022 with Touch Bar, smoke actually came out of it (like special effects from cheap action films), I smelled something burning, and a feeling of hopelessness replaced my viewing of The Adventures of Paddington 2".
The laptop didn't die completely. One USB-C port definitely didn’t work, and the rest of the problems lay inside the “non-separable” case.
I waited 5 weeks for the entire motherboard to be replaced under warranty, was glad that the case was generally recognized as a defect, and decided to stop using HDMI if possible.
Apple TV 3rd generation turned out to be one of the cheapest but adequate options to get rid of wires and stream video to your TV screen or projector from your Mac via Wi-Fi.
To do this, just enable screen mirroring via AirPlay from the menu bar (if the corresponding icon is not here, go to “System Settings” > “Monitors” and look for video mirroring options). It works reasonably well, you can make presentations to the public and show photos to friends.
This works similarly with iPhone and iPad. You need to select “Screen mirroring” in “Control Center” and decide on the Apple TV to which you want to broadcast all this.
Alternative ways to launch TV programs
You can also watch digital television in one of the following ways:
- Online streaming. Analogue channels have alternative broadcasting in the form of a digital signal. Access to it is either free (for example, Channel 1) or paid (Dozhda subscription). For online viewing, a Russian can use a web browser installed on a smartphone (tablet, computer) or the TV set-top box itself. It is worth saying that in the first case, synchronization of gadgets will occur via standard AirPlay or downloaded Beamer.
- Installation of a proprietary TV channel utility. Most major TV channels have their own multi-platform applications in which they broadcast free of charge. If desired, the user can download such a utility to an Apple set-top box and enjoy his favorite programs from a specific TV company.
- Concluding an agreement with the provider and signing up for a subscription. Today, many providers allow you to connect digital television to 4G and 5G Apple set-top boxes. The owner of the black box will need to enter into a special agreement with a communication service provider and pay a monthly subscription fee. Although such a subscription costs more than services. For example, Soap4Me, a method suitable for all those who do not want to understand system settings.
Using the mentioned AirPlay, you can stream to the television display any video running in the system Safari or stored in the permanent memory of the Apple device.
Show the film on a big TV screen
Of course, all the movies you buy or rent through the iTunes Store work seamlessly on Apple TV 3. But many will also appreciate watching content from alternative sources, such as their Mac hard drive.
This is my first personal Apple TV. Before this, I had to work with test samples or set-top boxes of colleagues and friends. Therefore, I naively believed that with the help of banal screen duplication via AirPlay, I would be able to watch my videos and offline films on a large TV screen. I was wrong.
Conventional screen mirroring is not always suitable for watching movies on a TV screen via AirPlay.
Yes, video replay will help with viewing photos and presentations. However, when the transmitted image becomes multi-colored and dynamic, high-quality sound appears and that’s all, the Wi-Fi channel may simply not be enough - especially if your router is not located directly under the set-top box.
The solution is to directly connect the Internet to Apple TV via Ethernet (there is such an option here). However, I did not plan to cover the entire apartment with wires and deliberately did not run a cable to the TV during the renovation. In 2022, no wired Internet. What to do?
You need an application that will transmit via AirPlay not a copy of the screen, but a specific video that will be buffered.
Bad option: 5KPlayer (free). At one time, this video player for Mac was a hit because it could transfer video and audio from iPhone and iPad to the Mac screen. The opportunity is useless in my eyes, but many people liked it.
But with the advent of this function in QuickTime Player, the need for 5KPlayer in this context has come to naught.
However, the player can work with Apple TV in the form we need - transmitting not a duplicate screen, but a video stream. This feature works without jerks or slowdowns, but it is limited only to Apple’s proprietary MP4, and this is a failure...
This may sound stupid, but I'm also confused by the player icon with greetings from the days of skeuomorphism, which it replaces all video files with if you set the application for them by default.
Great option: Soda Player (free) is another matter. This player can transfer video of absolutely any format to Apple TV without any problems.
In addition, it works with torrents without the need to download, supports SOCKS5 and can even stream video to Chromecast. The application works almost flawlessly, it has an excellent interface and a nice minimalistic blue icon.
It’s strange that we don’t have a full review of this miracle solution, and I will definitely correct this annoying misunderstanding.
Apple TV 3Gen review
Apple was in no hurry to update one of its strangest products in the past, but it became widespread with the transition to iOS. We are, of course, talking about Apple TV. When the update did not appear a year after the release of the second-generation TV set-top box, rumors began to spread that Apple would no longer release a new model of the gadget, but would instead build it into its future TV. However, on March 7, the Apple TV update did take place and, to be honest, it turned out to be almost unnoticeable. Although, it is worth noting that the inside of the device has changed significantly, but has this greatly affected the experience of using the TV set-top box? We'll talk about this in this article.
Like two twin brothers
It is almost impossible to distinguish the second and third generation Apple TVs from each other, and this also applies to packaging. Give an ordinary citizen two boxes, and he will not understand which one hides a new product. Yes, I myself did not immediately understand how to distinguish them. 1080p on one of its edges .
Actually, this is the main difference between the devices, without going into technical details. The predecessor supports image output and video broadcasting in 720p resolution, the third generation TV set-top box has successfully mastered FullHD , that is, 1080p. But we’ll talk about the filling a little later, but for now let’s take a closer look at the device’s box.
The traditional white box is small in size (about 10x10x5 cm), quite weighty, made of very high-quality cardboard and, in principle, is no different from the packaging of the Apple TV 2Gen. Only slightly in the inscriptions. On the top side there is an almost life-size TV set-top box, on the bottom there is an advertisement for its capabilities, and only the part about AirPlay will be useful to a Russian-speaking user. On one of the sides there is detailed information about the device, serial numbers and other “bureaucracy”.
Inside the box we found the usual set: the device itself in film, a fashionable and flat power cable with an American plug, the usual aluminum Apple Remote and a small set of papers with brief instructions and apple stickers.
The TV set-top box itself has also not changed externally. A small flat box with dimensions 98x98x23 mm and a weight of 270 g. It is made of plastic, but in the hands it feels very solid and solid. The top side is matte, which does not prevent it from actively collecting fingerprints. The edge is glossy, the same applies to prints. The bottom part is matte and has a Soft Touch effect. On slippery surfaces such as a glass table or a varnished stand, the Apple TV does not hold very securely, but on a more or less rough surface it stands well. Although, the device is so small that there should be no problems with its placement at all.
Communication options are already well known from Apple TV 2Gen - all the holes are located on one of the edges. So, the power connector is still tight, and the HDMI port is standard, you will have to buy a cable for it separately, Apple saves money. There is a micro-USB service connector, but it is not used during normal operation, only for emergency flashing. There is also an optical audio output for connecting to compatible speakers and an Ethernet port for connecting to your home network.
Closer to the standard iOS shell
There is neither a power button nor any other elements on the body of the TV set-top box. As soon as power is supplied to the device, it turns on and offers basic setup if this is the first time it is turned on after purchase. Everything is as usual: selecting a language, Wi-Fi network and entering its password, activation and an offer to help Apple improve its products (anonymous reports are sent when errors occur):
But the menu presented a surprise. With the latest (or penultimate, I didn’t keep track of this matter) update, the company completely changed the design of the shell, bringing it closer in appearance to the standard iOS desktop on the iPhone and iPad. In addition, the Internet section has disappeared. All services previously located there, such as YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix and others, have moved to the main desktop. At the top of it are the currently most popular films.
To be honest, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the new interface, and I liked the option with horizontal-vertical menus more. On the other hand, this is clearly a matter of habit and gradually the new interface logic is perceived quite adequately. Besides, it's also a matter of taste. For some of my friends, the new interface immediately caused delight and intense joy.
Let's take a deeper look into the jungle of the menu. YouTube is traditionally useful and convenient, there is a breakdown by category, search, a selection of the best videos and the ability to log into your account. The picture quality depends on the specific channel. If there are high-resolution options, the system will load them.
By the way, I can’t say that 1080p gives any special advantage over 720p. Maybe the TV turned out to be not particularly sophisticated, but I think it all comes down to the distance at which we are from the screen. From just a couple of meters you can’t tell whether the content is being played in HD or FullHD resolution. But since there is support for this and the interface works in the native resolution of the TV, then it’s good. When connected to older “zombie boxes” with low resolution, the TV set-top box switches to 720p or 480p mode without any problems.
The movies section , although it looks different in the new interface, is no different in content, only the menu has changed from vertical to horizontal, and most of the screen is occupied by video icons. For “our” user, the only thing that will be useful here is the trailers section. Although all content is in English, this is not critical for commercials.
The series section is very attractive, it’s just a pity that it’s not in Russian. Please note that the content is available in 1080p resolution. The cost of each episode ranges from $2 to $4. I assume that the reason for this increase in price (previously each episode cost $1, rarely $2) was the same FullHD resolution, or maybe the agreements between Apple and television companies have changed. Any episode can be viewed for 30 seconds in demo mode.
The music section prompts you to sign in to your Apple account and download content from the cloud. Naturally, nothing will prevent you from broadcasting from the “Home Collection”. In terms of settings, nothing has changed there; therefore, those interested can study this issue in the review of the second generation Apple TV.
The settings section has not undergone any significant changes, except that Photo Stream and the function of setting a password for AirPlay has appeared:
FullHD TV gates for iOS devices
Actually, AirPlay is one of the most useful functions for which it is worth buying a TV set-top box. After all, in fact, this technology greatly expands the capabilities of existing Apple technology and is a kind of bridge between them and the large TV screen.
At the beginning of its life, this development was used only for viewing photos and videos, but gradually the company developed it. In iOS 4.3, Apple added the ability to use AirPlay with third-party programs and even opened a special section in the App Store. Thus, it became possible to broadcast images from games and other products, but the restrictions fell only with the advent of iOS 5. It was then that the AirPlay Mirroring mode appeared, and happiness came... But not everything is so simple, friends.
First of all, I suggest you look at the video to get an idea of how this mode works, since not everything in it turned out to be as fabulous as described by Apple or the cunning guys in the relevant stores:
So, I devoted the video mainly to games, as the most resource-intensive process. In addition, the broadcast was carried out from the new iPad. This allowed us to test the Apple TV to the maximum in terms of peak performance and, you know, the set-top box did a pretty decent job.
In particular, traditional activities such as viewing photos, videos, web surfing via AirPlay and other actions in Mirroring mode proceed without any problems. Although I did not film the process of playing videos in 720p or 1080p, there are no problems with them either, which cannot be said about games. With them, everything is somewhat more complicated, and it wouldn’t hurt to have a section in the App Store for products that fully support AirPlay, since they don’t always work well in Mirroring mode.
For example, AirAttack HD, running on an iPad in Retina resolution and broadcast to the big screen via AirPlay Mirroring, looked quite good and pleased with its playable FPS (Frames Per Second, number of frames per second), although there were lags.
But Death Rally was not particularly pleasant to play due to the noticeably low FPS. There were no serious “brakes”, but the twitching picture on the screen and the slow, if not dragging, gameplay were not at all conducive to furious racing.
Bright and colorful Luxor 2 is made in 2D, and the gorgeous effects did not negatively affect the quality of the picture broadcast via AirPlay.
When I decided to launch Real Racing 2 HD, I was already preparing to see a slideshow, given that the game is very beautiful and graphically complex. It loads the tablet to the maximum, and even supports Retina. But the fears turned out to be in vain. The developer has fully implemented AirPlay support, resulting in smooth and enjoyable gameplay with high FPS and a lot of positive emotions.
With your brain you understand that this is how it should be, that technology has already reached a high enough level to realize the beauty that is happening on the screen. But your soul sings with delight when, on the huge screen, a powerful 4-wheeled car quickly absorbs kilometers of the track, and you control this car using the smooth movements of a tablet, which is not just a joystick, but also an information panel. In addition, you understand that it is the tablet that forms the picture on the 42-inch panel - this is just a fairy tale come to life, which I could not even imagine in the 80s and early 90s, rejoicing at the ZX Spectrum 128, its advanced sound processor and connected 5.25-inch floppy drive instead of a cassette recorder.
Do you need it?
To summarize the above, we can draw a simple conclusion: the capabilities of Apple TV in AirPlay Mirroring mode are quite enough to display even very complex games on the screen with high quality, but the latter must be adapted for this. In the case of Death Rally, the tablet was responsible for displaying images both on its own screen and on the TV - this is too much work, given the high-quality graphics and, accordingly, the high load on the processor and GPU. The iPad simply couldn’t cope, and the frame rate dropped. Real Racing 2 HD displays images on just one screen, freeing up system resources to deliver smooth frame rates on a larger screen. In this case, on the tablet itself there is a simple image with a map or menu. But if the game is not particularly complex in terms of graphics, then it is quite adequately displayed on two screens at once, which was clearly demonstrated by the example of Luxor 2 and AirAttack HD.
Of course, games aren't the most important thing, but it's worth remembering that not all of them will run smoothly on the big screen. Otherwise, the third generation Apple TV demonstrates excellent functionality, and if you often have to show your photos to guests or videos shot on the iPhone 4S on the big screen, then a TV set-top box will clearly not be out of place.
Is it worth replacing the second generation Apple TV with a new one? I think it's unlikely. As I mentioned above, at a distance of a couple of meters there is not much difference between FullHD and HD. In terms of functionality, the devices are completely identical thanks to the universal software.
Buying an Apple TV only makes sense if you have a couple of gadgets in your home with a logo in the shape of a bitten apple. Trying to get acquainted with the world of Apple only through a TV set-top box will not work; it is completely tied to the ecosystem of the company’s products. As a media player, it will disappoint, because you cannot connect an external HDD, and broadcasting video from a PC via iTunes is limited only to the MP4 format. Any Chinese TV player with a USB connector and support for 100,500 media formats will be preferable if the task is to watch “computer” video on a large TV.
Similar opportunities can be obtained only by combining a TV set-top box with an iPhone or iPad, using AirPlay Mirroring and a third-party software player that understands any current formats. For example, AVPlayerHD.
In general, the Apple TV set-top box was the company’s “hobby” and remains so. Yes, it has become more popular and is selling in very serious quantities, but it is far from being comparable to other Apple products. This is a nice additional device that for $100 you could buy without looking at it, but for $200, as it costs in Russian and Ukrainian realities, you will already wonder whether such a toy is really needed at home or is it worth spending this money on a more traditional household a media player that will “devour” any movie downloaded from the most dense torrents and easily display it on a large television screen in 1080p resolution.
Apple TV 3Gen for review provided by the America store
The standard YouTube app works
Of course, any modern Smart TV has YouTube. On my new Tizen TVs from Samsung, the video service client is pre-installed. But sometimes I use panels without smart features, and the inexpensive Apple TV allows me to watch my favorite vlogs, reviews and news.
By and large, many today prefer not films or traditional television, but YouTube. Therefore, this opportunity on the big screen is more than relevant.
You can log into your account and get a list of subscriptions, there is a normal search and even browsing history. These features are sufficient for the 3rd generation Apple TV .
Films music and photos
Advanced functionality is a significant advantage, but most often the Apple TV set-top box is used to listen to music and watch movies from the iTunes Store, Apple Music, and other services. Owners of this device have access to a store with Russian-language films. The interface automatically adjusts according to the TV diagonal.
As mentioned earlier, users will be able to purchase films and also rent them (viewing will be available for 2 days). Renting is the optimal solution that allows you to watch new films in excellent quality online at an affordable price. By activating the Family Sharing feature, you will have access to content that was purchased by your family members.
You can download online cinema apps from the Apple Store to watch movies completely free. Music tracks are played from the iTunes library. Activate Sharing to use iTunes on your laptop, tablet, smartphone, and TV simultaneously.
The Apple Music service allows you to transform your set-top box into a player with a multimillion-dollar library of music tracks. Users will be able to collect their own collection of hits. The set-top box can also be used to listen to the radio. In total, more than 200 radio stations are available, including Apple's signature frequency - Beats 1. Broadcasting in 24/7 format, tracks from the best DJs, current music, expert opinion when choosing songs - this is not a complete list of the advantages of this radio station.
The Apple set-top box allows you to watch movies, photos and home videos from iCloud cloud storage. Subscribe to updates from other users to see the latest photos of your friends and acquaintances.
It doesn't have Apple Music, but it can be solved
Unfortunately, you won't be able to use Apple Music on the 3rd generation Apple TV without additional devices, even if you want to. However, this did not turn out to be a problem for me.
stream audio via AirPlay from iTunes or from a mobile device without any problems. To do this, just select Apple TV as the playback source, and the sound from your iPhone, iPad or Mac will immediately go to the built-in acoustics of the TV or the audio system connected to it.
On Apple TV, you can select the Now Playing menu. It shows the song title, time and album cover. You won't be able to control playback through the console itself. However, if you started music via iPhone, you can even control it using Apple Watch.
Moreover, the scope for action doesn't end with Apple Music. You can also use any other music service that suits you.
Use as a TV set-top box
The device operates under the iOS operating system. The desktop of the console is practically no different from the iPod or iPhone. Practice shows that users have no problems with an intuitive interface. All desktop icons are labeled. The only inconvenience is entering text from the remote control. It does not have a keyboard. Therefore, typing is carried out by selecting letters on the joystick; the keyboard is displayed on the screen.
There are several ways to solve the problem described above. You can connect a wireless keyboard or smartphone to the set-top box. You must first install the Remote application on your iPhone or iPad. You can download this program from the Apple Store. What else can this application be used for? In addition to entering text, you can use your smartphone as a gaming joystick.
And the set-top box will open hundreds of TV channels...
When I bought the 3rd generation Apple TV, I thought, first of all, to jailbreak the console and try to get the most out of it. However, I did not study this issue in advance and was faced with the impossibility of hacking it and installing any additional software.
By and large, even a number of scenarios for using AirPlay would have been enough for me (at least for the ridiculous price of this Apple TV), but access to additional content through DNS substitution came to the rescue.
With it, the built-in applications of the old Apple TV can be turned into limitless aggregators for television channels, films and series.
Pager TV is the most legal service (of which we know), with which you can link an IPTV playlist with TV channels offered by any operator of your choice to an old set-top box.
Using the service costs $1 per month. But a couple of weeks of testing are provided free of charge. How to set it up?
Step 1. Turn on Apple TV - not only the 3rd generation, but also the 2nd will do
Step 2: Open Settings
Step 3. Go to the "Basic" section
Step 4: Expand the Network menu
Step 5 ... Under WiFi or Ethernet, find the DNS setting.
Step 6. Select “Manual” in the “DNS Settings” item and enter: 037.230.116.189 or 062.109.022.177
Step 7. Return to the “Basic” section and place the cursor on the “Send data to Apple” item
Step 8: Open the Profiles menu using the Play button on your remote
Step 9. Select "Add Profile"
Step 10. Enter the address pagertv.ru/atv and click “Add”
Step 11. Register for the Pager TV service from your computer or smartphone
Step 12: Go to the VIMEO app on Apple TV
Step 13. Log into your Pager TV personal account from your computer or smartphone
Step 14. Enter here the unique code that you see on the TV screen and click “Save Changes”
Step 15. Now go to your playlist and add a link to an M3U playlist with channels, here is a test one for 3 channels - https://pagertv.ru/test.m3u
Step 16: Sign out of VIMEO on Apple TV using the Menu button on your remote and sign back in. At the top you will see switching between playlists, of which you may have several.
Where can I get such a playlist? Many ISPs work with IPTV, and Apple TV 3rd generation can be a great way to use them.
Moreover, the service’s website has a lot of additional instructions that will even help you create an IPTV playlist yourself.
Connection process
Modern TV models are equipped with an HDMI interface, through which a set-top box is connected. The cord is not included in the basic package of the Apple TV. There is an alternative way to connect equipment - a component cable.
Plug the set-top box into a power outlet using the power cable, and then connect it to the TV using a component or HDMI cable. The initial synchronization setup is carried out using the remote control. Connect to your home Wi-Fi network to sign in to iCloud. If you have not previously created a profile, register a new account.
Subsequent setup is carried out according to the same principle as in the case of other gadgets from Apple. You can achieve the clearest sound possible while watching movies or listening to music by connecting an audio system. The acoustics are connected via a fiber optic cable. Insert the plug into the interface marked "Toslink".
