Just in time for the Big Day, March 31, I bought an Apple TV.
While I’m really enjoying the convenience, my experiences have not been as glowing as most of the other reviews I’ve read. I’ll explain more later, but first, a bit of background…
I’ve haven’t the slightest interest in iTunes video content. If I’ve going to buy something, I want it on DVD. I have a substantial DVD collection to prove that. Digital media is just too ephemeral and we’ll nor even discuss the nonsense that is DRM. Maybe I’m just too old.
Nonetheless, I do, in fact, own a few things purchased from iTunes. Most notably, 2 years ago, right after iTunes started selling TV shows, I was in Taiwan when the revival series The Night Stalker was airing. As a novelty and an experiment, I purchased the pilot. I enjoyed it, and while I was there, I purchased the other episodes as they came out. The show got cancelled while I was there, too. Right in the middle of two-parter, but, iTunes to the rescue! They released the un-aired episodes and I was able to see the whole series. (But, since I’ve already bought them once, that’s one DVD I won’t buy.)
I do have, however, a fairly large collection of digitally recorded media that I’ve compiled over the years. The complete Fusion Patrol collection, for example, or loads of home videos or things I’ve time-shifted using a computer to record.
In any case, I came home with an Apple TV yesterday. After 15 minutes rummaging in my cable bin, I had found the necessary audio cables (I purchased the HDMI-DVI cable at the Apple store along with the Apple TV) and started to hook up the device.
As others have pointed out, the process was simplicity itself. I hooked it up wirelessly, since it is in the same room (if at opposite ends) with my Airport Express. If it weren’t for my WEP password, it would have been idiot proof, and even that wasn’t a problem for me, but I could see how it might confuse some consumers. (I install networks for people and always enable security unless otherwise instructed, so I know that the security features do cause problems for them when new equipment is added, despite providing them with all that information for just that eventuality.)
We have 3 main machines with iTunes content and after some gnashing of teeth, I decided to connect my “server†box. My old dual G4 PowerMac with one dead processor that I copies of my photos and music on to “share†with the other machines.
Connection and starting the synchronization was painless. I started to watch my content on the Apple TV. It looked better than it did at the Apple store, probably because I have a crummier HD TV. Even the Night Stalkers that I purchased back when iTunes was at its lowest resolution were passable. The videos that VisualHub converted played virtually without problem.
I attempted to “stream†video from the other two computers. That process was painless also, and worked very well even over my 802.11g connection.
I streamed some of the iTunes trailers, which come directly over the internet, and that worked flawlessly, too.
I went back to the local source and noticed that not everything I expected had synced, so I went to my iTunes computer to see what my choices for manual synchronization were. The Apple TV was nowhere to be found, and when it isn’t found, you can’t configure it.
I went back to the Apple TV to figure out why it wasn’t synchronized. No joy, it just indicated that it didn’t see my iTunes machine. (They appeared grayed out in the source list when not found, apparently.) I checked online and couldn’t find anything helpful.
I reset all the computers, no change. I reset the Apple TV and… it showed up again and started to synchronize the remaining content.
I watched something else and when I came back to the media library, it hadn’t added anything else, and… it was missing from my iTunes again. After a lot more thrashing about, I realized that the problem was… the wireless connection. The unit is less than 25′ from the wireless hub, in a direct line of sight, with no physical obstructions and, when working shows solid, 100% signal strength. However, after a period of time, the signal disappears and doesn’t come back until the Apple TV is reset.
The logical answer is to take it back and complain, instead, I strung up 50′ of ethernet cable around the perimeter of the room and it has worked flawlessly since then.
For the general consumer though, wireless problems are not so easily diagnosed, and the Apple TV didn’t help me much in locating the problem. When I was attempting to connect to sources, it should have told me it didn’t have a network connection. Since the wireless had worked moments before, and I know my network is reliable, it was a while before I checked the wireless connectivity. Also, for the general consumer, not many of them will have (or tolerate) a 50′ ethernet cable to run around the room. I can see this being a problem for Apple. As a consumer device, this thing has to “just work†and mine didn’t.
So far, we’re pleased except that the wireless problem, which appears to be either hardware or firmware. It means we got a defective unit, and I’ll need to take it back to get it fixed, but not today. I’ll keep an eye out for other people reporting a problem with the Apple TV wireless on the ‘net. Perhaps it’s just firmware and will be fixed shortly. Otherwise… with this and my latest Macbook problem, I’m not exactly happy with Apple’s quality control at the moment.
Note: From the picture above, you can (just barely) see the Apple TV in the lower left cabinet, which is where I initially set it up.
Before anyone tells me the cabinet is blocking my signal, when I started having wireless problems, I moved it to the top of the TV where it is completely unobstructed to the wireless. (In fact, when I took the picture, I’m standing about 5′ in front of the Airport Express.) It made no difference. I also put my Macbook next to it and ran KisMac to test the continuous wireless strength. It’s strong and solid all the time. The problem is with the Apple TV.
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