Review: Apple TV

Apple TV has dumped its 40GB of storage, three-quarters of its footprint and halved its UK price. And yet Steve Jobs continues to refer to it as a "hobby". Perhaps it's because Apple TV remains somewhat of an enigma. It doesn't fit into Apple's main product groups ? on apple.com it's filed under 'iPod' in the category tree. On one hand Apple seems to want to shove it under the carpet, on the other it keeps re-inventing the device. It wouldn't even send us one for review such is Apple's nonplussed attitude to the box. We'll be positive though ? Apple TV is a darn good media box to use with your Mac and with iTunes more specifically, and its price has reduced significantly ? even if you would pay a shade over �60 for this box in the US ? and that's a big saving and a big shame. But Apple TV has two big issues. The first is to do with the UK. In the US, the box is compatible with Netflix, providing video on demand TV programmes and movies for a fee. In the UK, there is no such service available for the box. LoveFilm would be an obvious partner, but it hasn't happened yet. However, iTunes rentals are available for �3.49 for HD films, �2.49 for SD ? you have 30 days to start watching and then 48 hours to finish once you've clicked to rent. The second big issue is that the Apple TV only has 720p HD ? the lack of 1080p support remains bewildering and really marks the Apple TV as a poor relation to other streaming media boxes such as the WD TV Live ? even if, as you'll see, the Apple TV is a more polished user experience. So what else has changed? The rear of the device now only has HDMI for video, optical audio and Ethernet, though 802.11n wireless networking is built in. Dumping other video inputs makes sense, though it will annoy some as will the lack of phono audio outputs. Because of the small size and weight of the box ? it fits in your hand ? plugging the cables in can make it tip up. This box is technically excellent for the money ? it has Apple's new A4 processor inside.The box works seamlessly with any iTunes 10 install with Home Sharing enabled ? the sync is performed using your Apple ID. We weren't able to test Apple TV with the company's new AirPlay technology in iOS 4.2 as it hasn't been released yet, but by November you should be able to directly stream video to Apple TV from any iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad on the same network. So you could be watching something on your iPad, pause it and whizz it over to your LCD TV in an instant. The new aluminium Apple remote is included with the Apple TV, though you can also control Apple TV with Apple's Remote app available for iPad, iPod touch and iPhone. Apple TV also streams content from YouTube, Flickr and MobileMe.The inclusion of the A4 processor makes Apple TV absolutely zip through menus and, having used various media streaming devices, this is certainly the most responsive we've tested.The main menu is extremely simple to use and once you're connected to the internet there is no subsequent setup - until you come to pairing your Apple TV with an iTunes install - more on that shortly. Apple TV has four main menus - Movies, which enables you to rent, Internet, which enables you to stream other content, Computers, enabling you to view your iTunes library and Settings. The best thing about the Apple TV interface is that content is presented so nicely. That is, Apple official content is presented nicely. As you'll see shortly, your own content isn't given quite such lush presentation. The internet offering is mixed. While the Podcasts area is great, the Radio entry is as terrible as it is in iTunes itself - just a basic category tree. Where is a decent search? Or a Favourites option? The YouTube interface is the saving grace - it's absolutely outstanding - but we found the integration with Flickr slightly sluggish. The on-screen keyboard is merely adequate for the task - there is none of that usual Apple inventiveness but then, Apple's determination to have a simple remote is the frustration here. Is it any wonder that forthcoming Google TV remotes will have a mini keyboard? While it's not exactly aesthetically pleasing, it's better in terms of functionality.So to Home Sharing. You'll need to enable this in iTunes on your Mac or PC first and this works alongside your iTunes Store Account. It's a real shame that the Apple TV can't stream content from an iTunes Server on a network storage device. Some have managed to get this working by hacking Apple TV boxes in the past, but it seems absolutely crazy of Apple to restrict this. Why should you have to have your Mac or PC running to stream media?Once you've enabled Home Sharing on your PC or Mac running iTunes, simply enter the same details on your Apple TV. This process is straightforward, though we didn't appreciate the ambiguous message when we tapped in the wrong password. According to Apple TV the problem was either to do with a network problem OR us typing in the wrong password. We'd have liked to know which it was!So what does your own content look like? Well, sadly it's not exactly great. You'll need to properly name your files to work out what they are, though there is a preview shown. And Apple TV insists on filing any video content by genre. This is fine, but for any self-made movies you've dragged into iTunes it just doesn't make sense - 'unknown genre' is a pointless moniker. However, this treatment is more logical for music.Actually playing video - whether from your own PC or Mac or from YouTube - is responsive and the experience is, by and large, pleasant. Despite its simplicity, Apple TV does have a lot of settings you can tweak, plus a screensaver you can change. You can use your own photos providing they are synchronised with iTunes on your computer (and you can use Apple TV to view them, of course).Apple's latest generation Apple TV is heading in the right direction. It's the most reliable media streamer we've seen. But this reliability comes at a cost - and that's flexibility. Other streamers can take content from NAS devices and other sources, but Apple TV needs you to have your Mac or PC on to work effectively. It seems a bit draconian and is so Apple. But the boons are reliability and speed - Apple TV simply can't be beaten here. We likedApple TV is very quick and responsive, and that alone is enough to recommend it highly. The inclusion of the A4 processor is fantastic and some of the streaming stuff works very well - YouTube especially. Apple TV is also very stable streaming content from your Mac or PC. We dislikedThe over-reliance on rentals is a problem - Apple should make the interface far better for exploring your own content from iTunes or from any NAS device or iTunes Server. Apple's AirPlay technology should improve things here, but until we actually see it working we'll hold judgement on that. The lack of 1080p HD content is, however, unforgivable and is a real limitation for iTunes. There are also no cables included aside from the power, so you'll need to buy them. VerdictApple TV remains something of an enigma. While it works very well for the most part, Apple's poor attitude towards it means that it remains undeveloped. The interface for rentals is fantastic, the interface for looking at your own stuff is poor. The speed and execution of playing media is great, the lack of 1080p is a big miss. Likewise it's a pain to have to have your Mac or PC on to stream content directly from iTunes. It guarantees reliability, but it's inflexible. At least the price is now cheap enough that, like Apple, you can consider the purchase somewhat of a hobby.Related StoriesReview: Apple TVentertainment