Ready to give up cable TV and get rid of the ad flood? WITH with Apple TV, you can rent or buy high quality movies, listen to podcasts, watch Netflix, Hulu, sports channels, view photos and listen to music from your computer, all from the comfort of your couch. Learn how to set up and use your Apple TV in this article.

Steps

Part 1

Unpack Apple TV. Install it next to the TV, you will also need an outlet nearby, and if you have a wired Internet, then a network cable.

• Don't stack Apple TV on top of any other tech, or stack anything on Apple TV either. Doing so may overheat the equipment and cause signal interference.

1. Connect HDMI cable. Connect one end of the cable to your Apple TV (the connector on the back of the box) and the other to your TV.

   • Note: This article describes a direct connection to a TV. If you are using the receiver, then refer to the instructions for use. The receiver will be the intermediate link between the Apple TV and the TV.
   • Apple TV has TOSLink digital audio output. If you are using this standard, connect one end of the cable to the Apple TV output and the other to the TV input.

2. Connect the Internet cable. If you have a wired internet, connect it to your Apple TV.

   • Apple TV has built-in 802.11 Wi-Fi that you can connect to a wireless network.

3. Plug in the power cord. After connecting all cables, plug the Apple TV into power.

   Turn on your TV. Plunge into the world of Apple TV! On the TV remote, switch to the HDMI input to which your Apple TV is connected.

   • If this is your first Apple TV connection, the setup screen should appear. If it does not appear, make sure the cables are connected correctly and the correct signal source is selected.

   Part 2

   Set up Apple TV

   1. Understand the Apple Remote. All operations will have to be carried out using this remote control.

      • The black ring is used to move the cursor up, down, right, left.
      • The gray button in the center of the circle is used to select.
      • Pressing the "Menu" button brings up a menu or returns to the previous screen.
        • Press and hold the "Menu" button to return to the main menu.
        • Press and hold the "Menu" button while watching a movie to access subtitles.
      • The "Play / Pause" button is only used for pause and play.
      • Press and hold the "Menu" button and the down arrow to reset Apple settings TV. During the reset, the status light on the set-top box should blink.
      • To create a pair between the remote control and the set-top box, press and hold the "Menu" arrow button to the right for 6 seconds. This will allow you to control the set-top box only from this remote control and turn off other remotes.
      • V App Store there is free app called "Remote", which reveals all the possibilities Apple remote Remote. If you have an iPhone or iPad, this will be a great addition to using Apple TV.
      • Apple Remote not is versatile. To change the volume of the sound on the TV and other functions, you will have to use the remote control from the TV or receiver.

   2. Connect to a wireless network. Follow the on-screen prompts to select in network settings. If your wireless network is hidden from others, then enter the name of the network. After selecting the network, enter the password (if any) and save the settings by clicking on the "Done" button.

      • If you are not using DHCP, then you will have to enter the IP address, subnet mask, router address and DNS.

   3. Set up Home Sharing. Use Home Sharing to access the music and video files on your computer.

      • Set up Home Sharing. From the main menu, go to settings and select "Home Sharing". Enter your Apple ID and password.
      • Set up "Home Sharing" in iTunes. From the File menu, choose Home Sharing> Include Home Sharing. Enter the same Apple ID and password you use on your Apple TV.

   Part 3

   Enjoy the content

   1. Watch a huge number of movies! WITH using iTunes on Apple TV, you have access to the most recent movies in high definition 1080p (v3) or 720p (v2). You can watch the movie, rent it or purchase it for your collection.

      • While almost all of the content on iTunes is viewable, many movies cannot be rented in the first weeks after their release. They can only be purchased, but later it will be possible to rent them. Sometimes films are only available for rent or purchase.
      • Selected TV shows are only available for purchase, although you can subscribe for the entire season. The current TV series on iTunes is usually delayed by a day or two from regular broadcast.

   2. Display mode from your iOS devices. With AirPlay, you can play movies and photos stored on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch on your TV. You can also use your TV as a giant screen for your iPhone 4S or iPad.

   3. Use Home Sharing. With this feature, you can browse and play your entire iTunes library, as well as all playlists, and even use the Genius feature. You can view photos using iPhoto on your computer, or simply transfer photos to display on Apple TV Home Sharing.

      • To access music, movies, photos, and videos on your computer, go to Computers from the Apple TV main menu. Any type of content available on the computer will be displayed on the TV.
      • To access the whole music stored in iCloud from using iTunes Match, click on the orange "Music" button in the main screen menu.

The Apple TV 3 (third generation) network media player is an excellent multimedia gadget that provides the user with extensive functionality and excellent performance when working with online applications. This device, often referred to simply as a prefix, has not received mass distribution in Russia and the CIS countries. Many people are simply not familiar with the specifications and capabilities of the set-top box, and we are ready to fill this annoying gap.

A complete overview of Apple TV 3, a description of all the parameters and features of work should expand your idea of ​​a promising media player. In order to fully realize the potential of the set-top box, an internet connection is required. Do not forget about this, without access to the network, the meaning of using a media player is lost. We have already carried out brief introduction with that,. Now let's take a closer look at all functionality proprietary prefix.

Contents of delivery

Apple TV 3 is sold in a small box inside which is the media player itself, a special remote remote control, a power cable, as well as a few leaflets (description of the device, user manual).

For the production of the case, high-quality wear-resistant plastic is used. The prefix has quite compact size: 10 x 10 x 2.5 centimeters. The top panel features a glossy corporate logo. The ends of the attachment are glossy, while top panel completely matte. The front panel contains a remote control signal receiver and a status indicator.

Apple TV 3 connects to your TV using an HDMI connection. As an addition, the "Optical Audio" port is installed on the media player, with which you can output sound to digital quality... There are no analog connectors on the set-top box. In addition to the ports already listed, there is a microUSB connector on the rear panel, network interface(100 Mbps), as well as a connector for connecting the power cable.

The bottom of the media player is made of rubber, so there are no problems with stability and slip. The ergonomic remote control includes the minimum number of necessary buttons, which are completely enough for comfortable control of the device. Let's continue our Apple TV 3 review and look at the hardware features of the set-top box.

Hardware Features

The device is capable of playing video in 1080p Full HD resolution without any problems. No brakes were noticed. Detailed specifications the following:

• volume random access memory 512 MB
• built-in flash memory 8 GB
• dual-core Apple A5 processor (one core disabled)
• PowerVR SGX 543MP2 graphics chip
• built-in Wi-Fi 802.11n
• Supported codecs MPEG4, H.264
• formats AVI, MOV, MP4, MP3, AAC, WAV, AC3

Although one core is disabled by hardware in the A5 processor, its performance is fully sufficient for high-quality Full HD video playback and for working with applications. Apple TV 3 uses a radio based on the Broadcom BCM4330 chip. Its frequency is 2.4 or 5 GHz. Maximum speed up to 300 Mbps. The radio module does not directly affect the speed of the set-top box, but it is very important when broadcasting video over Wi-Fi.

The third generation set-top box model comes with iOS version 5.1 (some models with iOS version 5.2). Let's continue our review of Apple TV 3 and find out the specifics of connecting the set-top box to a TV and its subsequent setup.

Connecting to a TV and setting up

It doesn't take long to connect to your TV. You need an HDMI cable, with which you need to connect the corresponding connectors on the TV and set-top box. The presence of an HDMI port on your TV is necessary condition to make the connection.

The settings menu includes six items. The "Basic" tab allows you to get information about the model, firmware, connection of new remote controls, network and other important points Apple TV 3. The Screensaver tab is used to set options for displaying photos during music playback or when the set-top box is in standby mode. The user can configure the parameters of the branded iTunes Store, you can also specify maximum quality the video being played and the location.

In the "Audio and Video" section, the hardware settings of the set-top box are made, such as resolution, Dolby Digital format, sound effects other. The next section is responsible for configuring the operation of AirPlay technology. This technology allows you to transfer video or audio information from supported iOS devices to the TV. In the last paragraph, you can enable support for "Home Sharing". With this technology, you can combine multiple devices to share your iTunes library.

Multimedia capabilities

In terms of functionality, the media player is aimed at those users who already own Apple products. For those who want to get an analogue of Smart TV from a regular TV, it is more reasonable to pay attention to. A further review of Apple TV 3 will focus on the functionality of the set-top box.

One of the main ideas for using a media player is to easily view videos and music from the iTunes branded store. A full-fledged showcase of popular films and music is well implemented in the set-top box. Its design fully adapts to the size of your TV screen. The user has the opportunity to buy films for multiple viewing, or rent them for one-time viewing within two days.

The new iTunes Radio service lets you listen to your favorite songs in high quality... Given the possibility digital connection prefixes to home theater, this service is very helpful. Apple TV 3 supports the ability to play music files from your iTunes library on your computer, as long as it is connected to the same wireless network. Support YouTube service will appeal to users from Russia and the CIS, there is also access to less popular video services.

AirPlay technology allows you to broadcast content in real time from mobile devices Apple on the TV screen. It works flawlessly, there are no problems with video freezing during broadcasting. Thus, it becomes clear the direction in which this media player can be used comfortably and the circle of people for whom it will be interesting.

conclusions

Apple TV 3 review showed that the main audience of the device is the owners of other gadgets from Apple. If you don’t mind paying 60-90 rubles for watching a movie in excellent quality or buying a movie for “eternal” access for 150-350 rubles, then this prefix will suit you perfectly. The perfect symbiosis of Apple TV 3 with devices such as iPhone, iPod touch, iPad or Mac will suit many advanced users.

Apple TV (fourth generation) review

Contents of delivery

• Prefix
• Network cable
• Remote control
• Lightning cable
• Documentation

We are dealing with a new Apple TV set-top box, not updated, but a new one - yes, you can still rent a movie for the evening, but you can also install, if you wish, karaoke and sing on the TV, or play, or watch the Comedy Club and the series "Fizruk" ...

Positioning

When you tell or show someone the capabilities of Apple TV, they may immediately object, they say, because advanced people have it all. modern TVs and without any set-top boxes, there are Smart TV, Android TV and other shells that can make it possible to play or buy movies in third party services... This is all true. But there are at least several reasons for Apple purchases TV:

• If you have quite good tv but without any shells.
• If you have a perfectly good TV, it has a shell, but it doesn't suit you.
• If you have been using iTunes for a long time, there are hundreds of films, music albums in your library and you would like to play all this content on your TV, rent movies.
• If you want to play games on your TV, but you have never done it, and you have doubts about the convenience of this process, then you should definitely try Apple TV.

There are other reasons too, but they may seem a little far-fetched - I would recommend the Apple TV to anyone who loves OS X and iOS and wants something equally sleek and thoughtful for the largest screen in the house. I would recommend Apple TV to girls, it has been experimentally established that they instantly master the remote control, programs for the set-top box, start watching TV shows - I don't know how this would happen with Android TV. Maybe the same, maybe not. I would recommend the Apple TV for family fun, playing chicken may sound brutal, but there are other games out there. For example, Shadowmatic perfectly develops spatial thinking, but "Asphalt" does not develop anything, but it is very cool to drive one by one.

Actually, I would recommend everyone to try the updated Apple TV, it's a shame it can't be rented. Well, the prices in Russia are now cruel. How much did you remember old apple TV, so immediately a tear of nostalgia appears. Okay, let's not be sad, but rather see what the updated console is.

Design, construction

It's a pity that Apple forgot to put an HDMI cable in the kit, I seem to have a lot of cables at home, but they all turned out to be busy - they might as well not be scruffy, it's not very expensive (to put it mildly). The set includes a remote control, a network cable, a set-top box, a remote control strap is inserted into the Lightning connector, and you also need to buy it separately. But the set includes Lightning cable to charge the remote control, yes, there is now such a plug. As you can see in the photo, the proprietary iPhone stand can be used for the remote control as well. The operating time of the remote control is several months when used in normal mode, which is good, you don’t need to think about the state of the battery all the time, you don’t need to buy batteries, the built-in battery will probably work for several years. I must say right away that many existing joysticks can be used with Apple TV, in a couple of days we will post a video review, where we try to connect and use one of them - go to this material, there will be a video.

Accordingly, this gives hope for the emergence of many other accessories for Apple TV, for example, small keyboards, advanced joysticks and who knows what else. If tvOS continues to evolve, developers' imagination should be enough for the most unprecedented add-ons. After all, there are already good races, the already mentioned "Asphalt", so why not make some simple steering wheel? The races are good and bright. The branded remote control can be used, but not very convenient. I note that you have to hold it by the ends and imagine that this is not a remote control, but a steering wheel, turn it from side to side - the car moves. You need to get used to it, but then everything will turn out naturally and easily. The touch pad also requires getting used to, but then rewinding in films is a pleasure, it is very easy to choose the right moment, quickly rewind to the right place, step back, repeat - easy, graceful, great! But at first, a set on virtual keyboard makes you wince. Unaccustomed to skipping letters, moving your finger faster than necessary, miss, miss again, so bless you! Little by little I manage to get used to it. Then, I also found another problem at the very beginning, Apple TV is demanding on the quality of Wi-Fi. We tried to use "Iota" - it was not possible to enter the account, tried to connect to an iPhone operating in modem mode - nothing happened either. The set-top box connected to the home access point instantly, and you can find it (point) on the TV screen or set up with using iPhone, put it on Apple TV, and voila, the settings are transferred. Well, then only the remote control will help you, the plump black box can be hidden away.

Compared with previous version the set-top box has become larger, the connector for connecting an optical cable has disappeared, but everything else remains the same. Here full list connectors and not only:

• HDMI 1.43;
• Wi-Fi 802.11ac supported with MIMO technology;
• Ethernet port 10 / 100BASE-T;
• IR receiver;
• USB-C for service and support;
• Built-in power supply.

If suddenly you have a desire to take screenshots, you will need USB-C cable- USB, connect to MacBook Pro, turn on QuickTime Player, and the TV picture appears there. Unfortunately, I didn’t have such a cable, so I shot it with a camera. Again, a detailed video about menus, applications and more is coming soon.

The remote control itself is a complex device. There is an IR sensor for controlling the volume on the TV, and Bluetooth 4.0 for communicating with the set-top box, Lightning for charging, an accelerometer and a gyroscope, a glass touch pad, you can not only move your finger on it, but also press it. In some games, there is a difference between swiping in the center or along the edge, and there is an emphasis on that; the impression after working with the touch surface - as after using other Apple technology, for example, an iPhone or iPad.

Operating system

Opportunities operating system in the future they are very good, but even now the device is not perceived as something unfinished, raw, such a feeling did not arise either for me or for those whom I gave to try the console. On the contrary, the thing is perceived extremely positively. If you already had an Apple TV and you are used to renting movies there, then you can do it here, only along the way you can install RuTube, watch Dances or TV shows, many people like Comedy Club - you can watch Comedy. There is also 2x2, only the choice of series is limited. I am personally waiting for the Amediateki application to calmly watch new episodes of my favorite series, films on TV - by the way, there are very good selection cinema, there is a lot that you will not find anywhere else. The choice of applications is already great now, here you have The Nat Geo TV, HBO NOW, news, and YouTube - you know, you can hang out there for a day if you want. All applications resemble their iOS counterparts, that is, these are video catalogs, select and watch. The quality is good, I use an Apple TV with an old one Samsung TV, except for Full HD, there is nothing to boast about.

Yes, if suddenly there are karaoke lovers among you - there is karaoke here. I'm not an amateur myself, but I was told that karaoke works efficiently here, and those who like this business are better off not talking about such a feature of Apple TV. And for singing there is not one, but several programs.

If a soundbar or other device is connected to the TV acoustic system, you can listen to purchased music or use Apple Music, when meeting with friends it is great. A TV in the living room, a table in the living room, everything is logical - especially since music can work in a number of applications. Listening to Igor Nikolaev and playing Crossy Road is possible. True, in some programs this does not work, either it is a bug, or voice acting will be possible everywhere.

Yes, I can't help but notice that there is also Mixcloud, a program with mixes, different formats of music - you can listen to it all day long, without stopping.

That is, if before Apple TV was limited to the music you bought (I exaggerate, but nevertheless), but now there are no boundaries. The entire iTunes library is at your disposal thanks to Apple Music, there are applications like MixCloud, catalogs of Internet radio stations for Apple TV appear.

Moving on to films, all purchased films are available for download and viewing, some can be rented. Contrary to popular belief, this does not apply to all tapes - for the most part new items can only be bought, no rental. For example, now "Everest" is sold for 349 rubles in HD, 199 rubles in SD, it is better to take it in HD, well, it is even better to lift the fifth point from the chair and walk to the cinema. It's much better to watch Everest over there than at home. But "Agents of ANKL" can already be bought for 349 rubles, and rented for 99 rubles - a good offer.

Either way, iTunes prices are reasonable, and if you're buying an Apple TV, you should be prepared for paid content. I know that most of the readers are already accustomed to paying for books, music and films, but, nevertheless, there are those who do not understand where the money goes and why you need to pay “for air”. It is always a personal choice of everyone, and discuss the topic here paid content We will not, I will only note that in Russia people still show an unexpected enthusiasm for services - there are many more who want to receive a quality service and are ready to pay for it. In the case of iTunes on Apple TV, there are no questions about the service itself, the previously purchased movie was downloaded in a minute, the quality is excellent, the sound is also great. When you slide your finger down on the touchpad, the audio menu appears, where you can select sound track, subtitles, through which device the sound will be played.

As in the case with the previous set-top box, it is possible to transfer pictures to Apple TV from the device, the quality is so-so. Tried image transfer from MB Pro.

In addition to programs, audios and films, there are also games. And here, besides Crossy Road and Asphalt, there is also Shadowmatic, Rayman, Manticore Rising, Guitar Hero. I think it will be possible to write separately about the top ten good games for Apple TV at the end of the month, for now I will say that the programs are made sensibly, it is interesting to play them even for me - most of the things here are arcade, but this does not detract from their merits. In the same Crossy Road, it is great to play in a company, when everyone around you is trying to tell, pull out the remote control in order to play on your own.

And so, now imagine that all this is on your TV. It has become much more functional, isn't it? Yes, before I could easily buy Interstellar and watch it with my family, relaxing after a busy day. But now there has appeared an easy, understandable and simple access to programs of a very different orientation and with a wide variety of content - we can already not only choose Interstellar, but also see last issue"Dances", if you feel like it. And there is no need to carry a laptop, transfer an image from an iPad or iPhone, or otherwise complicate life.

Performance and features

The set-top box is available in two versions, 32 and 64 GB, as I understand it, Apple has made a version for those who will install a lot of applications, and the version for those who install the basic and calm down will not experiment. There is, of course, a difference in price, 13,990 and 17,990 rubles. As far as I heard, now there is a limit for the size of applications, it is 200 MB, in the future it may be lifted. In the future, Apple TV has a lot to change. For example, now the desktop repeats the design first Apple TV, although it would be better to emphasize the continuity of tvOS and iOS and allow the user to simply bring all the icons to the desktop, add widgets there, as in Android - now the navigation is frankly goofy, I still can't go to the desired item the first time since. You will definitely go somewhere in the wrong place, there is also the remote control "helps", unnecessary movement, and immediately went somewhere from the desired menu item. While the search for Siri in Russian does not work, when it appears, it will be of help.

Apple, as always, has taken care of people with disabilities. Press the Menu button three times, and VoiceOver turns on, reading menu items, here is a list of all the "Accessibility" items:

• VoiceOver;
• Increase;
• Bold font;
• Increased contrast;
• Decreased movement;
• Support for closed captioning and closed captioning for people with hearing impairments;
• Keyboard shortcuts (I don't quite understand about this).

A little about video and audio formats:

• H.264 video up to 1080p, 60fps, high or main profile level 4.2 or lower;
• H.264 video, Baseline Profile 3.0 or lower with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 ​​kHz, stereo audio in m4v, .mp4, and.mov formats;
• MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640x480 pixels, 30 fps, simple profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 ​​kHz, stereo audio in m4v, .mp4 and.mov formats;
• HE-AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 kbps), Protected AAC (for files from the iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4 ), Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Plus 7.1.

Let me remind you again that Apple TV is sensitive to the quality of the Internet connection, you can connect to the network both via Wi-Fi and using an Ethernet cable, this method seems to me an anachronism. Although you can parry, the speed and reliability of the cable connection is higher. Well, if you don't mind another cable in the living room, your will.

The heart of Apple TV is the A8 processor with 64-bit architecture, the set-top box works smartly, the transition from section to section is quick, from the shortcomings - only the lack of thumbnails for some films on home page, but there is already a problem with tvOS. For all the time of use, there were no application crashes, I would like to get some kind of intelligible menu running applications like in iOS.

conclusions

Let me remind you that the price is 13,990 and 17,990 rubles, a good gift for New Year and for any other holiday. The whole family can use Apple TV, and there's plenty to do for dad, mom, and kids. I hope, albeit a little chaotic, I talked about the main possibilities of this most interesting device... I remember how the first Apple TV was “broken”, used to watch movies, after so many years there is a device in the living room completely in the spirit of the century - everything is on the net, and it’s a sin not to use it. If you want to pump up (sorry) your TV, the Apple TV will do a great job.

P.S. As promised, I will write in more detail about the programs and games used on Apple TV separately.

The Apple TV 3 Media Player (Model MD199) is a compact and versatile device that eliminates the need for video and audio cables and turns your TV into a media center. Apple TV 3 is the third generation of the media player (Apple TV 3 Gen).

CONDITION: B.U. 100% tested and technically sound. The case is free from defects.

Thanks to AirPlay technology, any content from any Apple device (iPhone, iPad, MacBook) is transmitted "over the air" to any TV. You no longer need to copy photos and videos to a USB flash drive to show them on big screen: Just plug into your Apple TV and you get “wireless HDMI” for all your gadgets.

If you have an Apple ID, you can watch all new Russian and foreign films (in Full HD quality) from the iTunes store using Apple TV. You don't need a computer for this: all control is carried out using a miniature aluminum remote control that comes with Apple TV.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Model: MD199RU / A, MD199RS / A
CPU: Apple A5 (PowerVR SGX 543MP2) 1 GHz
Video and audio outputs: HDMI, S / PDIF (optical digital audio port)
Permission: 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD 1080p) 60 / 50Hz
Network adapters: Wi-Fi (802.11b / g / n), 10/100 Ethernet, Bluetooth 4.0 + EDR
AirPort: AirPort Extreme with support for AirPlay technology
Ports: Micro-USB (for service), IR receiver (for remote control)

Dimensions and weight:

Width: 9.8cm
Depth: 9.8 cm
Height: 2.3cm
Weight: 0.272 kg

Advantages of Apple TV 3 (А1469) over Apple TV 2 (А1378):

- support Full resolution HD (1080p) versus HD Ready (720p) for the second generation;
- twice the amount of RAM (512 MB versus 256 MB);
- more powerful processor(Apple A5 vs Apple A4)
- support for all current Apple devices (including latest models iPhone and iPad 2016-2017).

Advantages of Apple TV 3 (A1469) over Apple TV 4 (A1513):

- the presence of an optical digital audio port (S / PDIF);
- smaller, lighter and cheaper.

Manufacturer: Apple Inc, 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA, 95014, USA. Made in China.