Is now the wrong time to buy an Apple TV

emalen · Jul 8th, 2011, 01:08 AM

Debating buying an Apple TV, but before I do was hoping to get the ehmac community's opinion. Is now the wrong time to buy? We're almost at the one year anniversary... do we think Apple will update the hardware come Fall, or simply update the software. My thought is that if anything Apple TV will only see a software update to work with iOS 5, seeing as though it's technically a "hobby" still... that said, figured I'd just throw it out there and see what everybody else thinks.

Thanks,
Daniel

fjnmusic · Jul 8th, 2011, 03:08 AM

For $119 it's hard to go wrong, in my opinion. We find it great for renting movies among many other things. Software update is a good bet.

chas_m · Jul 8th, 2011, 05:16 AM

It is really really really really really really really really really really unlikely that AppleTV will change hardware-wise for a while, and really really really likely that any changes in the short-term will be software refinements. So to answer your question, it's a perfectly fine time to buy an Apple TV.

jimbotelecom · Jul 8th, 2011, 07:45 AM

Buy it for $99 in the refurb section. Same performance and same warranty.

ertman · Jul 8th, 2011, 08:56 AM

I don't really expect the hardware to change either, some software upgrades would be nice though. I would love for it to be able to import my iTunes library and play directly off my nas. And a better focus on local media, atleast as an option.

Paul82 · Jul 8th, 2011, 11:46 AM

Apparently I'm the only one expecting a modest hardware change... I'm expecting the a5 chip to replace the a4... As the a4 is slightly under powered for 1080p playback... Other than that I dot see much changing just the software which will also be updated on the current gen a4 apple tv.

ertman · Jul 8th, 2011, 12:52 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Paul82
	Apparently I'm the only one expecting a modest hardware change... I'm expecting the a5 chip to replace the a4... As the a4 is slightly under powered for 1080p playback... Other than that I dot see much changing just the software which will also be updated on the current gen a4 apple tv.

Its doubtful as Apple doesn't sell/rent/stream 1080p.

monokitty · Jul 8th, 2011, 02:08 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by ertman
	Its doubtful as Apple doesn't sell/rent/stream 1080p.

Pretty much this. Until there's a way to compress 1080p video into a format that is a reasonable download size, there won't be 1080p films from the iTunes store just yet. In the future, definitely - but not the very near future as of now.

Adrian. · Jul 8th, 2011, 03:23 PM

What of gaming? iOS has become a formible platform for gaming and it would make sense for Apple to connect iOS devices with TVs. Is any form of streaming games from iOS devices to TV a possibility in the near future?

Lawrence · Jul 8th, 2011, 04:03 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Adrian.
	What of gaming? iOS has become a formible platform for gaming and it would make sense for Apple to connect iOS devices with TVs. Is any form of streaming games from iOS devices to TV a possibility in the near future?

It'd be nice to use my iphone as a controller and stream a game to the T.V.,
That would be nice, Then I'd buy a faster Apple T.V. (Faster than my Apple T.V. version one)