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nathanxu · Aug 1, 2009, 11:05 PM

I have few questions for Apple TV.
It had been while since Apple last updated Apple TV, is it time Apple release another Apple TV update? Such as bigger hard drive.
Further, I have a lot of Avi files on my iMac, is there's a way to watch it via Apple TV on my normal TV?
Thanks guys

turtle777 · Aug 1, 2009, 11:16 PM

Yes, you need to patchstick it.

Patchstick - AwkwardTV

Or buy aTV Flash -- The Ultimate AppleTV Enhancement

-t

Cold Warrior · Aug 2, 2009, 08:41 AM

The patchstick instructions have always felt long and convoluted to me.

Check out atvusb-creater instead. It is so simple and fast.

atvusb-creator - Project Hosting on Google Code

nathanxu · Aug 15, 2009, 08:05 AM

Thanks guys.
I am enjoying the TV shows I had recorded on my EyeTV. Those program were recorded by the EyeTV takes a lot of hard drive. These program take some time to transfer via wi-fi. My Time Capsule took forever to back up my time machine. However, I have saved some great shows that I want to watch on my plasma. When I released the data transferring speed on the 802.11n was slow, I felt I will experience similar issue when I watch my 3GB TV shows on plasma via Apple TV. Should I be concerning about this issue?

slugslugslug · Aug 15, 2009, 04:05 PM

I keep wondering if they'll come out with a refresh around when Snow Leopard comes out and give it every codec that's in QuickTime X. Seems plausible. I'm not sure just how much new codec support there is in SL/QTX, but I'm under the impression that it should make Perian largely redundant.

bearcatrp · Aug 16, 2009, 05:07 PM

With apple updating FCS with some support with blu ray, I think apple is warming up to the idea. Apple needs to update the ATV for better output for HD video and big screen tv's.

Wiskedjak · Aug 16, 2009, 05:20 PM

Apple *might* update the AppleTV, but I doubt it. They've shown very little love to the platform software-wise; I can't imagine that they'd invest in new hardware anytime soon.

olePigeon · Aug 17, 2009, 12:25 PM

It might be updated along with the rumored Apple Tablet. If the Tablet doubles as a media controller, it'd be a good bundle with an Apple TV.

slugslugslug · Aug 17, 2009, 07:24 PM

The Tablet won't be here til March, but Snow Leopard and new iPods are right around the corner. Wouldn't surprise me if AppleTV got an unspectacular update (storage capacity and codecs) at the September music event.

Wiskedjak · Aug 17, 2009, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

Wouldn't surprise me if AppleTV got an unspectacular update (storage capacity and codecs) at the September music event.

Codecs? Are we still talking about Apple?

slugslugslug · Aug 17, 2009, 09:57 PM

Well, like I said above, I was under the impression that they were including support for additional codecs in QuickTime X. If that's true, it would make sense for them to add the same ones to tv. If a file plays in QuickTime Player X on a fresh Snow Leopard install, it'd be reasonable for the user to expect the same file to work on their tv.

Wiskedjak · Aug 18, 2009, 07:53 PM

That would be awesome. But, I'm not holding my breath; Apple isn't terribly well known for supporting many codecs.

Spheric Harlot · Aug 18, 2009, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

I keep wondering if they'll come out with a refresh around when Snow Leopard comes out and give it every codec that's in QuickTime X. Seems plausible. I'm not sure just how much new codec support there is in SL/QTX, but I'm under the impression that it should make Perian largely redundant.

What are you basing this impression on?

I don't see Apple supporting ogg, mkv, and whatever else out there.

slugslugslug · Aug 19, 2009, 01:20 PM

I didn't say anything about those specifically. I just thought I remembered something about codecs in the few public announcements they made about QTX. Though in the cursory sniffing about the web I've done since the above post, I haven't found anything but "more support for modern codecs". Nothing specific.

Oh wait, I guess if I said that it makes Perian redundant, that might have implied ogg/mkv, huh? I have Perian installed, but I don't think I've ever tried any of those file types. So that specific impression is probably based on wishful thinking.

Spheric Harlot · Aug 19, 2009, 01:37 PM

IIRC:

Windows media probably won't happen, as they're owned by MS.

DivX CANNOT officially be supported, as they are mostly derived from an unsupported, retracted preliminary codec Microsoft submitted as basis for the MPEG4 standard. It was rejected in favor of QuickTime and pulled.

Flash video: well. um. Adobe's territory.

If you discount ogg/mkv, then what else is there save three or four obsolete Indeo codecs that haven't been used in about ten years, that isn't already supported by QuickTime?

slugslugslug · Aug 19, 2009, 06:42 PM

Eh, you got me. I didn't know that about DivX. Figured that's what people were talking about when they said more codecs, since there's so much video content out there in DivX/XviD (some of it even legit, I hear).

Wiskedjak · Aug 19, 2009, 06:46 PM

It'd be nice if Apple would just allow us to *manually* install codecs into the AppleTV. That would free them from any licensing obligations. But, I guess that's what Boxee is for.

Cold Warrior · Aug 19, 2009, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak

It'd be nice if Apple would just allow us to *manually* install codecs into the AppleTV. That would free them from any licensing obligations. But, I guess that's what Boxee is for.

You can manually install Perian on the ATV.

Simon · Aug 20, 2009, 02:03 AM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

DivX CANNOT officially be supported, as they are mostly derived from an unsupported, retracted preliminary codec Microsoft submitted as basis for the MPEG4 standard. It was rejected in favor of QuickTime and pulled.

But it's still being widely used. Don't get me wrong, I hate the format, but that doesn't mean it's not used widely.

So let me play devil's advocate. I have a stand-alone DVD player hooked up to a projector. That $79 DVD player can play pretty much any DivX I feed it (on an ISO CD or DVD naturally). So why should it be impossible for Apple to implement DivX playback on the surely much beefier AppleTV? I would claim this is a decision rooted in maketing (or Steve's ego) and not in technical feasibility. But that marketing consideration does not take into account users' reality which is tons of stuff available in DivX format.

I think of this kind of like OO. Sure they have a much nicer format than .doc. But does that mean OO shouldn't open .doc? No, of course not. IOW be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send. I think Apple should try to embrace that a bit more here.

Spheric Harlot · Aug 20, 2009, 02:32 AM

They'd have to support it and all its twenty-five variants, though.

Which means that the complete moron who used a ****ed-up audio codec in his cracked Windows-based video converter to create that illegal torrent some Apple user just downloaded is now APPLE'S problem, because the audio has drop-outs and is out of sync on my shiny new $1500 computer and goddammit if I spend this much money I want the ****er to work right and everybody told me Apple was so cool and it's the big multimedia machine and now I spend so so SO MUCH money and the damn thing can't even play video right WTF APPLE!?

If I were Apple, I'd stay the hell away, especially since there's these guys out there at perian offering support for all these formats for free...

Wiskedjak · Aug 20, 2009, 07:35 AM

Simon does have a point, though. My Philips DVD player will run almost any DivX. When it doesn't work, I don't blame Philips.

kman42 · Aug 20, 2009, 08:15 AM

If you are acquiring divx files, then you can make your aTV play them. Anyone here heard of google?