Testseek.com have collected 136 expert reviews of the Apple TV G2 and the average rating is 71%. Scroll down and see all reviews for Apple TV G2 .
(71%)
136 Reviews
Average score from experts who have reviewed this product.
Users
(100%)
1 Reviews
Average score from owners of the product.
710100136
The editors liked
Gorgeous user interface
Relatively inexpensive
Silent (no fan
No hard drive)
Connects to dualband 802.11n or Ethernet network
Intelligent stream buffering for troublefree playback
Access to iTunes
Easy to set up and use
Streaming from iPad
IPhone
IPod touch
Streaming of local files
Inexpensive
229 for the 40GB model is not expensive
Very well put together
Store is simple to navigate
Rentals start playing soon after download begins
30-day window for watching rentals
Very small
Blends into your home entertainment system easily
AirPlay is really cool and opens up the possibility of much more content on the device
Who doesn't love Netflix compatibility?
Competitively cheap
1080p HD support
Super easy configuration
Great UI
Photo Stream integration is fun
Gives access to Internet programming (iTunes
Netflix
Etc)
Very easy to set up
Lets you access content on computers and iPods/iPhones/iPads on your local network
Tiny form factor lets it fit in cramped spaces
Affordable and very easy to use. Responsive streaming from internet sources or your iTunes library. Beautiful 720p picture and 5.1 sound for HD content. Terrific for photo slide shows on your TV. Cool little remote.
Final Thoughts/Conclusion
Many times have my colleagues and I here at Big Picture Big Sound shared the wonders of Internet-ready TVs
As technologies have converged to bring once-unimaginable benefits to the home theater enthusiast. But since not eve
Excellent video and audio quality along with access to the iTunes Store put this close to the front of the pack
Intuitive interface
Compact design
Runs quiet and cool
Crisp and detailed 720p video
Works with convenient Remote app
AirPlay feature will soon allow streaming audio and video from iOS devices
Smaller design
Black housing
Simple UI
Netflix streaming
ITunes rentals
YouTube
Flickr
AirPlay streaming from iOS devices
Streaming from computers
Compact design. Intuitive user interface. Streams video
And lighter version of Apple’s living room video solution
Refocused primarily on video streaming while retaining the music and photo streaming capabilities of its predecessor. Streamlined menu system takes most of the
Slick interface
HD movie rentals
An iTunes format movie and music player for high-definition televisions
Capable of acquiring content on its own from the Internet or accessing a computer’s iTunes library. Supports playback of high-resolution (720p) rented or user-creat...
Killer pricingVideo and audio quality is excellentElegant
Simple interface
The Apple TV lets you stream all the video content in the iTunes Store to your HDTV
With purchases stored in the cloud. Netflix
Hulu
HBO
YouTube and dozens of other online services are available
Plus music
Videos
And photos can be streamed from iOS
Extremely competitive price point
Best Netflix integration of any set-top device
Tiny
Dead quiet
Simple to set up
Improved interface
5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound support
Can be used without a computer
AirTunes support
Ability to stream .Mac Web Galleries and Flickr albums
Four times the storage of 40GB model for just $100 more.
The editors didn't like
Limited video format support
Does not play from DLNA servers or network shares
Can't add apps without jailbreaking
No content purchase option
Very little free video content
Other than iTunes
Limited content partners
Resolution only 720p
Not much use at playing AVIs
Restrictive media usage rights
Remote control small and unergonomic
Dithering and compression artifacts in HD rentals
24-hour window for watching a movie once you hit play
No easy multi-user access support
Doesn't have a QWERTY keyboard for entering account info and passwords
No HDMI cable provided - and you MUST have an HDMI cable to use it
Overpriced
Understocked rentals. No way to buy content directly from Apple TV. No support for apps. Must leave iTunes running on a Mac or PC to access iTunes content. Limited streaming sources. Erratic rewinding behavior. No 1080p support. Only works with m4v
Mp4
And mov video. Some very minor interface glitches.
HDMI-only video output
Is this thing too hardcore?
High-definition movie rentals painfully slow
Included remote control pales next to iPhone/iPod touch app (see Turn-Ons)
The maximum resolution is only 720p and it doesn't support Pandora.
Limited TV show and Internet content selection
No local storage for photos
Not as many content/app choices as competition
Tedious inputting text with physical remote
No way to connect to NAS
Cannot attach external hard drive
Limited access to thirdparty content providers
Limited support for popular video formats
No hard drive. Can't purchase content-streaming only. Can't rent a show on Apple TV and watch it on other devices or your computer. Limited rental content available. Connects via HDMI—not compatible with older televisions without purchasing adapter. Doesn't ship with an HDMI cable.
For streaming your own media content to the Apple TV
Your computer must be powered on
With iTunes running
Cannot stream content from a NAS device
Limited media file type and codec support
720p maximum supported resolution (no 1080p support)
No space for long-term user storage/synchronization of media
Resulting in removal of direct-to-device media purchasing in favor of pure rental and streaming. Initially ships without support for AirPlay streaming from iOS devices
And with exceptional
Small storage space
Cant use USB port in the back for additional storage
You’ll have to create
Convert
Or buy compatible content
Based on Apple-limited video format support
YouTube
IPod-formatted
And previously purchased iTunes Store videos can look downright bad on larger HDTVs. Does not include video ...
Content selection is limitedDoesn't allow purchasesCan only network via Apple Home Sharing
Lacks the app store
Improved remote and voice functionality of the 2015 Apple TV. The competing Roku 2 and 3 offer more content sources (including Amazon Instant) and cross-platform search. And the Apple TV platform is less of a streaming standout if you
Can only rent
Not buy
From iTunes
Poor out-of-box file support
Lacks legacy connectors for older TVs
Only 720p resolution
No USB input
Not as stable as previous software
No music video shuffle
24-hour rental period too short
Cant directly subscribe to TV shows or podcasts
Playback of HD movies and trailers can be interrupted during download by rebuffering
Only the most hardcore of Apple fanatics will find the Apple TV to be a worthwhile purchase. This is a tragedy because Apple has demonstrated it knows exactly how to build a stunning, intuitive and (in the US at least) inexpensive media player that has th...
No online UK partner to match Netflix, Over-reliance on the Mac or PC, No 1080p HD
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 pr...
Affordable, Simple set-up, Slick browser, Impressive HD playback, Using your iPhone as a remote
US centric content at moment. Make sure you get iTunes 10.1 when home streaming, Some may miss the hard drive
Apple has refined rather than reworked Apple TV and it's certainly appealing for simple, affordable streaming at home. But with increased content and the potential for apps, it's a product that hasn't yet reached its full potential
Was this review helpful?
(80%)
Published: 2010-09-30, Author: Jonathan , review by: macworld.co.uk
Limited rental content on iTunes; Home Sharing requires single iTunes account; Initial setup still requires tedious text input
The new Apple TV is a spectacular hardware upgrade from the old model. The device is easy to use, and excels at two tasks: playing back content from local iTunes computers, and renting iTunes content over the internet. However, aside from movies we're not...
Previously a confusing and expensive device suitable only for fanboys and Apple completists, the Apple TV's hardware has been much improved. Whether Apple TV becomes a mainstream success depends largely on the availability of content. But with the suc...
Minimal design, easy to set up and start using, automatically syncs with iTunes, plays Apple FairPlay protected iTunes content
160GB drive is paltry compared to other devices, limited playback options (no DivX playback), remote is awkward to use Min specs: iTunes 7.1, wireless network (wireless video streaming requires 802.11g or 802.11n) or Ethernet network; Mac: OS X v10.3.9 or...
Abstract: Fans of Apple’s iTunes software have long enjoyed the ability to download television episodes and, more recently, full-length movies. Synch your iPod with iTunes and you can take your videos wherever you go. That’s all well and good but here’s a quest...
