Apple TV is changing my life... for the better!
Sunday, February 24 at 04:23 PM | Posted by: Joe, Sam's Club
Category: Gadgets

 If you are not familiar with Apple TV, let me make the introduction. This is a set top box that we sell at Sam’s Club. It comes in two configurations. A 40G and a 160G unit. Both have wireless N and both have an HDMI output as well as a sleek remote. For a visual, think of a Mac mini that was steamrolled. It is cooler than the image I am giving you. 

Let me start by saying that I love movies, but abhor theaters. As a matter of fact, the last movie I saw in the theaters was that Star Wars debacle with Jar Jar Binks. Tired of cold popcorn and warm pop that was watered down and overpriced as well as noisy crowds with cell phones, it was time to invest in a home theater system. Life was pretty good. We rented DVDs and were pretty happy until Blu Ray came along. 

Yes, we got a PS3 and certainly use it for gaming, but this HD stuff required an upgraded TV and receiver. Now we could enjoy Blu Ray and see what we were missing. Ahh, Blue Ray how you taunt us with your digital goodness. So, we started buying a few movies and enjoyed them. Now, we do not live in a major metro area. The nearest BlockBuster is over a ½ hour away. Our local movie rental place is nice enough, but I had to plead with him to start carrying widescreen and he is nowhere near ready to commit to high def.  Also, quantity was limited. If you could get there early, well good. If not, then you are watching something else tonight. Jaws 3 anyone? What to do? Well, we rented in SD and if there was something we really HAD to have, we bought it in Blu Ray. This was getting expensive. 

Apple TV Take One

Our relationship in our house with Apple has always been positive. We love Mac computers, iPods and of course the iPhone. When it came out, I was intrigued by it enough to get Apple TV. It was cool. I could buy SD movies via Apple TV and watch them on the big screen. One can view You Tube clips and listen to music and see family pictures all on the big screen as well. Steve Jobs’ Apple wanted to be the digital hub in my living room and we were happy to have him. It as a pretty good deal. Life was good. But why did I have an HDMI port on this thing for standard definition? What was Steve thinking that he was not telling us? 

Apple TV Take Two

Well, there was a reason for that. Apple upped the ante and it is a game changer. If you have Apple TV, you need to get the download. It takes a while, so plan to do something else. Once done, you will see why it took so long. The entire deal changed. New menus and even a new opening clip let you know that you are not in Kansas any more, Dorothy. What Steve’s programming wizards have done was to make some major changes with the firmware update. Now you can do everything you did before, but now you can RENT movies. Read that again. Yes, you can RENT movies via Apple TV on-line and watch them on your TV. Not enough for you? OK, try this. You can rent HIGH DEF (720p) movies with 5.1 sound via Apple TV on line and watch them on your TV. That is just too cool! 

Here is the experience

OK, you got the update. Navigate through the beautiful menu to the Apple Movie screens. Now you see all of the titles. They are arranged by genre, title format etc... However YOU want them. See something intriguing? OK, click on it. You can see a preview for free. Like that one? Good, click on it and rent it. Depending on your internet speed, you are up quickly. In about 1 minute, I was able to start watching my selection. It is affordable too. $2.99 gets you a SD rental of a catalog (read less than new) title. $3.99 gets you a new release. Add a buck respectively for a high def copy. At $3.99 it is $.14 more expensive than my local place and I use ZERO gas and time to get it. Oh, and I do not have to return it the next day.  Once you download it, you have 30 days to start watching it. Once you START watching it, you have 24 hours to finish. Then “POOF” it is no longer available to you from your system. Of course, you could download it again. Apple even added a Movie of the Week selection for only $.99 Thursday through Monday. WOW, specials at Apple! 

Unreal! Now, my movieplex is ALWAYS in stock. The seats are great and the beverages and snacks are also priced right (yeah, I get them at Sam’s Club. Good stuff!). Cell phone rings? No problem. Pause and review and we are back in the action. Lighting is perfect. Temperature is just right and the sound is awesome. Now, if my wife would just let me enjoy a fine cigar while watching a movie… Well, I can always hope.

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9 Comments
 
 

Reading this post, then reading the Blu-Ray comments where everyone thinks I'm crazy because I think VoD is the next big format makes me laugh. :)

 
J. Richard Cook, Jr. on 2/25/2008 at 6:45 PM
 
 
 
 
Richard, I am with you. While there will always be a demand for a physical format (at least for the forseeable future) as bandwidth improves, v.o.d. Products like Apple TV will gain share and acceptance. I am at DPS today and expect Sony to play in this space as well.
 
joe muha on 2/25/2008 at 8:07 PM
 
 
 
 

 

I'm intrigued by the Apple TV for its size (the high end anyway) and its speed (though I don't have 802.11N speed from my cable internet).

The only deal breaker for me, on the rental side, is that dreaded 24 hour period to watch the movie. I mean, ok, I have 30 days to start the film, but 24 hours from the start? I guess, yes, that would mean your money get's you unlimited viewing for a day, but I feel they would have better served the market by expanding that time to, say, 72 hours? I could even deal with 48 hours, but 24 just cuts too close and is contricting. I do like the idea of HD renntal though, and $4-$5 is a decent price on a rental.

 
Jason Roop on 2/25/2008 at 10:00 PM
 
 
 
 

 i think the 24 hour window is reasonable. If you rented a new release from your local video store and go over 24 hours (often less than that, depending upon when you picked it up. i.e. - that is due back by 5:00 and you picked it up at 7:30) they charge you for a second day. You could always rent it again from Apple. More importantly, it is probably NOT Apple that is making that decision. My hypothesis is that the studios are making that decision. It is probably a term or condition of the agreement Apple has with the studios. 

 
Joe Muha on 3/1/2008 at 7:33 AM
 
 
 
 

"Well, we rented in SD and if there was something we really HAD to have, we bought it in Blu Ray. This was getting expensive. "...So you have to ask, with Walmart being the largest distribution point for DVD's, why is this getting expensive?  The sales price point for DVD's (HD or otherwise) is just too high.  If this does not get to a more reasonable level, priacy will become the norm for movies as it has for music. 

 
Ben P on 3/3/2008 at 1:47 PM
 
 
 
 

 

You can pause it past the 24-hour period - as long as it's in pause mode, it's held there for you. It shoudl also be noted you can transfer it to an ipod and/or watch part it on your Tv and then transfer it to your ipod.

 
jbelkin on 3/4/2008 at 2:03 AM
 
 
 
 

I think Blu Ray prices will drop now that the format war is over. I do not have a crystal ball, but expect that they will fall if history is any guide.

 
Joe Muha on 3/4/2008 at 1:21 PM
 
 
 
 

Joe, have you used it for watching any podcasts?  I've heard that some are delivered in HD and am curious what the experience is like.

 
Joe L on 3/4/2008 at 5:43 PM
 
 
 
 

Yes, but the ones I view are not in HD. Any good recommendations?  

 
Joseph Muha on 3/5/2008 at 9:16 PM