Recently I bought a 3rd generation Apple TV. At first glance, this decision looks very strange in 2018. However, with a set-top box that was discontinued in 2016, I solved a whole bunch of questions and spent a penny on it.

Now Apple TV replaces HDMI, which I have recently been allergic to, gives me the ability to listen to Apple Music on my home audio system and watch videos from my MacBook on the TV screen, and also gives access to hundreds of TV channels.

Apple TV 3rd generation does not support tvOS- this is the prefix on which you cannot install applications from App Store.

It will coolly replace HDMI over AirPlay

It happened in March this year. After a tragic event, after which I had to buy another Apple laptop to replace and spend a lot of money on repairs, I do not use such cables at all.

After connecting the HDMI to USB-C cable to one of the four ports of the 13-inch MacBook Pro In 2017, with the Touch Bar, smoke really went out of it (like in special effects from cheap action movies), I smelled burning and a feeling of hopelessness replaced watching "The Adventures of Paddington 2" for me.

The laptop did not die completely. One USB-C port definitely did not work for him, and the rest of the problems lay inside the "non-separable" case.

5 weeks I waited for a replacement motherboard entirely under warranty, was glad that the case was generally recognized as a marriage, and decided to stop using HDMI if possible.

3rd generation Apple TV turned out to be one of the cheapest, but adequate options to get rid of wires and stream videos to your TV or projector from your Mac via Wi-Fi.

To do this, it is enough to enable screen mirroring via AirPlay from the menu bar (if there is no corresponding icon here, go to “ System settings">" Monitors "and look for replay options). Works passably, you can make presentations to the public and show photos to friends.

It works similarly with iPhones and iPads. You need to select "Screen Repeat" in the "Control Center" and decide on the Apple TV to which you want to broadcast all this.

Will show the movie on the big screen TV

Of course, all movies that you buy or rent through the iTunes Store work seamlessly on Apple TV 3. But many people will also be interested in viewing content from alternative sources - for example, from hard disk Mac.

This is my first personal Apple TV. Before that, I had to work with test samples or set-top boxes of colleagues and friends. Therefore, I naively believed that with the help of banal screen mirroring via AirPlay, I would be able to watch my videos and offline films on big screen TV. I was wrong.

Common screen mirroring is not always suitable for watching movies on a TV screen via AirPlay.

Yes, video replay will help with viewing photos and presentations. However, when the transmitted image becomes multicolored and dynamic, high-quality sound appears and that's all, Wi-Fi channel may simply not be enough - especially if your router is not directly under the console.

The way out will be a direct connection of the Internet to Apple TV via Ethernet (there is such an opportunity here). However, I did not plan to fill up the entire apartment with wires and deliberately did not run the cable to the TV during the renovation. No wired internet in 2018. What to do?

You need an application that will transmit via AirPlay not a copy of the screen, but a specific video that will be buffered.

Bad option: 5KPlayer (free). At one time, this video player for Mac famously shot, as it was able to transfer video and audio from iPhone and iPad to the Mac screen. The opportunity is useless in my eyes, but many people liked it.

But with the advent of this feature in QuickTime Player, the need for 5KPlayer in this context has disappeared.

Nevertheless, the player can work with Apple TV in the form that we need - to transmit not a duplicate of the screen, but a video stream. This feature works without jerks and slowdowns, but it is limited only by Apple's proprietary MP4, and this is a failure ...

It may sound silly, but I am also confused by the icon of the player with hello from the days of skeuomorphism, with which it replaces all video files if you set the default application for them.

Great option: Soda Player (free) is another matter. This player can transfer videos of absolutely any format to Apple TV without any problems.

In addition, it works with torrents without the need to download, supports SOCKS5 and can even stream videos to Chromecast. The application works almost seamlessly, it has a great interface and a nice minimalistic blue icon.

It is strange that we do not have a full review of this miracle solution, and I will definitely correct this annoying misunderstanding.

The default YouTube app works

Of course, any modern Smart TV has YouTube. On my new TVs on Tizen from Samsung, the video service client is also preinstalled. But sometimes I use panels without smart features, and an inexpensive Apple TV allows me to watch my favorite vlogs, reviews and news.

By and large, many today prefer YouTube, not films or traditional television. Therefore, this opportunity on the big screen is more than relevant.

You can enter account and get a list of subscriptions, there is a normal search and even browsing history. These Apple TV 3rd generation features enough.

It doesn't have Apple Music, but it can be solved

Unfortunately, you can't use Apple Music on the 3rd generation Apple TV without additional devices. However, this didn't turn out to be a problem for me.

AirPlay audio from iTunes or from a mobile device without any problems at all. To do this, just select Apple TV as the playback source, and the sound from the iPhone, iPad or Mac will immediately go to the built-in acoustics of the TV or an audio system connected to it.

On Apple TV, you can select the Now Playing menu. It shows the song title, time and album cover. You will not be able to control playback through the set-top box itself. Nevertheless, if you started music via iPhone, you can even control it using Apple Watch.

What's more, Apple Music does not end with the scope for action. You can also use any other music service that suits you.

And the set-top box will open hundreds of TV channels ...

When I bought the 3rd generation Apple TV, I thought, first of all, to jailbreak the set-top box and try to get the most out of it. Nevertheless, I did not study this issue in advance and was faced with the impossibility of hacking it and installing some additional software.

By and large, even a number of scenarios for using AirPlay would have been enough for me (at least for the ridiculous price of this Apple TV), but access to additional content through DNS spoofing came to the rescue.

It transforms the built-in apps of your old Apple TV into limitless aggregators for TV channels, movies, and series.

Pager TV - most legal service(from known to us), with which you can bind an IPTV playlist with TV channels offered by any of the operators of your choice to the old set-top box.

The service costs $ 1 per month. But a couple of weeks for testing is free. How do I set it up?

Step 1. Turn on Apple TV - not only 3rd generation, 2nd generation will do

Step 2. Open "Settings"

Step 3. Go to the "General" section

Step 4. Expand the Network menu

Step 5.... Under WiFi or Ethernet, find the DNS setting.

Step 6. Select "Manual" under "DNS Settings" and enter: 037.230.116.189 or 062.109.022.177

Step 7. Return to the "General" section and place the cursor on the item "Send data to Apple"

Step 8. Open the "Profiles" menu using the "Play" button on the remote

Step 9. Select "Add Profile"

Step 10. Enter the address pagertv.ru/atv and click "Add"

Step 11. Register to Pager TV service from your computer or smartphone

Step 12. Go to the VIMEO app on Apple TV

Step 13. Log into your Pager TV account from your computer or smartphone

Step 14. Enter here the unique code that you see on the TV screen and click "Save Changes"

Step 15. Now go to your playlist and add a link to the M3U playlist with channels, here is a test for 3 channels - http://pagertv.ru/test.m3u

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 the big screen: just connect to 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.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Model: MD199RU / A, MD199RS / A
CPU: Apple A5 (PowerVR SGX 543MP2), 1 GHz
Video and audio outputs: HDMI, S / PDIF (optical digital audio port)
Resolution: 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 AirPlay support
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 (A1469) over Apple TV 2 (A1378):

- support for Full HD (1080p) versus HD Ready (720p) for the second generation;
- twice the volume random access memory(512 MB vs 256 MB);
- more powerful processor (Apple A5 vs Apple A4)
- support for all relevant Apple devices(including the latest iPhone and iPad models 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.

Third generation 2012 model

Last fall, we reviewed the second generation network media player from Apple. Unique design was noted as the brightest side of the model. However, this applies to almost every product from this manufacturer. The main scenario for using the device is watching purchased videos and series directly from the Internet, bypassing computers and iTunes.

For the majority of domestic users, the purchase of audio / video materials is currently not available, which significantly reduces the interest in the product. But this relatively inexpensive and well-made player can also be used to watch the finished video from the iTunes library on a PC, and install an additional software brings its capabilities closer to the most interesting representatives of this class of devices.

However, no software could fix the hardware limitation - the maximum video output resolution of the second generation device is 720p, which looks somewhat strange in 2012. We have already said that this limitation is partly due to the capabilities of the content distribution system. But time does not stand still, and this spring Apple decisively fixed this problem too - the updated Apple TV set-top box (MD199, A1427), presented simultaneously with the new tablet model, now copes with Full HD video and supports output in this resolution to TVs and other devices ...

Since this is practically the only difference, this material is an abbreviated overview, and if you have not previously dealt with this device, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the detailed publications on past modifications: first generation (2007), second generation (2010).

I would like to remind you once again that this product is not presented by the company on the Russian market, so you will not find it in branded stores and will not be able to get any local support from Apple. The main reason for this decision lies in the inaccessibility of the content store to domestic users. And why we don't have it is a completely different story.

Delivery set and appearance

According to these parameters, the device is no different from its predecessor. The compact box contains a player, a remote control, a power cable and a few leaflets.

The body is made of black plastic and has very attractive dimensions - less than 10 × 10 × 2.5 centimeters. The top panel is matte with a glossy manufacturer's logo, the ends are completely glossy. The remote control receiver and status indicator are hidden on the front panel.

The HDMI port is used to connect to a TV or projector. Additionally, an optical digital audio output is provided. Analog options were completely abandoned. Also on the back you can find a microUSB service connector, a network port (100 Mbps) and a power cable input. The device consumes less than ten watts and has a built-in power supply, which is much more convenient.

The bottom of the player is made of rubber, so it will stand very stable on any surface.

The remote control has not changed at all: the same graceful shape, Unibody style and the minimum number of buttons. But even they are quite enough to work with the device, including navigation, switching audio tracks and subtitles.

Hardware Features

The changes that allowed for 1080p playback include installing a new processor and doubling the amount of RAM, up to 512 MB. The amount of flash memory is preserved (8 GB). The processor in the new model is installed in the same family as in the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Only here there is only one core in this case, unlike other devices. Considering the single-tasking use of the player, this is not critical at all and the “usual” Apple A5 is quite enough here.

The radio module does not directly affect the speed of the device, but for broadcasting video via wireless it is definitely important. It is based on the Broadcom BCM4330 chip, which in this device is capable of operating at 2.4 or 5 GHz. As for the speed, it is difficult to find accurate information, but most likely we are talking about 2T2R mode with 300 Mbps.

Note also that this model comes with iOS version 5.1 (in Apple TV numbering - 5.0), which has many additions and improvements over 4.x.

At the time of this writing, this firmware version for the model in question was hack-resistant, so it was impossible to run any additional programs on the device. However, time does not stand still and, most likely, at some point this device will also be jailbroken.

Connection and setup

In most cases, turning on the player for the first time is quick and easy - you just need to select the interface localization. Russian users will be disappointed with the player's home screen - only the library from the PC and the settings menu are available for them. To view online services, you need to configure the player for another country.

But let's take a look at the possible settings first. Their menu consists of six and a half items. The last half is putting the device into sleep mode. In most cases, falling asleep automatically is sufficient.

In the group "Basic" you can see the model, serial number, device firmware version, update software, set up network and time zone, connect new remote controls, enable "Parental Control". The "Screensaver" section is used to select options for displaying photos when listening to music and when in standby mode. Sources can be National Geographic Channel, a couple of pre-installed albums, MobileMe, Flickr, and a new feature latest versions iOS - Photo Stream.

You can customize the settings for the iTunes Store in the corresponding item. In addition to specifying your Apple ID, you can choose the maximum video quality (depending on the speed and quality of your Internet channel) and location. Depending on the country selected, different items will be available in the main menu of the device.

In “Audio and video” there are several hardware settings, in particular TV resolution, color mode, Dolby Digital broadcast mode, as well as items such as music repeat, sound effects, soundtrack and subtitle selection. In the TV-out settings, it is usually enough to leave everything in "Automatic". There shouldn't be any problems with modern technology. Note that the frame rate in Full HD mode is selected in the menu and the choice is only from 50 and 60 Hz. The video player cannot automatically change the frequency of the video output depending on the parameters.

The next item is responsible for the operation of the AirPlay technology. With it, you can send a video or audio stream from any iOS devices a or from iTunes for display on the TV screen. At the same time, it is enough for the devices to be on the same network; there is no need to use the same Apple ID on them. You can restrict access to this function by setting a password on the player.

The final setting is to enable Home Sharing support. This technology lets you combine up to five devices to share your iTunes library on your computer. All devices must use the same Apple ID for it to work.

Comparison with the previous version of the player shows that there are no significant differences in the settings.

Working with multimedia

For a domestic user, the most interesting is work in the "Home Collection" mode with access to content posted on a PC with installed program iTunes. In this case, the question of how these files appeared on the computer will not interest anyone. To work with the player with the library, you will need to create an Apple ID and use it in both iTunes and Apple TV.

A formal list of supported formats includes:

• video with resolution up to Full HD, frame rate up to 30, with H.264 codec, HP and MP profile up to 4.0, with AAC-LC audio in m4v, mp4, mov containers;
• video with a resolution of 640 × 480, a frame rate of 30, with the MPEG-4 SP codec, with the same sound and container;
• video with resolution up to 720p, frame rate 30, with M-JPEG codec, PCM audio in avi container;
• audio recordings with AAC formats (including those protected from iTunes), MP3, Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV, Dolby Digital 5.1 with transmission to an external receiver;

photos in formats JPEG, GIF, TIFF.

In fact, this information makes little sense for the model under consideration - this is not a universal media player, but a device for working in the infrastructure built by Apple. So the user does not need to think about the formats and their subtleties - if the content is received from an official source, it will be played by the player. In most cases, you can summarize this saying to "if the content is in iTunes, then it can be used with Apple TV."

In particular, the native clips used for testing, edited in iMovie and encoded in the built-in 1080p template, have an H.264 profile [email protected] and bitrate up to 20 Mbps and are played by the device without any problems, not only via cable, but also via Wi-Fi. So in general, if you are used to iTunes or use Mac OS, then you will not encounter any difficulties with Apple TV compatibility.

In fact, the same mp4 does not have significant disadvantages compared to other modern options - it supports Full HD and the H.264 codec, it can have several audio tracks and subtitles, it is possible to use built-in tags, it is played by most other player models. A similar remark applies to music - for many users, mp3 features are enough, and if necessary, you can use Apple Loseless.

In conjunction with Home Sharing, it can be convenient to use the Remote utility available free of charge in the App Store. With it, you can control the operation of all devices - select a video from the iTunes library on your PC and send it for viewing via Apple TV. Another convenient scenario would be listening to music through a player with a digital connection to the receiver without having to turn on the TV for navigation.

Other countries are much more fortunate. They can use Apple TV to buy and watch movies and TV series from the huge iTunes library. Interestingly, it is not at all necessary to pre-download files for viewing - the online broadcasting mode works. Of course, high-definition video requires a fairly fast internet connection. The manufacturer says 8 Mbps for 1080p, 6 Mbps for 720p and 2.5 Mbps for standard definition video.

For example, let's look at the cost of these services in the United States. For films, there are two options - rent or purchase. Note that their availability is specific to the edition. In the case of rent, you can watch a movie within a month after payment, but if you have already started, then you need to finish it in 24 hours. The rental price for the HD version is $ 3.99 ($ ​​4.99 for recent releases). If the movie is available for sale, then its HD version can cost $ 19.99.

The series can only be purchased, both in separate episodes and as subscriptions for the season. The cost of the HD version of one episode can be $ 2.99.

You don't even need to use a PC to purchase - all actions can be performed directly from Apple TV or other devices with the built-in iTunes store. The catalog looks great on the screen - presented detailed information about the film, including trailer, rating, short description, cast list, director, producer. Moreover, the latter can be used to search for other films.

For music lovers, support for the iTunes Match service ($ 24.99 per year) may be interesting, which allows you to store the entire media library in the iCloud cloud and have access to it at any time from any device, including Apple TV. In fact, not the music files themselves are saved, but only the fact that you own them (purchase or import from CD). Broadcasting to devices is carried out in streaming mode.

The set of supported online services has been slightly expanded in new version iOS. In particular, the menu includes:

• Netflix service (not available from Russia);
• sports videos from MLB, NBA, NHL (some features require a subscription);
• catalog of trailers for films that have not yet been released;
• catalog of video reports and broadcasts WSJ Live;
• YouTube and Vimeo directories with ratings and other sorting options;
• searchable audio and video podcast catalog;
• directory of Internet radio stations;
• Photo Stream service;
• access to MobileMe;
• photo hosting Flickr.

AirPlay

With the introduction of Full HD resolution support on the player, AirPlay takes on a whole new meaning. However, research into the operation of this function has shown that not everything is as simple as we would like. The mobile companion in this case was the iPhone 4S.

AirPlay provides several options. The first of them is the broadcast of multimedia files (video and music) from iTunes and iOS-devices (including “outdated” ones, such as the third generation iPod touch) to the TV screen. Moreover, Full HD video is displayed in this resolution from both PC and iPhone 4S. A similar feature is available in some iOS programs, for example, in the YouTube client. You select a clip and tell the device to stream it over the network to AppleTV. Photos are a little worse. Sending from the standard gallery on the phone obviously works at a lower resolution.

The AirPlay Mirroring mode, implemented in iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and newer models, will allow you to broadcast your full desktop and programs to your TV (if this mode is not blocked by the author), even if they do not have built-in AirPlay support.

Pay attention here to the fact that the screen resolution of these devices is lower than Full HD, and the picture on the TV will look a little blurry. The description of The new iPad also indicates that video streaming from compatible programs is possible in Full HD, and the desktop is limited to 720p (although the tablet itself has stepped far beyond 1920 × 1080). Still, on-the-fly encoding of such streams requires high computing power.

The third option for AirPlay is the use of special software that supports working with two screens - built into a mobile device and external, implemented via Apple TV. Games are usually cited as examples. On iPhone 4S, you can try free versions Ducati Challenge and MetalStorm: Wingman. They are good for demonstrating AirPlay - the iPhone becomes an interactive control panel in your hands, it uses a touchscreen, a built-in gyroscope, and displays game messages. And the main game picture is displayed on the TV screen (also only in 720p). I would like to hope that there will be more such applications, and new versions mobile devices from Apple will learn how to encode and transmit Full HD images.

Note that there are programs for Mac OS X on the market that allow you to integrate computers and laptops into the AirPlay structure - to broadcast an image from a PC screen to an Apple TV, or vice versa - to use a computer as an alternative to Apple TV when working with mobile devices.

Strict control by the manufacturer and perfect compatibility of various devices make AirPlay a successful alternative to the well-known DLNA protocol.

conclusions

The Apple TV update hasn't garnered much attention, but it's a significant step forward for the company. Full HD video support is now available in the iTunes media structure. It is presented in the store and streamed online, and can be viewed on PCs, mobile devices and TVs.

Technically and visually, Apple TV has changed very little. There was no place even for "stripes" that would help distinguish the phones 4 and 4S externally. It is difficult to say to what extent this approach is justified from the point of view of the product's success on the market, but the manufacturer knows better. However, there was nothing much to improve - the size is great, the connection options are optimal, the controller wireless network and the power supply is built-in, data is sourced from the network, so no local storage or expansion ports are required.

Once again, I really liked the company's approach to media library sharing. Everything is easy to set up, easy to operate, and works seamlessly. The only inconvenience can be considered the need for iTunes on a working personal computer... Although, if you use only content downloaded from the iTunes store, then you can refuse from this - videos and series will come directly from the company's servers, and music from your own iCloud. Or, you can transfer video and music from iPhone / iPad / iPod touch mobile devices.

AirPlay Mirroring looks interesting and promising. Now, of course, few people can be surprised by compact game consoles, but the potential for this feature is clearly high. We can say with a high degree of probability that the next models on iOS will support the transfer of Full HD images to the TV, and there will be more and more applications using two screens.

To summarize today's review - Apple TV is an excellent solution for the task of watching videos on the big screen of your TV, if the media library is presented in iTunes or there is a need to broadcast multimedia, programs or games from mobile devices. The player has a very attractive design, is well made and costs relatively little ($ 99 in the US), especially when compared to other products from the fruit company.

Ready to give up cable TV and get rid of the ad flow? 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 wired Internet, then the 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 the 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 a built-in Wi-Fi standard 802.11 that 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 that your Apple TV is connected to.

   • 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" 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.
      • There is a free app on the App Store called "Remote" that shows you the full capabilities of the Apple Remote. If you have an iPhone or iPad, this is a great addition to your 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. Setting up the Home Sharing function. Use Home Sharing to access music and video files on your computer.

      • Setting up the Home Sharing function. 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! FROM using iTunes on Apple TV, you have access to the latest movies in high definition 1080p (v3) or 720p (v2). You can watch the movie, rent it or purchase it for your collection.

      • While virtually 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 using iTunes Match, click the orange Music button on the home screen.

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 characteristics 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 maximize 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 a short introduction to 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 there is a media player itself, a special remote control, a power cable, as well as several leaflets (description of the device, user manual).

For the production of the case, high-quality wear-resistant plastic is used. The attachment has a fairly compact size: 10 × 10 × 2.5 centimeters. The top panel features a glossy corporate logo. The ends of the box are glossy, while the top panel is 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 media player has an “Optical Audio” port with which you can output sound in digital quality. There are no analog connectors on the set-top box. In addition to the ports already listed, the rear panel contains a microUSB connector, a network interface (100 Mbps), and a power cable connector.

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 review of Apple TV 3 and consider the hardware features of the set-top box.

Hardware Features

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

• RAM 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 is released with iOS version 5.1 (some models with iOS version 5.2). Let's continue the review of Apple TV 3 and find out the specifics of connecting the set-top box to a TV and its subsequent configuration.

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. Having an HDMI port on your TV is a prerequisite for making a connection.

The settings menu includes six items. The General tab allows you to get information about the model, firmware, connecting new remotes, network and other important aspects of Apple TV 3. The Screensaver tab is used to configure options for displaying photos during music playback or when the set-top box is in standby mode. The user can customize the parameters of the iTunes Store, you can also specify the maximum quality of 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 and others. 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. The set-top box has a high-quality full-fledged showcase of popular films and music. 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 for two days.

The new iTunes Radio service lets you listen to your favorite songs in high quality... Considering the ability to digitally connect the set-top box to a home theater, this service is very useful. Apple TV 3 supports the ability to play music files from your iTunes library on your computer, as long as the latter is connected to the same wireless network. The support of the 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 from Apple mobile devices to your TV screen in real time. 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 do not 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.