TV from your computer
19 Nov 2013
With this media player, you may never need to leave the couch to be entertained.
What is it?
The Apple TV is a digital media player that plugs into your television. It plays 1080p high-definition (HD) movies, music and photos wirelessly from your computer's iTunes library, and from your iOS devices via its AirPlay technology (think of it as the bridge between all of those devices).
You can even use it to display the contents of your iOS device's screen on your television. The Apple TV can also be used to watch YouTube clips from the comfort of your lounge room, as well as rent movies and TV shows from the iTunes Store directly from your television.
What files does it play?
The Apple TV supports media in a variety of formats. Of course, if you simply want to download content directly from Apple, you won't need to worry about this. Supported video formats include H.264 (as found on Blu-ray discs), MPEG-4 (files ending in .MP4) and Motion-JPEG (most commonly, video recorded by your digital camera).
In terms of audio, it plays the two most popular formats, AAC and MP3, as well as AIFF and WAV.
As for images, JPEG, GIF and TIFF formats are supported.
If you've built up a collection of music, movies and photos, and want to watch them on the big screen, the Apple TV is one of the easiest ways to do this. If you simply want to watch the latest movies and TV shows, the iTunes Store has got you covered.
What's in the box?
The box contains the Apple TV player, of course, along with a remote control, power cable and product information. You will need to supply your own HDMI cable, as one is not included. You can purchase one from any electronics store or directly from Apple.
What else do you need?
To use the Apple TV, you need the following:
- A broadband internet connection set up as a Wi-Fi network. Because you're sending large files to the device wirelessly, a fast internet connection ensures smooth playback without stuttering.
- An HDTV. Your television needs to have a free HDMI port and support either 720p or 1080p playback.
- An iTunes account. If you don't already have one, you'll need this to be able to download movies, TV shows and music from the iTunes Store.
- iTunes desktop software. If you want to play media that is already on your computer, you need to have the iTunes software running on it. The Apple TV accesses the media in your iTunes library.
How do I set it up?
- Plug in the power cable and attach the other end to the Apple TV.
- Plug one end of the HDMI cable into your television and the other end into the Apple TV.
- On the screen that appears once the Apple TV has booted up, choose your language using the remote control.
- The built-in Wi-Fi will perform a scan and automatically detect your wireless network. Enter your password when prompted. That's it! Your Apple TV is now set up. If you want to stream media from your computer's iTunes library, there's one more step.
- Make sure 'Home Sharing' is enabled. You'll also need to sign in using your iTunes account details.
Need help?
As with all things technical, setting up a new gadget can sometimes be frustrating and confusing.
Remember to harness the power of the internet! If you're having difficulties, do a search on Google to look for others who have had similar problems.
And don't forget about YouTube, where you'll find videos showing every step of the setup process on both the hardware and software side.
Where can I get it?
The Apple TV is $109 and is available from the Apple website as well as most electronics and department stores.
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