Client device recommendations?

Playground Hardware
#21

The video playback is flawless on Apple TV 4K, full stop. I don't think I've ever seen a dropped frame, across a variety of sources (1080i MPEG-2 OTA, 720p MPEG-2 OTA, 720p H.264 Comcast, and various TVE sources).

Non-4K Apple TV sometimes drops video frames while you're interacting with the on-screen guide, but other than that it's flawless as well.

I believe software decoding is used for both platforms, but the devices have powerful enough CPU's that it works fine anyway. (Both devices are capable of using hardware decoding for MPEG-4 sources, but the developers have chosen not to because their software decoder is more resilient to corrupted streams, and because the devices are fast enough to use the software decoder without issue)

2 Likes
#22

Another vote for ATV. I also have a Shield TV & the former is far superior. More reliable, slightly better PQ & slightly better UI

4 Likes
#23

Thanks for the info sounds like the ATV is the way to go, I assume they handle UK feeds just as well as US! It's just difficult justifying the cost over 5 or 6 TV's around the home!

2 Likes
#24

Thanks for the additional info, I assume PQ is picture quality?

It's good to get feedback comparing both Shield and Apple as they are similarly priced and comparable for most things. I have never been an Apple fan but to be fair their TV system looks fantastic and ticks every box

#25

Yes, PQ looks cleaner to me. I think it's because ATV is better at upscaling to a 4K TV

I have no other Apple devices but their ATV is worth it. Only negative of it for me is, unlike the Shield, it doesn't direct play HD audio from 3rd party apps, like Plex, so I still use Shield for Plex but ATV for everything else.

#26

Yes I don't find FTV very good at up scaling I'll be honest so would appreciate some superior up scaling on my main TV.

When you say doesn't play HD audio from plex can you go into a bit more detail about what that actually means, I use Plex most of the time, its actually my wife who uses Channels to watch live TV most of the time. But any time I was going to sit down and enjoy a movie would be via plex. What would I be loosing out Audio wise switching from FTV to ATV in 3rd party apps, I assume this would mean DTS would no longer work on my 4.1 system when watching films through plex?

I can't run 2 different devices as it just over complicates everything for my wife and children so need a single device that the source on the TV never changes from and everything is done within a single device

Thanks

#27

I’ve been using an ATV with UK Freeview for nearly a year now and not had any playback issues. Any glitches tend to be a problem with the original signal rather than playback.

I’ve also been using refurbished Apple products for over a decade and never had a problem. Might help to keep some of your costs down!

1 Like
#28

Sounds good to me, nice to hear such positive feedback from everyone with an ATV and even better using Freeview like me.

Yes I am interested in a refurbished Apple TV / TV 4K, but for the last week or so I have been looking at them none have come up for sale. As I said in another post it really tells you something when Apple don't have a single refurbished Apple TV for sale, but Amazon have an endless supply of refurbished Fire Sticks!

#29

This is mostly true although my experience is with 60Hz TV sources, because I'm in the United States. You may want to set up your ATV to use a 50Hz display mode so that Channels displays content smoothly, and enable automatic mode switching so that your display can switch to 60Hz or 24Hz when playing NTSC or film content.

1 Like
#30

Thanks for the tip, I've bought an ATV 4K to test that is arriving today so we have a good play with the device and see how it gets on.

Thanks for the help and advice

1 Like
#31

Just got my first Apple Product FireTV 4K. Was a pain setting up the ID could not setup in Chrome had to use Edge ... but I am glad I did the TV quality is so much better then any device I have and the channels app is more polished. But I do hate the Remote worst I have seen ... Good thing I have a Caavo.

1 Like
#32

Tell me about this product. First I've heard of it.

#33

I was using a Shield but decided to try the Apple TV 4K on the recommendation of the developers and other users and it is so much better Sound picture quality and the Channels DVR is much more polished then the androids .. I have retired my Shield and use it only as a Plex Server.

1 Like
#34

That's what I thought.
The 'FireTV 4K' part of the Apple Product confused me.
You meant an Apple TV 4K.
Got it.

#35

Welcome to the Dark Side :sunglasses:

.
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P.S. It took you long enough. :wink:

#36

Thanks Debbie 1 Device at a time :grin: .. I miss the HDHomeRun App on this device though.

1 Like
#37

Really? I can't stand the HDHomeRun apps =/

1 Like
#38

I like that they have redundant DVR's so if one goes down the other takes over... and the HDHomerun App combines both DVRs.

#39

I agree. Their app is terrible. I used it over 2.5 years and and finally got tired of their empty promises not to mention dishonesty. They have absolutely no clue what they're doing in regard to UI design and are not interested in delivering many standard features nor new features that improve the TV viewing experience. Their interface is exactly what you get when you let hardware people design software.

Channels is quite the opposite and I'm glad I was finally able to try it out without a big commitment once they relaxed the app purchasing requirements to find out I really liked it.

#40

One thing that I do like about the HDHR DVR is having a self contained 4 tuner dvr appliance. Makes for a handy automatic OTA DVR backup in case your main DVR goes out.