Streaming Services.
Premium:
Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, HBO Now, Showtime, CBS, WWE Network, MLB.TV, MLS, UFC, NBA 2015-16, NHL, NFL, Tennis Channel Everywhere, iTunes
Other:
YouTube, Flickr, Watch ESPN, NBC, Watch ABC, Fox Now, FX Now, USA Now, Showtime Anytime, Watch Disney, Watch Disney XD, Watch Disney Junior, Apple Music (which includes Radio), Vimeo, Crackle, Vevo, and more
Description. Apple TV's 4th generation player is one of the bigger players we have tested. It keeps the similar small, square black enclosure (less than 4 inches across each side) but is much thicker than the previous model (about 1.5 inches high). The box itself is fairly nondescript, with the bitten-apple logo embossed on the top of the unit. The rear panel contains a power-cord receptacle, one HDMI input, and an Ethernet jack, but lacks the optical digital audio output found on the previous version. It also has a USB-C port, but is only used for service. The new Apple TV remote is the smallest we've tested, with only a touchpad for navigation, and a few other buttons including menu, volume up/down, home, play/pause, and a Siri or voice search button. It also includes a built in mic for voice searches and commands and gyroscope and accelerometer for playing games.
Setup. This player is generally easy to set up thanks to an onscreen setup guide. All the connections are well labeled, so you can easily see where to connect the HDMI and other cables. If you have an iOS device, you can use it to quickly sign into your current WiFi network and iCloud account by simply turning on the device's Bluetooth, placing it on top of the player, and then typing your iCloud password on the iOS device, using its QWERTY keyboard. If you don't have an iOS device, the player automatically scans for available WiFi networks, but it doesn't supports WPS connections that let you pair the device without entering a password. However, we found that using the on screen, two line alphabetical keyboard and touchpad navigation to enter the WiFi password and iCloud account information to be a bit tedious. We also found updating the player's firmware was easy thanks to automatic prompts.
Ease of use. For everyday use the box is generally easy to use:
Interface. The main home screen has a section on top to preview the content from the top row off apps or services, namely iTunes Movies, iTunes TV shows, Apps, Photos and settings. Below that, there are graphic tiles for all the available apps and services, which can be customized so your favorite apps are easier to access. It also has a very responsive voice search function that will search most of the video streaming services for content. The voice search also uses Siri, to perform simple tasks (like open Netflix), find out the current weather and news, and other information. Thanks to its A8 processor, we found this player's response to be noticeably faster than most other players, which made navigating the menus and content more pleasing. It also loads apps faster than other players.
Remote control. The provided remote is very simple, with few buttons. The buttons' size and labeling is good, with high enough contrast that they can still be seen in a room with low light conditions. However, some buttons use non-standard icons, so it may take a while to get used to their functions. The remote uses a Bluetooth connection, so it doesn't require line of sight to control the box. It has a built in mic and a dedicated button to easily bring you to the voice search. It also has volume up/down buttons, which use the remote's built in IR blaster to control the volume of the TV or A/V receiver the player is connected to. The player will even automatically setup the volume control, just by connecting the HDMI cable. In addition, the remote also has a built in gyroscope and accelerometer that are used for certain games.
Picture quality. This player supports 1080p output. In general we found the streaming picture quality to be very good, better than standard DVDs but not quite as sharp or detailed as from a Blu-ray disc. Though, we did notice that the black levels are a bit higher than they should be, which will give dark scenes a slightly hazy look. However, the quality of the video that you'll get is largely dependent on the speed of your wired or wireless network. (We tested all the players using a wired Ethernet connection.)
Audio. This player will output multichannel digital audio via its HDMI output.
Connections. It has a good number of connections, including one HDMI output, and an Ethernet port. It supports the latest WiFi standard (802.11ac), which supports dual-band 5GHz networks, but lacks any USB or memory card slots (so you cannot connect an external hard drive), as well as DLNA support. In order to play music and movies from a home computer network, your PC or MAC needs to have iTunes with "HomeShare" activated, and all photos need to be uploaded to iCloud. Also, it supports Airplay, which allows you to mirror the screen of your iPhone, iPad, or Apple computer or laptop on your TV, via the player.
Miscellaneous.The player allows you to play games from Apple's App Store and, while they are not more complex, console-like games right now, you can use an optional game controller ($50) to play them, and more complex games may be coming. While this box does not have a traditional standby mode, it does have a sleep mode that will reduce the power consumption after a certain amount of time. It also comes with a Lightning to USB Cable for charging the remote control
Firmware Version. All players are evaluated using the latest firmware version available at the time of testing.
Firmware version for the Apple TV (64 GB) (4th Gen) is: 9.0.1 (13T402)
About Firmware Version. Our test results are valid for the version of firmware indicated above. If your player's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the players’s firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your player via a wired or wireless network, USB port, or memory card, depending on your player’s capability. You can check your player’s firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer’s website if further guidance is needed.
