BUY:Apple TV MC572LL/A (2010)

Apple TV MC572LL/A (2010) Review and Price

The Apple TV MC572LL/A is a great device for renting and buying movies, purchasing music and TV shows, browsing YouTube content, view photos and more. With great video and sound quality, an easy-to-navigate user interface (UI) and the iTunes Store, the Apple TV lands in first place on our list of home media servers.

Apple TV MC572LL/A Key Features
•    All-new design that’s small, quiet, and cool.
•    Rent from the largest selection of HD movies.
•    Rent commercial-free HD TV shows.
•    Stream from the huge Netflix catalog of movies and TV shows (available to Netflix subscribers in the U.S.).
•    Browse and play YouTube videos, watch HD podcasts, and listen to Internet radio.
•    Access online Flickr photos and MobileMe galleries.
•    Enjoy all the photos, music, and videos on your computer on the best TV and speakers in the house.
•    Turn your photos into a stunning HD slideshow.
•    Stream everything you watch over 802.11n Wi-Fi.
•    Simple setup with a single HDMI cable for both audio and video.

Apple TV MC572LL/A Specifications:

Environmental Status Report

• Brominated flame retardant-free
• PVC-free
• Meets ENERGY STAR 2.0 requirements for set-top boxes

Processor

• Apple A4 chip

System requirements

• Wi-Fi (802.11 a, b, g, or n) wireless network (wireless video streaming requires 802.11a, g or n) or 10/100BASE-T Ethernet network
• iTunes Store account for renting movies and TV shows
• Netflix account for streaming Netflix content
• For streaming media from a Mac or PC:
  iTunes 10.0.1 or later; iTunes Store account for Home Sharing

Ports and interfaces

• HDMI
• Optical audio
• 10/100BASE-T Ethernet
• Built-in IR receiver
• Micro-USB (for service and support)

Environmental requirements

• Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
• Storage temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)
• Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
• Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Power

• Built-in 6-watt universal power supply

Wireless

• Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)

Video formats

• H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
• MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
• Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format

Audio formats supported

• HE-AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through

Photo formats

• JPEG, GIF, TIFF

TV compatibility

• Compatible with high-definition TVs with HDMI and capable of 720p 60/50Hz,² including popular models from these manufacturers: Hitachi, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse

Accessories

• HDMI to HDMI Cable
• Digital Optical Audio Cable
• AppleCare Protection Plan

Video/Sound Quality:
Video and sound quality are terrific on Apple’s home media server, however the maximum supported resolution is 1280 x 720p. We’re not going to say 720p is bad because it isn’t 1080i/p; all of the HD movies and TV shows (and even content we created with Final Cut Pro that’s HD) looked fantastic playing back on a Vizio 42-inch 1080p HDTV. We also won’t speculate, but we’re willing to bet the iTunes Store and Apple TV will provide and support for 1080i/p content soon.
Sound is also impressive, and it played well on the Vizio HDTV and also the Vizio SoundBar we used for this review, which includes the dual speakers in the SoundBar and a subwoofer.
Apple TV MC572LL/A Pros and Cons

• Pros

Compact design. Intuitive user interface. Streams video, music, and photos from your computer, iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. 99-cent TV-show rentals. Streams Netflix Watch Instantly content, YouTube, and content from iOS devices to Apple TV.

• Cons

No hard drive. Can’t purchase content-streaming only. Can’t rent a show on Apple TV and watch it on other devices or your computer. Limited rental content available. Connects via HDMI—not compatible with older televisions without purchasing adapter. Doesn’t ship with an HDMI cable.
What’s in the Box

• Apple TV
• Aluminum Apple Remote
• Power cord
• Documentation

Apple TV MC572LL/A Summary Review:
With all the great features, including iTunes Store content, playback of photos, music and videos from your computer and much more, the Apple TV is a fantastic device amongst similar home media servers. It’s easy to use and navigate to find content to watch or listen to.
Apple TV MC572LL/A Rating

Ease of use 4.5 out of 5 stars
Ease of setup 4.6 out of 5 stars
Video quality 4.4 out of 5 stars
Streaming video 4.1 out of 5 stars
Netflix 4.3 out of 5 stars
Features 3.9 out of 5 stars
Hard drive space 3.0 out of 5 stars
Airplay 3.9 out of 5 stars
Style 4.7 out of 5 stars
Appearance 4.8 out of 5 stars
Interface 4.3 out of 5 stars
Remote control 3.8 out of 5 stars
1