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[sevenlayermuddle]

Anybody else been trying Apple TV+?   I got a year’s free subscription for buying a new device.

I’ve been watching The Morning Show and For All Mankind and have to say, they’re not at all bad.   The filming style looks polished and works well.  They’ve avoided the ‘TV Movie’ feeling that, for me, spoils a lot of Netflix home brewed stuff.   Sound’s good too, subtle background and well mixed dialogue, though sometimes a little gimmicky - on my 5.1 setup, slightly tacky sfx occasionally routed through the back speakers.

Only thing is, why do we have...

A device called ‘Apple TV’
An App called ‘Apple TV’
And now a streaming service called ‘Apple TV+’

Three quite different things, all with the same name.   
Is it just me that finds that a tad awkward and confusing?

[displaced]

Same here - really enjoying The Morning Show and For All Mankind.  Especially the latter which takes a simple premise, what if Apollo had just a few more setbacks and the Russians maintained their lead in the Space Race?  All the implications explored so far have been really interesting and believable.

Apparently ATV+ is the highest-bitrate streaming service.  It does look and sound great in 4K Dolby Vision and Atmos.

The naming is, as you say, kinda silly - but can’t quite think of something better...

[sevenlayermuddle]

Nice to hear I’m not the only fan.

I wasn’t aware it boasted high bitrates, but that may explain why I find the quality so pleasing... fewer compression artefacts.

The 4K thing bugs me a little, as my Apple TV 3 only does 1080p, yet shows me icons suggesting some material is in 4K.   If it were a simple case of hardware compatibility conflicts that wouldn’t really bother me as I find the benefit of 4K over 1080 pretty marginal.   But Apple builds the box, Apple writes the OS, and Apple writes the App... so no real excuse for what appears to be a deliberate deception.

[displaced]

Oh I hadn’t noticed how 4K shows are displayed on the ATV3.

Really they should indicate which shows are in 4K/HDR/DV/Atmos, but more prominently show what quality will be used on the current setup. 

If I hadn’t already got a UHD TV and Atmos setup, I’d still like to get an idea of what content would be available.  Even now it’d be useful - if I see something labelled as such when upstairs on the ATV3, I might choose to wait until I can watch a show downstairs on the main telly.

Personally, 4K’s nice, but HDR (whichever standard - HDR10, Dolby Vision or HLG) - is really what I find hugely impressive. I’d still be happy with 1080p in HDR.

[sevenlayermuddle]

Slight self-correction for what it matters, mine’s actually an Apple TV 4, rather than 3.   Same criticism though, whilst some material is identified as 4K, the Apple TV 4 doesn’t support 4K.

It’s not going to catch me out, as I’m aware of it.   But I can imagine less techie folks purchasing stuff on the basis of being 4K, when it won’t be rendered 4K.  Probably doesn’t really matter though as such ‘non techies’ probably don’t really care if it’s actually 4K as long as it looks good.

My own TV, whilst supporting 4K, doesn’t do HDR or similar.  Maybe that’s why I find the benefit a bit marginal.

[Alex Atkin UK]

My own TV, whilst supporting 4K, doesn’t do HDR or similar.  Maybe that’s why I find the benefit a bit marginal.

Oh definitely.  My first 4K TV didn't do HDR and I thought well made native stuff looked nice, but not amazing.

Then I went to an LG OLED and it just blew me away.  Though granted, the proper black reproduction was a big improvement too, even Blurays look way better.

[sevenlayermuddle]

I’m incredibly impressed by many OLED, if only for the gorgeous blacks.

Back in the early 70s, I remember ‘Television’ magazine  (a peer of practical Wireless etc), which I’d buy on my way to school, published a circuit modification for ‘black level recovery’.   This was for B&W crt systems but even for the ancient ex-rental TV in my teenage bedroom I immediately understood, and wanted, the benefits.

[sevenlayermuddle]

Getting back on topic of Apple TV+, I continue to be reasonably impressed by quality of shows, some at least.

But, and this has happened a few times, I just got a whack on the wrist from my watch to tell me there’s a new episode of For All Mankind.  Really, who at Apple could have imagined I wanted my evening to be interrupted that way?   

And seconds later, another whack, there’s a new Morning Show, too.   

Sure, I’ll be able to delve into some obscure settings and turn off these notifications.   But it’s irritating that I need to do so.