[talker]

Paid for Apple TV combined with Netflix for Christmas. Thought it would be good entertainment for the family over the holidays.

Not mentioned in the Apple TV ads is the fact that if your TV has just one HDMI socket you'll have to buy a splitter box. That'll cost you over a hundred bucks. The you'll need the cables to hook them all up. And a fair amount of time to figure this out, drive to the store and back and complete the job. By then you're ready to sit and watch some telly!

So, my addition of Apple TV for $119.99 actually ran me over $300.00 in the end. (Netflix is free for the first month).

Even after all this, I am left with the front stereo on my TV set itself because my theatre sound doesn't hook up to the Apple TV using component cables. After a few days of watching with just the 3 front speakers, I'm soon off to buy an optical audio cable to plug into my component amp and the Apple TV. Life does get compicated, doesn't it? (Seems the old Apple TV model had component sockets but Steve Jobs left them out of this new model now on the market).

I don't want to leave anyone with the wrong idea, I just want to say, the streaming is flawless and so is the HD picture.

 

[MarcP]

Don't forget to also factor in the extra cost of going over your bandwidth allocation for your ISP...

 

[cooper83]

Not mentioned in the Apple TV ads is the fact that if your TV has just one HDMI socket you'll have to buy a splitter box.

Why is it Apple's responsibility to tell you how many available HDMI inputs you have?

have to buy a splitter box. That'll cost you over a hundred bucks.

They are available for much cheaper, in some cases less than half what you paid.

my theatre sound doesn't hook up to the Apple TV using component cables

Component cables are for video. They do not carry an audio signal.

(Seems the old Apple TV model had component sockets but Steve Jobs left them out of this new model now on the market).

Where do you suggest they place the component video outputs on such a small device? Part of the appeal of the new AppleTV is its tiny footprint.

No offense, but sounds like somebody didn't do their homework before buying.

 

[antonk]

I don't know if I'm allowed to mention retailers and prices, but Monoprice (where I now get all my cables from) has an HDMI splitter for $5.23, and HDMI cables are literally a couple bucks each. A few more bucks for shipping and you're done for under $20.

 

[blueroomelectro]

Might be worth looking into an entry level AV receiver with a built in HDMI switch. The audio upgrade over TV sound can complete the home theatre experience.

Does the Shaw box have component? What model TV is it?

 

[sebberry]

Where do you suggest they place the component video outputs on such a small device? Part of the appeal of the new AppleTV is its tiny footprint.

To some people I suppose it is. For me, I'd rather have all my components the same size. Makes them easier to stack and you don't have a bunch of little components scattered about stuck in wherever they fit.

Apple could easily have had a breakout cable for the component video. But it's not the Apple way and it's best not to argue with Mr. Jobs

 

[audacity]

One alternative is to connect your devices directly to your HDTV (which is likely to have more than one HDMI input), and then connect your TV's analog or digital audio out (RCA or SPDIF) connection to your receiver and just use the TV's "input" button when switching between your Shaw STB and your Apple TV.

 

[Gino Cerullo]

Apple could easily have had a breakout cable for the component video. But it's not the Apple way and it's best not to argue with Mr. Jobs

No they couldn't. You can't convert HDMI, which is digital only, to an analogue signal like component without an external digital to analogue converter box.

In this case if the OP was going to buy an external box to hook things up he was much better off going the way he did with the switch.

 

[cooper83]

connect your devices directly to your HDTV (which is likely to have more than one HDMI input)

The OP stated he only has one HDMI input...

 

[sebberry]

No they couldn't. You can't convert HDMI, which is digital only, to an analogue signal like component without an external digital to analogue converter box.

I wasn't talking about an HDMI component adapter.

Plenty of video cards have a small, round 5 or 7 pin DIN connector that is no wider than an HDMI port into which you connect an adapter cable that gives you the YPbPr connection.

 

[MarcP]

Where do you suggest they place the component video outputs on such a small device? Part of the appeal of the new AppleTV is its tiny footprint.

The same way others have done it when space is limited. Think how Infocus implemented component on the X1 projector and it works. In addition, Apple is good at proprietary connectors.

 

[talker]

cooper83 and a couple of others...

You've totally misread everything I posted. Sounds like you had your mind made up as you went. Thanks for nothing.

 

[jshel101]

As other have posted, you could have purchased an HDMI splitter for less than a 1/3 of the price you paid. I just purchased mine from monoprice for less than a third of what you paid, and it has HDMI and Toslink connections. My TV only had two HDMI connections, and both of them are taken already. As of right now, I have been manually switching my cables from my DVD player to my ATV2 when I need them.

 

[faston]

Looks to me like cooper83's comments are right on topic. Did you just want us to commiserate with you on your frustrations? If so, well we are really sorry you only have one HDMI input on your TV.