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I have a Samsung 4k TV.
During the football season, I prefer to use an Amazon Fire Stick for streaming "certain apps".
However, my Fire Stick is just HD and I have access to 4k content, so I'm thinking of upgrading.
There is a review on What HiFi of different options and it makes some very strange claims about the Apple TV streamer having an "excellent picture" and "expressive sound".
https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/digital-tv-boxes/best-tv-streaming-boxes
How can this be? The streamer takes a digital signal from the internet and sends it to the TV and soundbar, which then does the decoding?
Is it more just audiophile guff? Or am I missing something?
Possibly audiophile guff. I think the Apple TV used to have an optical out for sound though (not sure about current models).
We have two - a 64Gb 4K (from a previous generation) connected to a Samsung smart TV, and an older 32Gb not 4K on an LG dumb TV. In general, if you're an Apple house they're pretty good and they're less buggy than the smart TV software (we had an issue where our Samsung TV wouldn't update iPlayer, for example). You can also play music/podcasts through your TV if you see fit, or stream the sound to Airpods.
Having said that, we've replaced the third TV in the house with a new Samsung smart TV which has the Apple TV app and AirPlay support and while I thought I'd get a third Apple TV box, we've not bothered.
Your first mistake is taking any notice of anything written in What HiFi 😂
I think the box outputs to Dolby Atmos so if you’ve got a decent audio set up with your TV then it might be worth investing. But I output to a sound bar on one TV with my Apple box but just use the TV based App on the other TV and through the TV speakers which is acceptable.
Just get a 4K firestick it’ll allow Atmos as the TV will sort it out for the sound bar.
I think the box outputs to Dolby Atmos so if you’ve got a decent audio set up with your TV then it might be worth investing.
it’ll allow Atmos
But you don't need an "Atmos compatible" TV to receive Atmos, it's the soundbar or receiver that decodes it.
So why would be different for a streamer?
Unless you have a gazillion speakers, and a suitable AV reciever, does ATMOS even matter?
My TV has it but it'll just be simulated or 'phantom' or whatever you want to call it:
Unless you have a gazillion speakers, and a suitable AV reciever, does ATMOS even matter?
My soundbar has a gazillion speakers, (well 22) and the surround speakers have multiple drivers as well. So it's meant to produce an Atmos soundstage by bouncing it around the room.
I can't really tell any difference from 5.1, Dolby Digital and Atmos TBH.
But you don’t need an “Atmos compatible” TV to receive Atmos, it’s the soundbar or receiver that decodes it.
True. I wasn’t clear on that sorry. The TV will sort transferring to the sound device.
Unless you have a gazillion speakers, and a suitable AV reciever, does ATMOS even matter?
I have a sound bar, bass speaker and 2 rears. It does Atmos.
People are just mentioning that it’s a consideration.
atmos is mostly a gimmik unless you have proper atmos speakers (your soundbar does not have them) and even then its pretty much a gimmik.
A fire stick (get the best one as processing speed improvements are worth it) is the exact same quality as a apple tv
atmos is mostly a gimmik unless you have proper atmos speakers (your soundbar does not have them) and even then its pretty much a gimmik.
Ok if you say so. 🙄
Not commenting on the sound question here but I'm pretty impressed with the 4K Max F Stick.
Pretty snappy, lots of info on the web for installing "stuff" and just generally pretty impressive.
The remote is a little cheap and I had to YT a method of removing the battery cover without destroying it (😂) but you can use the app/ joypad/ TV remote instead*.
*If compatible etc etc.
Worth paying lots more for a 4K apple TV over a 4K firestick? No.
The 4K firestick puts out Atmos sound and Dolby vision or HDR for content that supports these things.
The difference between Atmos and 5.1 is even less noticeable than the difference between 7.1 and 5.1. Since my AVR had Atmos I felt compelled to get a set of Atmos speakers to add to the rest. 🤷🏻♂️ slightly more immersive sound but not really worth it.
The difference between 1080P and Dolby vision and HDR? That’s worthwhile
The reason I like my apple TV is the interface - the smart TV interface on my old Samsung, and now my new LG is just terrible (as is the wierd pointy remote thing). Don't know what the firestick interface is like - it's android I think?
There was a noticeable difference in the sound output from our set-up when we changed to the current version of 4K AppleTV.
The older AppleTV with optical output wouldn't play music out of it. I had a go at a little hacking to make it happen but no joy.