Description. The new Apple TV 4K player, a small, black set top box, is identical in form to the previous version. The rear panel contains a power-cord receptacle, one HDMI input, and an Ethernet jack. The new Apple TV 4K features a redesigned remote, which combines a touchpad and directional buttons for navigation. It also includes a built-in mic for voice searches.
Setup. This player is generally easy to set up thanks to an onscreen setup guide. If you have an iOS device, you can use it to quickly sign into your WiFi and Apple account. The player automatically scans for available WiFi networks. The Apple TV features one of the best speech to text functions which makes entering account and password information easy.
Ease of use. The Apple TV 4K is generally easy to use:
Interface. The main home screen has 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 voice search function that will search most of the video streaming services for content. The voice search uses Siri, to perform simple tasks (like open Netflix), find out the current weather and news, and other information. One drawback to the Apple TV's search function is that the search results display iTunes as the only option for buying and renting movies and shows.
Remote control. The provided remote is very simple. It supports Bluetooth, so it doesn't require line of sight to control the box. It has a built-in mic, which is now located on the side of the remote. You can also control your TV's power and volume with buttons on the remote. The remote combines a touchpad with traditional navigation buttons so you get the best of both worlds. The new Apple TV remote no longer features a gyroscope, so you will need to purchase the older remote or a supported game controller for some games. While there is no remote app, the remote control feature is built into iOS devices. This feature allows you to use your iOS device to control the player, and use the device's keyboard to enter text. The feature also lets you search for content and use the device's built-in microphone.
Picture quality. This player supports 4K UHD and HD output. In general we found the streaming picture quality to be excellent, very similar to what we see with streaming content on the best UHD Smart TVs. This device also supports the HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG HDR formats. You will need a compatible TV to take advantage of UHD and HDR formats. The quality of the video you will get is largely dependent on the speed of your network and the picture quality of your television.
Connections. It has one HDMI output and an Ethernet port. It supports WiFi standards up to 802.11ax (WiFi 6). AirPlay is also supported so you can mirror and display content from an iOS device.
Miscellaneous.The player allows you to play games from Apple's App Store; you can use an optional game controller to play them. It also comes with a Lightning-to-USB cable for charging the remote control. The player has picture calibration options, including a color-balance feature that uses your iPhone to measure the color response of your television, and calibrate the Apple TV's output to improve picture quality. (This feature requires an iPhone with Face ID and iOS 14.5 or later.) We found this feature to be helpful for correcting the color when a TV's settings cannot bring the color temperature into the proper range.
