Exclusive Set Up & Review: Apple TV 4K
Recently, we got a new 4K Television. So it was only logical that I would get a new Apple TV 4K.
After ordering it around Thanksgiving, the expected ship date wouldn't be until December 28th. Thankfully, it came last Tuesday, so I set it up as soon as I could.
SETUP:
The initial setup is straightforward. If you had an Apple TV in the past, then the setup should be familiar. For those who are new, here's the setup step by step:
- Shut off and unplug your TV from the wall.
- Unpack the Apple TV 4K from the box (the plug in hidden under its own section).
- Plug the one end into the Apple TV. DO NOT PLUG IT INTO THE WALL YET.
- You'll need a HDMI cable to go from the Apple TV to a HDMI plug on the TV.
- Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the Apple TV.
- Plug the other end of the HDMI cable into an available port on the TV.
- Plug both the Apple TV and your TV into a wall outlet or a reliable power strip.
- Turn on the TV and put the TV on the same HDMI video output channel of the Apple TV.
The device will take you through an initial setup for the included remote. You may have to click the remote a few times before the Apple TV finds it.
Follow the setup instructions, as it will have you using the Apple TV 4K in no time.
When you get to the main menu, may I suggest you go straight to Settings > Video and Audio > Calibrate > Zoom and Overscan to make sure your TV will be set up for the ultimate picture and quality. Do the same thing for Settings > Video and Audio > Color Bars and make sure the colors are set up correctly.
You may also want to (if your TV can handle it) Enable HDR. HDR gets the best picture and better, brighter colors. Not sure if your TV can handle it? Apple TV will check and see if it can. If so, you'll have a choice to keep it on.
The Audio portion of the menu depends on what you want enabled and disabled.
The rest of the setup should be straightforward. Consult Apple Support for any questions you may have.
REVIEW:
The device is not only a joy to setup, but it is also shows a beautiful picture, but the menus and the icons seem to "pop-off" the screen thanks to its already impressive 3D effects.
Going into the Movies icon now shows movies in SD, HD, and now 4K format. Downloading one of these movies and viewing it gives a whole new dimension, especially if you have an entertainment system plugged in.
PROS:
- Easy to set-up software.
- Straight forward set-up.
- Takes up same amount of space then the previous Apple TV model.
- Unique screen savers to take advantage of the 4K display.
CONS:
- Does not come with HDMI Cable (I didn't see one anyway).
- Remote may have activation trouble during initial setup.
- Initial setup via an iOS device may not work properly.
- Already purchased movies may not auto-upgrade to 4K version.
BOTTOM LINE:
With all of the good things about the device, unless you have a 4K TV and a fast Internet connection, stay with your current Apple TV.
However, if you do have all of the above and you watch a lot of movies and other content, then the investment maybe worth it.
