AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

[kikar]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

.....The 5th generation iPod that I bought 9 months ago won't play the rentals

Yeah Apple really hosed the customers that purchased the 5Gen model. I thought that was pretty low.

[pmilin]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

I had to buy a zen in order to take the shows I had purchased on my Tivo from unbox on the road with me. It is a pain having different devices. If they are making such a big stink of only wanting one disc format (HD DVD or Blu-ray) because they say it causes consumer confusion why are they not pushing for a format that is universal to all devices when it comes to downloads.

There's no money in that. Not when we continue to buy every device under the sun only to later realize that it no longer works with this or that.

[kikar]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

There's no money in that. Not when we continue to buy every device under the sun only to later realize that it no longer works with this or that.

.....Tru True.... I guess we just keep feeding the beast.

[kikar]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

Okay I am watching Transformers as I type. After watching the Base attack scene here is what I can say. The sound is practically identical between the two it is no HD DVD. I honestly can not say which is better. Picture quality is better on the ATV than the Xbox I am not seeing the major macroblocking that I see on Live. There is some there but it is slight since did not experience this on Vudu I would say the PQ goes to Vudu. Looking at what Aaron used as a test (the radar screen) I was able to read the numbers and letters clearly. I will try to take pictures and post but my camera sucks so I will see how it turns out. My wife's opinion she just gave me is that it is no HD DVD but ATV looks really good. It is a toss up between ATV and Vudu with PQ and AQ. I would give a very slight edge to Vudu. For me I am just glad to have both. My parents rent a lot of movies so I will be buying them a Vudu as they really loved it when I brought it over but my friend lives and breathes all things iPod so I will be getting him an Atv for his B-day in a few weeks. It is all about what you want from the box.

[Rusdude]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

Well, EngadgetHD certainly seems to think that AppleTV HD quality is sufficient and offers best HD VOD quality out there -- http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/13...-apple-tvs-hd/
(also, in the comments Engadget's Ben says that ATV HD > Vudu HD)

When you read the article about ATV, remember that just yesterday same source (EngHD) wasn't very happy with Vudu's HD video quality -- http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/12...d-perspective/

Now, from looking at comments here it's fair to say that ATV HD quality = Vudu HD, so I think it's hilarious that Engadget praises ATV for about the same video quality as Vudu.

[HeadHodge]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

Well, EngadgetHD certainly seems to think that AppleTV HD quality is sufficient and offers best HD VOD quality out there -- http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/13...-apple-tvs-hd/
(also, in the comments Engadget's Ben says that ATV HD > Vudu HD)

When you read the article about ATV, remember that just yesterday same source (EngHD) wasn't very happy with Vudu's HD video quality -- http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/12...d-perspective/

Now, from looking at comments here it's fair to say that ATV HD quality = Vudu HD, so I think it's hilarious that Engadget praises ATV for about the same video quality as Vudu.

Now everyone who didn't see this coming, please raise your hands!

[Petercarbo]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

There is nothing and/or no one more dillusional then a Apple fanboy and Engadget(EngadgetHD, Ryan Block & Staff) are card carrying members.

[NA9D]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

There is nothing and/or no one more dillusional then a Apple fanboy and Engadget(EngadgetHD, Ryan Block & Staff) are card carrying members.

Engadget is nothing more than a bunch of wanna-be journalist weenie hacks who have started a web page and think they are experts.

Kinda reminds me of how back in the 1980's Consumer Reports used to never give Sony CD players a good review. This attitude carried over into the stereo stores too. I was in looking at players one day and the sales guy and I were talking and I told him how I liked Sony. He said, "Oh, it's way over priced. This Toshiba model is just as good as the Sony." I said, "Oh really. Can I do this?" And I took and rapped on the top of the case with my fist. The disc skipped and stuttered all over the place. The sales guy sheepishly replied, "Well, if you want player stability like that, then get the Sony."

FYI: For those who are too young to remember, Sony had the best and most stable CD players. A tank could rumble by and the disc would never skip a beat. Other makers couldn't touch Sony's laser system.

[RonV]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

If you purchase anything from the iTunes store it is playable on a Mac or Windows PC. It is playable on an iPod or an iPhone or AppleTV. You cannot make a DVD format disc. You cannot play it on any other brand portable player.

So its a "closed" universe to play. Only devices and software starting with "i" qualify. Wasn't Mossberg warining about a mono-culture with Microsoft a few years ago? Now we have a "i" mono-culture.

[NA9D]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

So its a "closed" universe to play. Only devices and software starting with "i" qualify. Wasn't Mossberg warining about a mono-culture with Microsoft a few years ago? Now we have a "i" mono-culture.

Yes, but at least unlike other closed universe devices (ie: Zune anyone?), the "i" products are multi-platform.

[RonV]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

Yes, but at least unlike other closed universe devices (ie: Zune anyone?), the "i" products are multi-platform.

You need to watch the "Cranky Geeks" podcast. John Davorak and two to three columnist every week. Davorak plays devils advocate against the columnist. Funny each one of the columnist over that few episodes want to play the Mac in the Mac vs. PC commercial based on their comments on Apple TV and they didn't even mention the VUDU as competition.

I sent them a request about 2 months ago to talk about the mono-culture issue and still no response. Also I sent them a correction on the Apple TV's competitor the "VUDU."

I could see Apple's next commerical:

"Hi I'm Apple TV, Hi I am Netflix along with PC"

[Rusdude]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

I got a $99 black Zune 30 from Woot sale and couldn't be happier. Actually, I am sitting at work listening to its radio right now. New Zune software is strange but iTunes on PC has its issues too. And we all know the reasons why iPods have PC support and Zune has no Mac support yet.

P.S. "Cranky Geeks" is fun -- I watch it on TiVoCast.

[kikar]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

My take on the two:

1.The unit itself - Vudu wins between the two because it doesn't heat up like the ATV. The ATV could warm my house in the winter after just a few minutes of use. Also I like the connections on the Vudu, and the asthetics of the box. ATV maybe smaller but not by much.

2. The Remote - Vudu wins, mainly because for the scroll wheel. It makes trick play, text entry, and browsing easier and it provides an over all better experience. Plus it feels better in your hand. Vudu packs an RF remote, but apple sports an IR remote that one can use a universial remote with.

3. Movie Selection SD - Vudu has a bigger selection but mainly because of the wide variety of movie genres they have. Right now I would give the edge slightly to Vudu becasue of this.

4. Movie selection HD - This one is a toss up it all depends on you likes and dislikes so I would say a tie between the two.

5. Movie quality SD - This one is close as well but I would give a slight edge to Vudu (very slight edge)

6. Movie quality HD - After watching Transformers on both I would give a slight edge again to Vudu the picture seemed almost identical to ATV, which had less macro blocking than the XBox Live downloads so if you have downloaded from there then you will know what I mean about macroblocking I was pleasantly suprised with the Atv picture but felt that Vudu's 1080p encode seemed to be slightly more detailed than the Atv. My wife said they looked identical to her.

7. Price SD - Vudu wins only because it has .99 rentals and offers some free downloads of older gems for people to enjoy.

8. Price HD - Apple wins as 4.99 is their top price for an HD download.

9. AQ - Vudu's DD+ encode downgraded to DD seemed a little fuller in the explosions and action sequences, but Atv seemed more crisp in the dialog and the rears were more active on the Vudu. So I guess it is what you prefer as to whom you would deem the winner of this battle. Vudu also has more movies available in DD5.1.

10. User interface - I liked Vudu's interface better. The scrolling, being able to seperate by a lot more categories than ATV offers and being able to combine multiple filters makes Vudu navigation alot easier. ATV is pleasant and easy to use and I would probably love it had Vudu not spoiled me.

11. Functionality - This is a personal choice but I love the ATV more so than the Vudu here. Being able to take a purchase and have it automatically back up on my Mac from which I can back it up on a disc is great. I also like being ale to move a show or movie to my iPod to view on the go. I like being able to purchase a season pass for TV shows. I also enjoy You tube and Flickr features on ATV ( won't use them much but occasionally have used You tube and it is nice)

12. TV shows - Almost forgot this one as it is obvious that ATV wins. Vudu's selection is anemic and not portable. Apple allows for the option to purchase a season at a discount and has a much larger selection so I give the edge to Apple.


13. Movie experience - The Vudu instant watching has set the bar. I did notlike to have to wait on the ATV, I have been spoiled. The P2P that Vudu uses has its good things as well as bad. It can be a network hog on my home network and bog some of my other equipment down but it allows for a much more pleasant viewing experience. With the ATV I waited to watch a movie until it was finished downloading because the network was so jammed up last night that it took 4 minutes to download a 2:25 HD movie trailer. and on some HD trailers it kept pausing to buffer and that is not what I want to have happen while watching a movie. That has yet to happen to me while watching Vudu.


In conclusion if you love movies and plan on renting most of the time, and you want the best quality that downloads offer I would recommend Vudu over ATV any day of the week. If you look for more functionality, the ability to back up purchases to "data" disc, portabilty, and you like TV as well as movies than I would recommend ATV.


Just my two cents.

Here is my revised review after watching an actual HD movie on the Atv. I also moved it from the smaller 720p tv in the bedroom where it has been hibernating for the last year to the bigger 1080p tv in the family room to see how it stacks directly with the Vudu. Both outputting 1080i and using HDMI to my HDMI receiver both outputting DD 5.1.

Also does anybody know if apple has changed something in the way they encode their films because I watched a film that I had purchased when I first got the Atv and it looks nowhere near as good as their newer movies that you can rent such as 3:10 to Yuma. The difference is night and Day.

[NA9D]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

Also does anybody know if apple has changed something in the way they encode their films because I watched a film that I had purchased when I first got the Atv and it looks nowhere near as good as their newer movies that you can rent such as 3:10 to Yuma. The difference is night and Day.

Apple changed the quality of the encoding of their movies right around the time the ATV came out a year ago. So perhaps you got one that didn't get upgraded. Or perhaps they have made further improvements.

It's confusing though because now if you want to convert a video file to play on an Apple device, you have an option for all devices (iPhone, iPod and ATV), iPod only (I think it includes iPhone as well) and ATV only. The ATV can handle video specs that the iPod can't.

[kikar]

Re: AppleTV HD vs. Vudu - First Impressions

Apple changed the quality of the encoding of their movies right around the time the ATV came out a year ago. So perhaps you got one that didn't get upgraded. Or perhaps they have made further improvements.

It's confusing though because now if you want to convert a video file to play on an Apple device, you have an option for all devices (iPhone, iPod and ATV), iPod only (I think it includes iPhone as well) and ATV only. The ATV can handle video specs that the iPod can't.

Cool thanks for the update. Yeah I bought national treasure just before I got the ATV. Just to try it out and it looked like crap I have never finished watching it. Thus the Apple TV has been collecting dust in the bedroom. It is a nice suprise to see them improve their encodes. I still prefer Vudu SD but that is just me.