Apple has a promo - 3 months free subscription to Apple TV+ (the service, not the HW box).

I thought it would be good. But I don't get it: in the time it took to just watch my first video:

1. What's the diff between "Home" and "Apple TV+" sections?

2. Where is my watchlist? I see a watchlist row if I scroll all the way down to the bottom (which is fucking stupid), but the list only shows a few of my selections to date. How do I see the rest of the watchlist selections?

3. I hate for a paid service that I need to watch (or skip) preview content before being served the content I selected.

4. Why does the audio keep skipping in/out and/or distorting? Many times during the video; never had this issue with Prime, NF, Max or other providers on the same Apple TV.

5. Why does the video start for scratch (the beginning) if I pause in the middle and come back later? All other apps will resume from the pause point.

First week of service. VERY disappointed in the Apple TV+ app / service. At least it's free - if this keeps up, I'll be cancelling before payment is required.

It's not you. The current AppleTV/Apple TV+ interface is horrible. The older format was much friendlier. It's trying so hard to accomodate so many channels that it doesn't do any one thing well.

Good to know. I'm old so maybe the new math and I just don't get along. Good that it's not me.

Wow - I can't believe that it's this bad. It isn't rocket science. It's not like this is a new type of app or service. It's like an alpha version of the first release.

The interface is poor. It may get better in the next release, or it may not. No one seems to know.

3 is the least annoying of the major services that I’ve tried. Prime and Netflix have previews and commercials unless you pay for Premium beyond their normal monthly/yearly charge.

I’ve not had your service problems (4 and 5). What device are you using? Current Tv4k has been fine as far as audio/video.

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
It's not you. The current AppleTV/Apple TV+ interface is horrible. The older format was much friendlier. It's trying so hard to accomodate so many channels that it doesn't do any one thing well.

Spot on!

I yell at it constantly! Add a show, then can’t find it!

It is the most disappointing Apple product that I own.

Thank you for this!

There are perhaps a half-dozen movies I'd like to see that are only (AFAIK) available on Apple.

I have a deep-seated - if illogical - antipathy towards anything Apple but was halfway considering a temporary subscription just to see said movies.

This post both confirms my prejudices and quashes any incipient urge to swallow my pride.

I bought AppleTV as an add-on to Amazon Prime.

The benefits of the Apple shows with the interface from Amazon. Highly recommend doing it this way.

#4 Sound quality has not been a problem at all for us. AppleTV box via hdmi into a Denon AV receiver, then hdmi video to the tv. All audio is from the receiver, no tv in the audio pathway.

The rest of your list, 100% agree! I especially hate the watchlist not being there.

Prime is almost as bad for the watchlist, as the app always starts up showing suggested new shows and I have to navigate back to home then down to my stuff. But at least I can find it on the Prime app.

Prime ads suck almost as much as broadcast tv did, and I'm close to giving up on it.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Apple has a promo - 3 months free subscription to Apple TV+ (the service, not the HW box).

I never sign up for the "free trial," they always want your credit card/bank info for automatic payment once the trial period expires, and you have to proactively opt-out. I am not an Apple TV user so I cannot address all the questions. I do have experience with the Apple TV box in office/conference room environments where it has proven superior to most of its competition (as long as you are using Apple devices as the controller, e.g. MacBook, iPad, iPhone, etc.)

quote:

1. What's the diff between "Home" and "Apple TV+" sections?

This one I know, "Home" is where you interface with you home automation systems, some of which may be A/V components like the Apple TV box, and other things like lights, cameras, and door locks. You might (probably) have to have one of their home automation controllers on your LAN.

quote:

2. Where is my watchlist? I see a watchlist row if I scroll all the way down to the bottom (which is fucking stupid), but the list only shows a few of my selections to date. How do I see the rest of the watchlist selections?

I suspect you have to manually add anything you haven't actually selected for watching, look for a "+" button somewhere under watchlist. You might have to be logged in to your Apple Store account to see these options, and are thereby limited to th shows they offer.

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3. I hate for a paid service that I need to watch (or skip) preview content before being served the content I selected.

Nobody likes ads, how do you think Apple generates revenue for all those "free trials?"

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4. Why does the audio keep skipping in/out and/or distorting? Many times during the video; never had this issue with Prime, NF, Max or other providers on the same Apple TV.

Can't answer this one, there are at least a thousand possible reasons, maybe tens of thousands.

quote:

5. Why does the video start for scratch (the beginning) if I pause in the middle and come back later? All other apps will resume from the pause point.

Money saving decision by Apple, this significantly reduces the amount of infrastructure needed to provide the service.

quote:

First week of service. VERY disappointed in the Apple TV+ app / service. At least it's free - if this keeps up, I'll be cancelling before payment is required.

Make sure you give it enough time, it can be a challenging process. Also, be prepared for when they cancel the service immediately upon status change, you will probably not get the full "free trial" period.

I am a big fan of Apple's technologies, but not so much of their business practices.

Edited to fix typos and grammar.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: architect,

Maybe I am the exception??

We have had Apple TV for years and have no problems with using it, locating movies, purchased movies in the library, etc.

Using Samsung TV.

We have the Apple TV app on Firesticks, seems to work just fine, Watched all episodes of Long Way Home last week. No issues with quality or sound.

Granted I don't watch a lot of things on it, but the stuff I have hasn't been problematic.

The AppleTV hardware is perfectly fine. The AppleTV app is where the issue is, if you want to stream via that app. All the other apps such as Prime, ESPN, Netflix, etc work perfectly well on the hardware. At least for us it has been so.

quote:

Originally posted by urbanwarrior238:
Maybe I am the exception??

We have had Apple TV for years and have no problems with using it, locating movies, purchased movies in the library, etc.

Using Samsung TV.

ditto,

3 yr old or so Samsung, and have had Apple TV a couple years, no issues using the app on the TV

Apple TV box and fire stick remote both play nice for me. I prefer the apple TV box for Apple TV programming because it lets the better audio through where the fire stick doesn’t.

I got a free trial of AppleTV+ when I bought something from Apple. Didn't even finish out the trial. The app and the movie/show selection was terrible. The AppleTV device on the other hand, I really like. Thinking about getting a second one to replace the Xfinity box in the bedroom. The AppleTV interface is much better than the Sony smartTV interface.

Okay, (re: issue #4) I'm getting tired of switching Atmos on / off depending on which provider I'm using. Atmos only seems to be a problem with TV+ at this point.

Any tips on how to determine the problem source: TV+ SW, Apple TV HW, receiver, hdmi cables, Apple TV config, receiver config, other? I'm pretty sure the hdmi cables (ATV to receiver) is high speed capable, as is the receiver to TV (this one shouldn't matter though, right?).

I'm guessing it's not the content itself as the issue happens on all TV+ Atmos enabled content (so far).

Would like to identify the cause and fix if possible.

Streaming platforms REALLY REALLY REALLY need some kind of user interface standardization. Like what Bill Gates did in the computer world where he united dozens of computer companies into using one standardized OS.

I hate having to navigate some of them, some are SO touchy when you try to rewind a few seconds it jumps back minutes. Others are so dog slow in doing anything. Most of them you can't see where you are navigating very well. WHY???? Drives me nuts.

Same with the "score bug" used in baseball. Some are well designed and easy to understand at a glance the bases, balls, strikes etc. Others are SO complicated looking or hard to see it's ridiculous.

This cannot be that hard to figure out, right?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: PASig,