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Comment by m_st | Hacker News Reader

Sounds great. Exactly what I hoped the new Apple TV would be... Does anyone know whether Fire TV has a VPN client build in?

Edit:

Found this with a quick search https://vpntips.com/fire-tv-vpn-install. To bad it's so complicated given that Fire TV runs Android. But this little device looks very promising. I enjoy 4K TV a lot through the Netflix app on my Sony TV.

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Exactly, it seemed like Apple has really held back on the Apple Tv. I think their original plan hasn't panned out yet with the "replace your cable" deals, but they also had to release the hardware now.

Maybe future software upgrades will bring something more enticing?

I was sort of put off by the no 4k support. I will most likely have a 4k tv within the year and much more content will be in 4k.

Note: the version without the gaming controller is $99.

What kind of bandwidth do you need to stream 4k?

Netflix requires 20mbit

http://blog.netflix.com/2014/05/netflix-now-streaming-in-ult...

Netflix says [EDIT: "recommends"] 25mbps: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/306

Supporting 4k would also be a lot more demanding on the graphics "card" as well.

On the other hand, many of us don't really care about 4K -- there's no benefit unless you sit somewhere less than about 6 feet away (which is not normal for most homes). Most people will not notice a difference between 4k and 1080p in normal viewing conditions.

Serious question: What does this have that the new Apple TV doesn't? Other than coming with a games controller by default, rather than having to buy one separately.

Also, assuming that amazon will make an app for the new Apple TV (which they seem to have done for all iOS so far) the new apple tv will play EVERYTHING - Plex, Amazon, Netflix etc, and iTunes content.

I know it's apples fault for not making iTunes-playing apps for other devices, but that doesn't change the fact that with AppleTV I only need one device, versus every other solution. It's just plain more convenient. Of course, this only applies if you are in the apple ecosystem to begin with, which is maybe not who these are aimed at...

> What does this have that the new Apple TV doesn't?

I'm all in the Apple ecosystem. But:

- No 4K

- No VPN

- No default game controller (so you never know whether games support it or not)

No thanks for me and my requirements.

That last remark isn’t quite right — the app store requires that all games are playable with that new touchpad apple remote.

I believe that Apple also requires tvOS games to be operable with the remote in order to be published. In other words, one can't make a tvOS game that requires an actual game controller to play. Most likely this will severely hinder the platform in terms of gaming support because that remote is way too simple to support games of any real complexity.

Operable. Nowhere have I seen that it requires it to be pleasant.

$50 bucks cheaper...but yes if you are completely in Apple ecosystem then probably not great device for you. The only thing you mention above that Amazon won't play is iTunes content (Apples fault not Amazons...no way Apple will ever make an Android iTunes app).

> $50 bucks cheaper...

OTOH, on the value side, Nexus Player is another $60 cheaper than this.

I really like the new Apple remote but I would have liked 4K. Now I am undecided but perhaps with a preference towards Fire.

This will be really sweet as soon as Cyanogenmod runs on it. :-) That'll also fix your VPN problems.

Is there a plan for that?

I own a FTV, and I love it. You can side-load anything you want, as long as you can find the .apk file.

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