Apple TV Query?

[Twill]

Hi,

I'm thinking of getting an Apple TV, and have a functionality question for any current users out there.

If I buy a TV series from iTunes on my iPhone, is that purchased logged in the cloud so that the content is available on any device that knows my Apple ID?

I bought a TV series from iTunes on my Windows laptop, as a trial. When I want to watch the next episode, I plug the laptop in to the TV via HDMI, and use the iTunes Remote app on my iPhone to watch the show. When I do this, I am presuming the laptop is streaming the content live from the cloud, as I haven't downloaded the entire series to a local device, the HD content being too big in terms of file size.

I'd like the Apple TV to basically play the role of the laptop here. I'd like to be able to turn it on, and have it be able to access anything I've bought from iTunes, whether the original purchase was made on my iPhone, laptop, or through the unit itself.

If my Apple TV is set up to know my Apple ID, presumably it will be able to see any content I've already purchased, and stream this on demand, without the need for a computer somewhere running itunes to be turned on?

this seems the kind of useful easy connectivity that Apple is so good at, but sometimes they choose their own annoying path, so i wanted to check.

cheers

 

[bigboss]

Yes, your assumptions are correct. You should be able to access the programme on Apple TV as long as you're logged in with the same id. Also, it plays directly from the cloud.

 

[bigboss]

Also, you don't need any other computer to be switched on.

 

[Twill]

Thanks for the info. I went ahead and got one.

Just to report on my initial impressions of above mentioned, and recently acquired Apple TV.

It does indeed do what I expected / wanted, which is always a pleasant surprise!

What is odd about it is that it is slower to stream iTunes content than my laptop running iTunes. An HD 30min TV show streaming on my laptop starts instantly. on the Apple TV, it buffers for a good couple of minutes before playing. I'm on a standard ADSL2 broadband line, but I wouldn't have thought this was the bottleneck if the laptop - on the same connection - hardly buffers at all.

The other thing that amazes me a little is the patchy and absurdly expensive nature of the iTunes catalogue. I hadn't really explored it that thoroughly before, but there are a lot of half series, or just one series of a show that in reality ran for many iterations available up there, and they're almost all very expensive.

Looking at it from my son's point of view, you can get all of Pepper Pig, but only 4 or 5 episodes of Roary the Racing Car.

And certain US TV shows will have series 1 up there, but none of the other series.

Anyway, just some thoughts for what they're worth.

 

[Paul.]

Give Netflix a free months trial, it's worth it just for House of Cards alone