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Getting Started with Apple TV

Getting Started with Apple TV 4

published by Chand Bellur
January 14, 2016 at 4:27 p.m. PST

Apple TV 4 is a quantum leap over its predecessor, bringing tvOS, the App Store and Siri to your television. This article covers how to get started with your new Apple TV.

Apple TV has long been considered a hobby. Apple’s previous attempts at set-top boxes have only offered the basic capability of streaming media. The lack of an App Store made it difficult for third parties to offer apps and services. Prior to the fourth generation model, Apple TV only offered a few dozen content channels. These channels all looked the same and offered similar functionality. It was good enough for playing movies, TV shows and music.

The new Apple TV 4 makes it clear that Apple is taking television seriously. While it’s not perfect, nor the quality one typically expects with Apple products, the new set-top box is an impressive evolution. With its new Siri remote, A8 processor, tvOS and App Store, Apple TV has a lot more in common with your iPhone. Let’s take a look at how to get started with your new Apple TV.

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Unboxing and Connecting Your Apple TV 4

Apple TV 4 comes in a simple, yet attractive box. If you purchased a brand new unit, the box should still be wrapped in plastic. If this is not the case, consider returning the unit for a new, shrink-wrapped product.

Remove the shrink-wrap and open the box by carefully lifting off the top. The top of the box features an image of the Apple TV unit, with an Apple TV logo. With the top portion of the box removed, you will see the Apple TV unit and Siri remote. Both should be covered in protective plastic. Carefully remove the remote using the plastic tab at the bottom of the remote. Remove the remote’s protective plastic covering and place it in a safe place. The Siri remote is partially constructed of glass and may crack if dropped!

The Apple TV unit is also wrapped in plastic. Clear plastic covers the entire unit, and a black plastic strap protects the sides of the unit. An additional black plastic cover protects the bottom of the unit. Carefully remove the unit from the box and take off all three protective plastic wrappers.

Apple TV’s brief instruction manual is stored in the box, below the main Apple TV unit. Simply lift the cardboard panel using the hole to access the getting started guide, Apple logo stickers and product information sheet. Remove the plastic strip to view the getting started guide. As you can see, the guide is very brief and provides very little information about setting up your new Apple TV. That’s why I wrote this article!

After removing the documentation, you’ll see a USB to lightning cable. This cable is used to charge the Siri remote. Your remote will already be charged. Just set this cable aside for now. You won’t need it for the setup process.

Remove the cardboard panel that held the Siri remote in place. Next, remove the power cable and its plastic wrapper. Set the power cable aside for now.

The new fourth generation Apple TV is slightly bigger than previous models. Although it’s only 35mm tall, that makes it almost one-third taller than the previous model. This is because the A8 processor generates more heat, which requires the addition of a larger heat sink. There are no fans or active electronics to cool Apple TV 4, which cuts down on both noise and power usage. The lack of moving parts makes the device more robust. There are no fans to break or get clogged with dust. After several hours of use, the set-top box only gets lukewarm. You won’t have to worry about your new Apple TV overheating, however, you still need to consider thermal and ventilation issues when positioning the unit.

Find an ideal location for your Apple TV. It should be placed close enough to your television to attach an HDMI cable. If you are using WiFi with your new Apple TV, make sure that it can get a good signal. You can test a location’s signal strength using an iPhone or any device that works over WiFi. If you are using an ethernet cable, make sure your Apple TV is close enough to both the router and TV to attach the necessary cables.

You also need to ensure that the Siri remote will function with your new Apple TV. Since the remote works over Bluetooth, it will operate your Apple TV even if it is not in the line of sight of the base unit. If the location of your Apple TV is good for WiFi reception, it will probably work with the Siri remote. If not, you can always use the Apple Remote app for iOS, which works over WiFi, however, the Siri remote is the best way to control your Apple TV.

It’s also a good idea to place your fourth generation Apple TV somewhere with adequate ventilation. If you are placing it in an entertainment center or other similar furniture, make sure that air can circulate freely and WiFi signal is unencumbered. Although the new Apple TV has an adequate heat sink and doesn’t seem to get warm, some ventilation will help ensure that the device stays cool. Don’t place your Apple TV base unit on any other electronic device that generates heat.

Attach an HDMI cable to your TV and affix the other end of the cable to your Apple TV. Next, plug the power cable into your Apple TV and attach the other end to an electrical outlet. Your Apple TV will turn on and start up. This may power on your television and select the correct HDMI input. If not, turn on your TV and select the correct HDMI input. You should eventually see a screen asking you to pair the remote, presented in a variety of languages. Let’s take a look at configuring your new Apple TV.

Apple TV 4: Initial Setup and Configuration

After connecting Apple TV, one must complete a setup process. The first setup screen prompts the user to pair the remote by clicking the trackpad. Simply press down on the matte area above the menu button until you hear and feel a light click. This will pair the Siri remote with Apple TV. Next, select a language from the list using the trackpad. Click the trackpad to finalize your language selection.

I prefer Apple products because they work together as part of an ecosystem. Apple TV 4’s setup process can use your iOS device to expedite initial configuration. Simply click “Set Up with Device” using the Siri remote. You need an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with at least iOS 9.1 installed to take advantage of this feature. This will work with any iOS device that supports iOS 9.1 (or later) with the exception of the iPad 2.

Unlock your iOS device, turn on Bluetooth and place it near your Apple TV. You will see a message on your iOS device asking if you want to set up your Apple TV now. Tap “Continue” to proceed with the setup process. You will be asked to enter your Apple ID and password on your iOS device. If you have enabled two-step verification for your Apple ID, a screen with iOS device names will appear on your TV. Select the device you are currently using. A security code will appear on this device. Enter the security code using the Siri remote. Scroll left or right using the trackpad to highlight each digit. Click the trackpad to select each number. Your iOS device will display a message asking if you want to send data to Apple. I recommend not sending data to Apple, as it will consume network bandwidth.

If you don’t have an iOS device, you must manually enter information about your WiFi network and Apple ID. Use the trackpad to select and enter characters on each screen. It’s not unwieldy, however, using an iOS device will save you a few steps.

The next set of steps will continue configuration of your Apple TV. These steps can’t be completed on your iOS device, so you’ll need to use the Siri remote.

Location Services can be enabled or disabled from the next configuration screen. I recommend enabling Location Services, as it will provide you with locale-specific screen savers and recommendations. Apple is pretty good about protecting their customers’ privacy. If you are protective of your privacy, you may want to opt out of Location Services.

You have the option of enabling or disabling Siri. I strongly recommend using Siri. The personal digital assistant is quite helpful with tasks such as turning on subtitles, skipping back or forward in a video, and looking up information such as weather conditions, sports scores and stock quotes. Siri is initiated using the microphone button on the remote. Although Siri for tvOS is not as capable as its iOS counterpart, it is still convenient.

Apple TV 4 features breathtaking HD aerial screen savers. The next set up screen asks if you want to download these automatically. I have actually turned this off, because these automatic downloads sometimes happen at inopportune moments. I dislike the way Apple implemented this feature. Users can only select a frequency (daily, weekly, monthly) for downloading, but there is no way to manually initiate a download. You can turn on daily downloads whenever the screen savers get stale and turn them back off after an update. Screen saver downloads can be configured in the Settings app.

Users are once again asked if they would like to send diagnostic and usage data to Apple. I recommend turning this off, as this feature has proved problematic on older models of Apple TV. Perhaps they have fixed it, but I wouldn’t take that chance. Finally, agree to the warranty and legal agreements to finalize your Apple TV 4’s configuration. You will now see the home screen, which presents a marquee of top movies, music and TV shows, along with a grid of tvOS app icons.

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Enjoy Your New Apple TV 4!

Now that your configuration is complete, you can finally use your Apple TV. Unlike previous models, the fourth generation Apple TV only offers Apple content apps on a new device. If you want to watch Netflix, Hulu, HBO NOW or other steaming services, you can download these from the App Store. Simply use the trackpad on the Siri remote to select App Store and download these apps.

Make sure to download and play some of the amazing games that tvOS has to offer. So far, I find Asphalt8 and Air Wings to be among the best games, however, developers are adding new apps every day. Spend some time getting acquainted with your new Apple TV. The user interface is intuitive, however, there are some tricks that aren’t obvious.

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