Peter Cohen on the Apple TV ‘Losing’ 1080p Playback

Peter Cohen:

There’s only one problem.

The Apple TV never had support for 1080i or 1080p video.

I know that many of you will do a double-take, and will immediately fire up your flatscreen TV to check. And you’ll find that your Apple TV says it knows you’re on a 1080i device. I know that’s one of the first things I changed when I set up my Apple TV.

But check the specs on Apple’s own Web site to confirm. The Apple TV simply does not output 1080p or 1080i video. It never has.

I see what he means; Topolsky’s headline at Engadget could be misread to mean that the new Apple TV’s — purported — lack of 1080 playback is a regression from the existing shipping model. It’s not. It’s a regression from a previous rumor regarding the next-gen model.

★ Thursday, 12 August 2010