Apple TV kinda sorta works with certain 4:3 SD TVs

Semi-good news for the folks out there short a fancy widescreen display to plug an Apple TV into: nothing's going to explode or nothing if you go ahead and hook it up to your regular old TV. The folks at Rogue Amoeba have been celebrating just such a feat, since the Apple TV seems to be running just fine at 480i on their ghetto-school 4:3 CRT via component, unfortunately, it seems their celebrations are a tad premature. They claim to have video running unsquished, but as you can see in the pic above, which compares the Rogue setup to our own, the menu at least is most definitely being squeezed to fit. The word on the street is that 4:3 TVs are fine as long as they have the proper hookups and a simulated widescreen mode, but it's pretty clear that the Apple TV itself provides no support for 4:3 viewing.

[Via El Reg]

[Jason @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:14PM]

If you don't have an HDTV you should probably put $300 towards one and buy a cable to hook it to your PC.

[js @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:16PM]

PCs? Why not hook it up to a mac mini? Go away, Microshaft fanboy.

[Jason @ Mar 23rd 2007 7:32PM]

I don't own any device capable of running Windows. I'm kind of confused here.

[KC @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:19PM]

A mac is a PC. A PC is a Personal Computer, which can be anything that has a CPU in it.

[js @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:24PM]

So, the PC vs. Mac ad run by Apple is contradicting itself?

[KC @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:37PM]

Yes.

[MikeN @ Mar 23rd 2007 5:15PM]

So, bears crap in the woods?

[js @ Mar 23rd 2007 5:46PM]

"So, bears crap in the woods?"

Only when your mom knows it's time for nature's call.

[Matt @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:40PM]

Well played.

[Taylor @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:40PM]

Umm... is it just me, or is ignoring 4:3 TV's like, a HUGE oversight? I know we should all have the newest and best Hi def widescreen TV's, but that doesn't mean everyone does... We have a 50" 4:3 SDTV, and though a new TV would be nice, it's not something we're going to buy terribly soon... My parents are the same way, and they'd be the type to buy an iTV, because it "just works"... only it wouldn't, with their TV...
-Taylor

[bmitsuda @ Mar 23rd 2007 4:51PM]

I am not sure who the apple tv is really targeting because if it does not work with SD sets, which I thought that it did, and it does not work with true HD files (see earlier engadgetHD post) then who are they targeting?

I guess there are a bunch of people out there that dont even get HD programming with their HD set so maybe that is who Apple is targeting - people who have money enough to own a HD set but are to dumb to realize they aren't watching HD. (What are those black bars on the sides for?? :) ).

[andy.shedd @ Mar 23rd 2007 6:00PM]

I like Yahoo! Go for TV...and it's free

[Ordeith @ Mar 23rd 2007 6:22PM]

this product is more than $100 more than other, more capable, place shitfers.

Devices that support more codecs, SD and HD, and function very similarly.

I don't know who apple is targeting this device too, P.T. Barnum's clientel perhaps?

[Falcom @ Mar 23rd 2007 9:37PM]

thank god someone is taking a stand against 4:3 screens. They need to die....seriously. Yesterday. 16:9 isn't even theatrical aspect yet, but at least its an 'ok' compromise. DIE 4:3 DIE! SD can die along with it too.

[James @ Mar 23rd 2007 10:36PM]

Just quickly, don't engadget realise that 720 is a bigger resolution than 480, therefore more information can be displayed on the screen, thus causing elements to appear smaller? The menu is not squished, its running in 480i. Less vertical lines of resolution. Who made this post? It is ridiculous! It was started by someone's own opinion that is inherently flawed by ignorance. Someone please delete this post.

[smokeonit @ Mar 26th 2007 4:34AM]

4:3 looks fine to me... the lettes look fine and the picture of the appleTV also doesn't look squeezed!

[Gordy @ Mar 26th 2007 8:06AM]

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with the 4:3 TV's display (Philips 27" by the way). The AppleTV's just outputting fewer lines.

Hey, I have that TV. Who knew?

[Thomas B @ Mar 26th 2007 1:49PM]

You can even connect Apple TV to your standard TV via composite (from the green luma output), but you only get black and white. Not very satisfying, but it works.

http://www.beutelevision.com/blog/apple-tv-on-sdtv-in.html

Yes, it does look squeezed and everyone looks like they've lost weight and grown tall.