Does ATV3 support 1080i?

Thanks for the reply, but just because it will handle standard definition media doesn't guarantee that it supports 480p output. Can someone who actually has one of the new Apple TVs check to see if 480p is still shown in the resolution menu.

Yes, 480p is still available in the resolution menu.

What a bummer, Apple is leaving us older HDTV owners out in the cold. I sold my ATV2 beforehand and I'm a bit dissapointed that the ATV3 doesn't support 1080i.. So here's what I'm wondering, they used to make expensive hardware deinterlacers, maybe someone makes a reinterlacer? Perhaps a reciever that converts component video to hdmi might also support 1080p input as well as 1080i output?

Not having 1080i is a huge bummer for me because that's the best my TV can do and I'm not using the Apple TV for video... I want to use it to display photos for my clients. Specifically, I want to use the Apple TV to make my bigscreen a second monitor for displaying images wirelessly from my laptop (on the assumption that this will be a possible use of the new Airplay technology in OSX Mountain Lion), and it needs to be maximum resolution for those still images to look right.

Would love to see Apple add support for 1080i, would be a huge boost to my use of the new Apple TV, even if it doesn't live up to the video standards for everyone (hey, we can always select 720p if we want progressive).

Buy a new TV.. any decent HD TV bought in the last 5 YEARS should do 720p AND 1080p. 480i, and 1080i are out dated formats that almost nothing uses any more.

I've seen a few TVs still being sold that don't do 1080p but 1080i... my advice: AVOID them.

Any HD TV in the last 5 yrs should do: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p

**** even some cheap 720p LCDs will accept 1080p and downscale it

ATV 2 is 480p/720p

ATV 3 is 480 720 1080 (p)

Neither of them support interlaced mode

Yes got the ATV3 today; I have a 1080i tv (bought in 2004) and ATV3 sets the resolution to 480P (shows under settings). I can definitely see that mirroring is low in quality. But surprisingly YouTube HQ (1080P) videos look very good and so do the trailers. The trailers/previews especially look close to HD Blu Ray quality - may be slightly less than Blu ray quality but definitely even better than DVD quality to my eyes! Is it possible that ATV 3 is sending 480P for streaming but 720P for other things? Doesn't make much sense that it would do something like that but the trailers for sure don't anywhere close to standard defn quality, definitely much much better. I'm confused ...

How absolutely parochial, elitist, and ignorant this comment is! Buy a new TV? Would you care to buy me one? I have a very nice TV, does 1080i, and while it supports 720p, it's not as nice as 1080i because it converts. Furthermore, there is far more content out there that is 1080i than 720p. ABC,ESPN, and I believe AMC, and a few others use 720p, and there are advantages to each format. Of course, 1080p is best, but first, there is little content available, with the exception of blu-ray and I know DirecTV has a PPV channel that does it, and second, only the new TVs, and not all of them, support it.

There is a comment in another thread that "...interlacing has largely been superseded by progressive video" is a great example of ignorance posing as authority. As technology has gotten less expensive, thanks to many early adopters who bought 1080i equipment, 1080p is becoming more and more available, but in software, its a small portion and this statement is misleading.

In this and other threads about this subject, I'm struck by the arrogance of those commenting with little technical knowledge. Probably the biggest reason 1080i is popular is the large population of early adopters who made HDTV less expensive for all of you who are just now buying one. Many of us have very nice televisions or monitors that do 1080i and they must convert 720p to 1080i, which requires a tradeoff and is never as good as native support. While I'm disappointed that component outputs are omitted, it does keep the cost of AppleTV down, so you kind of understand that one, but if the electronics do 1080p, they can do 1080i, so Apple is making a choice and that one is a little puzzling, unless they are governed by people like this guy. It's almost like he, and others, are saying, "if you can't buy the latest and greatest all the time, you really don't deserve the support. In a way, it feels like Apple is saying that by wilfully not allowing 1080i, because its a "no cost" feature.

What kills me are anecdotal statements like this or "....Honestly, though, can you really tell a difference between 720p and 1080i? I know I never could on my 32" Samsung." I'm guessing that Samsung does 720p maximum, so you wouldn't notice since 1080i has more information being scaled into less, to say nothing of the small screen making it difficult to see detail. Try that on a 55" and see what you think. This comment basically impugns those who are questioning resolution, so really is unnecessary.

It does matter and AppleTV might become a more ubiquitous device by supporting 1080i. I'd use it for movies if it did, but instead, I get my movies elsewhere where I can watch 1080i and not degrade my picture by converting formats and I regret buying the device because there are similar format choices in audio and home movies Apple has chosen not to play. I think Apple would choose bankruptcy before they acknowledge Quicktime's second-place (at best) standing.

I really like Apple products, they are easy to use, and very well designed, save for these silly blind spots like omitting 1080i. But, as a technical person who has contributed on many PC,Unix, Audio, Home Theater, and Auto DIY boards, my foray into the Apple world has taught me that is full of individuals like this who make ignorant, elitist statements that are misleading people who truly need help.

So, if you are looking for information about Apple product, stick to that here and don't take the side comments like these too seriously. And please, don't let the Apple Elitist scare you off from asking a question out of fear of ridicule from a guy like this who tells you to buy a new TV because of your supposedly obsolete capability.

If you have a question, that alone is a valid reason to ask it. Don't let some Apple evangelist convince you that everything they do is the only way to do it and you are ignorant or undeserving if you don't go along.

AppleTV regrettably does not support 1080i, and it the device seems to display the highest supported resolution on the TV and AppleTV in its menu settings. But Apple, please, if you read this, please open up the software and support 1080i. I'd wholeheartedly recommend this device to friends if you did, and I think many of us would.

Message was edited by: HelpfulDad typo fixes

Wow folks. Isn't there more in your life than being this passionate about whether the AppleTV3 supports 1080P or not? I read this thread and realized it was just another indicator of how messed up our society is. Seriously, it's only a $100 device. If it doesn't do what you want than simply vote with your wallet and take it back and stick with Apple TV 2. If it turns out Apple didn't do their market research well and they get the message that there is a significant demand for 1080i they will probably enable it. They understand marketing. Too bad we can't this kind of passion for things that really matter!

It surprises me that you took time out of your importance hunting day to read through and respond to a 6 month old thread on atv3 1080i support. Imagine how much better off you would be if you were passionate about reading books, or spent your wasted time here helping out a charity?

Guy (@crazyblane) PLEASE tell me you see the irony (and hypocracy) in your post. Please troll where you belong... youtube.

Anyhow I fail to see how searching the web for a solution to a technical problem makes you someone who doesn't read books. I have read "The Outliers" by Malcom Gladwell, "Zombie Survival Guide" by Max Brooks and a physics book by John Cramer "A brief history of science" in the past month

Now I would like to presume based even on your harsh judgemental standards that this qualifies me as a reader you suggest with "passionate about reading books"

That being said, here I am finding my answer. So because I bought my unit last week as opposed to this thread's date of origin, it makes me illiterate (or at least not a reader of books) and uncharitable?

If anything you've demonstrated yourself as daft and slight of wit.

Now, to the previous posters. I see a lot of overcomplication to this question.

In short you get 480p, 720p and 1080p with ATV3.

The best way to explain this is, the HDMI communication will ID the highest possible format the set supports. ATV3 simply switches to the highest allowed mode.

720p is the highest since the next step is 1080p (which your 1080i set answers with "no" when asked "do you support 1080p" by atv3) which is higher than 1080i. It simply drops down until YES is repled (it's actually a numeric value not the words no or yes)

SO if you really want the grease, just go to your settings>general>about

you will see "Current resolution" and sure enough it's 720p.

DON'T use anything outside of this because you are only looking at the SOURCE resolution.

In other words you could be in netflix or what have you and seek the resolution settings and see 480p. This is merely the source. If your TV has a display it can't lie. Simply pull it up and it too will show 720p even though you may be viewing 480p.

The ATV3 is NOT switching. It simply muxes or downconverts the needed source resolutions to whatever your TV is currently providing (at its highest.)

You also failed to read the post I was responding to. If you had, you would have quickly realized I'm on your side.

I have a 1080i/720P TV and all it does is 720P, it does not support 1080i. Although, it still looks very good.