Does the Apple TV change the bit rate of the recorded music?

No, and AIFF is a supported format. Are you noticing a difference?

When you say 'native' do you mean playing off the CD or the file stored in iTunes? I have seen no evidence to suggest down-conversion and have tested songs which sound identical on my system.

Have you only tried these 'few songs' or many? It could also be something specific to your setup

Yes it does alter things for no apparent reason.

AppleTV1 used to up/downconvert all lossy or lossless audio to 16 bit 44.1 kHz. So fine if playing CD quality lossless audio as no conversion needed.

AppleTV2 and 3 apparently output all stereo audio as 16 bit 48 kHz according to some here with amps that list the input bit depth and sample rate. I've never understood the logic in this and would prefer my audio to be output properly without non integer upsampling for CD quality audio - going from 44.1 to 48 kHz would mean most of the samples were interpolated. If it downsampled 96kHz or 192 kHz audio to 48 kHz, or 88.2 kHz to 44.1 kHz it would make more sense.

I've both AppleTV and MacMini hooked by optical to my Yamaha DSP - the mini is quite capable of playing 24 bit/96 kHz over optical from iTunes (the only combination the amp actually displays the figures for) whereas AppleTV isn't.

Consequently AppleTV misses out on potential use as a cheap high definition audio player to feed a DAC or HDMI/optical equipped amp.

Please send feedback:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html

KJTemplin wrote:

I ripped my CD's in AIFF format using the CD's bit rate using a program other than iTunes. I then added them to the iTunes library. When I play them through Apple TV, does it change the format?

Another possible factor.

Audio may sound different through AppleTV depending on whether or not you are selecting it under the ATV Computers>iTunes Library or using Airplay to push the audio from iTunes (Airplay icon in iTunes) - the latter adds any 'enhancements' or equaliser settings enabled in iTunes whereas AppleTV itself ignores these when it 'pulls' the audio across.

Turn Sound Check off on AppleTV if it's enabled too.

AC

KJTemplin wrote:

I ripped my CD's in AIFF format using the CD's bit rate using a program other than iTunes

Which program out of interest.

I've tended to use XLD and Max on Macs. Years ago used to use EAC on Windows.

Personally I tend to rip CDs using Apple Lossless codec.

AC

Hi Alley_Cat

Re your set up I assume you used your TV as the screen for the mac mini. But I assume you also need a keyboard and or mouse as well ?. I too have somer AIFF and HIres files I would like to play via a mac mini but she who must be obeyed would not be impressed if I introduced a keyboard and mouse to the HIFI TV cabinet.

Cheers

Tony

c_tony wrote:

Hi Alley_Cat

Re your set up I assume you used your TV as the screen for the mac mini.

Yes, I have a 2010 Mini with HDMI but usually run it 'headless' without the display or at least without the TV set to that input. It will run fine without a connected display once set up.

The Mini is rarely used as the video source for the TV.

It serves as an iTunes library server for my AppleTVs - I actually back up my Mac Pro's iTunes library by Home Sharing to this one. I tend to work on the Mac Pro mostly, my original plan was to let the Mini do most of the 24/7 server duties and to let the Mac Pro sleep more as it's quite power hungry.

I had intended to use the Mini to play DVDs (they don't have a drive now) or video foramts that AppleTV won't handle to avoid conversion processes, but I've never been that impressed with the video output compared to the AppleTV for some reason.

But I assume you also need a keyboard and or mouse as well ?. I too have somer AIFF and HIres files I would like to play via a mac mini but she who must be obeyed would not be impressed if I introduced a keyboard and mouse to the HIFI TV cabinet.

I have a Bluetooth Apple trackpad and keyboard for it, but most of the time they are out of the way.

I tend to control the Mini day to day from the other Mac using Apple's Remote Desktop app.

Another alternative is to use something like iTeleport on iPhone or iPad to screenshare to ths iOS device to control it using the phone or iPad.

Another app I dabbled with was AirMouse to use a phone to control the Mini if the display was in use.

AC

Alley_Cat wrote:

Another app I dabbled with was AirMouse to use a phone to control the Mini if the display was in use.

AC

It was actually MobileMouse not AirMouse but can't remember much about it anyway!

KJTemplin wrote:

I use Windows based dBpoweramp to rip my CD's. It works great and iTunes seems to accept all sound and metadata in the AIFF format.

I've heard of that but not been on Windows for a while.

Based on your feedback, I know have to decide whether to invest in a good CD player (NAD or Oppo) or maybe the Mac mini. As I investd a lot in a good sound system, the issue is getting the most out of the music played through it.

I've been meaning to look for a good quality network streaming audio player for a while - that might be a better approach than a CD player or Mac Mini. It would rely on either a NAS with DLNA type capability or running suitable software on a computer.

I certainly wouldn't consider the Mini's analogue out unless it was driving an external DAC providing analogue connections.

Mini's (same socket) optical out via mini Toslink should support at least as much as 24 bit 96 kHz over optical to an amp. The only problem with this is that it tends to be fixed output - it can support hi def audio but will upsample lower quality as well which you may not want.

Cheers AC. Thanks for taking the time to detail your set up.

I have a Mac Mini, that I will experiment with over the weekend.

Thanks again.

Tony

Sorry for the bump, but I was wondering if any solutions have been discovered regarding the downconversion? I would most certainly like to play my 24Bit/192kHz music through the appleTV... but 16Bit? really? Any knowledge of an Update, or a hack, or anything?

Still the same AFAIK....

AC