Photo: Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons · source
Apple TV (1st generation)
The original hard-drive set-top box, later upgraded by Take Two.
Overview
Apple TV began as a project called iTV and was launched in 2007 as a way to move iTunes content from a computer to the living room. It had a 40 GB hard drive, later offered in a 160 GB variant, and it synced with a Mac or PC over the home network.
Users could watch movies, TV episodes and podcasts, browse photos and listen to music, all on a television through HDMI or component video. A tiny Apple Remote provided navigation, and a modified Mac OS X ran under the hood on a slowed-down Pentium M processor.
The Take Two software update in February 2008 added movie rentals, YouTube, Flickr and iTunes Store purchases without a computer. That change turned the box into a stand-alone streaming device, though Steve Jobs still called it a hobby. Over its three-year life it set the template for the streaming boxes that followed.
Why it mattered
Apple's first television product, which grew into today's Apple TV platform.
At a glance
- Announced
- January 9, 2007
- Released
- March 21, 2007
- Discontinued
- September 1, 2010
- Launch price
- $299
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- 40 GB hard drive (160 GB later)
- HDMI and component video outputs
- Take Two update added rentals
- Syncs with iTunes on Mac or PC
- Wireless 802.11n network
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Chip
- Chip
- Intel Pentium M, 1 GHz (underclocked), NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 graphics
Memory
- RAM
- 256 MB
Storage
- Storage
- 40 GB hard drive (160 GB model added later)
Video
- Max output
- 1080i / 720p over HDMI or component video
Audio
- Audio
- Optical digital audio (Dolby Digital pass-through), analog RCA stereo, HDMI audio
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11a/b/g/n (draft)
- Ethernet
- 10/100 Ethernet
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 2.0
- Smart home
- Not applicable
- Ports
- HDMI, component video, optical audio, RCA audio, USB 2.0 (service)
Design
- Dimensions
- 196 x 196 x 28 mm
- Weight
- 1.1 kg
Software
- Launch OS
- Apple TV Software 1.0
How it compares
More in the Apple TV family
Apple TV (2nd generation)
A tiny $99 black box that streams everything from the internet.
Apple TV (3rd generation)
The same small box, now with 1080p video and a faster A5 chip.
Apple TV HD (4th generation)
The first Apple TV with an App Store, Siri and a touch remote.