Upgrade your home theater for free with new Apple TV 4K feature

Key Takeaways

Apple TV 4K update adds multiple aspect ratios
Affordable projectors can enhance viewing experience
Apple TV 4K offers diverse features for all users

I have raved about the Apple TV 4K, and it’s no secret that I believe it’s the best streaming device out there. I don’t own any other Apple products, and I still get a lot of use out of the device, proving you don’t have to be involved in the Apple ecosystem to get your money’s worth. While there’s more the Apple TV 4K has to offer if you have AirPods or an iPhone, I haven’t felt the need to fully buy in or even pick up a later model of the device.

If you still haven’t picked up an Apple TV 4K, the new tvOS 18.2 update might be able to persuade you, especially if you have a home theater. While TVs are locked into a 16:9 aspect ratio, a projector doesn’t have the same limitations, nor does your ultrawide monitor. With the upcoming update, additional aspect ratios will be available on your Apple TV 4K, and that means you can stream and watch content that better fits your screen.

Apple TV 4K (2022)

Brand: Apple
Ethernet: Gigabit (128GB model only)
Bluetooth codecs: 5.0
Wi-Fi: 6
Storage and RAM: 64GB, 128GB

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A big change for home theater owners

Get ready for a more cinematic feel

When you go to a movie theater, you’re not beholden to the 16:9 aspect ratio that your TV has. A common aspect ratio for films is 2.39:1, and beginning with the 18.2 update, your Apple TV 4K will be able to natively support content with that aspect ratio. That’s not the only aspect ratio coming in the update, scheduled to arrive in December. Another thing to look forward to is ultrawide 21:9 support. Here’s the full breakdown of every aspect ratio that’ll be supported once the update arrives.

Automatic
16:9
21:9
2.37:1
2.39:1
2.40:1
DCI 4K
32:9

If you have your Apple TV 4K plugged into your living room TV, the update doesn’t mean much, as you won’t see any shift on your TV screen. While I don’t have a projector myself, it’s something I want to grab in the future and it’s exciting to know my Apple TV 4K is ready for the task. I do have a 21:9 monitor I work on, so it’ll be cool to see how things look on it. I don’t watch movies at my computer desk, but it’ll be worth a try once or twice to see what the fuss is about.

Most content you see isn’t equipped for an ultrawide monitor, and I can’t even begin to describe how many video games still don’t fit naturally on my screen. There are few Chrome extensions that fit content onto your screen, but the cropping leaves a lot to be desired. While it’s cool to see something fill up the entire monitor, it’s best to use it for something that’s specifically cropped for that aspect ratio.

This update is available now in beta, so you can test out the new aspect ratios ahead of time. With the nature of betas, you have to be aware there will be problems, so don’t be surprised if everything doesn’t work as expected at first.

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Projectors are becoming more affordable, making this a great time for an upgrade

Take advantage of the update

Don’t get me wrong, home theaters aren’t cheap. However, there’s an affordable avenue to get a basic one that still blows away your TV and soundbar setup. You can come away with a decent projector and screen for under $1,000, and if you get a surround sound setup to go with it, it might cost you around another $1,000. It’s not the cheapest thing in the world, but when an LG C4 OLED TV costs close to $2,000 on its own, the projector and speaker setup starts to look like a real bargain.

Not every projector comes with the same features, so do your research.

The Apple TV 4K update is a reason to give a projector a look because it can greatly boost your movie viewing experience. Keep in mind that not every projector supports 2:39:1 or some of the other aspect ratios that Apple is adding, so make sure you do your research and buy one that can if you’re looking to head down this path. A cheap projector that costs under $100 is a good way to test the waters before committing to a full home theater setup, but don’t expect that cheap projector to ever be your main way of viewing.

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Apple TV 4K is becoming a jack-of-all-trades

The cream of the crop

On top of these added aspect ratios, there’s so much more the Apple TV 4K can do that it’s becoming a must-have device for somebody looking to upgrade their viewing experience. It’s especially nice if you’re coming from a slow and sluggish smart TV UI. Even if you don’t have any intention of using the new aspect ratios, there are plenty of reasons to grab an Apple TV 4K.

One of the big reasons I picked one up is for Dolby Atmos support on Apple Music, something I couldn’t get elsewhere. Although I don’t use the feature as much as I thought I would, it was still how I got into the ecosystem, and now I can’t imagine leaving it. I do know that if I ever get a projector, I’ll be more than happy to try out the added aspect ratios with the 18.2 update.

If you still haven’t picked up an Apple TV 4K, the new tvOS 18.2 update might be able to persuade you, especially if you have a home theater.

In my time since grabbing an Apple TV 4K, I started to become more curious about what it could do, and I was surprised at how much I was leaving on the table without having other Apple products. For example, you can use your iPhone as a camera for FaceTime on your Apple TV if you have one. I can’t imagine I’d use that feature very often, but it’s a nice bonus you don’t see with other streaming devices on the market. That’s a feature I would never have thought of before it was added, and the same thing goes for the additional aspect ratios.

The Apple TV 4K continues to receive updates like this that add on more versatility, so it’s proven itself to be a product that has a long lifespan that consistently adds more value over time. With me only having a first-gen Apple TV 4K, I’m missing out on some of the newer features like InSight, but I’m fine with that. When the time comes for me to finally replace my Apple TV 4K, I know I have a lot of new features waiting for me.