Apple TV... So who's bought/buying one then?

[jkhonea]

With respect Wakawaka, your planned system is a hobbyists solution, as almost all other HTPC's are. AppleTV, and the other devices on the market like it, are an attempt to create a consumer solution to the 'problem'.

I'm not criticising your system, or other HTPC's, as they are obviously going to be massively capable, but they can also be massively complicated for the 'normal' person who just wants to watch "that video" ("codec? WTF is a co-deck?") on their PC, on their TV, without actually having their PC perched next to their Bluray player in their lounge.

The thing you have missed when looking at the AppleTV is it's simplicity. Joe Bloggs can sit on his sofa, browse iTunes on his iPad, buy a movie, browse his iTunes library using the remote app, hit play, and it appears on his big TV screen without once having to think "how do I get this to work?". As Big samm has said - it just works.

Bingo. That nails it. Not everyone is technically inclined nor do they care to put that much work into it. And unless you have the PC already set up to do the route that is being discussed, I defy anyone to show me the $99 PC you can get to cover the abilities of the Apple TV out of the box.

 

[DaveSt]

In case anyone is interested, Anand has posted a pretty honest review of the new Apple TV device at the following url: The Apple TV (2010) Review - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

I have to admit this device interests me a little bit right now, but once I see what the jailbreak community can do with it I might become an actual buyer. Most of my DVD collection is ripped to xvid format and I would love to see someone add some real codec support.

 

[iVan]

Sure a pc will do a better job at streaming media but where can you find a decent one for 99$ ?

Simplicity for Joe Blogg? Try Joe Blogg's wife who hates computers with a passion...

Apple tv is another setup for us to use their MobileMe. As a paranoid individual those devices ring a loud bell in my head, combine that to the echo there and you'll find an infernal situation...
Somehow it all rings to the iTune of "Data Control". What happens to the data in that cloud when you can't pay for the storage fees? Does it rain down like the data curtains in "The Matrix"? Then, where do you store data, now, if none of your devices can?

Serious question... Can iPad and Appletv stream from Time Capsule without the aid of a computer?

 

[Prasius]

Serious question... Can iPad and Appletv stream from Time Capsule without the aid of a computer?

I don't think they can - nor any 3rd party NAS due to the way iTunes 'shares' it's data. I think this criticism is fair, and would hope Apple deals with it when they next update the TC as the ability to share your itunes library with all your Idevices via a TC would be ideal. At the moment though, everyone is going to have to leave a computer on if they want to access their iTunes library.

In effect though, if you have a WDTV or similar you need to either have a NAS (still a hobbyists thing I'd suggest) or leave your computer on as well; so in that regard they're all pretty much the same.

 

[col.bris]

You will be able to stream direct from devices like iPad to apple tv or iPhone ton apple tv and no computer on after November upgrade

 

[Prasius]

I think iVan is asking about streaming an iTunes library to an iPad or AppleTV - which you need a computer on to do.

You can stream media from your ipad (and persumably iPhone/iPod touch) directly to the AppleTV without your computer on, IF that media is physically on your portable device (as opposed to you using the remote app to make the AppleTV fetch it from your library on a 3rd device)

 

[Prasius]

Oooh.. I have my freshly boxed AppleTV on my lap

 

[Bluesjam]

All week I have been reading over on the Apple TV forum and some are having problems. In some cases the download times are bothersome. I'm still planning on buying one, updates can fix about any problem. I still think that Apple is the way to go with streaming.

 

[Prasius]

I think peoples internet speeds are always going to be a problem. I've got a 20mb cable connection and it's okay - I wouldn't like to use it on my folks 4mb DSL line though, might be a bit more painful.

Used as a iTunes to TV interface it really is great though

 

[Sonny Burnett]

Besides the remote control there isn't any appreciable reason to go from a PC to Apple TV.

 

[iVan]

Besides the remote control there isn't any appreciable reason to go from a PC to Apple TV.

If you have a PC but if you start from scratch, Apple TV's 99$ sticker is hard to beat.

 

[jkhonea]

Oooh.. I have my freshly boxed AppleTV on my lap

I hate you. Mine isn't due till the 22nd.

 

[DarkLordEnron]

All my music an videos are on the PS3. I'll be installing a 1TB hard drive in it early next year.

I thought 320 was the highest you could do? Perhaps the newer ones support 5400 rpm 1tb drives, but I'm 96.8% sure the older models can't handle that capacity..

 

[Prasius]

Besides the remote control there isn't any appreciable reason to go from a PC to Apple TV.

.....and not wanting a PC cluttering up the lounge.....

 

[George Knighton]

I think I'm going a little overboard here.

Apple TV is on the way, due on the 15th.

Already had an iPhone 4.

My Macbook Pro got here yesterday.

And I can't keep my eyes off some i7 versions of the iMac.

:-/

Oh, and most of my mail accounts just feed into MobileMe.