POLL: Should I buy an Apple TV now or wait?

Well, as you say, it's definitely not a "need to have" item. You can get by fine playing CDs and DVDs, and watching photos on your computer. That said, it is a pretty damn neat little gadget that has really changed the way I listen to music, watch movies, etc. I bought mine after turning my XBox into a media center and finding that it really wasn't up to the task, and have never regretted the decision.

As with any piece of technology, it's always possible some new hardware feature might be added to the atv in the near future. But it handles what it does pretty well, and aside from software updates I don't really see any major changes coming soon.

Go for it!

If you can wait, then wait. If not, then buy it.

I thought I liked my Mini in the living room, but after getting an ATV i am shocked at how much better the ATV is. There is just no comparison in picture and sound quality. I am particularly amazed at how good the sound is on the little box. Definitely get the 160GB as if you use it to review your pictures they must be synced to the ATV hard drive. everything else will stream fine.

The Apple TV is the best media streamer out there and after you start to use it, it becomes an indispensible part of your entertainment system (I watch Apple TV rentals, TV shows, YouTube and Video Podcasts far more than cable TV), but I actually might advise a wait on this one.

Apple announced on their earnings conferance call that they're revolutionizing a product line of theirs. They didn't disclose which product or their plans, but I'm guessing it's going to be the Apple TV, which may pick up a Wii-style remote (they submitted a patent for such a device) and downloadable games from an App Store similar to what the iPhone has.

In other words, while the Apple TV is a great purchase, we may be on the verge of a new version here soon.

They're scheduled to announce what their big news is sometime this quarter, so if I'm wrong, at least you won't be waiting long to find out.

Do it.

Why? Because after you've had one AppleTV for a while, you're going to want a second one for the bedroom/den. I know I do. AND, I love mine so much that I've cut the cord on cable service.

I say buy one now and when the new one comes out, whenever that may be, you'll be ready for a second one.

Buying an AppleTV is like getting a tattoo. It becomes addictive to the point that you want another one.

Shocking things about the Apple tv....

It plays movies which look better than my HD cable. Which is amazing. Another surprise, is that YouTube looks okay. I was expecting it to be larger and more choppy on my flat screen tv. However, it looks okay. It even looks better than what I get on my computer screen. Weird.

The bad surprise...
40 gigs isn't enough.

christall109 said:

Do you guys now if the iPhone Remote App can be a complete replacement for the little Apple Remote? The possibility of using my iPhone to control it is really enticing.

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I don't have an iPhone, so maybe it's different, but I downloaded the remote app to my iPod Touch.

It seems like it links directly to iTunes, so for anything you play in iTunes it will replace the MBP remote. But I don't think it will sync with the rest of the OS (dvd player, etc.), so it's not really a total replacement.

I would wait until September which is when the iPod refresh is coming. The Apple TV still has not received a hardware update since it's launch outside of a bump in storage space. Even the take 2 version is identical. They may finally upgrade it for the holidays.

christall109 said:

I stopped by Best Buy today.

I am now a proud TV owner.


It sure is taking a long time to sync.

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Congratulations! You're gonna love it.

By the way, if you do the first sync over ethernet rather than wirelessly the process is much faster.

I see that you have already bought one but I just wanted to go ahead and make a comment. I think its a safe time to buy because I don't think Apple has really decided what to do next with the Apple TV in terms of upgrading the hardware. Sure they could just throw a bigger HD in and lower the price but I feel they are lacking direction with it. Hopefully they will come up with something instead of just abandoning it a year or two.

I have the 40GB version and wishing I had a 160GB - but no way I'm upgrading until apple update it, presumably in January. Either bigger capacity or upgraded features will suit me fine. I don't NEED bigger capacity, streaming works very well for me. Just the occasional glitch if my Mac Pro crashes, or loses wireless connection, or if computer shut down, then sometimes it would be nice to have more stuff on the Apple TV.

Thanks for this thread,

i think the best point made here is that people seem to think that 40GB is not enough, can you list some reasons? I see that you can't stream photos, that seems really strange to me since you can do it on a Mac Mini hooked up to your tv.

As for people saying an update won't be worth much, you only mention a hard drive update. Don't you think they might add a much better processor that can finally display 1080P? My mini drops frames like crazy when I try to run anything at 1080P. Check out the japan video on apple's bbc examples.

A wii-remote type interface would be AMAZING, since the wiimote is like having a mouse for your tv screen. But i thought the take 2 version of front row is pretty good with the remote.

I really want an Apple TV.. but if a refresh is possibly only 2 months away... I guess I'll wait.

christall109 said:

Yea that seems to be my internal struggle right now.

Do you guys now if the iPhone Remote App can be a complete replacement for the little Apple Remote? The possibility of using my iPhone to control it is really enticing.

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*
absolutely! all I use is my iphone for my AppleTV...works perfectly...but I must be honest...it has caused my Apple TV to reboot, on it's own, for no reason, 2 times...it must be a bug that Apple needs to fix asap

Well;

I'm thinking to buy AppleTV, same Q - buy or wait a few more months??

The say wait here:
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showthread.php?t=96103

Why not just wait until after WWDC keynote? The current appleTV has been out for over 2yrs now and while it was way ahead of the competition at the time (hardware and software). It's starting to become a little dated in the hardware department, though software is still pretty great compared to the competition.

...I have a personal rule of buying nothing new from Apple the month before a KNOWN big announcement is coming. Basically if you waited this long for an Apple TV, whats another few weeks.

That said I don't think the odds are very high we're getting an AppleTV update.

nfrankli said:

Why not just wait until after WWDC keynote? The current appleTV has been out for over 2yrs now and while it was way ahead of the competition at the time (hardware and software). It's starting to become a little dated in the hardware department, though software is still pretty great compared to the competition.

...I have a personal rule of buying nothing new from Apple the month before a KNOWN big announcement is coming. Basically if you waited this long for an Apple TV, whats another few weeks.

That said I don't think the odds are very high we're getting an AppleTV update.

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Got it, I'll wait a few weeks, look here from 12-2008, article said wait as well, can't keep waiting too long.......
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2008/tc2008122_147591.htm

With Snow Leopard, iPhone OS 3.0, and possibly new iPhone model(s), WWDC isn't a likely venue to unveil updated Apple TV. Unless, of course, Apple adds SDK and App Store to Apple TV.

I, too, am itching to buy an Apple TV but not with such outdated spec.

This isn't the right event for the apple TV It's probably going to be updated along with the iPod's in September. Makes a lot more sense.

I will add one thing about the Iphone remote. Since Remodelling my patio, I spend quite a bit of time there. I love being able to send the ATV audio to the second room on my amp (which is my patio speakers) and being able to control the ATV from my phone. My wife can stay inside and have control of the TV and satellite and I can enjoy my music outside and control it via wifi. Great for parties too.

I read alot of glowing reviews on the Sonos system and I don't see that it has anything on my ATV which is a fraction of the cost. This may be one case where Apple is the low cost product and it is still the best!

BayouTiger said:

I will add one thing about the Iphone remote. Since Remodelling my patio, I spend quite a bit of time there. I love being able to send the ATV audio to the second room on my amp (which is my patio speakers) and being able to control the ATV from my phone. My wife can stay inside and have control of the TV and satellite and I can enjoy my music outside and control it via wifi. Great for parties too.

I read alot of glowing reviews on the Sonos system and I don't see that it has anything on my ATV which is a fraction of the cost. This may be one case where Apple is the low cost product and it is still the best!

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A couple of differences of Sonos vs. Apple TV:

• Sonos is sound only. No need to have a screen handy in all rooms you just want sound.
• Sonos can use a NAS - this will be shared between the different Sonos units. No need to have a full computer running, or a hard drive in the device Moving parts = noise and heat. I don't want an AppleTV in my bed room.
• Sonos supports Internet radio.
• One of the Sonos devices has an integraded, good quality amplifier. Just hook up a couple of speakers, and you're done. AppleTV is just a signal source for a receiver or similar.
• Sonos can sync sound across units, e.g. for parties.

I've got an AppleTV and use it as my primary sound source connected to my Denon/B&W setup, and I'm happy with it... but I'd love an improved Sonos too.

For AppleTV I want 96/24 support, a SDK, spotify support, NAS support, internet radio, optional hard drive and a version with an amplifier in it. And a more complicated remote control - the current one is too simple, so things like power off doesn't work.

For Sonos, I want 96/24, Genius and spotify support. If they add that, I'll buy it and find a way to make Itunes put all its file on a NAS.

xyz01 said:

A couple of differences of Sonos vs. Apple TV:

• Sonos is sound only. No need to have a screen handy in all rooms you just want sound.
• Sonos can use a NAS - this will be shared between the different Sonos units. No need to have a full computer running, or a hard drive in the device Moving parts = noise and heat. I don't want an AppleTV in my bed room.
• Sonos supports Internet radio.
• One of the Sonos devices has an integraded, good quality amplifier. Just hook up a couple of speakers, and you're done. AppleTV is just a signal source for a receiver or similar.
• Sonos can sync sound across units, e.g. for parties.

I've got an AppleTV and use it as my primary sound source connected to my Denon/B&W setup, and I'm happy with it... but I'd love an improved Sonos too.

For AppleTV I want 96/24 support, a SDK, spotify support, NAS support, internet radio, optional hard drive and a version with an amplifier in it. And a more complicated remote control - the current one is too simple, so things like power off doesn't work.

For Sonos, I want 96/24, Genius and spotify support. If they add that, I'll buy it and find a way to make Itunes put all its file on a NAS.

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You know an AppleTV with an iPod Touch does almost all the things you listed and still comes in cheaper than Sonos. iPT is a great remote control for the aTV (and of course does a million other things too). aTV can do internet radio -- I use that all the time. You make a playlist in your iTunes of radio stations that you like and then sync the playlist to the aTV. You don't need the iTunes computer on to use the radio stations once you've synced. A poorly advertised but excellent feature of the aTV.

Lastly, you can do multiroom music for parties by adding airport expresses (also cheaper than Sonos). The aTV can be the source (no computer needed if you've synced your music to the aTV) and each aTV/airport express can be individually turned on/off and volume controlled by the iPT. Oh, and if you want to skip a receiver just hook up the express to powered speakers (like Audioengine speakers) or even better to a unit with wireless speakers (like Griffin Evolve) and then you have portable speakers, controlled via the iPT, that you can bring to any room or outside for parties without any wiring.