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Apple TV 2 or 3?

D

desertman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
694
37
Arizona, USA
I just bought an Apple TV 2 for $60. I know that they sell for more on eBay. It seems to be working fine - right now it is updating its software from 4.4.2 to the latest version for Apple TV.

What is the best to do with it? Jailbreak it? Jailbreak it and sell it? Swop it for an Apple TV3? Or just keep it (and maybe jailbreak it later)?

I have a 61" 1080p DLP TV. Whatever picture from the ATV2 I saw so far seemed to be absolutely fine. I'm not sure whether I need 1080p from the ATV2. My internet connection is anyway not the fastest, so maybe I would be frustrated anyway if I tried to stream in 1080p. I guess I will get a Netflix trial and see how that works.

What are the advantages of an Apple TV 3?

What are the advantages of jailbraking an Apple TV 2?

Greetings - desertman
 
xiesanshao

xiesanshao

macrumors newbie
Jan 22, 2013
9
0
desertman said:
I just bought an Apple TV 2 for $60. I know that they sell for more on eBay. It seems to be working fine - right now it is updating its software from 4.4.2 to the latest version for Apple TV.

What is the best to do with it? Jailbreak it? Jailbreak it and sell it? Swop it for an Apple TV3? Or just keep it (and maybe jailbreak it later)?

I have a 61" 1080p DLP TV. Whatever picture from the ATV2 I saw so far seemed to be absolutely fine. I'm not sure whether I need 1080p from the ATV2. My internet connection is anyway not the fastest, so maybe I would be frustrated anyway if I tried to stream in 1080p. I guess I will get a Netflix trial and see how that works.

What are the advantages of an Apple TV 3?

What are the advantages of jailbraking an Apple TV 2?

Greetings - desertman
Click to expand...


Just ask yourself what you want, if the apple tv 3 works fine for you, then the best solution would be sell the apple tv 2 and get a apple tv 3.
Basically apple tv 2 allow you to play your own non-apple files, and stream some online video, which is not too ideal.

BTW, I buy apple tv 2, if you want to swap or sell.
 
D

desertman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
694
37
Arizona, USA
Thanks. Looking at some other threads I have the feeling that the only thing that I would really use on a jailbroken ATV2 would be Hulu. Besides that I'm probably fine with Netflix and AirPlay.

If I jailbreak the box - should I update to the latest ATV software or should I better leave it at 4.4.2 (I stopped the software update for now)?
 
marzer

marzer

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2009
1,398
123
Colorado
desertman said:
I just bought an Apple TV 2 for $60. I know that they sell for more on eBay. It seems to be working fine - right now it is updating its software from 4.4.2 to the latest version for Apple TV.

What is the best to do with it? Jailbreak it? Jailbreak it and sell it? Swop it for an Apple TV3? Or just keep it (and maybe jailbreak it later)?

I have a 61" 1080p DLP TV. Whatever picture from the ATV2 I saw so far seemed to be absolutely fine. I'm not sure whether I need 1080p from the ATV2. My internet connection is anyway not the fastest, so maybe I would be frustrated anyway if I tried to stream in 1080p. I guess I will get a Netflix trial and see how that works.

What are the advantages of an Apple TV 3?

What are the advantages of jailbraking an Apple TV 2?

Greetings - desertman
Click to expand...

For one thing the Apple TV 2 video hardware will not do 1080p. It outputs up to 720p.
 
W

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,683
949
appleTV supports hulu without jailbreaking.

the ONLY difference between the two model (apart from jailbreaking) is 720 vs 1080. otherwise you'll never notice a difference, although supposedly the 3 is a bit faster with the menus.

if you don't care about jailbreaking, i would sell the 2, buy a 3, and enjoy the money you'll make.

of the 2 main reasons to jailbreak (XBMC and Plex), currently only XBMC works on the very latest firmware plex does not. (XBMC only happened today)
if you want them both, you need to run 5.1.1


i've got a 2 and a 3.
use the 2 jailbroken in the bedroom, mostly for Plex and netflix.
the 3 in the living room, only for netflix.
 
xiesanshao

xiesanshao

macrumors newbie
Jan 22, 2013
9
0
apple tv 2&3 both have native Hulu plus, but in order to have free desktop version of free Hulu , you need jailbroken apple tv 2
 
Last edited by a moderator:
D

desertman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
694
37
Arizona, USA
waw74 said:
if you don't care about jailbreaking, i would sell the 2, buy a 3, and enjoy the money you'll make.
Click to expand...
That is what I will do. It's already up on Craigslist.

I now updated to the latest software and played a little around with it - and I'm impressed. Especially Home Sharing and AirPlay (and very especially the new HBO GO app with that) are just great. I connected my Aperture library to iTunes and watched together with my wife hundreds of pictures on our big screen TV - she could not get enough of it.

Greetings - desertman
 
Tankmaze

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
apple tv 2 vs 3 difference probably in the 1080p and a4 vs a5 chip.
other than that I assume its the same.

apple tv 2 if jailbroken can access format files not just m4v or mp4.
that is important to me with using external HD connected to my network.

still waiting patiently for apple tv 3 jailbreak :(
 
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