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Eldiablojoe

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 4, 2009
952
70
West Koast
I know this might be like asking a fat kid if he wants a donut, but I'm a complete AppleTV newbie. Do you like your AppleTV?

I haven't bought one yet. What can I do with it? Will it help me get rid of my phenomenally expensive cable? I have read some things on it, but still don't have a basic understanding of what AppleTV is and what I can or cannot do with it.

Thank you :)
 

brand

macrumors 601
Oct 3, 2006
4,390
456
127.0.0.1
Have you even been to the AppleTV Apple site and read what the device is capable of. That would be a good starting point if you have not.
 

HobeSoundDarryl

macrumors G5
Yes, go the Apple site and read about it's capabilities: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/ipod_accessories/apple_tv. Use google search to hunt for "Apple TV reviews" and similar to get even more details. Here's 2 good ones: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-tv-tips-2011-1# and here's 2 pages that offers a lot: http://www.techradar.com/news/television/tv/apple-tv-everything-you-need-to-know-1069410

It's a terrific multifunction device for anyone locked into the iTunes ecosystem (probably better than donuts). If you don't want to read and do a few searches, at as little as $85 refurbished, consider just buying one and see all it can do yourself.
 

GreatDrok

macrumors 6502a
May 1, 2006
561
22
New Zealand
I have three so yes, I like it. Just getting all my media into iTunes and having it directly accessible from all TVs, computers, tablets and even phones in my house makes it well worth having. I haven't bought much media directly from Apple, mostly it is just my own CDs and DVDs/BDs that I've encoded. It is a great little device and much nicer to use than trying to do the same with a games console or computer plugged directly into the TV. I've tried various approaches with my Xbox 360 and that was terrible due to limited format support and the lack of good sorting in the shared media, plus controlling a computer from the couch is a pain unless you install XBMC and get a remote control and that is a big hassle compared with firing up iTunes on the computer and turning on an Apple TV. It won't rid you of cable unless you subscribe to a service like Netflix. Hulu doesn't work on it either but you should be able to stream hulu plus from an iPad to an ATV. Really though, I've got so much media available now on tap that watching live TV is history.
 

Eldiablojoe

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 4, 2009
952
70
West Koast
Thanks you guys, I read all of your links. I had read the Apple links before, and since I'm a little vague still on what services like Hulu do, it leaves some of the functionality of AppleTV still somewhat mysterious. I'm not a huge media guy, I don't' watch a lot of movies and I stopped buying a lot of content on iTunes a few years ago when I was budget-busting.

Thank you for clarifying for me the value of AppleTV, I am going to put it on my "near-term" purchase list. I appreciate everyones input.
 

Shrink

macrumors G3
Feb 26, 2011
8,929
1,727
New England, USA
Thanks you guys, I read all of your links. I had read the Apple links before, and since I'm a little vague still on what services like Hulu do, it leaves some of the functionality of AppleTV still somewhat mysterious. I'm not a huge media guy, I don't' watch a lot of movies and I stopped buying a lot of content on iTunes a few years ago when I was budget-busting.

Thank you for clarifying for me the value of AppleTV, I am going to put it on my "near-term" purchase list. I appreciate everyones input.

I'm disappointed.

I wanted more of the donuts part...:(
 
Last edited:

GreatDrok

macrumors 6502a
May 1, 2006
561
22
New Zealand
I don't' watch a lot of movies and I stopped buying a lot of content on iTunes a few years ago when I was budget-busting.

Hmmm, I thought I made it clear in my post that I don't buy much of anything from iTunes either. Almost all my content is from CDs, DVDs and BDs I already own which I've encoded via iTunes for the CDs and Handbrake/MetaX for movies to populate my iTunes library. Just wanted to make that clear because many people seem to think the only things the ATV will play are media bought from iTunes when that is patently false and makes the ATV seem less useful than it is.
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,664
938
I'm a little vague still on what services like Hulu do

go to hulu.com and see what they have to offer, it's spelled out pretty well there.

here is the list of what's currently available on hulu plus.


all the aTV gives you is a "10 foot interface" using a simple remote. so you can watch online content without hooking up your computer to a TV, and having to use the keyboard to navigate.
with it you can access the iTunes store, netflix, hulu plus, and the different sports channels (MLB, NHL, NBA) as well as media you have in your local iTunes library as long as that computer is on.
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
Will it help me get rid of my phenomenally expensive cable?

Maybe. Depends on what you watch and your need to see it when it airs.

I found that I'm rarely at home anyway so I'm fine with watching on Hulu and all my shows are there save a few cable and bbc things. Which were still cheaper for me to buy off iTunes if they don't show on Netflix in a timely manner. All sports I go to the local pub with friends to watch anyway.

So for me, yes. I could cut cable. You would need to sort that out for yourself
 
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