Apple TV or Streaming software

[KJens]

Hello everyone,

Apple TV or a Streaming software?

I have a good set at home, a Sony Bravia and a new Sony Home cinema set with bluray player, and a PS3 yeah i know it's overkill. Off course I have a Macbook, iphone and iPad. Now, it's my wish stream/share/communicate everything. I want to download, buy or rent a movie on my mac and play it on my TV thru my cinema set. I also want to "beam" photo's from mobile devices to my TV.

Whats the best solution?

I know, the Apple TV has all that right? But how do I hook it up to the complete set? The PS3 is hooked by a Optical so there is no slot left. And the TV and cinema set is connected by (ARC) HDMI..

Or is a streaming software the best choice? Something like Twonky? Anyone got some suggestions? I would like to hear your opinion and expertise!

Cheers!

K-Jens

 

[priitv8]

I've connected my aTV to the Bravia via HDMI and use the TV's optical out to feed the surround receiver with the audio signal. The main devil here is the Bravia, which only will pass AC3 through to optical out, not DTS. As long as aTV does not support DTS audio either, that's not a problem.
But I use aTV and AirPlay daily for all the sorts of presentations you describe. And I've never touched the DLNA/UPnP again after initial tests. It is simply awkward and does not work with my setup at all.
I also like Apple's GUI much better than Sony's DLNA UI.
I use my BD player almost exclusively for BD3D movies now. Everything else I play with aTV.

PS The best DLNA streaming software I've seen is the PS3 Media Server. Plays fine to Bravia and/or PS3, does on-the-fly media transcoding, can grab exernal subs and stuff. But it needs a computer to run and seems to be a Java application. Oh, and it's free!

 

[KJens]

So an aTV is a solution only when I connect it by Optical.. There is only one optical in/output and thats for the PS3 now.

So my first attempt will be a streaming servie. You advise PS3 Server? Will that work with the Sony Media blu-ray player? I will try it out when i'm home. The downside of streaming software is that you cant "beam" photos from your mobile devises to your telli wright?

You know people, everything is awesome but it's so freakin much and the systems doesn't have everything! Thats the anoying part! I just want a freakin TV thats integrated perfectly with my devices including a sound system.

Come on Apple, do something about it!

P.S. Are there other options someone know about?

 

[priitv8]

1) I read you've got one of those all-in-1-machines? (Every decent AV receiver has more than 1 digital inputs). Can't you connect the PS3 to your telly as well and use the only optical in on your receiver for TV? That way your Bravia will be the source selector for all your AV devices. Plan-B would be to use one of those TOSLINK switches.

2) Yes, I recommend you have a look at PS3 Media Server. Indeed it can also use Sony BluRay player (networked, of course) as a media renderer. And it will also happily stream your iTunes, iPhoto and Aperture libraries.

3) The tastes and expectations here are so individual, but my personal opinions are:
- all-in-1 AV devices lack everything except compact form factor. Missing connection interfaces is a good example.
- I take AirPlay over DLNA any day. The former just works, the latter is a plug-and-pray business.
- If there's anything that Apple should do in this scene, then the long-rumoured TV set with integrated AppleTV (and why not some more features). But Apple devices work best in all-Apple ecosystem.

 

[KJens]

Nice, thank you for your advice! It was a nice moment for sharing opinions!

I find it a little bit disturbing about todays world that there are so many options in everything, all a little bit different. Then there are these thousands of apps and software that just doesn´t work or communicatie together.. That's my frustration of this modern world.

That was off topic, I now know what to do. You gave me some options! THanks!

with kind rigards,

KJ