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Apple TV 2/Plex vs Apple TV 3/ iTunes
- Thread starter phas3
- Start date
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Are you okay with 720p instead of 1080p and feel it's a pain to remux your files? Go with the ATV2. If not, go with the ATV3.
Very simple.
Personally, I like my jailbroken ATV2 more than my ATV3 because I can access videos on my NAS without a computer running.
Hi, so you can access your videos from your NAS but can you access iTunes DRM videos from it as well? Off course I'm talking about legitimately acquired drm content bought trough your iTunes account. If so, you have the setup that I want
i think the only real answer to this question will come from what apple has in store for either a new apple tv like device or software(apps) for the current apple tv. It is clear that there will not be a jailbreak for the atv3 in its current state. However no one wants to pay the crazy prices for an atv2 just to jailbreak with 720p resolution. My problem is with the way in which the apple tv handles itunes movies. The sorting mainly. The one thing that i truly miss from XBMC on my atv2 to itunes on my atv3 is the ability to sort by recently added movies. Where im at now is splitting my movies and tv shows between xbmc and itunes. Tv shows i feel are alot easier to pull this off with because they are short, i dont care for HD quality, surround sound is pointless, and we RARELY watch a show twice. So what i have done is maintained my XBMC movie library so my apple tv2 can view all movies on my main larger screen and ive converted all my tv shows and sent them all to itunes so i can either watch them on my main atv2 screen, or smaller screens in the bedrooms on atv3's. This works quite well with tv shows and sorting because you can sort by unwatched which is more appealing in tv shows than movies. Whenever there is a specific movie we want to watch on an atv3, i just convert that specific movie and send it to itunes. Im waiting for either an XBMC app for the atv 3, or a redesigned interface for the atv3 making me no longer need xbmc and then ill convert my 1000 movies to itunes.
Unless you are heavily invested in the iTunes ecosystem or are an heavy airplay user, you should get a Roku 3 instead. It was many channels that the Apple TV does not have including Plex and Amazon Instant.
I've had both for a couple of years and as much as I love my Apple products, I'm giving the nod to Roku. Mainly, this is not just a "hobby" to them, but their lifeblood. The boxes are more "open" and the apps are plentiful. The Apple is slicker, and what it does, it does very cleanly and Apple-like, but until Apple fully opens the potential, I think a Ruko3 is the best bet.
A Roku is very cheap. I would get a Roku for Plex and use your ATV3 for iTunes.
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Why is it usually one or the other ? I recommend getting / using both.
True. They are cheap enough. I'm glad I have both. If Roku ever advances their GUI and navigation, h/e, I will be able to side.
ATV2 vs ATV3
I have both a jail broken ATV2 that utilizes Plex as my media file transfer app...it works perfectly...and I also have an ATV3 runs the IOS app "StreamToMe" ($2.99 in the App Store) on my iPhone 3GS that will play any and all TV Shows and Movie files from my MacBook (Windows version available as well) running the free server app "ServeToMe". When you launch "StreamToMe" on your iPhone and select the ATV3 from the iPhone Airplay icon it works flawlessly over wifi...major benefit using ATV3 is 1080p video and 5.1 audio...only downside is I believe it only works on the iPhone The Plex app does have a nicer interface and more show info available.
StreamToMe/ServeToMe web site: http://projectswithlove.com/index.html
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MacBook (2008)(10.8.3)/ATV2/ATV3/Airport Express/iPhone 3GS&4
I have both a jail broken ATV2 that utilizes Plex as my media file transfer app...it works perfectly...and I also have an ATV3 runs the IOS app "StreamToMe" ($2.99 in the App Store) on my iPhone 3GS that will play any and all TV Shows and Movie files from my MacBook (Windows version available as well) running the free server app "ServeToMe". When you launch "StreamToMe" on your iPhone and select the ATV3 from the iPhone Airplay icon it works flawlessly over wifi...major benefit using ATV3 is 1080p video and 5.1 audio...only downside is I believe it only works on the iPhone The Plex app does have a nicer interface and more show info available.
StreamToMe/ServeToMe web site: http://projectswithlove.com/index.html
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MacBook (2008)(10.8.3)/ATV2/ATV3/Airport Express/iPhone 3GS&4
the roku3 came with a new GUI, it's coming to the older models.
when they announced older model support, they said april, so hopefully it will come out today
i also use plex and have both a roku and aTV2, i prefer the aTV interface, but it has it's bugs, nothing too major though, just needs to be rebooted every so often.
Check out Plexconnect. It is in early development stages and not everything works yet but it allows Plex to be on the ATV 3 without a jailbreak. It does this by hijacking the trailer app and looks great, although, again, it is early days and not everything works yet. I would say it is only for the computer savvy and those who want to be part of the development process at the moment. But soon...
Here is the Plexconnect wiki:
https://github.com/iBaa/PlexConnect/wiki
And the Plex forum for Plexconnect.
http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/forum/136-appletv-plexconnect/
Here is the Plexconnect wiki:
https://github.com/iBaa/PlexConnect/wiki
And the Plex forum for Plexconnect.
http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/forum/136-appletv-plexconnect/
Yup, for me Plexconnect works like a charm.
If Apple ever releases an update to play Movies with the native Framerate of e.g. 24p i would be really really happy....
If Apple ever releases an update to play Movies with the native Framerate of e.g. 24p i would be really really happy....
If you have an iOS device, there's an even simpler solution (no jailbreaking or file conversion needed). Just download the Plex app for your iPhone or iPad. I have it on my iPad. Start the video on your iPad and then use Airplay to send it through your ATV 3. Voila - done.
This app is pure win. Plus, you can use it to stream in the background and use it on your iDevice.
Venting
So ive made the plunge. Ive sold my ATV2 and bought two atv3's and MADE money. I started converting all my movies into itunes friendly formats. Used identity2 for all the tagging. All MP4's copied directly into identity2. Used subler for most of my MKVs and handbrake for whatever MKV didnt work in subler and any avi's. Sorting through my collection of over 1000 movies i decided not to add ALL of them to itunes, going through the list of movies that id actually watch again or save for kids/grandkids i kept around 600. So far no issues techincally. the WAF is great. switching between music/tvshows/movies is perfect...starting a show on an ipad or other tv and picking it up on another tv is flawless. The only real complaint i still have, besides the daily itunes crash brought on by the latest itunes software, is the sorting. The only work around to this is that i created a playlist that sorts by date and then whether or not its been watched to show me the latest additions to the library. All the other features of XBMC i dont really miss..like the seeing the cast and being able to see what other movies they are in...everything else is handled on the atv3. Having to go to computers to find movies is still a bit odd but everyone is the house seems to be ok with it. Hopefully apple releases some new software at WWDC for the atv to make it more media hub friendly.
So ive made the plunge. Ive sold my ATV2 and bought two atv3's and MADE money. I started converting all my movies into itunes friendly formats. Used identity2 for all the tagging. All MP4's copied directly into identity2. Used subler for most of my MKVs and handbrake for whatever MKV didnt work in subler and any avi's. Sorting through my collection of over 1000 movies i decided not to add ALL of them to itunes, going through the list of movies that id actually watch again or save for kids/grandkids i kept around 600. So far no issues techincally. the WAF is great. switching between music/tvshows/movies is perfect...starting a show on an ipad or other tv and picking it up on another tv is flawless. The only real complaint i still have, besides the daily itunes crash brought on by the latest itunes software, is the sorting. The only work around to this is that i created a playlist that sorts by date and then whether or not its been watched to show me the latest additions to the library. All the other features of XBMC i dont really miss..like the seeing the cast and being able to see what other movies they are in...everything else is handled on the atv3. Having to go to computers to find movies is still a bit odd but everyone is the house seems to be ok with it. Hopefully apple releases some new software at WWDC for the atv to make it more media hub friendly.