Apple TV or Roku 3? ...

[rabidz7]

Roku!!!
Apple screwed over all PowerPC users, and nobody should buy any Apple product introduces after 2005, especially one that is full of DRM. iCrap devices such as the iPod, iPhone, iTv, ruined the company, and made apple switch to intel when IBM would not rot the architecture of PowerPC, like intel did to x86 with DRM.

 

[Mr. McMac]

Former ATV owner here. The Roku 3 blows away the ATV. Way more apps, plus a USB input for external HD's. Need I say more?

 

[spacepower7]

Roku!!!
Apple screwed over all PowerPC users, and nobody should buy any Apple product introduces after 2005, especially one that is full of DRM. iCrap devices such as the iPod, iPhone, iTv, ruined the company, and made apple switch to intel when IBM would not rot the architecture of PowerPC, like intel did to x86 with DRM.

Stop whining on every post. I have a 2003 MDD DP G4 sending audio and video to an AppleTV 3.

You obviously don't know what you are talking about. I own a Roku also, which is collecting dust. The Roku has more features but the AppleTV is easier for everyone in the family to use.

AppleTV GUI>Roku GUI.

Please stop whining about your old computer.

 

[ZeRoLiMiT]

i used both!

I PERSONALLY didn't like the Roku feel and the way it navigated . It has super nice features that the apple tv doesn't but if you are a apple family like myself with macbooks and ipods, ipads and iphones then AppleTv would be better for you.

I have all my movies at mp4 so its not a problem here but roku has better support for media times and more apps like everyone has been saying. its a personal preference

 

[Plutonius]

Apple TV 3

Have you tried a Roku ?

 

[Shanghaichica]

Well I have a first gen apple TV and a Roku. My Apple TV is old so doesn't do airplay. I buy a lot of content from itunes so the Apple TV, works well for me and the roku pretty much does what the Apple TV doesn't.

On the subject of airplay, can anyone tell me why it's such a good feature?

I really can't imagine what I'd use it for. Most of the Apps that I'd be interested in using it with, don't allow it.

 

[GodWhomIsMike]

Roku!!!
Apple screwed over all PowerPC users, and nobody should buy any Apple product introduces after 2005, especially one that is full of DRM. iCrap devices such as the iPod, iPhone, iTv, ruined the company, and made apple switch to intel when IBM would not rot the architecture of PowerPC, like intel did to x86 with DRM.

PowerPC products are at least 8 years old now. Seriously, move on.

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OP -> If this was about 4-5 months ago, I would tell you Roku. At the time I was pissed off my AppleTV, and how I had almost no use for it.

However, there was recently an update where Apple added a few more streaming apps. I have switched from my Roku and PS3 for streaming to exclusively streaming with the AppleTV, and been using it pretty steady since then.

I'd say go for the AppleTV. The new CrunchyRoll app is absolutely amazing on there as well.

 

[Uofmtiger]

On the subject of airplay, can anyone tell me why it's such a good feature?

I really can't imagine what I'd use it for. Most of the Apps that I'd be interested in using it with, don't allow it.

I have run into very few apps that don't allow it...mainly Amazon prime. I use it for Pandora, Mog, iHeartRadio, Lynda.com video, security cameras, showing photos/video from my iPhone, Slingbox, Eyetv, DS Video, iTunes Remote, SiriusXM, etc.. This is just off the top of my head..I am sure there are more.

The main question is whether you want to bother with streaming from iOS. I don't mind since I have an iPhone with me all the time and it is easy to just start playing a file and sending it to the TV.

 

[fivedots]

If you've got a Mac, an Apple TV + Beamer (http://beamer-app.com/).

There are other great solutions out there, but this has personally turned out to be one of my best purchases yet. Any guest with an Apple product being able to AirPlay in one click is an added bonus.

 

[mic j]

If you've got a Mac, an Apple TV + Beamer (http://beamer-app.com/).

There are other great solutions out there, but this has personally turned out to be one of my best purchases yet. Any guest with an Apple product being able to AirPlay in one click is an added bonus.

Only "beams" movies which is not the same as mirroring your Mac (or iOS) screen. So AirPlay by far has more uses than Beamer.

 

[fivedots]

Only "beams" movies which is not the same as mirroring your Mac (or iOS) screen. So AirPlay by far has more uses than Beamer.

Not sure what you're getting at...trying to convince me to find something less useful than I currently do? I'm not pushing a product I don't use or understand. I love Beamer and I love AirPlay. They each have their place for me.

You are correct, but that is the whole point. Pre-Mavericks you can only AirPlay exactly what is on your screen, thus you can't use your Mac while doing this unless you convert your video to MP4 and stream through iTunes which is a hassle. With Beamer, just drag essentially any video to it and it pops up on your TV. Doesn't get much easier than that and thus far it has been 100% reliable for me.

Post-Mavericks this may be less of an issue with the changes to AirPlay, however I still reckon that I will find it easier to just drag a movie to Beamer than worry about creating a new desktop, full screening the video, and choosing which desktop to mirror, so I will likely stick with Beamer. I'm also not sure if there are any performance benefits when streaming to Apple TV directly vs. mirroring your screen.

 

[mic j]

Not sure what you're getting at...trying to convince me to find something less useful than I currently do? I'm not pushing a product I don't use or understand. I love Beamer and I love AirPlay. They each have their place for me.

You are correct, but that is the whole point. Pre-Mavericks you can only AirPlay exactly what is on your screen, thus you can't use your Mac while doing this unless you convert your video to MP4 and stream through iTunes which is a hassle. With Beamer, just drag essentially any video to it and it pops up on your TV. Doesn't get much easier than that and thus far it has been 100% reliable for me.

Post-Mavericks this may be less of an issue with the changes to AirPlay, however I still reckon that I will find it easier to just drag a movie to Beamer than worry about creating a new desktop, full screening the video, and choosing which desktop to mirror, so I will likely stick with Beamer. I'm also not sure if there are any performance benefits when streaming to Apple TV directly vs. mirroring your screen.

Not slamming Beamer nor trying to "convince" you of anything. I suppose it has a niche for people like you, who do not want to use iTunes for movies.

My point was really in reference to the several posts before yours that were referring to various apps that allow viewing all sorts of things, not just movies. I simply wanted to clarify that Beamer would not allow you to have all those functionalities and the broad functionality of AirPlay, which goes way beyond what beamer provides.

 

[APlotdevice]

You are correct, but that is the whole point. Pre-Mavericks you can only AirPlay exactly what is on your screen, thus you can't use your Mac while doing this unless you convert your video to MP4 and stream through iTunes which is a hassle. With Beamer, just drag essentially any video to it and it pops up on your TV. Doesn't get much easier than that and thus far it has been 100% reliable for me.

For those using Safari, I highly recommend downloading the "ClicktoPlugin" plugin. One of its features is the ability to swap flash for HTML video on many (albeit not all) sites, which it then lets you Airplay directly from the browser.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I have run into very few apps that don't allow it...mainly Amazon prime. I use it for Pandora, Mog, iHeartRadio, Lynda.com video, security cameras, showing photos/video from my iPhone, Slingbox, Eyetv, DS Video, iTunes Remote, SiriusXM, etc.. This is just off the top of my head..I am sure there are more.

The main question is whether you want to bother with streaming from iOS. I don't mind since I have an iPhone with me all the time and it is easy to just start playing a file and sending it to the TV.

Thanks. I think I'd prefer to have an apple tv without a hard drive, as although my first gen has 160GB it's virtually full. I'd prefer to stream. I know I can do that from my itunes library but then I'd have to download all that content to my laptop. I don't want to fill it up. It would be nice to use the photo stream feature too. The airplay would be a bonus.

 

[rjbeeth]

On the subject of airplay, can anyone tell me why it's such a good feature?

I really can't imagine what I'd use it for. Most of the Apps that I'd be interested in using it with, don't allow it.

LOL - Airplay is one of the key benefits that I've found with the Apple environment and AppleTV. Everything can go to the TV now, just turn on mirroring and voila!

If you are in the states especially, you can pretty well visit any network website and play previous episodes on your ipad/iphone/Macbook and have it appear on the TV with Airplay - it works beautifully!

We really enjoy British drama and have subscribed to AcornTV, every week there are tons of videos to watch on the iPad or Computer and with AirPlay it just goes up on our main HD screen via the Apple TV.

My grandsons play most of the games on the iPad and have them play on the "big screen" tv - they love it.

Sure some apps have extra features built into them for AirPlay, but just using mirroring gives a much more dramatic effect for car racing, air combat, etc, etc...

Airplay isn't just a good feature - it's an essential in this house!