ATV vs. ???

[jmor]

Okay, so I have been trying to read up to become the tech guru of my house, not very well might I add, but I have been entrusted with configuring our new home theater. So as some background, we have one 2007 macbook (white) one black (currently at college) and one of the older 17in macbook pro. Also we are getting one or two iPhones for Christmas and eventually may be getting one of the new iMacs. There are two young children and one adult who are completely non-tech people. We're trying to decide whether or not we should get a ATV for the house, I've read many threads saying it's too outdated, too expensive for what it does, etc. We need something with an easy to use interface and set up, that does not have to be hacked/modified (unless it can be done and explained easily) Anyway, it has been a very confusing as I'm not very tech-savvy myself, but I want to get the best thing to get the job done (We have a PS3 and Wii already and surround sound and DVD player) If someone could give the pros and cons of the ATV compared to anything similar or what I would need it would be greatly appreciated thanks!

 

[fpnc]

Given the hardware that is included with the Apple TV (160GB hard drive and 802.11n wireless) it's actually priced quite competitively. However, a PlayStation 3 or XBox 360 offers more for a little extra money so it really comes down to a question of convenience and whether you plan on purchasing content from the iTunes Store.

Out of the box, the Apple TV is probably the easiest to use media player you can find (IMO, beats even the PlayStation and XBox). Further, if you like the quality of content and the range of services offered by the iTunes Store then the Apple TV is probably your best overall value.

However, if you don't plan on using the iTunes Store and if you will be creating your own content (exclusively) then you might be better served with something other than the Apple TV. Although you can use self-created content on the Apple TV some of the other media players offer more flexibility in that regard. But, even given this added "flexibility" you may find that the Apple TV still has the best interface and user experience.