man if appleTV could aggregate online streaming content (from fox, nbc, abc, cbs, etc) I'd be sold in a minute. A coworker keeps telling me about his boxee box and wants me to bite but I'm holding out... the advantage of Boxee seems that it aggregates and streams online content free.
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Thinking about getting apple tv. What do you use it for mostly?
- Thread starter himynameiscody
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I'm not getting one until it supports 1080p. I don't have a 40" hdtv and 100mbit Internet connection for nothing.
I'd buy one, but my PS3 does everything tha ATV does, and better. Between that and my HDMI on my MBP, there's literally nothing I can't watch. If all your content is purchased through iTunes, go for it, but if you have needs greater than that, you should go with something else.
Similar situation here. XBMC (with a lot of addons including Hulu, food network, Fox news, GBTV, and I am looking into getting slingplayer to work on it) and Netflix.
For the price, it is a fantastic little machine. If you only use it for netflix/hulu, I already think it's worth the money. Right now, its output is 720p max. If that makes a difference to you, wait. The next model is rumored to have 1080p out. I personally don'y feel that it needs to be upgraded yearly, but I also don't find that to be the case with the iPhone/iPad. If you find yourself in a situation where you WANT the newest model at all times, I would suspect that the Apple TV will be no different; you will want the newest one when it launches. Luckily, this is just about the least expensive Apple product to upgrade year after year.
I use it for renting from Itunes and Netflix. Occasionally youtube. Can't wait for ML to come out, I"ll airplay my computer
After hearing about the airplay mirroring for my Mac coming in Mountain Lion, I've been really wanting to get one. But I'm waiting to see if Apple updates the Apple TV for 1080p playback (I want to take full advantage of the resolution on both my monitor and my TV).
When was the last time you paid for an iOS update?
I never have. At all.
I use my AppleTV mostly for Netflix, Youtube, podcasts, Vimeo, and photostream images.
But no matter how badly you want one right now, they're unavailable until Apple updates it.
For $99, ATV is really easy to justify if you are an IOS/Mac user. (Particularly with Mountain Lion). It basically brings you IOS/Mac content to your TV with classic apple smoothness. My frequent uses are:
- Itunes match. If you have match, ATV is awesome. Your entire library, with album art, appears on you TV. Upload new music to Itunes, its on ATV moments later without you doing anything. I basically ditched my living room CD player.
- Photostream. I love being able to take pictures, and a few hours later turn on my TV and see them - without me doing anything
- Iphone/Ipad mirroring
- Netflix. While not an Apple product, UI for Netflix on ATV is wonderfully done. My brother has Roku - same content but tons of clicks to get where you want.
There are other devices that stream more services, but I'm guessing most people don't use them particularly if you have cable/direct TV. If you do use them, consider one of those devises. If not, get an ATV, particularly if you have other apple products.
- Itunes match. If you have match, ATV is awesome. Your entire library, with album art, appears on you TV. Upload new music to Itunes, its on ATV moments later without you doing anything. I basically ditched my living room CD player.
- Photostream. I love being able to take pictures, and a few hours later turn on my TV and see them - without me doing anything
- Iphone/Ipad mirroring
- Netflix. While not an Apple product, UI for Netflix on ATV is wonderfully done. My brother has Roku - same content but tons of clicks to get where you want.
There are other devices that stream more services, but I'm guessing most people don't use them particularly if you have cable/direct TV. If you do use them, consider one of those devises. If not, get an ATV, particularly if you have other apple products.
When you say your PS3 does all an ATV does I guess you don't want to mirror your iPad or iPhone. I bought mine pretty much for this alone, and at £99 it is well worth the price. Even if a new itv comes out how many of us are really in the market for a new plasma or LED screen? TV's don't get upgraded nearly as often by most people I know. Even if they do bring out a new one most people have more than one TV. I'd go for it if you can find stock.
Can't you mirror iPhone and iPad via the PS3? Maybe a jb option?
If no, what else can ATV do that can't be done via the ps3?
????
Not sure what you're really saying there. In the off chance that I'm in my living room with my phone, TV and PS3, but not my laptop, external hard drives or my HDMI hookup for my computer? You're right, in that case it would be messy, but I'd be more likely to walk out of my house without my phone than not have at least one of those things on me.
But if you're saying the benefits of mirroring outweigh
Multiple file format support
plug and play external HDD ability
Media streaming
Blu-ray
User replaceable HDD
I'd have to respectfully disagree with you. I'm not saying the ATV is a bad piece of tech, but it is an Apple piece of tech, meaning that it's limited in much of what it can do.
Probably the AirPlay is the most thing that an Apple fan needs from Apple TV. Other things (streaming from Netflix for example) other devices already do very well.
I'm guessing since iTunes is getting 1080p content and high quality music files...
I bought one and jailbroke it...simply amazing! Without it being jailbroken, it is limited, same for iPhone, etc. Xmbc - wow! I have an 1080p high def tv but most of the content shows in 720p but the further you are back from the tv, the harder it is to see the pixels. A 1080p ATV 3 will def be welcomed! I love it when it's jailbroken. I highly recommend one! The thing about getting tht ATV3 right now is, the A6 (I assume) will take months to jailbreak. Better pick up the ATV2 now at an Apple Store before its too late.
I have apple tv2 and 2 roku Lt boxes in my home. I like the interface of Apple tv2 better than Roku and the movies are $1.00 less expensive to rent than on Xfinity, but occasionally you get some buffering which is annoying. I suggest hardwiring it if you can. Roku lets you get Amazon movies, so if you are a member or a prime member, it is better.
Mostly I use it for netflix, which Roku does as well. Roku does Hulu+, which my wife uses for the old tv shows and many other channels ( Apple tv does too) .
Roku is now $49 ( wireless only) for the LT 720p version, of which I have 2.
If you care about airplay and mirroring, the Appletv is best. If not, which I don't, you can get 2 Roku boxes for price of 1 Apple tv2.
All in alll, if all you care about is streaming, go with the cheapest device. If you care about integrating it into your Apple ecosystem of devices, then Apple tv is best.
Mostly I use it for netflix, which Roku does as well. Roku does Hulu+, which my wife uses for the old tv shows and many other channels ( Apple tv does too) .
Roku is now $49 ( wireless only) for the LT 720p version, of which I have 2.
If you care about airplay and mirroring, the Appletv is best. If not, which I don't, you can get 2 Roku boxes for price of 1 Apple tv2.
All in alll, if all you care about is streaming, go with the cheapest device. If you care about integrating it into your Apple ecosystem of devices, then Apple tv is best.
Stream baby Stream
I have 2 ATV's and I love them. I stream either my iTunes content or my spotify playlist or the siriusxm app on a daily basis. I really like the fact that with airplay you can stream either to different rooms in the house. That way we can enjoy music in the living room and out on the deck. I've thought about jail breaking one of them just to try it out but have not done that yet. We also use netflix at least 3 days a week. IMHO for 99 bucks you can't beat it.
I have 2 ATV's and I love them. I stream either my iTunes content or my spotify playlist or the siriusxm app on a daily basis. I really like the fact that with airplay you can stream either to different rooms in the house. That way we can enjoy music in the living room and out on the deck. I've thought about jail breaking one of them just to try it out but have not done that yet. We also use netflix at least 3 days a week. IMHO for 99 bucks you can't beat it.