Why purchase Apple TV?

[Wilder_K_Wight]

And now you don't need to use the computer at all to get your TV or movies from iTunes. The Take 2 upgrade is just what Apple TV needed.


Of course, TV + large hard drive on your computer = great DVD archive

Right now I'm in the course of converting my own DVDs into MP4 files for use on the TV. When I'm done, I'll be able to watch any video in my DVD library just by queuing it up and pressing 'Play' -- Since I'm rocking the 160GB Apple TV, I can fit a LOT of movies on it locally, too.

I plan on getting a Mac mini or some old Mac with a large hard drive, and then using that as a dedicated iTunes / Apple TV server. I'd be happy just using my main computer, but it's a MacBook and my spouse might want to watch a movie that's not on the Apple TV while I have the MacBook out with me... So I need a dedicated computer for iTunes.

I'd use her computer, but it's an old CRT iMac and it's pretty slow. I don't know if I'd trust it as an iTunes server.

However, these days you can pick up a 700MHz G4 iMac for a few hundred, at most. It would be a perfect server for a home entertainment setup... And it could even replace her computer if she wanted (she's pretty attached to that G3 iMac, though).

I canceled my DirecTV, and I only subscribe to Basic cable ($15 a month) for local channels and a few others (TBS, WGN). I figured out that I'm not watching enough shows to justify paying for a hundred channels I never watch. I just subscribe to the shows I do watch, and rely on free content for 'channel surfing' replacements. There's plenty to watch in YouTube and the free video podcasts.

Best part? I'm almost forgetting what a television commercial is.

I hate ads. They ruin the flow of my shows!

[GatorDeb]

I am in love with my new Apple TV. I got the 160 gig for $282 shipped and already upgraded the software.

I'll be renting HD in the future but not yet. What I use it for now is HD podcasts. The quality is amazing, and they're all free! And there's some interesting stuff out there. I also have 5.8 hours of Happy Tree Friends


The one thing that the Apple TV is missing is the ability to play all episodes of a podcast sequentially. I'd love to just sit and watch HTF without having to keep pressing play with each new episode. Hopefully this is an easy software upgrade.

I'm surprised there's so little talk about the Apple TV on this site.

Other cool video podcasts are university classes and lectures, along with learning languages (this guy did a learning French podcast with PDF handouts, audio, and video). Just amazing. And I haven't even begun to convert my videos/DVDs yet. I love love love it

[Galley]

Check out the Backpack Picnic HD podcast. Funny stuff!

[GatorDeb]

Hacked it and now I have Perian

What other cool hacks are there?

I wanted to do the web browser and I have the download, but what exactly do I copy to the frontrow folder in the Apple TV?

Watching a Divx movie as we speak This is so awesome. I guess now I can do the external harddrive also.

[Trac_In]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

I guess now I can do the external harddrive also.

Is there a hack for external harddrive vids via USB???
If not, what are you referring to? Thanks

[ejsjrnc]

the usb port can be enabled as your primary storage for itunes/appletv or just to add an external disk and access files from there using a file browser like ATVfiles, Sapphire, or NitoTV.

[dhoward]

I am or at least was planning on buying an Apple TV as a Christmas gift. Then I read the article, Part 1 View on the Iphone or ITouch, on the home page of ILounge. To my surprise in Part 1, page 44, of this article I read the following:

"Having been downplayed by Apple, yet not replaced in time for the
2008 holiday season, Apple TV seems at high risk of replacement or
discontinuation in 2009. We wouldn’t shed a tear, but for hard-core
iTunes video fans, the current model is a fun toy to connect to an HDTV."

I posted a question regarding this in the Apple web forum. To my surprise the Apple moderator deleted it as based on speculation. The above quote worries me as I do not want to gift this to someone and then see it become one of Apple's orphans. I feel the moderator was within his rights based on the Terms of Service but if it is alright for Apple to hide a product that might be on its last legs then it is in my right as a purchaser to be aware of the possibility. Anyway since the article is part of this site I would welcome any thoughts regarding the discontinuation. Should I buy it or not? Is this article right or just speculation? If it is replaced by another model that would not bother me as that is a normal process. I am just worried that it will go away and no more updates or support will provided.

[drakebullet]

Originally Posted by dhoward

I am or at least was planning on buying an Apple TV as a Christmas gift.

"... We wouldn’t shed a tear, but for hard-core
iTunes video fans, the current model is a fun toy to connect to an HDTV."

Apple TVs (we have 2) gets a lot of use in my house as:

Music library viewable and playable thru home AV systems
Movie viewing: buy, rent, rip
Photo slides shows (off iPhoto)
Occassionally we look at movie previews or YouTube.

ATV gets use equal to the DirecTV HD DVRs.

The only reason the ATV isn't red hot is that video licensing is contentious, meaning content is expensive and not plentiful. Combine NetFlix and ATV and kah-boom!

[Germansuplex]

I have contemplated buying one, but at the end of the day I don't think I would use it enough to justify the price. I have a laptop with an HDMI output and that may be better. I would love the convenience Apple TV offers, but spending that much money for something that can't stream certain files is a bit much when TVersity is free and WMP allows me to rip a DVD and stream it, no converting involved.

[Sparkee]

Personally I believe Apple will hang on to the Apple TV for now. It is a unique device that could eventually lead to profits when "IP TV" takes off (I believe it's coming). I have been holding off getting my second unit holding out for an update but I don't see one coming soon since it is not that popular and the current down fall in the economy. Since Steve Jobs claimed recently that the ATV is still and will remain a "hobby" I hope it will stick around for awhile. Apple is still sitting pretty good financially and I don't anticipate any real big cuts yet. In a recent interview Apple also sloughed off blue ray claiming they have HD covered with iTunes Store which would include the ATV. I believe it will hang around simply because it is still selling some media.

Even if Apple discontinued production I'm sure you will still be able to use it with iTunes Store for video purchases and rentals. The ATV also works great as a media extender for your iTunes media library which will still be around for awhile even if they discontinued it. I will be ordering my second unit soon to extend my media to another TV since I don't think they will up grade it due to the recent economic down fall. Even if it is discontinued this will give me a back up for a great device I intend on using for awhile with my TV Show and movie collection I have ripped from DVDs. Apple can't take this away from you even if they quit making it.

[ejsjrnc]

I got my AppleTV as a christmas gift last year and I use it just about every day. I'm contemplating just cancelling my normal cable service altogether since I can find just about anything I'd like to watch either streaming online to my pc or as a dl for my appleTV anyway.

Plus if you hack your unit to enable ssh and add an external drive, you can watch just about any kind of media that you want. I use mine to watch the rather extensive collection of divx/avi tv shows that i've collected over the years.

I see no reason why Apple would discontinue the unit. It helps them to sell TV shows and movies from the itunes store at the very least. I'm also sure that they aren't exactly losing money on selling the hardware either.

[capitaljayme]

Originally Posted by dhoward

I am or at least was planning on buying an Apple TV as a Christmas gift. Then I read the article, Part 1 View on the Iphone or ITouch, on the home page of ILounge. To my surprise in Part 1, page 44, of this article I read the following:

"Having been downplayed by Apple, yet not replaced in time for the
2008 holiday season, Apple TV seems at high risk of replacement or
discontinuation in 2009. We wouldn’t shed a tear, but for hard-core
iTunes video fans, the current model is a fun toy to connect to an HDTV."

I posted a question regarding this in the Apple web forum. To my surprise the Apple moderator deleted it as based on speculation. The above quote worries me as I do not want to gift this to someone and then see it become one of Apple's orphans. I feel the moderator was within his rights based on the Terms of Service but if it is alright for Apple to hide a product that might be on its last legs then it is in my right as a purchaser to be aware of the possibility. Anyway since the article is part of this site I would welcome any thoughts regarding the discontinuation. Should I buy it or not? Is this article right or just speculation? If it is replaced by another model that would not bother me as that is a normal process. I am just worried that it will go away and no more updates or support will provided.

Even if they to stop selling them you still should be able to get movies etc via itunes.

[dhoward]

I want to thank all of you for your responses. I decided to purchase Apple TV, as a Christmas gift, for my daughter. I think she will get a lot of use from it. I agree with the premise that even if Apple discontinues it it will still serve its purpose for my daughter. Thank you again.

[hamz9561]

As far as playing DIVx or AVI type video on my ATV, I use Videora to convert it to h.264 MP$ video and away we go. I only wish that there were easier ways to hack it for PC users....

[Dr.Gonzo]

Are ALL The TV Shows in HD? If not what percentage?

Right now I pay about $100 for Dish Network and that's only for a few shows I watch mainly:

Discovery:
Deadliest Catch
Dirty Jobs
Mythbusters

CBS:
NCIS
CSI (all 3)

FOX/FX:
Rescue Me
House M.D.

USA:
Burn Notice
Monk


And that's about it. I have all the premium channels through DISH, but could save money on just renting the movies I want to see. And I don't watch sports at all. Plus being able to use your iPhone/iPod touch as a remote is a nice bonus.