Apple TV - "Insert unhappy face here"

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jjqiv

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Review: Apple Appalls Where Xbox Excels:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070404/tech_test_apple_tv.html?.v=2


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I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Wait, I forgot to mention: no cables. $299 retail price and the Apple TV does not come with any cables. Not even the cheap RCA ones you can get with a $39 DVD player from the top shelf of the drugstore. I guess Apple didn’t want to give consumers anything to hang themselves with after they realized they had been so horribly screwed.

Conclusion
At $299 retail, the Apple TV represents a colossal rip-off. It over-promises and under-delivers. It is not a home theater PC extender in the manner of an Xbox 360 or even a Slingbox, both of which do more and cost less. It is, for lack of a better description, an iPod and Apple’s Airport Station rolled into a single chassis, which would be fine, except my iPod has more storage, is portable, easier to interface with, has a screen already, sounds better and is cheaper. For a little more, you can simply by a Mac Mini and place it in your system with far better results. Sure the Apple TV’s interface is slick and is about the only part of the Apple TV that looks good on a plasma screen – it just doesn’t justify the cost.":

http://www.avrev.com/equip/appletv/
 
Does nothing for me either, until they put a DVD player in it and I'm able to rip my own CD's/DVD's. Also, internet connection and a larger hard-drive would be a big plus... but these things will happen in time.

But I still think Apple Tv is a Trojan Horse coming into our living rooms, so be patient, the first iPod wasn't anything to write home about either.
 
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I read about that and shook my head... NO WAY! Not yet anyway. I agree w/ Sugar, in this first iteration it may suck (think first gen Newton too) but as it evolves (unless it is terminated...like the Newton just as it REALLY GOT GOOD!) it will probably find a good niche and be useful, but for now, I agree there are other ways to do the same thing BETTER! As you all know I am a HUGE Mac fan too! BTW, I STILL use a Newton 2100 that is more than 10 years old now I think! It is still AWESOME!
 
I suppose some might await my take, given that I'm wearing the Apple Freak Cap (TM). So here it is.

The AppleTV is a trojan horse. No more, no less. For $299, You get a 40 GB HD, superfast Wifi, cool interface and the geek cap sporting 36 pt futura bold "early adopter" on it. I had one ordered but then I got angry at the delay and cancelled my order. Lemme tell you this: we have 3 digital cameras in house, and they get randomly downloaded on one of the 4 working macs around. My idea was to have a central repository for all those pictures: the AppleTV. I've seen PhotoFrames costing almost as much as that, so just for photo storage it was a bargain for me. I can't care less about movie straming, and for mp3's I'd really opt for a MacMini or better. Still, the AppleTV fell into hacker's hands that managed to run a full Mac environment on it, installing video codecs, uploading all their pr0n and demoing the fact that you can have a Mac for $299. It's a toy to play with, while waiting for the iPhone and more. It keeps the Apple momentum spinning, and this might be enough.

http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/appletv.ars

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/13136/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17844706/site/newsweek/

http://www.joostteam.com/2007/03/27/joost-successfully-run-on-apple-tv/
 
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Also, internet connection and a larger hard-drive would be a big plus... but these things will happen in time.

Actually, the AppleTV has built-in gigabit ethernet, and it's also got built-in 802.11 wireless. And it's got a Firewire port, so adding a fat hard drive is not a problem.

I'd agree with Lugano, et.al. AppleTv is a Trojan Horse. Early adopters will say it's cool even if it DOES suck, because they are Apple loyalists. The Next version will address all these issues, and it will be about a decade ahead of anything that any Windoze-supporting OEM will field. I mean it took Micro$oft until Windoze-98 to adopt the same features that Macs had in 1990. And now that Macs can run Windoze, OS-X AND Linux, there is really no logical, fiscal, or operational reason to buy a "PC" unless you're a "gamer" or you're an IT professional trying to hold on to your already-inflated tech support department.

Funny thing about that review, he didn't say anything about the quality of the video from streaming an HD movie directly off a DVD from a Mac or PC, connected wirelessly or through an ehternet connection. He just griped about th equality of iTunes-purchased movies, which everyone knows are compressed and optimised for playing on an iPod, NOT on a 50" 1080i HD screen.

Yet another sample of the mainstream press judging Apple on an uneven field that they set up with unfair rules and unrealistic expectations.

And as far as using the AppleTV for a "Tivo", well an X-box can't do that either (without buying extra stuff), but he didn't say that. However, you CAN use your Mac as a DVR, with software that comes with the computer (iDVD)...

Apples cost more because they come pretty much ready-to-go right out of the box. They come with networking capabilites (wired, wireless, AND bluetooth), great video cards, webcams, DVD burners, and a truckload of software--all built-in on stock units. Sure you can get a Dell laptop for $600, but by the time you've upgraded it to be the equivalent of a stock Mac (sooftware and hardware), you'll have close to $1500 in it, and even then it might not work the way you want until you've spend 8 or 10 hours on the phone to Micro$oft torture-chamber of a "User Support" system. Why not spend the same amount and just get a Mac, where you KNOW that all the software and hardware is stringently integrated, an the darn thing will just WORK.

And on top of all that, the AppleTV is about 1/3 the size of the X-Box, doesn't have a wall-wart, and runs DEAD silent. Plus it looks WAY cooler, has a zillion times higher SAF, has better user-interface software, and is firmware upgradeable. AND it works with ALL platforms (Mac, Windoze, and Linux). X-Box can't say that. Heck, the X-box BARELY works with Windoze machines...

Just wait. In 6 months, every Wintel OEM will have some sort of look-alike knock-off of AppleTV, with half the features for the same price. Just like OS-X. Just like The old "candy" iMacs. Just like the new flatscreen iMacs.

Just like, just like, just like...

Apple draws the line, and everyone else scrambles in a half-baked attempt at being half as cool, half as functional, and half as innovative.

Nah, give me a Mac, every trip of the train. And I've been on that train since BEFORE Lisa came aboard... ;)

--Richard
 
In its current iteration, the Apple TV does nothing for me. I only buy my software on disk, so I won't be streaming any shows from iTunes anytime soon. I will instead purchase a mac mini to integrate with my A/V system, so that I can have a central place to access my music files (which I will rip myself using lossless compression) and my photos for streaming slideshows on my projector. This setup will also make it a breeze to surf the internet using the projection screen while I listen to my music. Who needs Apple TV?
 
I will instead purchase a mac mini to integrate with my A/V system, so that I can have a central place to access my music files (which I will rip myself using lossless compression) and my photos for streaming slideshows on my projector. This setup will also make it a breeze to surf the internet using the projection screen while I listen to my music. Who needs Apple TV?

Exactly what I do in the bedroom, but I have a 42" Sony plasma (not great for computer work!) on the wall. Will be upgrading by the end of the year to something over 54"... Then I will actually be able to READ my emails from bed!
 
As previously discussed, I think the first-gen version is simply a precursor to what the second-gen version will be and do. One of the major complaints so far with AppleTV is that it isn't a Tivo. Comparing it to one is simply not comparing Apples to apples (sorry, couldn't help it). I'm a Mac fan and former Mac developer for a large company, but don't feel a particular need to own an AppleTV. I don't own an iPod either...

As someone else mentioned, the above reviewer was bitching about the quality of movies purchased via iTunes. I can imagine that those do suck, but for various reasons unrelated to the AppleTV hardware.

Here is a thorough review of an AppleTV from a knowledgeable Mac source. They walk you through the setup process, how everything works, how downloads from your music and video collections happen, etc. Note that while they mostly like it, they don't fawn over it, and do point out some issues:

http://www.macintouch.com/reviews/appletv/


As an aside, Apple just announced an EIGHT CORE Mac desktop today: http://www.apple.com/macpro/
 
They did comment about the quality of the menus- my question is does it show your album art while in music mode.

I currently use my airport express with my setup and a toslink to connect it to my receiver. I love being able to stream wirelessly to my speakers from anywhere in the house. I cannot hear if there is an audio loss- but everything sounds better compared to the builtin powerbook speakers.

The potential is great for this product, only time will tell.

(a side note- for those on a budget and might use this else where in addition to HT- an HDMI 2m cable that supports HDMI 1.3 can be purchased from Apple for $20- unsure if its monster made though)
 
I currently use my airport express with my setup and a toslink to connect it to my receiver. I love being able to stream wirelessly to my speakers from anywhere in the house. I cannot hear if there is an audio loss- but everything sounds better compared to the builtin powerbook speakers.

That's what I do as well! I actually have two Airport Express's. One acts as a router/music in the bedroom while the other one has a printer connected and toslink to my ML's!

As for Apple TV... As loyal as I am to Apple, I just don't think it'd be of use to me unless it's modified.
 
(a side note- for those on a budget and might use this else where in addition to HT- an HDMI 2m cable that supports HDMI 1.3 can be purchased from Apple for $20- unsure if its monster made though)
I just bought three 2M HDMI cables through Amazon for $3.00 each, about $6.00 each with shipping. They seem well built, have gold ends and ferrite beads on each end. For the price, I figured it was worth the experiment. They are sold indirectly via an Amazon merchant, but I've usually had good luck with that since Amazon handles the transaction. Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002L5R78/103-8357798-6439852
 
In addition, I find my modded XBox with XBox Medic Center much more useful.

Except that I cannot get the damn Airport Express ethernet port to work so my XBox can connect to the internet. Anybody???
 
In addition, I find my modded XBox with XBox Medic Center much more useful.

Except that I cannot get the damn Airport Express ethernet port to work so my XBox can connect to the internet. Anybody???

*high five*

I love the XBMC. So much so that while I have an XB360, I'm keeping my older XBox for the sole purpose of being able to stream video because the XB360/Windows Media Center has so many codec limitations. Not to mention DRM = Teh Evil!
 
I actually just put on the xTV theme on my XBMC along with an intro video from AppleTV!!!

It is awesome!

I don't even play games on it anymore haha...

Finally got the ethernet port working as well, didn't know it was disabled... ^^"
 

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