Apple TV

Reviews: Multimedia

Apple TV

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Anthony Fiti
Kurtis
Apple
Apr. 2, 2007

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Conclusion

For the first time in a while, I feel like I've got an Apple product that didn't thrill me out of the box. It's a great way to get iTunes Store purchases from your computer to your TV. And it works well if you're OK treating the Apple TV like an iPod and syncing it with your computer instead of just streaming.

The Apple TV competes with a few other devices in this space - the Netgear Digital Entertainer (which I got to see unveiled at CES), the Slingbox Slingcatcher (which isn't released yet) and the Xbox 360. Feature wise, each device has things it will and won't do. The Apple TV can't play HD video except for 720p/24fps, the Xbox 360 cant play video from Windows Connect sources like Windows Home Server, The Netgear Digital Entertainer doesn't have a local HD and can't play DRM media.

The most promising thing I can think of is that it is (barely) open, and the hacker community will build up around the device and make it do all sorts of cool things. Being able to watch ripped movies would be a huge deal, and most of the chatter I've read has been focused on using the Apple TV box to replace hacked Xboxes (the original, not the 360) that emulate media center functionality and provide a similar experience to the Apple TV.

Overall, it's a mixed bag. Considering how little digital media I purchase from Apple's iTunes Store, the $300 price tag is steep for essentially letting me listen to my music collection and look at photos on my TV, which both my Series 2 TiVo and Xbox 360 could already let me do. Even the video capabilities are something that the Xbox 360 already matches and exceeds, since it can output HD video without limitations on resolution or frame rates.

If you buy a lot of content from the iTunes Store, then the Apple TV is a great way to experience your purchased content on your TV without having to buy a Mac Mini. But at the same $300 price tag though, you can buy an Xbox 360 Core system, and stream non-DRM music and videos from your PC to your HDTV. The best set top box depends on your usage patterns, if and where you buy DRM media from, and desire to modify the unit.

Pros

Excellent UI
Comparably priced (similar set top boxes cost $200-$250 and don't have a HD inside)
Essentially a small computer - opens up all sorts of opportunities for the modding community

Cons

Limited hardware capabilities (limited HD playback)
Seems to function best when synced to a computer
Not as smooth of an experience when streaming
No volume control from the Apple TV remote

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Page 7 of 7

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Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: First Looks
Page 3: Setup
Page 4: Initial Experience and Struggling with Streaming
Page 5: Testing
Page 6: What's Lacking
Page 7: Conclusion

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2 User Comments

1 - Posted by Kurtis on April 1, 2007 - 11:46 pm

Digg please:
http://digg.com/apple/Apple_TV_Full_Review_at_TheT...

2 - Posted by on December 31, 1969 - 6:00 pm

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