AppleTV and Airport Extreme/Time Capsule

[depthnerd]

I was thinking about getting one soon, but I don;t know if they are really worth the money. I've searched around for reviews and I got mixed replies. Not like I got a 12:1 ratio - there were good ones and horrible ones.

For anybody who has one - what do you think of it?

[dturner]

I have been interested in feedback of the AEBS also. Like you, the info I have been able to find has been about 50/50 nightmare stories and being pleased with the results.

[stiphone]

I was thinking about getting one soon, but I don;t know if they are really worth the money. I've searched around for reviews and I got mixed replies. Not like I got a 12:1 ratio - there were good ones and horrible ones.

For anybody who has one - what do you think of it?

well, I have both the Time Capsule and AppleTV. I love both of them. Wouldn't trade them for anything in the technology world.

[dimensiondvdrob]

i also have an Apple TV and I will be getting a Time Capsule (1TB) next week (on order). I assume I will be happy with it, since right now, I have 2 AEBS and they are awesome.

[skellener]

I have a Time Capsule and iMac. Works great. Wifi "n" and Time Machine are humming away. I skipped AppleTV though. I use an XBOX 360 for media. Does everything AppleTV does - music, pictures, videos (using Connect 360 - HD podcasts look fantastic!) and also plays DVDs, online games and soon to have NetFlix HD movies.

[Staszek]

I have had Apple TV for about a year now, I got it once they allowed rentals. I really love it, I am sure there are better selections out there, but its simple to use never had ONE problem with it. The HD quality is very good, not quite blu-ray but its close enough.

So far the selection is getting better and better, and it does look cool in my entertainment center.

The video rentals load super fast, I dont have an N draft router (but I will after Christmas sister is getting me a time capsule) and its still about a minute or less to begin watching an HD rental.

[dimensiondvdrob]

I have had Apple TV for about a year now, I got it once they allowed rentals. I really love it, I am sure there are better selections out there, but its simple to use never had ONE problem with it. The HD quality is very good, not quite blu-ray but its close enough.

So far the selection is getting better and better, and it does look cool in my entertainment center.

The video rentals load super fast, I dont have an N draft router (but I will after Christmas sister is getting me a time capsule) and its still about a minute or less to begin watching an HD rental.

I agree with you Staszek! I am actually thinking of canceling my Blockbuster Online account and just renting movies from Apple TV.

[acosmichippo]

I think the thing with apple's networking stuff is it's great if you've got all apple equipment. The synergy is amazing (usually). However, if you're looking for an aebs, time capsule, or apple tv to add to a predominantly non-apple cmputing/entertainment system, the synergy benefits might not outweigh the slightly lower specs and higher price compared to other networking equipment.

I personally have a time capsule and airport express (to stream airtunes and extend my wireless network in my basement), and they work great. There have been a few time capsule hiccups (caused by firmware and os updates, I think), but overall I'd give them 7/10.

[jjvaldez]

i have had this on my mind for a while
i want to get a apple tv but think that i might just wanna get a a mac mini and hook that up to my tv, i still dont know.....

[coasts]

i have had this on my mind for a while
i want to get a apple tv but think that i might just wanna get a a mac mini and hook that up to my tv, i still dont know.....

i'm in the same position...with rumors of an updated Mac Mini, I'm waiting until after MacWorld to decide.

[Ramesh]

Me too. I'm waiting to see what happens - though I'll probably end up w/an Apple TV.

[acosmichippo]

I'm in the same waiting boat, but in the meantime i'm trying to convert my PS3 to stream media from my Time Capsule. We'll see how that goes... gotta squeeze every ounce i can out of this glorified bluray player...

[jjvaldez]

i think that ill go the mac mini way after the macworld so that i can get it on a price drop, i want to be able to surf the web, and apple tv is only 720p anyway....

[Ramesh]

i think that ill go the mac mini way after the macworld so that i can get it on a price drop, i want to be able to surf the web, and apple tv is only 720p anyway....

You get an HDTV, and you get all snub on resolution. :) 720p is still good.

Good thinking on surfing the web - how are you planning on hooking this up to your tv?

[acosmichippo]

DVI->HDMI cable.

[Ramesh]

DVI->HDMI cable.

Didn't know the mini was DVI out. Thanks.

[jjvaldez]

You get an HDTV, and you get all snub on resolution. :) 720p is still good.

Good thinking on surfing the web - how are you planning on hooking this up to your tv?

DUDE!!!! im all snotty now, im like dvd eewwwww, "i only watch blueray" hahahah my mom, and gf have told me that too!

ahhahah yea im like 720p eww.. hahahahah

[jjvaldez]

yea , DVI to HDMI

[coasts]

no update to Mini and no word on Apple TV...a decision is soon to be made. meantime, i have something called a Modix from Korea that supposedly plays mp4 but i can't get my handbrake'd videos to play on it (mv4). I don't want to reconvert my whole collection.

any suggestions?

[acosmichippo]

you could do a slingbox & slingcatcher combo... it would stream video from a computer (or any video source) to a TV. It would be a little expensive, though. The bonus would be that you could stream anywhere in the world too.

[coasts]

would that incorporate the Modix? also, what is the difference between mp4 and m4v?

[acosmichippo]

would that incorporate the Modix? also, what is the difference between mp4 and m4v?

Modix? Sure, as long it has RCA or Component output. Otherwise, you will need an adapter to make it so.

My basic understanding of .mp4 vs .m4v is that .m4v is a special "apple" version of an .mp4.

[jjvaldez]

since no new news about new stuff i have been surfing craigslist for a mini all day.. no luck..

[dimensiondvdrob]

since no new news about new stuff i have been surfing craigslist for a mini all day.. no luck..

JJ, I may have someone looking to sell their Mac Mini. PM me and let's talk about it.

[acosmichippo]

Today i hooked up my MacBook Pro to my 46" LCD for a preview of things to come, and i must say, it is glorious.

[jjvaldez]

Today i hooked up my MacBook Pro to my 46" LCD for a preview of things to come, and i must say, it is glorious.

I take it you went the dvi--> hdmi way?

[acosmichippo]

Yep. The only problem is that there's a glitch in OSX that prevents you from selecting 1080p output easily. Luckily I found a pretty simple workaround to get it working. I'll post a link later.

[Ramesh]

Yep. The only problem is that there's a glitch in OSX that prevents you from selecting 1080p output easily. Luckily I found a pretty simple workaround to get it working. I'll post a link later.

Please do.

[acosmichippo]

http://rtfm-nub.blogspot.com/2007/08/1080p-out-of-macbook.html

i actually had to expand my "number of recent items" option to 10...

anyway, the bug may only apply to macbooks... i guess we won't know until we try.

[acosmichippo]

so... i decided to try an AppleTV today. I'll give it a thorough testing for 30 days, and if i'm not happy, i'll return it and get a Mac Mini.

So far it's working pretty well, but i have run into one snag i didn't consider yet... i've run out of HDMI ports on my receiver! So the PS3 is temporarily disconnected. The other thing i'm not sure i like is that my Macbook will have to be on all the time in order to stream content... but if i got a mac mini, that wouldn't be an issue at all.

So we'll see. I would sure love to save the ~$300.

[Ramesh]

DVI->HDMI cable.

How did you get audio to the TV?

[acosmichippo]

either through the optical out or headphone out.

[Ramesh]

either through the optical out or headphone out.

Yea, figured. That kinda sucks.

[acosmichippo]

optical would be preferable... it'll do more than just a stereo signal.

[Ramesh]

optical would be preferable... it'll do more than just a stereo signal.

No, I understand. I meant it sucks from the standpoint of having multiple hookups to do. My TV is wall mounted, so I have switches and what not controlling everything.