Apple TV vs Every Other DVR

I love my Apple TV. I use it to watch all my Youtube and Podcast subscriptions, rent HD movies, connect my itunes media for excellent audio quality on my new HD receiver. It’s not an HTPC, but then again it’s cheaper and easier to use. It could be a much better appliance if you could download apps to play u-stream, hulu, etc. The iPhone wasn’t a remarkable phone until the App Store afterall!

AppleTv + Boxee + Netflix is a game changer. Here is the Netflix hack.

You do not need to open the appletv and you may reset it at any time using factory restore.

The patchstick will plug into the appletv USB and install programs like Launcher (XMBC and Boxee) NitoTV and Couch surfer – this allows you to use SSH, SMB, Play DVD’s, and mount drives from remote computers.

Items you need:

a mac to use the console

1 flash drive – to make patchstick
2. usb hub
3. keyboard and mouse

1. Make an atvusb-creator patchstick, then install it
http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/

2. Install Firefox and the Silverlight 2.0 plugin from Awkward TV, using the SSH capabilities unlocked by the atvusb-creator patchstick.

http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Firefox

(skip the instructions down to install firefox as the patchstick will set up the keyboard and mouse pointer for you)

A. You do not have to install core-audio for this to work.

B. The keyboard and mouse only work in boxee and firefox so you will need your remote

3. Stream Netflix Watch Now through Firefox on Apple TV, using a keyboard and mouse

(since flash is not installed “you can install flash” the join Netflix item will not appear put you can sign in as a member and all is good).

The Firefox app will appear in NitoTV under applications. I installed the game emulators so my picture will show these.

Yawn!

Bro,

Apple TV is so sick.

Just get one Captain Cheapo. Heck, you already got some movie screen sized monitors. You can obviously afford it. Just fork out a couple bucks and see for yourself.

It’s sick!

Heck, I’d buy it just to let my pictures in iPhoto float across my big screen. It’s wicked cool!

Tivo and DVR destroy the quality as well.

All this “Chris! Chris! Chris! Windows!” puppy dog theology is making it really difficult for me to keep my dinner down. Anybody — even a Windows fanboy — who would argue the superiority of Windows as a PVR platform needs a C/T scan — and that’s just the beginning. I hope you have good insurance.

I agree that Apple TV is not what it could be. I do not own one. I do not intend to own one.

But to suggest that Windows MCE could whoop an Apple TV’s butt is just…. laughable.

There are times I smile and nod at the Windows crowd and let them have “a moment”. This isn’t one of them.

I also agree with the posters who said that Chris is not the target audience for the Apple TV. The Apple TV (like the Mini) is a conversion item. It’s meant to turn people. Chris has already turned.

And…

Once you go Mac…. you never go back. :-)

Sorry PC people. We’re not giving him back. :-)

I was thinking of getting one actually..

Apple TV gives me all my 500 DVDs on demand, all my music, photos, every video I’ve ever made, everything on Boxee, and everything I record on EyeTV. I can’t imagine anything easier or more comprehensive. Plus I can pipe my music to every Apple TV and Airport Express. Works like a charm.

I tried to get excited by Apple TV at first. But it seemed so darned limited.

I don’t really care for what little features it offered. I don’t see that they really added that many since I first heard about it.

I like the idea of something small that could handle my multimedia and connect to my LCD HD TV.

But a Mac Mini would offer more, and cost more.

In the end, I got a Multimedia Quad Core PC for the price Apple charges for the Mac Mini.

It’s too bad the case is really too big to sit on the same level as the TV.

Maybe I’ll stick it on the lower level of the multimedia center.

I just need to watch out for heat.

I have AppleTV and I think it is a really good appliance. Add Boxee to it and it becomes a great appliance. My wife uses it for dinner parties and sets up music playlists on iTunes to play through our surround sound. People love it. Plus, I love watching movie trailers on it!!

I like the way you included your responding followers to the article. If any of your blog readers were not on Twitter before, I see a surge coming. While this is an article about the AppleTV (which I love), it is even more an article about Twitter (which I love even more).

I own one and use it daily to serve up podcasts and tv shows. Also serves my music playlists. I can also sync it with my mac in my office and pipe music sound my entire house.

Very intuative UI which is nice and easy to explain to non-techie guests..

I <3 my AppleTV. Works great, syncs with iTunes, let’s me play my music from my computer (remote speakers), Boxee runs on it… Love it.

apple TV is crap! I just want a DVR so I can record my shows instead of paying $2 for each episode.

I have Comcast HD but no DVR. I tried Boxee as an alternative. I’d rather use an Internet alternative like Boxee.

I think AppleTV has promise but the key features (TV tuner, DVR, Optical Drive) would need to be added to make it a “must have” product. Until that happens I’ll keep using my MacMini.

Chris, I just use my 360 with netflix.

I was going to get an AppleTV to replace my Windows Media Center box. Ended up getting a Mac Mini. Mac Mini sold me on Macs. Now I have a MacBook Pro as a primary machine and the Mini has been repurposed as my Home Entertainment Server. (Connected to a 4TB drobo, and my LCD TV) Try getting 4TB on an AppleTV! Plus I can surf the net from my Sofa. Apple TV<Mac Mini.