# APPLE TV: What's the benefits in comparison to cable TV or DVDS?



## JoeyDee (Aug 15, 2008)

Hey folks.

Just wondering here - Im not so knowledgeable about this APPLE TV.. but yesterday I was so close of buying it, but knowing that I do a lot of "buy" to "try out" and realizing that I'll never use it, I held my self back 

1. So basically what are the benefits, can I use it as a digital cable box? (sorry for the stupidest question ever on this board.) 

2. Is it a streaming type of media box where I can only purchase tv shows, movies and so on... and they stream (or download onto my apple tv?)

3. Can upload my own movies on the APPLE TV? If so, does it have to sync with the movies in Itunes? So I would connect my computer to apple tv and all would sync?

Or - should I just get a VGA cable which connect my computer to my LCD TV and just press whatever film i want to view from my MacBook onto my TV... which would you recommend and prefer?

Uhmm.. i think that's about it.
let me know plz.
-Joey


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## Vexel (Jan 30, 2005)

The Apple TV is basically an iPod that you hook to your TV. That's it, that's all.

It's all run through iTunes. (Though, there are hacks.) Whatever iTunes has in it, you can sync to the Apple TV and play it on your HDTV. Wonderful machine, I love mine. 

The only thing that sets it apart from a regular iPod is the fact that it can connect to the iTMS directly and you can purchase from it. It's great to rent movies from.. and a treat to browse to find new music.


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## ruffdeezy (Mar 17, 2008)

The best move would probably be to buy a mac mini to connect to your tv or other options would just be to buy the cords to connect to your tv. I have Apple TV myself and I am very happy with it. If I would have known before and had the money, I would have bought a mac mini for it. I did order the cords to hook my macbook to my tv so I will try that out and see how it goes.


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## JoeyDee (Aug 15, 2008)

ruffdeezy said:


> The best move would probably be to buy a mac mini to connect to your tv or other options would just be to buy the cords to connect to your tv. I have Apple TV myself and I am very happy with it. If I would have known before and had the money, I would have bought a mac mini for it. I did order the cords to hook my macbook to my tv so I will try that out and see how it goes.


I have a MacMini at home, so the next step is to get the cords that plug into my HDTV... so it functions the same as a AppleTV except the fact that I can't rent or purchase movies, or maybe i can through iTunes...

So its pretty much the same right?
-Joey


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## Vexel (Jan 30, 2005)

Make sure you know how to set the resolution up on your Mac Mini when connecting it to a TV. There's over and underscan that you have to compensate for. Unless your TV can do it on its own.


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## JoeyDee (Aug 15, 2008)

Hey Folks.

Im running into a little problem... I got everything hooked up - I am actually using my HDTV as the monitor now to type this post  however I can't hear any audio  I got the VGA or RGB cables to connect to the HDTV...

Now how can i get audio?
plz help.
-Joey


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## 9780 (Sep 14, 2006)

The cables only work for the video signal. You need to connect the audio out of your Mac to the audio ports of the TV to get audio signal...

Patrix.


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## JoeyDee (Aug 15, 2008)

uhm... I don't see anywhere I can plug some cables for audio out of my MacBook Pro... does it go where the earphones are? cause all i see is like USB slots, firewire, microphone, audio and so on... 

let me plz.
-JOey


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## Jarooda (Jul 18, 2006)

JoeyDee said:


> I have a MacMini at home, so the next step is to get the cords that plug into my HDTV... so it functions the same as a AppleTV except the fact that I can't rent or purchase movies, or maybe i can through iTunes...
> 
> So its pretty much the same right?
> -Joey


Yes but you can only rent HD content through the Apple TV, not through iTunes. Everything else can be rented straight through iTunes


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## JoeyDee (Aug 15, 2008)

Ah I think I might know what's wrong...

I have a DV out from my MacBook Pro and a DV in on my HDTV... shouldn't be, DV out from MacBook and connecting it to HDMI?

So i might of got the wrong plugs -

let me know.
-Joey


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## Garry (Jan 27, 2002)

DV doesn't carry audio. if you got a DV to HDMI cable you still wouldn't get audio. You need audio cables to hook up to your TV.


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## Oakbridge (Mar 8, 2005)

Garry said:


> DV doesn't carry audio. if you got a DV to HDMI cable you still wouldn't get audio. You need audio cables to hook up to your TV.


If your TV has digital audio in, you can use this cable which you can pick up from an Apple Store or online at Apple.ca.

It ships with an adapter that allows it to be used in the headphone jack of most Macs which is also a digital audio cable. It was a great investment for $20.


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## lindmar (Nov 13, 2003)

Buld a HTPC you'll be much happier.


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## JoeyDee (Aug 15, 2008)

Hey.

I think this is what I need: this here. I connected my Mac Mini to my HDTV and I think I just plug this in the earphone socket and the other cable inback of the TV.

right?
-Joey


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## Ants (May 6, 2003)

lindmar said:


> Buld a HTPC you'll be much happier.


hey lindmar,

what would you suggest for a case and required parts? I like the form factor of the Mini or Apple TV but have yet to make a decision on whether to get a Mini, Apple TV or assemble one myself.

It would primarily be used to store and stream music.


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## lindmar (Nov 13, 2003)

Ants said:


> hey lindmar,
> 
> what would you suggest for a case and required parts? I like the form factor of the Mini or Apple TV but have yet to make a decision on whether to get a Mini, Apple TV or assemble one myself.
> 
> It would primarily be used to store and stream music.


I havent built one yet but been researching for a while and getting ready.
That being said, from what I've heard the original xbox modded with XBMC is hard to beat, plays 720p, can stream from your other computers....

Check out the forum at avsforums on HTPC. There is like 85 pages in one thread and the guy gives suggestions on all the parts from a basic build to a full out build.

His mid-level builds with full HD capability tap out at NCIX for about 700 bucks. You could even add blu-ray. Futureshop had the blu-ray drive for $139 this weekend.

Tempting. Way more tempting than an appletv. 

To me, I love apple and appletv looks cool if you've got the right setup but functionality wise.. blah.. OK. Maybe the next revision will get me.

You should also check out the popcorn hour if all you want to do is stream music/movies.


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## jeepguy (Apr 4, 2008)

lindmar said:


> I havent built one yet but been researching for a while and getting ready.
> That being said, from what I've heard the original xbox modded with XBMC is hard to beat, plays 720p, can stream from your other computers....
> 
> Check out the forum at avsforums on HTPC. There is like 85 pages in one thread and the guy gives suggestions on all the parts from a basic build to a full out build.
> ...


I'm also looking into this, I have both an apple tv and a mac mini, and they both have their limitations, I really want to add* blu-ray support*, and have a full functional computer with full 1080p.

If you go the AMD route you can build a very capable system based on the 780g motherboards for around $520+tax, the only problem I've seen is the cases are ugly. If you look at the silverstone line, the nicer ones are expensive. 

The other problem is you need XP or Vista to play Blu-Ray disks  because of the HDCP crap. If you don't care about blu-ray then $520 drops to $380 and you can run Ubuntu and Myth tv instead of that XP/Vista crap.

I love the apple tv, and would buy another one if they upgrade the cpu to handle full 1080p content, or add blu ray support to the Mac mini.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

no 1080p for Apple TV? Thats a deal breaker for me if it doesnt.


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## jeepguy (Apr 4, 2008)

wonderings said:


> no 1080p for Apple TV? Thats a deal breaker for me if it doesnt.


Apple TV does 1080p upscaling, of 720p video content.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

so if Apple released 1080p video downloads it would play it natively? So the reason its 720p because thats what the videos are encoded as?


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

1080p is just not standard yet. Not on broadband, anyway. The size is just too big for now. 720p or even 1080i _is_ high definition at the moment. That being said, I understand AppleTV can already do 1080p as long as you're hooked up to a 1080p TV using HDMI to connect.


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## da_jonesy (Jun 26, 2003)

So my question is... What other UI's exist which can access Apple iTunes content like Podcasts?

I am replacing my AppleTV with a Mac Mini but ATV4Mac has some show stopping flaws (480p only). I really want a way to access video Podcasts using the same interface as AppleTV 2.0


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## jeepguy (Apr 4, 2008)

fjnmusic said:


> 1080p is just not standard yet. Not on broadband, anyway. The size is just too big for now. 720p or even 1080i _is_ high definition at the moment. That being said, I understand AppleTV can already do 1080p as long as you're hooked up to a 1080p TV using HDMI to connect.


it can only up scale to 1080p, it can't actually play 1080p content(video), it just doesn't have the horsepower even if it were available. It can only play 720p24 as long as the data rate stays below 5mbs max.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

And by the time 1080p content actually exists (it doesn't at present outside of Blu-Ray/HD-DVD), there will be an Apple TV that can handle it.

You're talking years from now, just so you know. Rather than the hassle of hacking up a Mac Mini in ways only Engineer Montgomery Scott could appreciate, just buy a refurb AppleTV and be done with it (knowing that in three to five years you will be replacing it with its successor).


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Ye canna change the laws of physics, Capt'n!


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## JoeyDee (Aug 15, 2008)

fjnmusic said:


> Ye canna change the laws of physics, Capt'n!


hahahah.. nice one.

-Joey


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

SCOTTY!!

I need 1080p in four hours or we're all DEAD!

<AH CANNAE DOO IT, CAP'N!>


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## JoeyDee (Aug 15, 2008)

I'm ganna watch KILL BILL now but sucks how my surround sound won't connect 

I have my MacBook Pro connected now and not my Mac mini... i wonder how I could get my surround sound on this set up?  anyone?

-Joey


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## lindmar (Nov 13, 2003)

Just to revisit this thread.
The MacMini running plex is supposed to handle 1080p content without issue.

For those not up on plex, its a port of xbmc which is widely regarded as the best media center software ever...plex has been ported to OSX so for those with Intel macs you can download the release and play with it. When you add the apple tv skin, it seems to be a better solution after all you've got a mini.

In the end costs about the same as building at htpc.

An HTPC with a bluray drive will run you actually more than a mini.


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## jeepguy (Apr 4, 2008)

lindmar said:


> Just to revisit this thread.
> The MacMini running plex is supposed to handle 1080p content without issue.
> 
> For those not up on plex, its a port of xbmc which is widely regarded as the best media center software ever...plex has been ported to OSX so for those with Intel macs you can download the release and play with it. When you add the apple tv skin, it seems to be a better solution after all you've got a mini.
> ...


plex will run some *low bitrate* 1080p Dvix files, but will not run the more common *hi birate MKV* files at 1080p with 5.1 sound. Not even Mr. Scott with a pocket full of dylithium crystals can make that happen.


> AH CANNAE DOO IT, CAP'N!/QUOTE]
> 
> A nice 720p file will look 10 times better than an over compressed 1080p file. And yes I have tried plex.
> 
> ...


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## lindmar (Nov 13, 2003)

jeepguy said:


> plex will run some *low bitrate* 1080p Dvix files, but will not run the more common *hi birate MKV* files at 1080p with 5.1 sound. Not even Mr. Scott with a pocket full of dylithium crystals can make that happen.
> 
> 
> > AH CANNAE DOO IT, CAP'N!/QUOTE]
> ...


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