# Who here has an AppleTV and how are you using it??



## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

Since the refurb prices on AppleTVs are soo tempting, I was wondering if current owners could relate their experiences over the past months on how they are using their AppleTVs. What are the supplementary apps and hardware that you are using to make this your home solution? What kind of TV/TV connection are you using? How do you find the picture quality of the standard EyeTV and Handbrake conversions?

Thanks,


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## meall (Aug 15, 2007)

I have an Apple TV. Like it!

I use it to listen to video podcast and see my pictures on the big screen. Sometimes I have some TV shows that I have converted for it too. And, YouTube is fun, when you have time to kill not having something special in mind that is tempting for you. I also you it to put some background music when I have doing things like cooking or cleaning.

I like the ease of use, and the interface. I have the 40 gig, which I find enough as you can stream from your computer's iTunes library. So no need to the high capacity drive that cost more. Not like the iPod touch, for which I bought the 16 gig because it can't stream contents for iTunes. 

For now it is connected to my TV via HDMI, but when I get a home theater with more inputs, I should place the sound trough there. That will be later, as I do not have the money yet!


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## gdiener (Oct 6, 2007)

*I like my Apple TV*

I have had my Apple TV and use it mostly watching my video podcasts as well as some TV's and movies that I have downloaded off the iTunes store. More video podcasters are producing their content for wide screen Apple TV and it looks pretty good. Better watching it on my 50 inch TV than my laptop screen. I have my apple TV connected via hdmi to my plasma TV. If the rumors are true HD content from iTunes is coming along with the possibility of movie rentals.


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## emalen (Oct 10, 2004)

I too am about to cave and buy and Apple TV, but I'm waiting until the end of the month, as I just have this feeling, updated Apple TV's are in the future.

My wish list:

- Downloadable Movies (in Canada)
- A DVD Player
- Bigger HD, Smaller Price!


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## teeterboy3 (May 22, 2005)

I have it and use it for watching my tv shows I have converted over. My videos of my daughter. All my pictures. And listening to my entire library of music. It works pretty flipping great and has left me in the living room watching the 37" and leaving the laptop upstairs.

My single favourite feature is that say you can have a TV show that you are watching on it and you pause it for whatever reason. And come back later to your computer and want to watch that show, if it's synced in that time, it will pick right where you left off on the AppleTV. Same goes for an iPod if you have it in the chain.

I probably use it most for TV series that I am catching up on, like Lost, or watching the buttload of podcasts that on there. And, as someone else mentioned, its great when you are bored or procrastinating to troll You Tube. Especially for Ali G clips!


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Can you stream video as well? And from an external hdd?


How about the DiVX/XVID hack, anyone use that?


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## teeterboy3 (May 22, 2005)

You can stream video but you absolutely should be doing that either over the new Airport Extreme or via ethernet. And even over the Extreme, I find it can get choppy.

Your main computer you designate as the 'home' connection for the AppleTV… it will copy all the files to the Apple TV hard drive, that way its all there ready for the AppleTV to access. the 4 or 5 other computers that are also able to connect will stream, which is fine for audio, and pictures, but as mentioned can be a bit dodgey for video.

As for DiVX… I take all the files I have and convert them using iSquint which will encode them in H.264 M4V files, optomized for AppleTV, and automatically add it to iTunes for you.


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## teeterboy3 (May 22, 2005)

oh and as for TV connection… I forgot to talk about that.

I have a great 37" non HD Toshiba that we got about 4 years back. I connect the AppleTV via composite video cables to the set, and stereo RCA's to my stereo. Some day I will connect the optical audio in should I ever 'find' video with surround sound.

AppleTV managed to support my TV despite it being non HD, just fine which was a worry for me.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

you can stream video through airport extreme? i had no idea....


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## spicyapple (Aug 17, 2006)

I have the AppleTV 40gb version but I don't use it much (currently unplugged) because getting content on it is hard, especially if you dont buy stuff from iTunes. It's a bit useless without DVR and I find it kinda pointless listening to tunes on it because you'd need to leave the TV on to operate it. Complete waste of energy. Watching YouTube is a pleasant experience but I've had network issues such as a slow connection that makes it not fun to use on a regular, reliable basis.


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## Bjornbro (Feb 19, 2000)

spicyapple said:


> ...I find it kinda pointless listening to tunes on it because you'd need to leave the TV on to operate it.


Unless you hook it up to a receiver.  Yes you'll turn on the TV to navigate which playlist you want to listen to, but once selected you can turn the TV off.


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## zlinger (Aug 28, 2007)

No @TV here, but might consider as an addition to the system. I use a Mac Mini with 32" LCD the living room, with an EyeTV digital tuner/PVR, and 500GB RAID'ed storage. Tonight I downloaded an EyeTV update that now supports output to iPhone and AppleTV. 

I have scheduled the programs that I watch, and it will automatically save into iTunes. The timeshift feature is great too that allows you to pause a program or skip by the commercials. Programs are also available across your Wi-Fi network by accessing a local webpage.

Let me tell you this is one sweet setup... it puts the old VHS days to shame. I might explore getting a refurbished AppleTV if I find a good deal, and then I may move the Mac Mini into the office for other tasks plus batch the TV programs, and then send to AppleTV & iPhone. That would be stellar.


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## (( p g )) (Aug 17, 2002)

zlinger said:


> No @TV here, but might consider as an addition to the system. I use a Mac Mini with 32" LCD the living room, with an EyeTV digital tuner/PVR, and 500GB RAID'ed storage. Tonight I downloaded an EyeTV update that now supports output to iPhone and AppleTV.


I'll second that. I also opted for a Mac Mini. It just made more sense: 

- DVD drive
- burner
- device that doubles as a home server
- more storage
- ability to download shows (Battlestar Gallactica!!) 
- more control over data than with an AppleTV
- support for PVRs such as EyeTV
- controls via System Prefs to schedule auto shutdowns and restarts (to be energy conscious)


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

I'm pretty close to getting one of these. It seems that the HD size is not as relevant as I thought.

I have an HDTV antenna as well as Digital Cable so theoretically I could get this Elgato HDHomeRun box to network HD signals to various macs in the house whereby HD programming can be recorded then sent to the AppleTV for viewing at a later time.


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## burnabybill (Nov 5, 2007)

*Stream from DVD on MacBook*

Hi,

Anyone know how to play a DVD in the optical drive on my MacBook and have it stream to watch on my TV via the Apple TV box? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.  

Bill


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## da_jonesy (Jun 26, 2003)

I have an Apple TV under a Sony 34" CRT HDTV. I've upgraded the internal HD to 120GB as my photo and itunes library are pretty big. 

Unfortunately I carved up the rubber base trying to get inside. Anyone know where I can get a replacement?

My next project is this...

Enabling ssh and adding plugins the easy way | Apple TV Hacks

Problem is that with 10.5 the instructions don't work, but there is a work around using bootcamp and 10.4


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

burnabybill said:


> Anyone know how to play a DVD in the optical drive on my MacBook and have it stream to watch on my TV via the Apple TV box? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


I don't think it's possible to stream from the DVD drive. You could use a tool like Handbrake to rip the DVD and encode it for the AppleTV:

HandBrake

I also think there's a hack that will allow you to play raw VOB files. So you could, use MacTheRipper (MacTheRipper) to rip the DVD. You could then either copy the VOB file(s) to the AppleTV directly using various hacks, or shared it off your computer (again, using various hacks).

Perhaps someone else has another idea but I've never heard of any myself.


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

da_jonesy said:


> My next project is this...
> 
> Enabling ssh and adding plugins the easy way | Apple TV Hacks[/url]
> 
> Problem is that with 10.5 the instructions don't work, but there is a work around using bootcamp and 10.4


I've hacked my Apple TV to enable SSH and Apple File Sharing. (I played around with booting a full version of OS X on the unit for a bit; that was pretty cool.) I've also added ATV Files (along with Perian) and ATV Torrents. I love it. I use AFP to drop torrent files on the unit; when the transfers are done, I can watch them directly from the Apple TV with no intervention from my computer.

I've also enabled USB support and added the USB Mass Storage kexts. I have a 60GB external drive running off the unit now that I use to store some of my personal DVD collections (which I've ripped) and it also acts like a file server to share other files on my network.

The AppleTV has turned out to be the best birthday I ever received.  I've thought about throwing in a 160GB drive, but I haven't decided yet. Being able to add external storage sort of makes that unnecessary; however, having everything neatly inside the unit would be nice, and hacking it is a lot of fun too.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

kloan said:


> How about the DiVX/XVID hack, anyone use that?


Can someone explain to me the point of DiVX? Who has DiVX content? And why did you encode it that way?


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## naftalim (Oct 1, 2007)

Where do you get TV and Movies on iTunes. There don't seem to be any on iTunes Canada store and the US store does not allow to download?




gdiener said:


> I have had my Apple TV and use it mostly watching my video podcasts as well as some TV's and movies that I have downloaded off the iTunes store. More video podcasters are producing their content for wide screen Apple TV and it looks pretty good. Better watching it on my 50 inch TV than my laptop screen. I have my apple TV connected via hdmi to my plasma TV. If the rumors are true HD content from iTunes is coming along with the possibility of movie rentals.


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## TheDirtyOne (Sep 5, 2007)

hayesk said:


> Can someone explain to me the point of DiVX? Who has DiVX content? And why did you encode it that way?


Really? Well, they're both compressed video formats with high-res quality. Xvid is free software and available on all platforms (since source code is available), where as you'll have to pay to use all of DivX's features and is only available on Windows/Mac.

So in answer your questions: 

-the point of DivX or Xvid for that matter, is to have small file sizes with high-res video quality

-a lot of video is used with DivX or Xvid because it makes it easier to download (less of a file to wait for)

-the reason why is answered all above


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

TheDirtyOne said:


> -the point of DivX or Xvid for that matter, is to have small file sizes with high-res video quality
> 
> -a lot of video is used with DivX or Xvid because it makes it easier to download (less of a file to wait for)
> 
> -the reason why is answered all above


Actually, no, it isn't answered. I figured I didn't need to mention "as opposed to H.264 or another compressed formats" H.264 provides all of the advantages you describe and is more compatible with Apple products. We're talking about an AppleTV here, so why not encode in H.264? So when you rip your sources, why not just choose H.264?

What legal download services use DivX or Xvid? Or maybe the answer to my question is "all the illegal stuff on the net is in Xvid and DivX"


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

naftalim said:


> Where do you get TV and Movies on iTunes. There don't seem to be any on iTunes Canada store and the US store does not allow to download?


Rip your DVDs with Handbrake or other apps.


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## Derrick (Dec 22, 2004)

I use my Apple TV for music only at this point ... when you look at dedicated 'music servers' ... the Apple TV offers quite a bit more flexibility and is a much cheaper solution.

I have the 40Gb model ... if I had only waited a month, I could have had the 160Gb ... oh well 

I use a 20" ACD to connect to it ... and connect the digital out to a separate D/A converter ... since most of my music is ripped from CD, I wanted the best quality possible and use the AIFF format.

I used to use the Mac mini for this purpose ... I went to the Apple TV because you only ever need the remote ... it became too much of a hassle to have to drag out the keyboard/mouse to the living room.


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

Anyone hacked their AppleTV and what have you enabled?


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## steinba (Oct 5, 2007)

I hear Mac mini keep popping up in conversations about apple TV. Aside from price, does apple TV offer anything in picture quality, video capabilities, sound etc, that you can't get with a mini? 

I am setting up my home theater and really want what best for the setup. If I can get the mini without compromising sound and video (and also getting the advantage of having a computer, internet, etc) I wouldn't mind spending the extra 2-3 hundred dollars.


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