What is this thing? I'm pretty sure I read about it and thought, "Wow, I don't care about that and it doesn't do anything useful." But refresh my memory...
Personally I think the AppleTV will end up being an awesome MythTV HD Frontent device..... and at $299 its the same price as the HD Slingbox FrontEnd thingy.<a class="user" href="http://www.mythpvr.com/mythtv/AppleTV/linux.html">http://www.mythpvr.com/mythtv/AppleTV/linux.html</a>According to those familiar with the component makeup of Apple TV, it utilizes a 1.0GHz Pentium M-based chip (code-named "Crofton"), which has been under-clocked to run on a 350MHz bus. The chip is based on Intel's pre-Core Duo "Dothan" core and includes 2MB of L2 cache.Aiding the Pentium M in video decoding are a nVidia G72M with 64MB DDR2 video memory (essentially the GeForce Go 7400) and 256MB of 400MHz DDR2 main system memory, the latter of which is reportedly soldered to the logic board.Linux runs just fine on other recent Apple hardware. We already know the AppleTV is based on an Intel chip. Right now, only Apple knows how standard this equipment is, and how easily another OS such as Linux could be loaded onto it.Once someone gets Linux to boot on this, a whole new breed of Linux box will have been born. Even if support for the multi-media components is not immediate, such a small form factor server that only uses 48-watts of power still has plenty of uses. For $299, it packs a punch in a very nice package.Building (or buying) a dedicated MythTV Frontend is the way to go to extend your system to other TV's in your house. Currently for $299, I can't build a MythTV Frontend system with these hardware specs that's silent and looks nice. An AppleTV running as a MythTV Frontend would be perfect for me and many other MythTV users.
I saw the demo of AppleTV and I disagree with most of what I'm reading here.I will agree that it ought to do 1080p, and I expect they'll add that before too long, once they can get it fast enough over wireless. However, for some applications, it's going to be incredible: in my case I have a Mac without a monitor in my stereo cabinet; to select songs I Timbuktu to it and make song selections, but it would be great to be able to see album covers on my plasma TV. With the AppleTV I'll be able to route the video output from the Mac Mini into my plasma TV using component video. For this single thing, it'll make my stereo much easier to use.I'll have to wait and see how it is for downloading movies, and how they look on my TV. I've ordered the new faster Airport Extreme that uses 802.11n; once the new MacBook Pros come out this year with 802.11n, this will get my speed to double what I'm getting now with 802.11n, so all in all I'm excited about getting the AppleTV.I think it's going to turn out to be much cooler than lots of people think, although I will say that, at MacWorld Expo, opinions among Mac fans like myself were mixed; some people like me were excited about it, others were lukewarm.
Now we are talking. Let's assume what you said comes to be and we see mythtv for the apple TV. That means I can have a beefy myth backend box hidden somewhere in my house, and use myth on an apple TV as the front-end? That sounds pretty cool too. If I ever get cable I will build a myth dvr, and I wanted an apple tv as well. If I could have all that working together I would be a happy man. If the apple tv could be dual-booted (so to speak, I doubt it "boots" in the traditional sense) that would be even better.
hooray, i can watch the movies and shows i download from itunes on my high definition TV!wait.... i don't have any movies or tv shows downloaded from itunes.... nor are those movies and shows hi-def to begin with.
"Ok since so many people are quick to bash the appleTV, please name some alternatives that work with my music, movies, and photos."XBox Media Center. The only thing it won't play is DRMed formats, but don't blame the XBMC creators on that one - blame the DRM. Best investment I've made in the media sector in a while. It's easy as pie to mod an xbox and install XBMC if you have any tech knowledge, and best of all it's only $100. Also, new updates are released weekly and I don't see the project dying any time soon.
XBMC is awesome. I have an early Xbox (1.0 or 1.1) but I don't want to mess with it. Just yesterday I was talking to my friend about buying his Xbox he doesn't use for about $70 so that will probably be the best way to go. For $100 I can have a mod chip as well.
desistereFeb 11, 2007
What is this thing? I'm pretty sure I read about it and thought, "Wow, I don't care about that and it doesn't do anything useful." But refresh my memory...
nixfuFeb 11, 2007
Personally I think the AppleTV will end up being an awesome MythTV HD Frontent device..... and at $299 its the same price as the HD Slingbox FrontEnd thingy.<a class="user" href="http://www.mythpvr.com/mythtv/AppleTV/linux.html">http://www.mythpvr.com/mythtv/AppleTV/linux.html</a>According to those familiar with the component makeup of Apple TV, it utilizes a 1.0GHz Pentium M-based chip (code-named "Crofton"), which has been under-clocked to run on a 350MHz bus. The chip is based on Intel's pre-Core Duo "Dothan" core and includes 2MB of L2 cache.Aiding the Pentium M in video decoding are a nVidia G72M with 64MB DDR2 video memory (essentially the GeForce Go 7400) and 256MB of 400MHz DDR2 main system memory, the latter of which is reportedly soldered to the logic board.Linux runs just fine on other recent Apple hardware. We already know the AppleTV is based on an Intel chip. Right now, only Apple knows how standard this equipment is, and how easily another OS such as Linux could be loaded onto it.Once someone gets Linux to boot on this, a whole new breed of Linux box will have been born. Even if support for the multi-media components is not immediate, such a small form factor server that only uses 48-watts of power still has plenty of uses. For $299, it packs a punch in a very nice package.Building (or buying) a dedicated MythTV Frontend is the way to go to extend your system to other TV's in your house. Currently for $299, I can't build a MythTV Frontend system with these hardware specs that's silent and looks nice. An AppleTV running as a MythTV Frontend would be perfect for me and many other MythTV users.
longtermFeb 11, 2007
I saw the demo of AppleTV and I disagree with most of what I'm reading here.I will agree that it ought to do 1080p, and I expect they'll add that before too long, once they can get it fast enough over wireless. However, for some applications, it's going to be incredible: in my case I have a Mac without a monitor in my stereo cabinet; to select songs I Timbuktu to it and make song selections, but it would be great to be able to see album covers on my plasma TV. With the AppleTV I'll be able to route the video output from the Mac Mini into my plasma TV using component video. For this single thing, it'll make my stereo much easier to use.I'll have to wait and see how it is for downloading movies, and how they look on my TV. I've ordered the new faster Airport Extreme that uses 802.11n; once the new MacBook Pros come out this year with 802.11n, this will get my speed to double what I'm getting now with 802.11n, so all in all I'm excited about getting the AppleTV.I think it's going to turn out to be much cooler than lots of people think, although I will say that, at MacWorld Expo, opinions among Mac fans like myself were mixed; some people like me were excited about it, others were lukewarm.
nofxjunkeeFeb 11, 2007
Now we are talking. Let's assume what you said comes to be and we see mythtv for the apple TV. That means I can have a beefy myth backend box hidden somewhere in my house, and use myth on an apple TV as the front-end? That sounds pretty cool too. If I ever get cable I will build a myth dvr, and I wanted an apple tv as well. If I could have all that working together I would be a happy man. If the apple tv could be dual-booted (so to speak, I doubt it "boots" in the traditional sense) that would be even better.
wedgesFeb 11, 2007
hooray, i can watch the movies and shows i download from itunes on my high definition TV!wait.... i don't have any movies or tv shows downloaded from itunes.... nor are those movies and shows hi-def to begin with.
lycolocoFeb 11, 2007
"Ok since so many people are quick to bash the appleTV, please name some alternatives that work with my music, movies, and photos."XBox Media Center. The only thing it won't play is DRMed formats, but don't blame the XBMC creators on that one - blame the DRM. Best investment I've made in the media sector in a while. It's easy as pie to mod an xbox and install XBMC if you have any tech knowledge, and best of all it's only $100. Also, new updates are released weekly and I don't see the project dying any time soon.
nofxjunkeeFeb 12, 2007
XBMC is awesome. I have an early Xbox (1.0 or 1.1) but I don't want to mess with it. Just yesterday I was talking to my friend about buying his Xbox he doesn't use for about $70 so that will probably be the best way to go. For $100 I can have a mod chip as well.
razorpitFeb 14, 2007
I'm with you. And while I "think" I understand this product, I still wold have liked to see a DVD drive in it to help justify the cost.