Any reason to keep the AppleTV?

[Fixmy59bug]

I just picked up a Mac Mini to have as a Home Theatre / Media Server. But I discovered a slight snafu.

My TV only has 3 HDMI ports. Currently they are occupied by my Apple TV, PS3, and Cable Box. I know I could get an HDMI switcher, or put the PS3 on components, or get a receiver with multiple HDMI inputs.

However, I don't know that there is a need for the Apple TV anymore.

I have the Mini hooked directly to the TV, so I don't have to worry about airplay to transfer movies or music to the TV. I have PS3 which handles Netflix, and anything I would want to watch on my iPad, I could just watch directly on my TV through the Mini.

That being the case, Is there any need to keep the Apple TV around?

 

[Peace]

If you don't think there is then there isn't .

 

[mic j]

Drop the cable.

 

[rbrian]

The Apple TV has a nicer interface than the mini, but that's all.

 

[tbayrgs]

I've been using a mini as a HTPC for a few years now with PLEX as the media interface but recently added an Apple TV to replace it for media viewing. The mini worked great for my needs however, as much as I like PLEX, ease of use of the Apple TV for my family trumps it. And now that the Apple TV can handle 1080p, I really couldn't justify not switching. My family watches a lot of Netflix and movies from our media library and doing so on the Apple TV is just easier for them. I'd even set up our Harmony universal remote to control PLEX but I still would get botherEd to help them nearly every time they wanted to watch something. And the performance of Netflix app in PLEX was always spotty at best.

Now, I'm fortunate enough to have an extra HDMI port on the TV (everything else connects via HDMI to our receiver/soundbar) and could just run an optical back to the receiver so I can still watch directly from the HTPC (some of my favorites are not encoded but just direct blu ray rips that the Apple TV cannot handle). But if I was in a similar spot as you and had to pick between the 2, I'd have to go with the Apple TV.

 

[warvanov]

Sounds like you've graduated past the Apple TV. Congratulations!

Now you can use it with a different TV in the house. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc...