Apple TV or PS3?? Or maybe another suggestion

[00bolt]

Im considering buying an Apple TV, Im so tired of buying movies and my kids scratching or losing them. So I thought I'd enter into the 2000's and start making copies.

I downloaded handbrake and started playing with it a little. Put some movies on my iphone and it worked great.

So heres my question:

option 1) If I get an Apple TV, will it play video in 1080p? If I find a way to rip my BluRays into MKVs or whatever other filetypes, will the ATV play it?

option 2) I already own a ps3 that will play my bluray movies. I also have an airport extreme with a 1TB external hard drive hooked up to it. Is there a way to store the video files on my hard drive and access/play them through the ps3? It is on the wireless network as my extreme/hard drive?

option 3) anything else you can suggest? Id like an easy solution.. Right now, I like the Apple TV or PS3, but do not know of anything else... thanks

 

[QuickSilver08]

I have both the Apple TV and PS3. And I LOVE my Apple TV!!

It will play 720p max as far as I know.

Asking about the PS3 and the network? I have a 1TB TC and I couldnt get PS3 to connect with it (as a media server)

 

[00bolt]

Okay, Im leaning towards the Apple TV, just wanna make sure it will do what I want.

So, I can download and pay for movies on the ATV in standard or 720p? But I already own over 300 movies (DVD and Bluray combined). I will want to find a way to put these on an external hard drive and play them on the Apple TV from there.

It seems as though handbrake will work for the DVDs. (does the standard Apple TV setting keep FULL resolution?)

But what about my blurays? Does anyone know how I can rip my bluray movies to my HD so I can watch in 720p on the Apple TV?

What about the mkv files? Will the AppleTV play them?

 

[QuickSilver08]

Okay, Im leaning towards the Apple TV, just wanna make sure it will do what I want.

So, I can download and pay for movies on the ATV in standard or 720p? But I already own over 300 movies (DVD and Bluray combined). I will want to find a way to put these on an external hard drive and play them on the Apple TV from there.

It seems as though handbrake will work for the DVDs. (does the standard Apple TV setting keep FULL resolution?)

But what about my blurays? Does anyone know how I can rip my bluray movies to my HD so I can watch in 720p on the Apple TV?

What about the mkv files? Will the AppleTV play them?

Im not 100% sure...Im realitvly new to the Apple scene so I dont know about all the hacks. The one thing I can tell you is that I can upload digital copies to iTunes, then sync to aTV.

And yes, you can rent standard def or HD (if supported)

New releases

Standard Definition
$3.99
HD, High Definition
$4.99

Library titles

Standard Definition
$2.99
HD, High Definition
$3.99

 

[00bolt]

i do not want to rent, i want to own so I can watch later.

 

[QuickSilver08]

You can buy as well...sorry if any confusion

 

[00bolt]

thats certainly an option, but what Im most concerned about is the ton of discs and mkv that i already own...

 

[richpjr]

Aren't their plugins for iTunes that allow you to stream audio and video to a PS3?

 

[cmcbridejr]

I've got both.

The AppleTV integrates well with iLife and it is nice to have your pictures in a slideshow while you listen to tunes.

The PS3 is a kickass gaming system that can playback high quality Blu-Ray. If you add the Media Link software, then the PS3 accomplishes the same as the AppleTV. However, it is not as beautiful as a UI to browse the iTunes library.

Go with the PS3 if you are a gamer that appreciates quality video and audio. Go with the AppleTV if you are not so much a gamer and prefer greater iTunes, iLife, and Mac integration.

Either way, they are both great products and you should be happy whatever the outcome.

 

[00bolt]

i came across this as an option and looks pretty cool.

http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/index.php?pluginoption=catalog&task=info&item_id=6

basically, Id get an ATV over this if I could find a way to get it to play all these different file types like that. Does anyone know if it will play with the boxee stuff?

 

[dn325ci]

I have both. I love the ATV, like everyone else. UI is fantastic. I would use it exclusively, if I could.

But I rarely use it now. I have a 4TB NAS housing video of all kinds, and the ATV is severely hardware limited for HD video. Even 720p has problems. 1080i more so. 1080p is completely out of the question.

PS3 turns out to be a fantastic streamer, even for 1080p files. Rock solid playback over ethernet, with full functionality for pausing & multiple speed FF & rewind. If ATV could play these files, I'd be using it. But it can't.

A poster above mentioned the ATV integrates with iLife. Actually it integrates with iTunes, no matter what platform - PC or Mac. ATV slideshows play from whatever folder you tell iTunes to use.

 

[00bolt]

so, how would I get my ps3 to stream video files from my external hard drive that is on my network? What all file types can it play (video types)

 

[IgnatiusTheKing]

so, how would I get my ps3 to stream video files from my external hard drive that is on my network? What all file types can it play (video types)

I won't vouch for it (I use my PS3 for games and Blu-Ray and my ATV for streaming/renting movies) but Nullriver MediaLink looks like a great solution to your problem.

 

[bigbossbmb]

MediaLink will require a computer to be connected to the hard drive (wired or wireless).

 

[00bolt]

Wow, thanks!!! I downloaded the medialink and it works PERFECT!!! I do not have my external hooked to a computer at all. Its hooked directly to my airport extreme and my ps3 sees my Macs hard drive AND the external. Played a few movies for a few seconds and it appears to work great!!

Now if it would only play mkv files

 

[bigbossbmb]

right now for mkv streaming I use ps3mediaserver, but it requires the host computer to actively transcode the video as it streams.

I'll be getting a mini in the next couple months and just running plex. That's definitely the best, although most expensive, way to go.

 

[00bolt]

well I played around with using the ps3 last night, it works. But I still would rather have an Apple TV. Does anyone have any information on how I can get an Apple TV to play AVI, MKV, WMV, etc files?

 

[dmiller]

I've got both and I'm starting to use my PS3 more and more. The only reason I fire up the Apple TV is when I want to watch Hulu. The great thing about the PS3 is it practically plays every format. I use Vuze on my Macbook and it sees it as a media server on the PS3. Also if I don't want to fire up the torrent program and download something new, I just move the files over via a USB thumb drive. The PS3 is quickly becoming an essential piece to my home entertainment system. Plus on the PS3 you can upgrade the HDD easily if you are storing media on the device.

 

[dn325ci]

I use mkv2vob to quickly convert mkv's for PS3 streaming. Great little program.

My NAS is DLNA compatible, meaning the the PS3 can natively see it as a "media server". From the XMB bar you just pick Search For Media Servers. You don't need to run any software at all. Then, every subsequent time you turn on the PS3, it automatically connects the media server NAS.

Again, I would love to use my ATV for everything, but the ATV is hardware incapable of playing most HD files I've tried, and even more incapable of playing a streaming HD file, even through XMBC. That's my experience FWIW.

 

[zen]

PS3.

Medialink.

Handbrake in case you have stuff that the PS3 can't play.

That's all you need

 

[Bye Bye Baby]

Both. Can't go wrong.