ATV Previous Generation or New ATV2

[Wicked1]

I think I am going to make the plunge to ATV but do I get the previous gen with 160GB HDD or go for ATV2 and stream all my iTunes movies and Ripped movies from DVD's over my Wireless N to the ATV2.

Is the new ATV2 that much better then the Gen1 160GB version?

If I get the new ATV2 I can stream movies from an external HDD from my Mini to the ATV2 via WiFi correct?

Sorry this is my first attempt to get Audio Video running in my house over WiFi however I have a solid Network and all Macs communicate very well and so do my Wireless Speakers through out my house.

 

[iPhoneCollector]

you can only stream videos you have in your itunes library. that means that you have to convert them into the format the new apple tv supports , thou you would have the same problem on the older apple tv. the advantages of the new atv is that your storage is as big as you hard drive on your computer. and you don't have to go throw the awful syncing proses anymore. the bad thing on this is that if you take you apple tv out of you house you wont be able to watch any movies unless you take your computer with you. i would recommend you the new atv just because its new functions. hope this helps.
ps. i almost forgot their is also airplay which lets you stream videos and stuff from your ipad to the tv.

 

[Wicked1]

I bought an ATV from Best Buy today but I am thinking of returning it only because now I am not really sure what would be best.

I wanted the ability with the ATV 160GB HDD to copy movies to it so that no matter what TV I wanted to use in the house, I would just have to connect my ATV to it and away I go without having to run over Wireless thru my house. I guess once I fill the 160GB Drive that becomes a mute point, but how do you get movies on your ATV from iTunes?

I assume both versions ATV160GB and ATV2 both will connect to my uMB which is sharing iTunes libraries but what is the advantage of ATV2 over ATV. The other issue I have is not every TV in my house has HDMI, some have component connections in which case I am hosed with ATV2.

Are there cables I can buy to convert the ATV2 HDMI to Component cables, if not I have to stick with ATV 160GB and then just connect an External 320GB drive to it for additional space.

 

[stevenb]

HDMI TV is not a must...

I have a Sony 36XBR800 CRT 4:3 with only a DVI connection. I bought the conversion cable (HDMI to DVI). I then used the optical audio and bought a converter to red/white RCA component. That worked for me. I think I have seen converters at Mono price and this

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10114&cs_id=1011406&p_id=4631&seq=1&format=2

might work for you on your old tv's and the ATV2. I hope it works for you. You may have problems with the HDCP on the older tv's if they do not support it. One last thing, be careful with the new upgrade for ATV2. It is causing some older tv's to only display 480p. I am not going to update, as mine works fine.

I had no idea if my old tv would work and it does. I took a gamble and did not have to buy a new tv.

Good luck.

 

[CylonGlitch]

if not I have to stick with ATV 160GB and then just connect an External 320GB drive to it for additional space.

My understanding is, and I have the old ATV 40gb that it doesn't use external drives. BUT you can, if you're brave enough, upgrade the drive. I am planning to put my 500gb laptop drive I have laying around in there as soon as I can.

 

[Bozola]

Next to my apple router, the original ATV consumes the most power in my house. Not true for ATV2

 

[Wicked1]

I understand getting the ATV2 would be best but I have TV's in the house that are not DVI or HDMI, some have the old Component connects for Video/Audio, so ATV1 would work best besides you can run movies from the ATV's 160GB HDD and over WiFi to my Mini's iTunes Collection so I can use all my DVD's.

If anyone knows a way to connect ATV2 to older tv's I would go that way then

 

[aidym]

advantages of the new atv is that your storage is as big as you hard drive on your computer.

The same also applies to the original ATV as it is also capable of streaming your content directly from your computer.

and you don't have to go throw the awful syncing proses anymore.

Yes syncing is an "awful" process. I don't know how the millions of iPod/iPhone/iPad owners manage.

the bad thing on this is that if you take you apple tv out of you house you wont be able to watch any movies unless you take your computer with you.

Not a problem with the original ATV as you can go through that "awful" syncing process to store the content on the ATV.

i would recommend you the new atv just because its new functions. hope this helps.
ps. i almost forgot their is also airplay which lets you stream videos and stuff from your ipad to the tv.

What new functions are you referring to? AFAIK the main "new" function IS AirPlay.

To the OP - I have both the original ATV and the new ATV2. I use the original ATV in the living room where all my music and photos are sync'ed to it. I like the original ATV because I don't need to have my computer running just to listen to music or watch a slide show etc. I also stream and sync movies to it and both work very well.

I just use the ATV2 to stream movies to a second TV in the house.

 

[iPhoneCollector]

by the new functions i mea n youtube and netflix etc. (i dont know if you hae them on the older apple tv). if thats true that you can stream videos also to the new apple tv then i qould recommend you to by the older.

 

[SiliBear]

I have 2 "old" Apple TVs and 1 new one.

The only reasons I can think of to own the old ones anymore are a) no HDMI on your current TV or b) you want/need to physically move the drive with its contents stored on it.

If you have HDMI on your TV and you have a working N wireless network, get the new Apple TV and don't look back.

New device is smaller, doesn't get hot and waste electricity, has Netflix built into it (fantastic feature), has slightly easier setup than the old Apple TV, has AirPlay built in (old cannot use Airplay), and costs about 1/3 as much. It's that simple.