Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Convince Me Please...
- Thread starter DJAKO
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The apple tv is a fair bit cheaper and perhaps simpler for some people to use (perhaps). Oh.. and if rentals are your thing the Apple TV can do HD movie rentals whilst the Mac Mini cannot. It is 'n' enabled for wireless connections whilst the Mini is not.
There's a lot more probably... but I thought I'd get the ball rolling. I have a mini and it works just fine for what I want, but I'm not a tech freak!
As for the advantages of the mini... it works with a broader variety of video formats (including divx if that's your thing), which I think is probably one of the biggest advantages. It can play dvd's (the cheapest version comes at least with a combo drive). It has larger storage than the smaller apple tv model.
Again, just getting the ball rolling. Trust me when I say it's not an easy choice to make!
There's a lot more probably... but I thought I'd get the ball rolling. I have a mini and it works just fine for what I want, but I'm not a tech freak!
As for the advantages of the mini... it works with a broader variety of video formats (including divx if that's your thing), which I think is probably one of the biggest advantages. It can play dvd's (the cheapest version comes at least with a combo drive). It has larger storage than the smaller apple tv model.
Again, just getting the ball rolling. Trust me when I say it's not an easy choice to make!
This assessment is by no means exhaustive, but my opinion, nonetheless.
tv
Pros:
-No "Fiddle factor"
-Built-in HDMI
-Built-in Component Video
-Built-in optical audio
-Control the interface with the tiny Apple Remote
-Cost
Cons:
-Restricted to only certain file types (unhacked)
-no optical drive
-no DVR capabilities
Mac mini:
Pros:
-Plays virtually any file type
-Do pretty much anything you want; it's a Mac on your TV!
-Optical drive, which you could swap out for an internal BD player/burner
Cons:
-requires keyboard/mouse for full functionality
-more complex than a typical living room appliance
-no HDMI (no audio via DVI-to-HDMI cable)
-no component video
-cost
tvPros:
-No "Fiddle factor"
-Built-in HDMI
-Built-in Component Video
-Built-in optical audio
-Control the interface with the tiny Apple Remote
-Cost
Cons:
-Restricted to only certain file types (unhacked)
-no optical drive
-no DVR capabilities
Mac mini:
Pros:
-Plays virtually any file type
-Do pretty much anything you want; it's a Mac on your TV!
-Optical drive, which you could swap out for an internal BD player/burner
Cons:
-requires keyboard/mouse for full functionality
-more complex than a typical living room appliance
-no HDMI (no audio via DVI-to-HDMI cable)
-no component video
-cost
Huh? Sorry, I haven't yet upgraded my iTunes, but why the heck not? The Mini should be capable of downloading and replaying a 720p video file... why is Apple relegating this task only to the AppleTV?
Assuming you are using stock (un-hacked) units:
- The Mac Mini HTPC supports many more video and audio codecs but is more complex to configure and operate. At this time, you can't rent movies.
- The Apple TV supports a much more limited selection of video and audio codecs, but it is much simpler to configure and operate. You can rent movies.
Different target audiences. The pitch for rental downloads from the iTMS to your computer is that the movies will play on your computer and all currently-shipping iPods/iPhones. This rules out 720p, in that this will not play on the small devices. The Apple TV, on the other hand, is connected to your HDTV and so, in Apple's view, has the most to gain from 720p HD content. There has been some suggestion that even the SD content for direct-to-ATV rentals will be of higher quality than what you can get on your computer from iTMS, but I've seen no official confirmation of this.
Yes you can, but you'll be limited to the 640x480 content available from iTMS.
That really freaking sucks... why deprive us Mac users of something we can take advantage of at zero cost? Oh well... it's not like I was going to rent a lot of ITMS movies, but it would have been nice to know the option was there.
Because you can be sure that if they did offer HD movie rentals as an option on the iTMS, people would start moaning that they were "ripped off" because the movies won't play on their iPods! It's pretty much a no-win situation for Apple right now--whatever they do, some people are bound to complain.
I'm glad there is an Apple TV and I'm going to grab one before they change things. For me, it's all about the component output cables and DRM. I have an old HDTV that has no HDMI. I was fortunate enough to find an upconvert DVD player I could hack so it would play in the best possible resolution (which 'they' don't want you to do). My TV's days are numbered. If I could, I would hook up a mini to it, but I don't want to mess around with a conversion box. Then there's the ease of use, and for $200, I'll pay the price of admission to see what Apple TV is all about.
Curious, am I the last person with an HDTV that doesn't have HDMI?
Curious, am I the last person with an HDTV that doesn't have HDMI?
You got it.
iTunes is the server. It lives on your computer.
The Apple TV is like another iPod, syncing wirelessly, streaming wirelessly, hooked to your TV.
No my Toshiba rear projection doesn't have HDMI either. Wow I just figured it must be about 7 years old now. I was the first on my block with an HDTV
I have to check the Samsung in my bedroom. Not sure about the HDMI on it either.
So what is the consensus? Apple TV or a Mini dedicated to home theater use?
You're asking in an Apple TV forum what the consensus is?
I went out and bought one when I could barely afford it. And I don't regret it for a moment.
Maybe you need to get another job so you can afford cable too. I mean what is with the wise cracks? People come here to ask questions and exchange ideas. So just because this is the ATV forum does that mean everyone here is programmed to believe the same things? From what I have read so far, there are more than a few people questioning the idea of ATV.
Here sonny. Maybe you will understand why I asked the question in this forum first. I guess I found the answer somewhere else.
Apple TV | A load of hype for nothing
Apple TV | A load of hype for nothing
What has changed? These are the questions I am interested in answers to. That is why I come to this forum. To see what the story is and to decide if ATV is for me. Again, can ATV be used as a DVR? If not I really don't see it's usefulness other than as a conduit to Apple for movie rentals. Again, that I can get from my cable provider. t may not have the selection Apple can offer, but that may soon change too.