Have an xbox 360, Apple TV worth it?

[Donz0r]

So I have an xbox 360, and a 720P tv and a surround receiver.
I bought an Apple TV spontaneously, assuming that if I didn't want it I'd just return it.

I could just get Connect 360 for 20 bucks.. or I could pay (keep) the Apple TV for 250 w/ tax.

I hate browsing through movies/tvshows/music on my xbox, the UI sucks in my opinion, the Apple TV's UI is beautiful and it navigates this very well
There's no visualizer though! And I'll be using the music streaming for parties so it's cool to use the visualizer, which the 360 does.
I will have 2 macs and 1 pc streaming to whichever device I use.

Most of my content is not gotten through itunes, so it should work on the 360.

5.1 surround sound is a MUST. I've read that the 360 can only do 5.1 in a WMV container. So i'll need to convert all my stuff to wmv for 5.1 sound? I dont like having wmv files on my mac, I'm leaning towards just keeping the Apple TV b/c of it's Glorious integration w/ iTunes. I want to be able to watch all of my stuff through Front Row and on my AppleTV or 360, so I'd prefer to leave the movies in formats that are recognized by iTunes.


I'm crazy right? Paying an extra 200+ just for the Apple ''experience''?
Can I justify paying for the TV, when I already have a 360?

EDIT: I also have a PS3 in my apartment.

 

[Shabbis]

I also have both and the AppleTV blows away the Xbox when it comes to multimedia. Last thing I want is the Xbox's jet engine sound when watching a movie, it's already bad enough when playing games. Obviously the Xbox beats the AppleTV when it comes to games though.

 

[DeuceDeuce]

I also have both and the AppleTV blows away the Xbox when it comes to multimedia. Last thing I want is the Xbox's jet engine sound when watching a movie, it's already bad enough when playing games. Obviously the Xbox beats the AppleTV when it comes to games though.

Agreed, I use my Xbox as a mdeia viewer occosioanlly in my bedroom and its loud. My ATV is in the living room and is awesome!!!

 

[danny_w]

Now if the AppleTV could just do a simple thing like 4:3 output I would gladly use mine for movies; unfortunately it requires a widescreen tv, which I neither have nor want. Come on Apple, the iPod can do 4:3, why do you cripple the AppleTV?

 

[decypher]

Now if the AppleTV could just do a simple thing like 4:3 output I would gladly use mine for movies; unfortunately it requires a widescreen tv, which I neither have nor want. Come on Apple, the iPod can do 4:3, why do you cripple the AppleTV?

lol, why don't u step into the 21st century danny and get a widescreen tv?

Why would anyone want to watch a dvd at 4:3? lolzz

 

[DARKJ3DI]

unfortunately here in new zealand only about 10% of the population have a widescreen tv. They are still way too expensive and most shows are broadcast in 4:3 standard definition anyway. in my opinion use the xbox 360 because its only noisy if your playing disc based games (or if you do what I did and stick it inside a briefcase with a pc monitor to make it 'portable' )

 

[Macbooky]

You could always plug a usb pen into the 360 and watch a movie off that instead of a cd or dvd in the drive. That might make the experience a bit quieter!
I have both and usually use the apple tv to watch media but you have to convert it to an itunes format whereas the 360 can play multiple formats.

 

[Kaliki]

TV will output to a 4:3 format @ 480 p/i. I hooked up an TV to my SD TV before I made the plung to High Def...

On another note.... Paying the $20 for the Connect 360 is not necessarly a bad idea. However, you cannot play protected (DRM) content from iTunes. If it's an iTunes Plus file, then you should be ok because there is no DRM on it...

For what it's worth, I've got both and wouldn't have it any other way....

 

[danny_w]

lol, why don't u step into the 21st century danny and get a widescreen tv?

Why would anyone want to watch a dvd at 4:3? lolzz

It may surprise you to know this, but there are some very good reasons for not going widescreen. Any 4:3 movie (anything made before about 1950) does not get any benefit whatsoever from going widescreen, and that is 99% of what I watch. As a matter of fact, to get the same viewing size as I currently get on my 50" 4:3 I would have to get about a 65" widescreen but I would get no benefit from the added width (just black bars on the sides). Not everybody watches modern movies, some of us like the classics far better. This is why I have recently been experimenting with XBMC on an original XBOX; at least it has the aspect ratio setting that is nowhere to be found in TV.

 

[danny_w]

TV will output to a 4:3 format @ 480 p/i. I hooked up an TV to my SD TV before I made the plung to High Def...

On another note.... Paying the $20 for the Connect 360 is not necessarly a bad idea. However, you cannot play protected (DRM) content from iTunes. If it's an iTunes Plus file, then you should be ok because there is no DRM on it...

For what it's worth, I've got both and wouldn't have it any other way....

No, it outputs 480i but uses a widescreen format, so when displayed on your 4:3 tv it looks "squished". I have that exact setup but only use it for music because of this. There is no way in the TV to correct this, unless it is a new feature that they have added it very recently. Just look at the complaints on Apple's forum with regard to this and you will see what I mean. Apple has been absolutely resolute in their stance that the TV will support widescreen format only, although I am sure they have received many requests (including mine) for a 4:3 setting.

 

[iphone2.0]

Apple TV found it's target....

Ok so I hear apple tv is not a hit with people between the age of 15-30. Why not get older people to buy it. Heck they now how to work DVD players and some know how to use the Internet & smart phones. The apple tv could be great with old people; all the would do is use the remote. The remote is simple enough to let a three year old use. One con to this is that you have to use iTunes and I think, that most old people would have a hard time using it. Apple does use it iunes wirelessly so a plus and movies can be downloadable via on the divice itself.

 

[michaelsaxon]

I like the elegance of the UI and I've already done the hard work of getting my content to conform to iTunes, so it was worth it to me.

 

[Donz0r]

I like the elegance of the UI and I've already done the hard work of getting my content to conform to iTunes, so it was worth it to me.

I know! ugh, i'm so torn right now,
If i'm gonna keep the Apple TV then i'm gonna build a big library of movies on an external, but then I need ANOTHER external for backup...
So all together is 500 bucks for this movie library streaming experience...
... I have a PS3, XBOX, HD Digital Cable, Upscaling DVD player, already! I could just go to the movie store... and save my 500 bucks...
My heart tells me to keep the TV
My brain tells me I'm an idiot for spending so much money and not really getting anything concrete out of it...

 

[danny_w]

I realize it takes more space, but one thing that I like about DVDs is the exra material that is on some of them. Using the standard "rip and Handbrake" approach you only end up with the movie itself and not the extras. OTOH if you rip and image (ala MacTheRipper and DVD2OneX) you get the entire DVD (at the expense of a larger file size of course) and the Xbox (at least via XBMC) recognizes and plays the image files directly. Although the UI is not as nice, this to me is a much more satisfying approach to digitized movies.

 

[Jason Edwards]

I realize it takes more space, but one thing that I like about DVDs is the exra material that is on some of them. Using the standard "rip and Handbrake" approach you only end up with the movie itself and not the extras. OTOH if you rip and image (ala MacTheRipper and DVD2OneX) you get the entire DVD (at the expense of a larger file size of course) and the Xbox (at least via XBMC) recognizes and plays the image files directly. Although the UI is not as nice, this to me is a much more satisfying approach to digitized movies.

I agree. I would be great if the AppleTV could play ISO files. Or at least play the Video_TS folders/files like Front Row does. I know it can via hacks, but it would be great if it did this without the hacks. And like others I would also love the ability to organize my movies better and for a better photo browser. This thing really does have the potential to be great if Apple would invest some time into it. I hope it becomes more than a hobby for them as I have heard it referred to. I have left these suggestions/comments in the feedback system at Apple and hopefully many more do the same (assuming Apple actually reads these).

Jason

 

[askthedust]

I have both and the 360 is downstairs connected to SDTV and the tv is upstairs w HDTV. have 320gb(full) of movies that stream to tv and just the xbox for games. prefer TV for movies via handbrake. At first thought about dvd extras missing but honestly don't miss them at all now that I don't have them anymore. I only watched them once if at all anyway. Sent 150+ movies to halfprice books and got some cash.