I use Visualhub to convert the mkv's to AVI to stream to my PS3 using medialink, works really well, as does Medialink though I confess I've both systems wired into my router so can't comment on wireless performance of the streaming.
As is your comparison. One is a gaming machine, the other is not.
The difference in price is £100. I'm pretty sure it's a valid comparison considering that PS3 can do everything that Apple TV can.
Well, it can't rent iTunes movies or play DRMd iTunes stuff. Luckily Requiem will decrypt your TV shows, music and movies.
I have a PS3, but I'd rather have an AppleTV. I never use the gaming portion of the PS3, I only use it to play movies and stuff, and as of late I've just been getting all of my TV shows from the iTMS. I just decrypt them and play them on my PS3 but it wish I would just play them, the AppleTV can just play them.
If anyone wants to trade me like $100 and their AppleTV for my PS3, I would so do it right now.
This was my logic when I traded my apple TV for PS3.
Now it is clear that I use the media center aspect of PS3 way more than playing blu-ray or games. And for media center streaming, all I can say is that it is barely acceptable at best.
It is a bit infuriating that it cannot wake up my mac when I want to browse the media (will have to go wake up the mac and then browse the media in PS3). But what is downright unacceptable is that my movie will suddenly stop playing and that is because my mac has gone to sleep! Can't Medialink even keep the media playing without letting the system go to sleep? Also, quite a few mp4 files that I made with handbrake won't play on the PS3. It is very annoying that while it can play a few more formats, one can still not be sure if a given mp4 file will be playable (though it will play perfectly on the mac).
So, the bottom line is: If you are going to use PS3 for mostly media streaming, apple TV is a way better option. For $199, you get a seamless connection with a stunning UI. PS3 doesn't quite cut it.
Be sure to try the MediaLink demo before purchasing. Some of us are experiencing DLNA protocol errors using MediaLink with the latest PS3 firmware, and NullRiver does not appear to ever respond to support requests.
Be sure to try the MediaLink demo before purchasing. Some of us are experiencing DLNA protocol errors using MediaLink with the latest PS3 firmware, and NullRiver does not appear to ever respond to support requests.