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What do you use your Apple TV for?

Netflix and home sharing, but probably mainly home sharing and air play my Mac mini. I'm going to starting streaming Netflix through my new LG smart Tv
 
Tankmaze said:
yeah, its for service and support only. can't use it for external HD.

I've just bought my Apple tv, using it to stream itunes content that I've convert. and also airplay with ML. happy with the quality so far.
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Ah. Well whatever I guess--the home sharing setup and AirPlay are working great for us, so no biggie.
 
I use my Apple TV for Watching HULU+ and Airplay Youtube videos from my Ipad.
I also stream my home movies, my picture library, and music from my 2011 Imac over a wired network connection. As long as I stay withing the Apple ecosystem, everything works perfect.
 
I use mine to stream iTunes movies. I did have Netflix but got rid of it.The content was terrible. The best thing out of Netflix were all the old cartoons for the kids and documentaries.
 
Netflix, rentals, streaming ripped DVDs and Airplay for BBC iPlayer.. Amazing how useful it is...
 
-looking at family photos and home movies stored in iPhoto

-Using Airplay and AirParrot to mirror my mac screen to show home movies in iMovie.

-Using Airplay to show photos/videos of my kids I've taken with my iphone.

-Hulu and "FreeCable" via XBMC on a jailbroken ATV2

-eyeTV recordings (exported from eyetv to itunes)

-watching movie trailers
 
Aries326 said:
I use mine to stream iTunes movies. I did have Netflix but got rid of it.The content was terrible. The best thing out of Netflix were all the old cartoons for the kids and documentaries.
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we mostly use Netflix for the kids and to catch up on past seasons of old shows--the movies are pretty meh
 
My aTV2 was one of the best £99 I ever spent!

Mainly used for streaming films and TV programmes from my NAS using Plex but also for listening to music from iTunes
 
I use it for Airplay a few hours a day streaming iTunes to my Onkyo reciever while i'm browsing the web on my MBA on the couch, as I am right now :cool:
 
We mainly use it for Netflix and Hulu Plus although we sometimes listen to music with it. A couple days after we bought our first Apple TV, we cut the cord and have been happy since.
 
Right now I use my ATV3 to stream movies from my iPad for the kids, Netflix, viewing iPhoto albums and photostream pics.

In the future, I'm hoping that I will soon be able to watch my cable through the ATV. I use FiOS and they have already released apps for the XBOX360 and now some Samsung TVs. I should be able to treat their content as just another app (like Netflix and Hulu). I'm really hoping Apple releases a renewed ATV with internal HD (a la ATV1) and the ability to put Apps on it so I can treat it as a DVR and stop renting my cable boxes. I'm really hoping that this is what Steve Jobs meant when he cracked the TV. Apple releasing an actual television would be a bummer.
 
I use mine for Netflix, MLB, iTunes TV shows and movies, streaming Pandora over my sound system, sharing pictures with my wife/family, games mirrored from my iPad...

Sometimes other things.

EDIT: Oh, and ripped DVD's that I've converted.
 
keviha said:
I have a feeling I'm among the dwindling few hanging onto an ATV1. Mine has been upgraded with 450gb hard drive, which I've loaded up with over 100gb of music alone.

It's an integral part of my whole home audio, using Airtunes from ATV1 to send audio to 4 different Airport Expresses thruout the house. I use the analog out on ATV1 so I can send audio to Zone 2 of my AV Receiver to pump music thruout my backyard.

ATV2/3's don't appeal to me because I can get other features outside of Apple ecosystem from my other components.... xBox 360, TV & Blu Ray player. However, I get the attraction of ATV2/3...just wish future versions would add ability to add an external hard drive for those of us who don't want to have to stream.

Cheers!
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Well Sir, you are certaintly not alone. I feel exactly the same as yourself and cling to my Gen 1 apple TV. Though I await the day that it finally dies.

I just don't understand why apple does not offer a companion module with a hard drive. It could sit neatly under the aTV an make use of the USB port on the back?

We only have one computer in the household and this is a laptop. The main user of the Apple TV is my son. It's great for him, the remote and interface is eash to control and importantly he can't do any damage. The problem is that I often have to take my laptop out of the house, which is why I bought a mobile computer in the first place! With the newer versions he would not be able to watch his programs. I also have quite a large house, requiring multiple base stations acting as repeaters. It's not uncommong for the network to have a few problems. I just cant be bothered having to deal with the headache of streaming.

The aTV is so close to being a must have product. I just wish apple would focus a bit more on it. It has the potential to be a game changer. I suspect this day will come, it's just that they are taking a slow and steady approach.

I'm obviously not the only one that loves their Gen 1, you only have to look at the prices for these things on ebay!
 
I have a MacMini in my living room acting as a media center to the tv via Plex. Each room in my house has it's own AppleTV jailbroken with Plex installed that way I can pause a tv show in the living room and resume where I left off in my bedroom. Also, when I am cleaning I like to airplay to all the rooms in the house at the same time so there is music all through the house.
 
I use mine (jailbroken gen2) almost exclusively for Plex access to all of my media. Occasionally YouTube and the odd iTunes movie rental, but even that's pretty rare these days!
 
LNYMRKO said:
I use mine (jailbroken gen2) almost exclusively for Plex access to all of my media. Occasionally YouTube and the odd iTunes movie rental, but even that's pretty rare these days!
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Similar use here. My wife and I use Plex for nearly all of our ATV2 use. My son uses Plex and Netflix. We also like leaving the ATV running to display photos as a screensaver.

My only complaint about how we are using...the unit has to be Jailbroken. I so wish that Plex was a supported app, I could upgrade my ATV firmware, etc.

Right now, I am running old firmware (4.4.4) because I don't want to mess with what's working. So, I can't enjoy some new features like AirPlay Mirroring and Hulu+.
 
Netflix,
Streaming all my Ripped DVD's from iTunes,
Playing Music from iTunes Match
Renting Films,
Airplaying Podcasts and Audiobooks from my iPhone

My Apple TV's get a LOT of use.
 
keviha said:
I have a feeling I'm among the dwindling few hanging onto an ATV1. Mine has been upgraded with 450gb hard drive, which I've loaded up with over 100gb of music alone.

It's an integral part of my whole home audio, using Airtunes from ATV1 to send audio to 4 different Airport Expresses thruout the house. I use the analog out on ATV1 so I can send audio to Zone 2 of my AV Receiver to pump music thruout my backyard.
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Maybe dwindling but still have unique advantages :) In addition to 2xATV3's and 1ATV2's, I have 2 ATV1's but went a different upgrade route. Put 16GB CF cards in and use them for streaming only and installed FireCore to enable Airplay on them.

A big adavantage to the ATV1 for my setup is the ability to select Airtune speakers right from the device. This allows the "layman" (i.e. wife) to play music to one or more zones using an easy/convenient appliance UI rather than rely "terminal" access (iTunes, iOS devices, VPN, etc).
 
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Take a look at Unblock US. Reasonably priced, easy and does not slow anything down. You can get betflix and hulu plus. You just need to go through it with your computer to set up the account. Well worth it, it's what I do.

PorridgeFactory said:
thanks for the thoughts.

Yeah, the price is pretty reasonable which is one of the reasons I think it might be worth trying. Netflix isn't available in my country so I'd have to do a IP redirect (which isn't ideal) but renting from itunes and airplay would be used lots.

There is also talk that netflix will come to Norway soon, which would take some of the headache out of potentially trying to make it work.
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top ten list

1. Video Podcasts
2. YouTube
3. Airplay from iPhone/iPad
4. iTunes Movies
5. Homesharing Movies and Music
6. iTunes Match for those times I have my Mac Mini off or iTunes shutdown.
7. Netflix
8. Flickr
9. Airplay Mirroring from MBP (just started using this feature, but I already love it)
10 Photostream
 
AirPlay/Home Sharing.


I picked one up tonight for the Kitchen. I'm loving it so far!
 
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