Will Apple TV work for me?

[md63]

Hello. I'm current considering buying an Apple TV and would appreciate advice from those of you who already have one. For the past year I have been using a D-Link DSM-520 media adapter and serve off a Lacie EDmini 500GB network drive. This setup allows me to access videos, music and photos directly from the NAS without having to use my MBP. The downside of this setup is that photo's aren't scaled properly in many cases without adjusting the resolution, the system doesn't play DRM protected music, and the interface is not as slick as TV. I primarily use this for playing ripped DVD's from my video library. I currently have abut 150 movies that I have ripped to XVIDs. I was considering the TV to get better ability to show photo's, however, I'm concerned about the work involved in converting my movie collection. Is there any reasonable way to convert XVIDs to H.264 files? Also, can the apple TV play directly off an NAS? I really would prefer not to serve off my MBP since its not always in the house. I know a macmini is probably a better solution for flexibility, but I'm trying to keep this simple since my wife uses the currently setup. Thanks

 

[balamw]

Is there any reasonable way to convert XVIDs to H.264 files? Also, can the apple TV play directly off an NAS?

You could use VisualHub, but it would lose more quality.

Howver, If you're willing to hack the TV, it can do both of those easily. (Play Xvid from a NAS).

http://www.awkwardtv.org.

B

 

[SthrnCmfrtr]

Hack an XBox? I did it recently and am going to do two more for Chanukah this winter because I was blown away.

Unless you want very high picture quality (and therefore HD H.264 or something), the Xbox is cheaper, more stable, more versatile, and so forth. This is coming from an TV owner, so take that however you like.

If I'd known that a Xbox Media Center would actually play all of my existing media as well as my TV, and that I'd have far fewer stability issues and personal be-able-to-do-wtf-I-want issues, I would've just bought the Xbox to begin with.