worth buying Apple TV?

metachi

metachi

metachi

Associate
Joined
2 Jan 2005
Posts
2,441
Location
West Midlands
Apple is currently offering Apple TV with free £25 iTunes voucher for price of £79 which work out £54 for the unit.

very tempted, what you guys think...
 
I love mine, had the second gen and the now current third gen. I've been buying TV shows on iTunes for a few years now, and have started doing the same with films, and it's the best way to view that content at home. That put together with Netflix makes it a great little gadget for the price. Airplay makes it all the better if you use other Apple devices.
 
New one around the corner (september 6th event called)??
I had mine but never used it, but that was due to me not having a netflix account and me being too tight to buy videos off itunes so it was of little or no use to me haha
 
shatpank81 said:
New one around the corner (september 6th event called)??
Click to expand...

A recent rumour has suggested that this won't be the case, and there are no rumours to suggest otherwise. Make of that what you will.

I'd say it depends entirely on what services you plan to use. Want virtually any movie or show you can think of regardless of price? Apple TV and iTunes can give you that, though you won't receive any catch-up services on it natively. Want all the catch-up services, Netflix, and Sky Movies/Now TV? Roku 3.

I actually typed up a post to a similar thread the other day, however bloody Safari crashed. Anyhow, I've found that the best value solution around at the minute in the UK is a Lovefilm by Post subscription at £4 (only for customers that were around before the changeover) along with a Netflix subscription. You get your latest movie releases via Lovefilm, and you get the great selection of streaming TV content (and an OK selection of movies from a few years back and earlier) via Netflix, without the silly costs.

Only box that will offer both Amazon Instant Video streaming and Netflix along with catch-up services will probably be Amazon's Fire TV whenever that comes out in the UK.
 
Last edited:
If you tie in to the whole Apple ecosystem, they work great. If you just want a media streaming device, I'd have a look at something like a roku, or anything that supports plex/XBMC
 
kfouwels said:
If you tie in to the whole Apple ecosystem, they work great. If you just want a media streaming device, I'd have a look at something like a roku, or anything that supports plex/XBMC
Click to expand...
Says it all.

I'm about to ebay my ATV2 (shameless plug) and have it jailbroken. Even as a default device it is a great piece of kit - when used with your iOS devices that is via Airplay. Aside from that it's Netflix app implementation is the best on any device because it offers categories/genres, which other players (inc my roku3) cannot come close to. Apparently Apple have a say in how the Netflix app is designed on iOS.

If you want a network media streamer, as already mentioned look at a Roku imo. Much faster, with more 'channels' and apps like Plex that can play networked content easily. Also you can connect your headphones to the remote and listen to your content that way.

Look at what services you actually do require and them move on from there.
 
kaka4200 said:
NO, not worth buying, its waaaay expensive + they are not so good in those areas
Click to expand...

Despite the fact that it is currently far cheaper than it's main competitor (Roku 3), offers the iTunes Store (best service out there, albeit at a silly cost), integrates extremely well with iOS devices and Macs?

The Apple TV wouldn't be my choice (I've got a Roku 3), and I wouldn't buy content through iTunes (why pay the same or more money for a digital copy with poorer sound and image quality when one can buy and rip the Blu-Ray for personal use) but for what it's supposed to do, it's a good device.
 
thanks guys..i'll wait until September apple event. but i doubt they will showcase new apple tv on event because i think it would be iphone only event.
 
Would a deal like this not be linked to the idea of getting rid of their 3rd Gen stock, due to something being around the corner?

Anyway - I have one a couple in the house, hooked up to both TVs. For me, $99 really isn't that much to worry about spending on them in case I don't use them too much. For me, its worth it just for the ease of having Netflix and Hulu hooked up, and plus being able to throw my iPad and iPhone at it once in a while helps. For me it is worth it - but ultimately, I wouldn't be that upset if it stopped working.
 
My mother came to me the other day with an Apple TV.

She also came with a Laptop as well.

All she wanted to do, was watch FilmOn in Turkey, and PC World told her thats what she needed ( Disgusting ) and that her ipad wont do it ( even more disgusting, and a total lie )

I said all she needed was a HDMI adapter.

Anyway, I had a play with teh AppleTV and I kind of liked it. She also paid £79 and if PC World wotn give her, her money back, she said I can have it, b ut Id rather go nuts with those despicable gits to be honest.
 
I have an ATV2 and find it really restrictive in some ways. Simple things like no native spotify app, so you have to stream from your IOS device to the ATV. It'd be nice to just play natively on the ATV2 using the remote, rather than having to find my ipad and hope I've charged it.

In other ways its excellent - I normally use mine connected to my stereo without a monitor and airplay is very simple and effective. I love that when we have people over you can pass the ipad around and queue up music easily even when sat out in the garden.

I've tried using it with the wife's Macbook, you can extend your desktop wirelessly onto the TV screen, it's not very smooth but it's quite impressive all the same.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom