So after 18 months of fighting with my Windows Media Centre I finally sold it. With the proceeds I was going to put it towards a New Mac Mini and run Plex, but felt that:
1. The new prices are high
2. Wife acceptance factor would be low
So after much debate I bought myself an 40Gb Apple TV of that well known auction site for £130 BNIB.
Just to explain I run an old 450 G4 with a SATA card and a couple of 350gb HDs as my media server, I have a 2.2ghz MBP an airport express which I use for AirTunes and a 3G iphone as well as a couple of other laptops.
After hooking my new ATV up to my plasma, running an toslink cable to my AV amp and hardwiring it to my GBit Network (the house is cat 5 cabled as I am not a huge wireless fan) I turned it on.
Well all I can say is that it is a Ronseal Product - it does what it says on the tin. I synched it with my music and library and set my video library to streaming and let it do its updates and synch. 20 minutes later job done. My music library is all there, movies (ripped with handbrake) stream flawlessly, Youtube, Itunes store all work.
The wife loves it - easy to use, no huge WMC box with fans running, I can use it as an Airtunes device with my Itunes - so I dont need my TV on, I can use my Airport express in the conservatory as an Airtunes device - overall very happy with the convergence.
I am also running 360Connect to my XBox and can also see all my media on my G4 on that too (interface isnt as nice and fans would be an issue, but its wired in the back of a wardrobe). Which I use in the morning to listen to music whilst getting ready for work.
My next thing to do is install Boxee, XBMC and Couch Surfer on my ATV, then I think I might buy another ATV for the LCD in the kitchen.
I guess if you are an AV Nazi the ATV's 720i max output maybe a major shortcomming but I figure as 90% of Sky TVs HD service is shot in 720p and so many people rave about how good it is, it will be good enough for me until ATV gets a refresh to 1080.
1. The new prices are high
2. Wife acceptance factor would be low
So after much debate I bought myself an 40Gb Apple TV of that well known auction site for £130 BNIB.
Just to explain I run an old 450 G4 with a SATA card and a couple of 350gb HDs as my media server, I have a 2.2ghz MBP an airport express which I use for AirTunes and a 3G iphone as well as a couple of other laptops.
After hooking my new ATV up to my plasma, running an toslink cable to my AV amp and hardwiring it to my GBit Network (the house is cat 5 cabled as I am not a huge wireless fan) I turned it on.
Well all I can say is that it is a Ronseal Product - it does what it says on the tin. I synched it with my music and library and set my video library to streaming and let it do its updates and synch. 20 minutes later job done. My music library is all there, movies (ripped with handbrake) stream flawlessly, Youtube, Itunes store all work.
The wife loves it - easy to use, no huge WMC box with fans running, I can use it as an Airtunes device with my Itunes - so I dont need my TV on, I can use my Airport express in the conservatory as an Airtunes device - overall very happy with the convergence.
I am also running 360Connect to my XBox and can also see all my media on my G4 on that too (interface isnt as nice and fans would be an issue, but its wired in the back of a wardrobe). Which I use in the morning to listen to music whilst getting ready for work.
My next thing to do is install Boxee, XBMC and Couch Surfer on my ATV, then I think I might buy another ATV for the LCD in the kitchen.
I guess if you are an AV Nazi the ATV's 720i max output maybe a major shortcomming but I figure as 90% of Sky TVs HD service is shot in 720p and so many people rave about how good it is, it will be good enough for me until ATV gets a refresh to 1080.
