Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with appletv

I Need to Pause the Movie and Look Something Up...

rokusan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:40:31 -0800

Which is the best method for adding codec, playing video from remote shares, and most of all usable web browsing to an AppleTV? Okay, so I picked up a $99 refurb AppleTV on a whim, with the hope of hacking it into being a fuller-featured couch computer. It's still virgin in the box at the moment.

My four main requirements are:
1. Play video from remote fileshares, not through iTunes.
2. Handle a typical wide variety of codecs, not just the Apple-endorsed handful.
3. A decent web browser, preferably Safari or Firefox
4. Use a remote keyboard and mouse (don't care what type)

I know there are many, many, many partial solutions to this, up to and including the nuclear option of installing a full version of MacOSX, which of course would achieve all of the above and much more. I'm comfortable doing that if necessary. I'm a pretty "power" Mac user and can handle Unix hackery if needed. I see there are lots of other, lesser/specialized mods out there, and I'd like to know if anyone has experience or advice for any of them:

XBMC or Boxee? Classic choices, and both include web browser plug-in apps I think, but I can't find info on keyboards/mice.

NitoTV talks a lot about USB support.

aTV Flash looks awfully sweet and is getting a lot of nice buzz lately, but the site seems to contradict itself on whether there's a web browser or not (it's listed both as a feature and as a "coming soon".) I don't think there's a demo of aTV Flash, just a paid version, so I can't test it easily, either.

Patchstick seems to be a bundle that adds most (all?) of what I want to the existing AppleTV OS, or at least makes things like codecs and Safari web browsing installable.

Or do I just bite the bullet and install full OS X on the cute little thing?

Other suggestions very welcome. I'm playing quick catchup on all this.

Help me bring my living room into the future!

COBRA! — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:14:04 -0800

My wife and I are finally getting around to getting an HDTV soon. When we do that, we want to adjust the setup in our living room to reflect the way we consume entertainment these days. Part of this means the VCR gets chucked, of course. But more
importantly, we're trying to figure out the most cost-effective way to
get content from our 2 main online sources, iTunes and NetFlix, onto
the screen. And be able to run DVDs, and have a
basic-cable-for-the-broadcast-channels hookup.

The options, as I see them (and part of the reason I'm asking this
question is that I assume I'm missing something):

- Roku + basic cable. Great, except we can't buy shows from iTunes.

- AppleTV + basic cable. Opposite problem. Can't stream from Netflix.

- Cheap, web-connected computer + basic cable. Seems like a winner,
but involves more of an outlay (this is more or less what we do now,
except that it's my wife's laptop that gets laboriously hooked up
every time we want to watch something). Plus then there's a desktop
box sitting in our living room. And, assuming the setup wound up like
our current laptop hookup, we don't have remote control of the sound.

Is there an angle I'm missing? A way to optimize one of these options? Help!

Help my Mac Mini work with my TV!

Mrs. Green — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:16:45 -0800

Mac Mini filter: when using a Mini like an AppleTV, it makes the TV screen flicker horizontally. When we switch it to a regular monitor, it is fine. Any ideas on how to fix this? I will give as much technical information as I can. We have a 2005 Mini (no Intel). It has the Leopard OS on it; when we hooked it up to the TV, it worked great! (old tv-had to get the cable with yellow, red, and white outputs, etc.). We were able to see everything, view hulu, it was awesome. My better half thought we could change the screen resolution for a better picture. After we did that, the picture turned to B/W, and flickers horizontally. We have tried every other resolution, unplugging/replugging, turn off/on, and the TV remains the same. The computer monitor is fine, the TV isn't. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance-

Help me figure out what I want.... slingox, xbox360, appletv

TuxHeDoh — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:36:47 -0800

Currently I don't have internet/cable/Sat etc... We borrow my neighbors internet and watch a lot of hulu on a laptop in the bedroom. We're looking to get Cable, DVR, and cable internet, but the TV is in the Basement. Is there a DVR that is available to stream to the laptop in the bedroom? I've looked at the Slingbox, AppleTV, and XBox360, but can't decide if any of these things will do what I'm wanting.

Which 1080p HDMI media streamer should I purchase?

Perplexer — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:07:00 -0800

Which 1080p HDMI media streamer should I purchase? My Xbox with XBMC is starting to show its age. Which device should I consider as its replacement?

Requirements: Adequate processor for 720P, ideally for 1080P. Ethernet port for streaming MP3s and various video formats from a media server (Windows Vista/Windows7). Intuitive menus. Multi-format support. Should be under $200. (I'm not sure a Roku or AppleTV will meet my needs.)

These are on my comparison list:

WD Live TV Media Player (WDTV-2)
Brite-view Cinematube
Mvix Ultio

Have I missed anything, and what would you recommend?

iMe

Hands of Manos — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:13:11 -0800

Could you help me in making my decision to switch to Apple TV My girlfriend has On Demand. We watch about 2 shows, maybe 3 tops during the year (and that being True Blood, Heroes and The Tudors....we have netflix for movies).

Her kids watch a lot of Nick, Disney and the Cartoon Network.

I've played around with an apple tv, I like it and am already sold on it. I think my girlfriend would be too however she'd like for her kids to be able to watch cartoons when they want. Occasionally, she likes to watch Colbert and the Daily Show however she usually watches them the next day after they have aired.

Is it more economical to stay with onDemand or move over to appleTV? Can you give me reasons pro and con to each? (or is there another alternative...somewhere, there's a roku in this house, but it's buried and hidden at the moment)

Thanks

ps-we're pretty much integrated to mac as is

AppleTV or Roku?

helios410 — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:22:52 -0800

I just got rid of my cable box, and got a Netflix subscription. I'ts very, well...refreshing. I like Netflix so much that I am contemplating ordering a Roku or AppleTV w/ Boxee. Can anyone share their experience with either/or? I DL'ed Boxee on my Mac, and it's extremely buggy. Is it the same on the AppleTV?

Should I switch from Xbox XBMC to AppleTV?

obiwanwasabi — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:36:42 -0800

I have a 32" / 81cm enhanced definition widescreen CRT TV. I have an Xbox running XBMC connected via component to watch standard (ie not 720p) TV and DVD rips, letting the Xbox upscale to 720p. Will upgrading to an AppleTV and playing 720p rips dramatically improve the picture, or will I probably not notice any difference on such a small screen? Bonus questions - can the AppleTV actually play typical 720p TV / Blu-ray rips? Will my 802.11g wireless network be fast enough to stream 720p rips?

iTunes on AppleTV only

muscat — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 22:49:45 -0800

Apple TV - Can I keep my iTunes library only on my Apple TV to free up the hard drive on my macbook? If I were to do this, how would I keep my iPhone iTunes library up to date?

AppleTV users... how do you watch sports?

JReed — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:21:05 -0800

So between Netflix streaming and AppleTV I'm considering dropping cable entirely. Pretty much the only thing holding me back is football. How do you all watch sports? Caveat: I don't have a local sports bar nearby, and honestly I'd rather not spend all day Sunday in a bar.

What's the best solution for streaming HD media from a PC?

YoungAmerican — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:08:27 -0800

What's the best solution for streaming HD media from a PC? I just got my first HDTV. For a couple years, I've been using an XBox Media Center with a wireless adapter to watch downloaded video from my WinXP PC in the other room. XBMC, however, lacks the power for HD video.

What's the best, reasonably priced solution in 2008?

I do have Netflix, and Netflix "Play Now" would be neat, but isn't a requisite. I play video games sometimes, and that would be nice, but again, not required. BluRay, same deal. What is important is that it work really well, not require a lot of hacking on my part, and that it play all the stuff I download -- DivX, Xvid, MPEG, etc. I am not opposed to something with an HD I can easily access over my network, but I don't want any sneakernet. I'd rather spend $150 than $300 or $400, but I'd consider the latter if it was something really kickass.

These questions have some sorta answers, but they're also a year old. What's the latest and greatest?

Network TV, OFF network

dpcoffin — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:22:00 -0800

Network TV, OFF network: Who's got the scoops on what's coming to Netflix Roku, AppleTV, Amazon, etc…? Is there… anybody blogging about this, posting press releases, speculating, or even just nattering interestingly about these alternative TV delivery options? (Not counting watching episodes on the computer only; we want to see 'em on our big screen, and we're willing to wait…)

We HATE watching the networks (it's how the ads destroy the pacing, mostly; after years of watching DVDs only, it's hard to believe that anybody puts up with such constant hi-decibel interruptions…), but have gotten hooked on several current shows, so we invested in Roku and AppleTV, and we want to both keep up on what's coming to these, and more generally to track this aspect of the TV industry. Where to go? Thanks!

I like to watch.

sourwookie — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:27:22 -0800

Help me put together a fun YouTube playlist for a casual small party environment. Funny, short, smart. So I got one of them Apple TVs a while back and it's best (and least discussed) feature is its YouTube interface.

Now, when I have friends over we often spend a lot of time checking out lots of old concert footage (Old Grey Whistle Test, etc) or videos. But now I would like to have a list of cool comedies and shorts at the ready.

Things we have loved: Yacht Rock (Amazing!), Italian Spiderman, No Direction Period (great Dylan parody).

You get the idea: funny, smart, short attention span--think a homebrew Kentucky Fried Movie.

Need appletv, have windows :(

NekulturnY — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:29:08 -0800

Appletv for Windows Media Center? I have a media pc in my home office, where I record a lot of television using Windows Media Center. I want to play this in my living room, one story up from the office and about 30 feet further.

Something like AppleTV seems to do the job nicely for Mac owners, but is not compatible obviously with Windows Media Center. I need to record the television, because it's stuff that will not be on pirate bay or any other torrents (it's domestically produced dross that I need to see for professional reasons). So apple tv + torrents are out.

I tried burning a dvd with the recorded stuff, but windows won't let me (file type not supported or something).

So basically: what device will let me browse my tv library in the living room (remotely controlled) and play my recorded stuff on my tv (it's HD ready or full HD, forgot which, but it does have this new connector type). Wireless would be optimal, but I could wire up if needed. Even better would be the ability to upload certain files to the device in the living room (like apple tv, sigh), so as not to be dependent on the wireless connection.

One last thing: I'm aware of myth tv and other dvr options that might be compatible with apple tv, but I'm currently not looking at those. So it's Windows Media Center compatible hardware I'm looking for. Go rabbits, kill, kill!

Is there a good alternative to the AppleTV?

itchi23 — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:45:28 -0800

Is there a good alternative to the new Apple TV 2? We just got a new HDTV as a gift for the holidays, and I've been connecting my laptop (Windows) to it in order to watch downloaded TV shows & movies. It works ok, but the gfx card on the laptop's a bit old, & doesn't really support HD resolution. Now that the Apple TV's (re)released today, I was wondering if there's a good alternative ....something small that'll playback hd video files in divx, xvid, etc, super easy to connect to the wireless network, plays back in full hd res., etc. Storage space isn't really an issue, just a few gigs is ok considering we usually delete a video file or backup to dvd-r after watching it. I'm also concerned the AppleTV won't playback all the random video formats that VLC & a codec pack handle with ease. ...oh, and definitely cheaper than the AppleTV - think grad student income. Thanks!

DIVX/XVID from PC to TV by DVI

onshi — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:08:45 -0800

I want something just like an Apple TV, but without the reliance on iTunes. Specifically, I want to view DIVX/XVID content from my Vista PC, wirelessly, with DVI output. With a $200 budget, have I no hope? All the CES coverage has reignited my interest in this product category. If streaming devices are too expensive, are there any simpler products analagous to the SanDisk TakeTV... again, with DVI or HDMI out?

DVI out (or HDMI in a pinch via a converter) is important because I'll be viewing content on an LCD monitor lacking component inputs.

How does Apple TV behave?

ascullion — Mon, 14 May 2007 09:46:24 -0800

Can someone with an Apple TV tell me something? When you listen to a music track on your Apple TV, does the play count of the song in the relevant iTunes library increase?