Apple TV 2.0 Update now available

Brian L · 02-12-2008, 02:05 PM

Just did the update myself.

While I do not plan to rent many (or maybe ANY) movies, given the restrictions on the rental period, I did note something while browsing the list of available HD titles....

The Wrath of Kahn! yeah, I know it will probably not even approach HD Lite, but damn, its KAHN!!!!!!

If ONLY Paramount would give us THAT title (and the rest of the Trek films) in HD, they could breath some life in to HD-DVD.

Brian

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Christ Reynolds · 02-12-2008, 04:52 PM

I updated. Took about 10 minutes, I like the new interface, but I miss having easier access to my local content. Most of the interface is centered around online content, which I guess is the point of the device itself.

CJ

Carlo Medina · 02-12-2008, 06:22 PM

Interesting take CJ. I guess I'll just wait for them to hopefully update the Mac Mini before deciding which machine to buy. My focus would be primarily on my own local content, I'm not really interested in renting movies from iTunes.

I want a fully featured media center that can play my AAC files, as well as any video content on my Mac.

Christ Reynolds · 02-13-2008, 11:30 AM

It's fully featured, even moreso than the Mac mini, which only has Front Row. You can still get to your local content, but it's no longer the first choice on the menu.

I have the Apple TV so I can watch my local content exclusively, I'm not interested in renting movies, but I find the update essential, even after I include the minor drawbacks of it being centered around online rentals.

CJ

Carlo Medina · 02-13-2008, 02:25 PM

Well, from what I know, you still can't use external HDs for the ATV correct? So an Apple TV traps me into fitting into 160GB [really like 140GB after formatting and software]. My iTunes music only is 60GB and my video files currently would nearly exceed the 140GB total that ATV would give me. Mac Mini does lag behind in Front Row vs. ATV interface, but otherwise it can support my HDTV (via DVI to HDMI cable), my receiver (via optical conversion cable), and can use an external HD via Firewire - those benefits would eclipse the benefit of the ATV interface over Front Row.

Plus whenever I wanted, I could use the Mini as a real PC, which you can't on the ATV, and for only a couple of hundred dollars more.

JaguarPaw · 02-14-2008, 09:36 AM

I'd also like a response to this question. I too am waiting on purchasing an Apple TV depending on whether it can synch or stream from an external hard drive's Itunes library. More specifically, I'm getting the time capsule and would like to fill it with hundreds of gb of movies (that I own) which I've ripped digitally. I know the ATV can stream/sync from a computers hard drive, but I need to know whether it can stream/sync from an external hard drive, the same.

Any assitance would be greatly appreciated!!

Ted Todorov · 02-14-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carlo Medina

Well, from what I know, you still can't use external HDs for the ATV correct? So an Apple TV traps me into fitting into 160GB [really like 140GB after formatting and software]. My iTunes music only is 60GB and my video files currently would nearly exceed the 140GB total that ATV would give me. Mac Mini does lag behind in Front Row vs. ATV interface, but otherwise it can support my HDTV (via DVI to HDMI cable), my receiver (via optical conversion cable), and can use an external HD via Firewire - those benefits would eclipse the benefit of the ATV interface over Front Row.

Plus whenever I wanted, I could use the Mini as a real PC, which you can't on the ATV, and for only a couple of hundred dollars more.

Apart from the unlimited disk space, the MacMini's advantages include being able to use it as a DVR, via EyeTV hardware/software (that's a huge application for me -- and it plays the native 1080i content which aTV can't). It also plays MPEG2 (such as DVDs) without having to convert them.

Disadvantages: the current Mini model has G wireless vs. N on the AppleTV. And those HD rentals will ONLY work on the AppleTV (HDCP nonsense).

DaveF · 02-16-2008, 09:53 AM

Does the AppleTV play music from networked computers' iTunes library? And does it do this without any adjustments to the computers' speaker setup?

I'm confused by its inclusion of the AirTunes feature, which lets you set a remote device as the audio output for a computer.

Can you can listen to music via ATV without affecting the speaker setup on my computer? Or does it require you to set your computer speakers output to the ATV via the iTunes settings?

Todd H · 02-19-2008, 09:51 AM

Since I keep my iMac running all the time, can I store content on a large external drive connected via firewire and stream it to the AppleTV? My network is wireless g. I'd like to get a really big external hard drive to store all of my music, photos, and rips of my DVD's using Handbrake and stream all of it to the AppleTV. Possible? Just wanted to know before I spend $200 on this.

Ted Todorov · 02-19-2008, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd H

Since I keep my iMac running all the time, can I store content on a large external drive connected via firewire and stream it to the AppleTV? My network is wireless g. I'd like to get a really big external hard drive to store all of my music, photos, and rips of my DVD's using Handbrake and stream all of it to the AppleTV. Possible? Just wanted to know before I spend $200 on this.

It is certainly possible. The question for video streaming is whether you are getting full speed out of your G network. If you are, yes, if not you may have to run an ethernet cable or upgrade to a N wireless network.

Brian L · 02-19-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd H

Since I keep my iMac running all the time, can I store content on a large external drive connected via firewire and stream it to the AppleTV? My network is wireless g. I'd like to get a really big external hard drive to store all of my music, photos, and rips of my DVD's using Handbrake and stream all of it to the AppleTV. Possible? Just wanted to know before I spend $200 on this.

I think that will work as long as you are using iTunes, and the external drive is where the iTunes library os located.

I could be wrong, but I believe that ATV has to get its local content from your local iTunes (as opposed to the iTunes Music Store on the web).

Brian

Todd H · 02-19-2008, 01:31 PM

Thanks for the answers. Of course, it would be much easier if we could just plug an external drive into the AppleTV. Are you listening Apple?

JaguarPaw · 02-19-2008, 03:42 PM

Todd H - I was in this same predicament before I bought the apple tv. I hooked up a 500gb external western digital my book to my macbook. I put all my .mp4 files (converted from VIDEO_TS from mac the ripper --> handbrake... about 4gig files) onto my external hard drive. Then all you do is launch ITunes...Preferences... UNCHECK the box that reads "copy all files played in itunes to itunes library" (not exact wording, but i'm at work with no axx to itunes) and then copy all your .mp4s to the external hard drive. Then simply place the .mp4s into your itunes. They will stream off of your apple tv from the external hard drive almost flawlessly.
I don't have any problems with playback, fast forwarding and rewinding may be delayed a couple of seconds, thats all, no biggie. The movie files will take A WHILE (hours) before they all appear under "my movies" in apple tv. After I loaded my collection into Itunes only one or two movies was showing up in apple tv and I was so frustrated, I even called Apple customer support and waited on the phone for an hour. As I was waiting, I noticed movies started appearing in my list. So although the files can be played immediately through itunes and the status bar doesn't show that the files are still importing, the apple tv interface doesn't pick them up for some reason? That was a bit confusing, but be patient and you'll be ok.

Before I left for work this morning I noticed my apple tv wasn't being recognized in ITunes and I began to panic, everything was turned on and my network connection was fine, hopefully I was just sleepy. But I'll let you know tonight if I have any further problems, for now, I say buy! It's a GREAT addition to my home theater.