Apple TV capabilities

I was thinking of getting one now that they've been updated a bit. So I wonder if someone can explain the a couple of aspects to me?..

Is organisation of media automatic like Front Row or can be fiddled manually like on iTunes?
Is media transferred to the Apple TV's hard disk or is it streamed for the moment? If it's streamed is there any lag?
Can you play even films that you haven't bought on iTunes?
I understand you can access YouTube from the Apple TV. The only mentioned input device by Apple is the apple remote. Is this sufficiently refined do you think when searching for YouTube videos by name?
Can you choose different video quality when using YouTube as you can on their website? This might aid any streaming delays I imagine?

Thanks for any forthcoming help/advice

1) It organizes by Media Type (Movies, TV Shows etc) as well as playlist. Movies and TV Shows are broken down by Unwatched, Genre or All (All is aphabetical). TV Shows and music are the same.

2) The New ATV2 doesn't have an internal drive. It streams real time but I have noticed that it will load the media to the 8Gb flash memory while it is playing and then lay from there. I have encountered no lag but Apple reccomends an 802.11 G or N capable network for best performance. Performance is VASTLY improved over the original ATV.

3) Yes. If you rip it in a format that the ATV can handle, it will play. Keep in mind that iTunes can handle more formats than ATV can.

4) It's ok. It brings up an on-screen keyboard that you use the remote to move between letters. Somewhat cumbersome but it's usable.

5) I have no idea.

Yes I heard the new apple TV has an internal flash drive. So that looks after itself automatically. Good to hear.

I guess having a 4 Mbps down and 0.6 Mbps upload speed will be fine. My router's wireless N capable as well.

Thanks very much: you've helped a lot. If anyone can answer my last question that'd help also

Unfortunately NO

TattooedMac said:

Unfortunately NO

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Agreed. My daughter does watch YouTube via my ATV and she says there is no selection. I suspect this has to do with the fact that you are not viewing the same YouTube database as you do on your computer. It's the same one that they created for the iPhone (ATV is an iOS device after all) so it seems to be limited.

YouTube videos that aren't encoded in h.264 will not be viewable on the ATV since it doesn't support Flash.

archos4 said:

I understand you can access YouTube from the Apple TV. The only mentioned input device by Apple is the apple remote.

Click to expand...

Apple Remote software (Free from the ITunes App Store) and an Ipod Touch, IPhone or Ipad gives you keyboard access when using YouTube on the Apple TV.

Plus full control over everything else.

That's good as I've got an iPhone thanks for clarifying the YouTube stuff people.