Airport Express or Apple TV?

I want to stream music through my HiFi from my Mac and iPad. I believe that I need an External DAC if I go for the Apple TV. I would appreciate suggestions for an External DAC at a reasonable price to give good quality sound.

You'll only need a DAC if your hifi amp doesn't have an optical input.

I looked around for a reasonably priced DAC when I was looking into streaming music, but gave up and went for the airport express instead. Its DAC is very good and paired with a good RCA interconnect (i use a QED one) the sound from my Denon micro system is great

I use an ATV in conjunction with my main home entertainment set up and use an hdmi lead to connect it to my amp

Coupled with the ease of use when choosing music from my iPhone or iPad, i think the airport express is the better and (slightly) cheaper option for pure music streaming

Thanks for that. If I download films to my Mac, can I then play them through any TV if I have the Apple TV?

MarkWebb said:

Thanks for that. If I download films to my Mac, can I then play them through any TV if I have the Apple TV?

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Hi Mark - boy, I left a post in your thread and the forum database got corrupted and numerous recent posts were lost - cannot remember all that I said.

But I did ask you about your HiFi & whether you have a HDTV (like a LCD or plasma)? The Apple TV has an optical sound & also a HDMI output - if your stereo has an optical input (using Toslink) then the sound connection is easy; now if only analog inputs exist, then you will need an optical-analog adapter; Amazon offers a bunch of these adapters/converters - check HERE - read the comments carefully; there are a variety of audio standards that TVs put out and the adapter may be specific for one or several.

I own a Roku device which is similar to an Apple TV - the Roku does not have AirPlay, but uses my WiFi network to stream audio (like Pandora) and video (e.g. Netflix, Amazon, etc.). If you obtained an Apple TV and connected it to a HDTV (using an HDMI cable), then your options would be to use your WiFi network to stream material, similar to the Roku, or to use AirPlay to stream from your computer - if the material you want can be streamed over your home network then no need to download to your computer. I'll stop there - of course, if you have a SDTV, then the Apple TV would need an HDMI-analog converter (a number of options exists). Dave

Dave, thanks for this. I didnt get a notification for your post and just found it when I checked the thread..
Yes I have a Plasma HDTV.
Have to say I am getting a bit confused by it all.
I have an amp which I use for my home cinema system and I think this has optical input, and another amp which serves speakers in other areas of the house which doesnt have optical input. Both are in the same location in the house.
Can I use the Apple TV to serve both amps?
I am puzzled by the adaptors/converters you suggest. They look very inexpensive, but if I research here in the UK with Audio stores they tell me I have to pay £300 - 400 to achieve a good quality sound DAC.

MarkWebb said:

Thanks for that. If I download films to my Mac, can I then play them through any TV if I have the Apple TV?

Click to expand...

If you download them via iTunes then they are in the Library and you can without any problems watch them on your ATV, because they are in a video codec that can be played on the ATV's.
If your talking torrent movies, then I'm sorry, due the the Legal requirements of this forum, I can't go into piracy what so ever. You will need to go elsewhere to get a answer on that.
Sorry but we follow US Laws and can't talk about that sort of thing.

Cheers

TattooedMac said:

If you download them via iTunes then they are in the Library and you can without any problems watch them on your ATV, because they are in a video codec that can be played on the ATV's.
If your talking torrent movies, then I'm sorry, due the the Legal requirements of this forum, I can't go into piracy what so ever. You will need to go elsewhere to get a answer on that.
Sorry but we follow US Laws and can't talk about that sort of thing.

Cheers

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Thanks. No I wasnt considering Pirates.

Well in that case then they should be either .mp4 or .m4v codec.

MarkWebb said:

Dave, thanks for this. I didnt get a notification for your post and just found it when I checked the thread..

Click to expand...

Well, the forum's database went out and my post was lost, so the explanation of the above.

MarkWebb said:

Yes I have a Plasma HDTV.

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Your HDTV will have HDMI inputs - as w/ my Roku device, the Apple TV will attach via that cable which carries HD video & audio; the HDTV should also have audio outputs but might just be digital ones? My LG HDTV has only 2 audio output options: 1) Headphones (which I can do analog to my old NAD stereo); and 2) Optical w/ Toslink which I cannot use on my receiver unless I buy an optical-analog adapter/convertor.

MarkWebb said:

I have an amp which I use for my home cinema system and I think this has optical input, and another amp which serves speakers in other areas of the house which doesnt have optical input. Both are in the same location in the house. Can I use the Apple TV to serve both amps?

Click to expand...

Well, you'll have to check and be sure if the one amp has an optical input - this should be able to connect via the Apple TV w/ a Toslink cable; if your other amp is just analog (like my NAD receiver), then you will have to go w/ some type of adapter.

MarkWebb said:

I am puzzled by the adaptors/converters you suggest. They look very inexpensive, but if I research here in the UK with Audio stores they tell me I have to pay £300 - 400 to achieve a good quality sound DAC.

Click to expand...

Like all audio equipment, there are different levels (consumer, prosumer, and professional - obviously prices escalate quickly); and from my reading the reviews on these cheaper adapters, problems and failures occur - since I'm in the USA, you'll have to just get advice from people in your locale or hopefully some of our audio knowledgeable UK members will respond.

Good luck - Dave