How do you use your AppleTV

kfordham281 · Oct 10, 2007

I've thought about getting one of these for some time now. But my biggest reason for not getting one is wondering how it will change the way I currently consume media. So I'll put this question out to you, how do you use your AppleTV?

sreeja · Dec 7, 2007

For using apple TV, I often use this DVD to Apple TV Ripper.
It helps to convert DVD to Apple TV video MP4 and Apple TV audio MP3, M4A.
It has many settings for you to customize. Output file size and quality can be set as you like. Plus, you can trim, crop and adjust brightness, contrast, etc... for output Apple TV Video with the help its editing functions.

nirvana · Dec 7, 2007

Same as above i use visual hub which has the settings for Apple TV. I also convert films and stuff i have downloaded over the net. I use it as a music player which is handy when im doing college work and i don't want my TV distracting me. Youtube feature is pretty cool too.
Im not a big audio/video streamer i've never used my PS3 streaming feature i never went out to purposely get an Apple TV but i needed to trade some old stuff in including a HTC TYTN and some games. I had just under £200 of store credit from it and there was a brand new Apple TV for £168 i chose that.

I guess the biggest way it would change your viewing habits is that you can watch content in another room or watch iTunes content on a big screen.

XJ-linux · Dec 7, 2007

I just snagged an AppleTV off of eHay. I'm looking forward to it arriving this weekend. My old Sony Trinitron 32" circa 1997 just died and we replaced it with a 37" Vizio HD that has HDMI connections. Seemed like a perfect excuse to pick up an AppleTV. I'll post how the setup and use went when it arrives.
Dave

IanCT · Dec 10, 2007

I put some of my kids newer DVD's on it ( and some of my own favorites ) to have them readily available, and the kids don't scratch theirs in the mean time. =)

I also will use it as a picture slideshow when family is over, or during a party. We also enjoy perusing YouTube videos with it. Big plus - I love watching Eric Johnson videos on my flat screen.

XJ-linux · Dec 14, 2007

Well the AppleTV is now up and running and we love it. It reminds me of Remote Keyless Entry on automobiles - didn't know what I was missing and now that I do, I wouldn't live without it. I was afraid the 40GB HDD would be a hinderance, but streaming video from my Mac upstairs (with attached 750GB iTunes library) is seamless. As far as the media consumption goes it's pretty simple. I have been converting all of my DVD collection to H.264 for quite some time. I now have access to all of it instantly and have boxed up my DVD originals and stored them in the closet (along with my CDs). We record our favorite TV shows when we are not home using a Sony VHS/DVD-R. The ones we want to save get converted from MPEG-2 to .mp4 as well. These in turn have been going into our 750GB iTunes vault as well. Basically, we have no need for physical DVD/CD's now and simply store the DVD/CD's as originals in case something crashes. We are using the AppleTV 40GB HDD to hold mainly "3 most recent unwatched episodes" in case the network goes down. "I have drank the cool aid, and it is good." My wife loves being able to view our iPhoto albums on our HDTV with her mother who has less than perfect eyesight. It is much better than trying to crowd around a 13" MB screen. Oh, and we love playing our iTunes music tracks through the downstairs surround sound stereo components (hooked into the HDTV) while having an iPhoto screensaver of family photos running. Altogether, AppleTV was a snap to set up and well worth the minimal effort. I highly recommend snagging one if you have an interest and remember: with a good wireless setup, the 40GB HDD is not a limitation at all.
Dave

kfordham281 · Dec 20, 2007

Thanks for the input everyone. If you rip a DVD and then stream or sync it to the AppleTV, is there a loss in picture quality?

XJ-linux · Dec 20, 2007

Not here. It looks better on the LCD than on my 13" MB. No loss, lag, etc.

Gaz · Dec 26, 2007

I use mine for watching films with mates when there round, and some music for poker nights etc...
i got a massive collection of dvd's and it makes it easy to have them all in a list in a centralized place.

ezcompane · Dec 31, 2007

quick question... how would this be any different from what i currently do. i have all my music and movies stored on external hard drives that connect to my macbook and then watch them on my tv. i converted almost all my videos to MP4 on the highest setting possible and have over 1.5TB of video alone. should i get an apple tv or will it be the same as what i'm already doing??

schweb · Dec 31, 2007

If you connect your Macbook to your TV, it's really no different than an AppleTV. For lack of a better way to think about it, it's a glorified dedicated FrontRow computer that syncs with your iTunes.

ezcompane · Dec 31, 2007

schweb said:
If you connect your Macbook to your TV, it's really no different than an AppleTV. For lack of a better way to think about it, it's a glorified dedicated FrontRow computer that syncs with your iTunes.

cool thanks....thats what i thought it was at first but wasn't sure. maybe sometime down the road i'll pick one of these up. right now i like using my 50" as a computer monitor.

proxy · Dec 31, 2007

i would like an apple tv but as i have a macbook pro i have no need for one i just plug it in to my hdtv and it works grate i plan on getting one next year or a mac mini to do the same job as i will be moving to a bigger house so getting a better tv set up so will want my macbook separate from my tv.

schweb · Jan 1, 2008

If AppleTV would actually perform the functions of a DVR and allow renting movies directly without syncing, then it may be worth it. But for anyone with a portable Mac already, it really is a waste of money at this point.

tonycrf · Jan 1, 2008

XJ-linux said:
Well the AppleTV is now up and running and we love it. It reminds me of Remote Keyless Entry on automobiles - didn't know what I was missing and now that I do, I wouldn't live without it. I was afraid the 40GB HDD would be a hinderance, but streaming video from my Mac upstairs (with attached 750GB iTunes library) is seamless. As far as the media consumption goes it's pretty simple. I have been converting all of my DVD collection to H.264 for quite some time. I now have access to all of it instantly and have boxed up my DVD originals and stored them in the closet (along with my CDs). We record our favorite TV shows when we are not home using a Sony VHS/DVD-R. The ones we want to save get converted from MPEG-2 to .mp4 as well. These in turn have been going into our 750GB iTunes vault as well. Basically, we have no need for physical DVD/CD's now and simply store the DVD/CD's as originals in case something crashes. We are using the AppleTV 40GB HDD to hold mainly "3 most recent unwatched episodes" in case the network goes down. "I have drank the cool aid, and it is good." My wife loves being able to view our iPhoto albums on our HDTV with her mother who has less than perfect eyesight. It is much better than trying to crowd around a 13" MB screen. Oh, and we love playing our iTunes music tracks through the downstairs surround sound stereo components (hooked into the HDTV) while having an iPhoto screensaver of family photos running. Altogether, AppleTV was a snap to set up and well worth the minimal effort. I highly recommend snagging one if you have an interest and remember: with a good wireless setup, the 40GB HDD is not a limitation at all.
Dave

What are you using to convert your DVD's to MP4?

XJ-linux · Jan 1, 2008

Handbrake v.91 works well for me 99.9% of the time. If you choose to download it make sure to use the "Update Presets" functions as it will download a bunch of presets for converting video for various devices such as iPhone, iPod, AppleTV, etc... Makes things much quicker if, like me, you don't know much about video terms such as anamorphic, detelecine, deinterlace, etc.

tonycrf · Jan 2, 2008

Thanks!

bryphotoguy · Jan 2, 2008

tonycrf said:
What are you using to convert your DVD's to MP4?

Handbrake works fine. I was talking to me cousin and messing with Front Row and found out that you can watch the Video_TS folders too.
Just put the video folder or just the shortcut into the Movies folder. It will recognize them and play them.
I was going to put a bunch of stuff in the .mp4 format but this is so much easier.

MegaRoss · Jan 5, 2008

I wouldn't buy apple tv, i built a cheap htpc, apple tv hasn't got nearly enough storage space for a decent movie and music library. Maybe it's okay just to record but then it's got no dvd writer to take your recording has it?

I'm not saying its bad, but there are better media solutions out there i reckon.

proxy · Jan 7, 2008

well i still dont think anyone with a macbook or a mac in the room they are going to be watching stuff on needs one as i have my pro running on my hdtv and it looks grate front row dose all the apple tv would and the mac can play dvd's and also watch streaming stuff for example the studio 6 stuff looks grate streaming in full screen ok not hd but looks good.

so yer i would have an apple tv if it worked as like a wireless screen plug in for my macbook and it was cheaper.