Ten Myths of the Apple TV

Ten Myths of the Apple TV: 5.1 Audio

Oooh, this is GOOD and well researched (for the most part).

He spends so much time on 5.1 audio (Myth #1), tha the breaks 2-10 into separate post.

AFAIK, he scores one miss - stating that AppleTV can work with regular 4:3 aspect TVs over component connections. This is only half correct - it DOES plug in, an image DOES show up, the device DOES display movies etc...but in the wrong aspect ratio. 4:3 content shows up too skinny and pillarboxed, etc.

Ars Technica - Apple TV: an in-depth review

Apple TV: an in-depth review

Ars Technica does their typically extremely detailed and well thought out job taking a look at the AppleTV.

-mike

Apples and Oranges Hands-On: Apple TV vs. TiVo Series3 HD - Gizmodo

Apples and Oranges Hands-On: Apple TV vs. TiVo Series3 HD - Gizmodo

They compare the features the two have in common - looking at pictures, surfing music, looking at downloaded content.

My favorite observation:

Both Unbox and the iTunes Store don't have enough movie and TV show content for our taste, and both can't deliver HDTV movies or TV shows. So in our mind, for now, they both suck.


They were fair in their analysis, no BS comparisons or sucker punches - in other words, I agree with their analysis.

:D

Fun little read, spot on in my book.

-mike

Why a $100 XBox can be better than the Apple TV

Why a $100 XBox can be better than the Apple TV

His argument boils down to pick up a used Xbox for $100, if you're technically inclined it can do more than a $300 AppleTV.

I counter that if you want a slick interface and easy setup and aren't super technical (but you probably are if you're reading this), then AppleTV is the way to go.

Folks will ALWAYS be able to suggest a roll-your-own approach that is less expensive, but the quality of the purchased option, and the value of your time, are oft overlooked, no offense to the author.

-mike

Mac Rumors: MacRumors Review: Apple TV [Updated]

Mac Rumors: MacRumors Review: Apple TV [Updated]

I like their breakdown by category:
Ease of use - 19/20
Features - 10.5/20
Performance - 18/25
Value - 10/10
Overall - 82.5/100, B-

In summary from them:

Pros: Easy to set up and use, gorgeous interface, cross-platform connectivity to 5 computers, price
-- Cons: Limited surround sound, limited codec support, some features are incomplete/unpolished

Macworld: First Look: Apple TV Diary: Your questions answered, Page 1

Macworld: First Look: Apple TV Diary: Your questions answered, Page 1

Lots going on in my non-AppleTV related world, so a quickie here - lots of Q's and lots of A's, mostly to do with networking and syncing your AppleTV.

Good stuff.

-mike