Apple TV Reviews.

I like mine a good bit. It runs really fast and continues to add apps. I think i only paid $84 for it off Amazon a few months ago.

Hbogo and showtime anytime makes apple tv well worth the money alone for me.

Also, are those not something I could access through the PS3?

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Chromecast, FireTV or any smart TV

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no apple logo, no care

Yeah the app WatchESPN

Bummer that the PS3 doesn't have that and HBO go. If it did I would just stick with that.

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If you already have an iPhone/iPad and MacBook pro, get an Apple TV. Well worth it. If not, go roku.
With the iPhone/iPad i can control, mirror, etc. with my MacBook open I can access anything on iTunes and mirror.

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Little more to it than this:
If the majority of your local content is hosted by any non-iTunes service (like Plex), that's a -1 for AppleTV
If wirelessly displaying your device on your TV is a plus rather than a novelty that will lose effect, it's a +1 for the AppleTV. But if viewing your device's screen on a tv wirelessly isn't important, you're not doing any better than with another device. Further, depending on your desired subscription content, one may be better than the other. For instance, AppleTV doesn't natively support Amazon instant video. You will have to use your mobile device or laptop to view those movies on your TV. This can be accomplished much cheaper with, say, an Amazon Firetv Stick or Roku, both of which have remotes and don't require a mobile device to work.


By all means, I'm not trying to knock the AppleTV. I have one and use it frequently. It's a fine device, but there are plenty of alternatives.


Another interesting thing to try is HDMI from any computer into your TV (may require an adapter or adapter cable. You're looking at about $5-15, depending on your hookups). If mirroring is a cool thing you want to add, AirServer for $15. It works with android, windows, and iOS devices and is free to try for 7 days. So, there are a handful of ways to control both PCs and Macs (even Linux boxes) from afar. If you set a laptop that you already own to receive these and remain "always on" while plugged in, add in an hdmi cable, you've got the most functional device possible for streaming content, and you've cost yourself the hdmi cable and maybe an adapter. Toss in something like AirServer, and aside from plugging/unplugging the laptop (if there isn't an extra/old one lying around), you're far better off than any set top box would allow you to be.


Just some considerations.

I think you're making more of it than you have to. I know there are other devices that are cheaper and do the same thing, and I recommend those if you're not deep in Apple ecosystem. But if you DO have mostly Apple, Apple TV will be great and simple to use. Simple being a key word. Not that Roku isn't, but you do lose a little functionality unless you buy another device to do the same thing (HDMI adapter).

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both of which have remotes and don't require a mobile device to work.

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Apple TV has a remote.

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Apple TV has a remote.

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It does. And its ability to learn a remote is quite handy, too. You cannot play Amazon Instant Video on an AppleTV with the remote, though. AirPlay from a mobile device is required. There is no channel/app on the device itself. So to watch anything in Amazon requires another Apple device and cannot be controlled with the remote. This is either annoying, meaningless, or neither, depending on the user.

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But if you DO have mostly Apple, Apple TV will be great and simple to use. Simple being a key word. Not that Roku isn't, but you do lose a little functionality unless you buy another device to do the same thing (HDMI adapter).

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No doubt if your local content is all hosted in iTunes, you have AirPlay speakers all throughout the house, the device mirroring is actually a plus rather than a novelty, and you need WatchABC, it's a better device. Short of all that being true, I don't find it to be any better a device and find the interface lacking compared to Roku, specifically (firetv stick will be in on 1/5. Chromecast...well. The controls are much improved since previous updates where I complained about general lack of responsiveness, but it's still limited and doesn't support a few key apps). Nothing about its interface is particularly reminiscent of iOS or OSX. There are squares with pictures on them. And they can be shown/not shown, but that's about where the customization ends. In short, there's nothing simpler about it vs the Roku. As far as "functionality" is concerned, the AppleTV supports Device Mirroring and iTunes Home Sharing. Their hardware is about a push with a slight lean to Roku. AirPlay vs Play on Roku are also roughy a push, with a slight edge to AirPlay. The youtube App itself, from a remote, is far better on the AppleTV. When used with AirPlay/play on Roku, it's virtually indistinguishable. Past that, it's really not any more simple or beneficial to own an AppleTV. It may not be any less beneficial either, so if you're into stickers or brands, there's nothing wrong with sticking with it. I just disagree that by having lots of Apple devices it's any simpler to own an AppleTV.


And lastly:

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I think you're making more of it than you have to

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When I under think tech, I make mistakes of thinking certain products will do certain things and become very disappointed when they don't work how I would like them to. This is circumvented by detailing all capabilities and how useful each capability is in a day-to-day setting. For instance, as above: someone who runs Plex instead of iTunes as a backend and subscribes to Amazon Prime, I think the easier solution is a Roku or Firetv regardless of the amount of investment in the Apple ecosystem. Is it a niche? Yes. But when it comes to these things, the devil is in the details. And far too often, little details get overlooked and people are unhappy with products because their expectations weren't met due to either lack of research or lack of consideration of scenarios.