So, I’m about to kick Comcast to the curb. I’m torn between Apple TV or Roku-HD. any opinions on one over the other?
Suggestions on content and channels?
How about using them with an existing Tivo HD?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Thanks.
Being no one seems to be responding, I’ll comment.
The Tivo DVR has a broadband input. Both Apple TV and Roku-HD are IP based video delivery systems. The Tivo box doesn’t have the inputs to support this. However, both are on demand systems and a DVR is redundant. You only need a DVR for broadcast video.
I suggest you look into Sezmi for the off-air (broadcast) video and DVR. If your TV display has multiple inputs, Sezmi can peacefully coexist with Apple TV, Roku-HD, and Netflix.
I’ve got Apple TV. I use it mainly for streaming Netflix and for playing music from iTunes. Playing music from iTunes is a bit of a pain right now since I have such a large catalog, but it beats listening through laptop speakers.
I wouldn’t want it for my only entertainment, but it is nice to stream Netflix to the plasma. My SO and I have completely different tastes so that makes it easier than arranging a DVD queue all the time.
You do realize that you can control your AppleTV via iTunes, right? Just select the AppleTV as output and you hear iTunes just as you would on your laptop.
As for the OP, AppleTV is pretty cool, but beware that the formats it will play are limited - pretty much anything other than m4v (=MP4-video) will have to be converted - no avi, mkv or similar…
My boyfriend built us a media computer - we like it much better than any of the canned options because we can watch anything we want on it. Regular Hulu (not just Hulu Plus), Netflix, YouTube, crazy things from various websites, etc. It’s been completely maintenance-free for us, despite some people who will tell you “you don’t want the hassle”. It’s not something I’d give to my parents, but it’s great for us. We have a wireless keyboard with a trackball built in.
Roku is amazing and it gets Youtube as well as Netflix.
I also was about to cancel cable television, but yesterday my cable company told me it’s literally the same price for only internet as it is for internet + TV. Seriously.
Thanks for the responses!
It looks like I may have some more research to do. I hadn’t thought of the Apple TV issue with non Apple formats, and I really hadn’t considered building my own media pc. I have a desktop that is not being used right now, I could retro fit that one with decent cards and memory and have it up and running pretty soon.
Zsophia, what media cards did your boyfirend use?
Off to Geeks.com for shopping and more!
Reason nobody responded is cause there have been approximately a bajillion threads on this lately.
OP, I suggest starting with this Wired article and going from there. Also suggest you search “roku” “apple tv” and “cable” in the archives. You will find a ton of relevant threads with more info than this one will get. Essentially depending on what you watch and how you like to watch it will depend on what setup works best for you. No two setups are identical, but you need to explore your options thoroughly yourself.
One thing I found lacking about the Wired article was that there was no mention of Windows Media Center. Depending on how far you want to get into it, you can do the usual netflix and hulu, DVR for over the air stuff (with automated commercial skipping), music, photos, home movies, internet radio. You can rip DVD and Bluray, and have them cataloged with cover art and metadata. There are some guides out there for automating the download of TV shows from BiTorrent and Usenet. You can also just open up a channel’s web site and run their player in full screen. I’ve done that a few times for shows that the DVR missed.
Roku and Apple TV are fine for people who want to buy a box and plug it in. If you are the type that thinks nothing of buying some components to repurpose an old PC you had lying around, then you will be a lot happier with the flexibility of an HTPC. If you really are cutting the cable, then you will want all the options you can get for sourcing content.
You will want a video card that will handle 1080p, which isn’t hard to find. It’s likely that any card that comes with HDMI out will do it. You don’t need a high powered gaming card, playing HD video is easier than 3D and physics… If you are going to want to play Bluray discs, you need to make sure the card supports HDCP which is a copy protection protocol. It’s pretty standard.
Rather than dragging an old tower into the living room, you might consider an inexpensive net-top like the Acer Revo 3610. It’s not much bigger than the streaming boxes, and much more capable.
Sigh For the 90 billionth time, this shit is not sanctioned by the SDMB. Please don’t mention it again, or the thread’ll get shut down.
Also, know your audience. Someone curious about cutting the cord at this stage of the game also likely isn’t into what you’re talking about. People who use media PC’s did this years ago and are upgrading their systems now.
Look Lindsay, I really appreciate your input here, but let’s take the Junior Modding elswhere, alright? I’m sorry if this thread annoys you, I’m sure it’s taking up very imprtant space that could be filled with a poll or something just as earth shattering.
Prince Zorte, thanks, that was just the information I was looking for.
A good place to start with HTPCs is the Missing Remote. Here’s an intro-
I’m glad to see more and more people are doing this. In my most wild of fantasies, Comcast catches the fucking hint that we don’t need them, and they stop being such greedy douchebags.
Though sometimes, I admit, I miss cable. But only in the way you might miss a bad relationship you were in once–there were some good times, but overall, parting ways was the most healthy option.
No answers for you, but we’re going to take the plunge together!
I just set up my FIOS installation for Tuesday. Going for sweet 25/25 Internet and dumping Cablevision/Optimum Online.
I’m torn between the same devices you mention in your OP.
Moderator note:
Since threads on this subject often raise concerns about illegal file sharing, I’m reminding everyone not to suggest or advocate it. On the other hand, there’s a vast amount of legal content available for free download, so at this point I won’t slap anyone for discussing this topic. But please remember to refrain from suggesting or advocating the violation of copyrights, and include a disclaimer if you believe the context or content of your posts could be construed as such.
Not my fault you’re incapable of using the basic search function. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you (information). The Wired article is more fully comprehensive than any single response you’ve gotten in this thread. So are the keywords I told you to use. I like these threads (or at least the first 5 of them) and I prefer they stay open. But advocating filesharing is - and I know you’ll find this surprising and earth shattering - not the way they stay open.
Just ordered my Apple TV. Should be in on Tuesday in time for the official Cable Cutting ceremony.
If anything annoying comes up I’ll post it here.
One thing I found out about Roku while investigating: the much ballyhooed Hulu Plus is not exactly “Hulu + more”. It turns out that there are some content providers that said “you can allow streaming to a Internet browser, but not to a hardware device”
So while Hulu says “Look what you get for your $10/mo!!! Great stuff!!!”, they are kind of doing a bit of hand waving so that we don’t notice that the Hulu Plus catalog is not a superset of the free Hulu catalog.
Which makes me think “So I’m going to pay $10 for the privilege of watching less content than I had for free, and the commercials are still there? And I should like this?”
I’m certain there are advantages such as higher quality video or perhaps more brand-new episodes, but I still have that nagging question in the back of my mind.
It is? I thought Hulu Plus included full seasons of shows, not only the most recent episodes. Including shows that you can’t watch at all on regular Hulu.
Are you sure?
Not absolutely certain, but pretty close.
I read it here:
Why Hulu Plus Sucks, and Why You Should Use It Anyway
“Hulu Plus has its limitations though, and one big one isn’t obvious unless you try the devices out. Many shows are not available anywhere but on the web. That may seem bizarre, I know it was for me. Many of the shows you can watch with a Hulu Plus subscription on the web are just not available on streaming devices. After talking with a representative from Hulu, it’s because their licensing with content providers specifically prohibits streaming to devices other than a web browser. Which, for those of us wanting to watch television on an actual television, sucks.”
Hulu Plus complete yet? Channels missing?
“[A]ll of Hulu Plus IS there, but all of Hulu.com is NOT. Hulu doesn’t have the rights to all of the Television shows on Hulu.com to stream onto your television set yet to include into Hulu Plus. What you see within Plus, is what they have the rights to stream to your television.”
And Hulu doesn’t really try very hard to explain this to people. Someone in the thread I linked to was saying stuff like “you just didn’t do your homework, and that’s your fault and not Roku’s or Hulu’s fault”
The problem I have with this is that Roku is saying “We have Hulu Plus !!!11!!!one” and Hulu is saying “You can upgrade for more better Hulu PLUS!!!” but no one is saying “but… it’s missing a few things.”
Ditto on HuluPlus vs Hulu. HuluPlus has LESS content and costs money. To get around this I connect my netbook to my television when I want to watch anything on a browser.