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Apple TV vs Google TV

They both suck balls, buy/build a HTCP with a dual tuner card or use Silicon Dust's HD Homerun (allows you to get a HDTV signal to all computers on your network), a big HD, Windows 7 Home Premium with Windows Media Center, and you'll be ahead of the game while the 2 platforms mature.

A couple of years and I may well hold a different opinion, but for now, I wouldn't waste my time...
 
Apple TV doesn't do enough, but has been jailbroken so it might be worth a shit down the road.

Google TV needs to be 50% cheaper, but I think it will fail before it gets to that point. Or if it makes it to see half price it'll be too late.
 
Pliablemoose said:
They both suck balls, buy/build a HTCP with a dual tuner card or use Silicon Dust's HD Homerun (allows you to get a HDTV signal to all computers on your network), a big HD, Windows 7 Home Premium with Windows Media Center, and you'll be ahead of the game while the 2 platforms mature.
Click to expand...

Can I use homerun off a cable box or is it OTA only?

I already have an HTPC, I'm just basically looking for new toys. I want to play with something Apple and I thought Apple TV might be good?
 
rudeguy said:
Can I use homerun off a cable box or is it OTA only?

I already have an HTPC, I'm just basically looking for new toys. I want to play with something Apple and I thought Apple TV might be good?
Click to expand...

nah, I wouldn't bother for a while, and honestly, I don't see a compelling argument for Apple TV, I think the died in the wool Apple fans will buy it for their iUniverse, but I don't see it, no local storage, paying for shows I can record for free or stream from a million sites...

I don't think much of Google's plan either, basically, both of them want you to pay for content or watch more commercials, screw that...

The HD Homerun will work with unencrypted cable channels
 
Pliablemoose said:
nah, I wouldn't bother for a while, and honestly, I don't see a compelling argument for Apple TV, I think the died in the wool Apple fans will buy it for their iUniverse, but I don't see it, no local storage, paying for shows I can record for free or stream from a million sites...

I don't think much of Google's plan either, basically, both of them want you to pay for content or watch more commercials, screw that...

The HD Homerun will work with unencrypted cable channels
Click to expand...

Comcast has gone to 100% encrypted in my area 🙁

So neither is worth getting a nerd chubby over? I'm currently using Windows 7 HP's Media Center and have no complaints. I only use it for TV though. Movies I use VLC since it plays nicer with ISO's.
 
apple tv is cheap, and is just a rental platform, its ease of use for streaming media from iphones/ipads is pretty slick. aimed at users that just want it to work.

it is however restricted on what it can do.
apple gives u the tour
http://www.apple.com/appletv/
no idea on google tv. somehow i doubt they care about mkv files either.
 
Last edited:
ObscureCaucasian said:
The thing that appealed to me about the Apple TV over the Roku is the Wireless N. I get weak "G" signal in many parts of my house. There is a Roku with "N" but I think it's the same price.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I'd go for the Apple TV as well, I'd want to go WiFi with it and streaming HD over g is painful.
 
I'm more curious as how the boxee box stands up against these guys. I basically want a media box to stream videos on my main computer, stream netflix, have access to hulu (not plus), have access to amazon VOD... and be small, quiet, and under $150.

Boxee comes in at $230 or soemthing, so that doesn't help. But there's potential.... maybe. Roku is actually pretty close. I could deal w/ USB playback, but that seems really flaky/limited right now. and it lacks hulu (I think they are getting hulu plus?).
 
I play with Apple TV every day and it's cool if you just want to stream Netflix but that's about it. It does less than others and sometimes it can be frustrating to use because they dumb down some areas too much. Google TV so far seems like it's too expensive for what it is but since none of us have been able to get our hands on it, we can only go by what has been shown to us. The Roku seems cool but I haven't been able to see one in person yet.
 
LOL. I think I recently posted an HTPC thread here and everyone told me to skip that and buy a set-top box.

What I want...

Something that can play online media (Netflix, etc.)
A Blu-Ray Player
Something that can access and play local media on my network.
I do not have cable and do not plan on getting cable any time soon.
I depend on OTA channels.

At present I am considering the Sony/Google TV set-top box (not the TV). I may also consider a PS3. I don't think I could build an HTPC for $300-$400 or less.
 
I was looking at the GOogleTV platform but decided that I didn't want to pay for satellite/cable service right now. I currently have a previous gen Mac mini and while it works ok, it's struggling on 1080p content. I want to replace/upgrade it but I'm not sure if I should build (another) HTPC or just get a Boxee Box. Most of the stuff I watch if off of my media server.

Apple TV is dead in the water for me since I already have a PS3 & 360 along with the Mac Mini.
 
GTaudiophile said:
LOL. I think I recently posted an HTPC thread here and everyone told me to skip that and buy a set-top box.

What I want...

Something that can play online media (Netflix, etc.)
A Blu-Ray Player
Something that can access and play local media on my network.
I do not have cable and do not plan on getting cable any time soon.
I depend on OTA channels.

At present I am considering the Sony/Google TV set-top box (not the TV). I may also consider a PS3. I don't think I could build an HTPC for $300-$400 or less.
Click to expand...

If you remember, adding a BR player made the difference...
 
GTaudiophile said:
LOL. I think I recently posted an HTPC thread here and everyone told me to skip that and buy a set-top box.

What I want...

Something that can play online media (Netflix, etc.)
A Blu-Ray Player
Something that can access and play local media on my network.
I do not have cable and do not plan on getting cable any time soon.
I depend on OTA channels.

At present I am considering the Sony/Google TV set-top box (not the TV). I may also consider a PS3. I don't think I could build an HTPC for $300-$400 or less.
Click to expand...

Yea...I'm pretty much just the opposite.

I cancelled my netflix because I get so many VOD cable movies and shows
I don't care about BD
I store all my media locally
I have cable and get literally every single channel available
I don't need OTA

I just basically want a new toy
 
Both of them are a waste of money at this point. If Google TV were a full-fledged tuner/DVR that accepted cablecards, that'd be one thing, but as it stands, its not worth it.
 
rudeguy said:
Can I use homerun off a cable box or is it OTA only?

I already have an HTPC, I'm just basically looking for new toys. I want to play with something Apple and I thought Apple TV might be good?
Click to expand...

HDHomeRun is an amazing product.
They have a duel and single tuner models. It can get OTA, conventional cable, and clear QAM.

They have been working on a CableCARD edition to get encrypted QAM for a while. It has been in the works for a while but hasn't been released. I would consider it vapor at this point.

There is also a card that has 4 tuners and takes a cable card but it is roughly $500.
 
Patranus said:
HDHomeRun is an amazing product.
They have a duel and single tuner models. It can get OTA, conventional cable, and clear QAM.

They have been working on a CableCARD edition to get encrypted QAM for a while. It has been in the works for a while but hasn't been released. I would consider it vapor at this point.

There is also a card that has 4 tuners and takes a cable card but it is roughly $500.
Click to expand...

I saw that thing...the blacksomethingorother. Its exactly what I need but I'm not willing to drop $500 on it. Plus its extremely beta (alpha??) with no track record. I'm not that worried about it. I'm picking up a 2nd monitor tonite. I'll post pics in the proper forum when I'm all done.
 
GTaudiophile said:
LOL. I think I recently posted an HTPC thread here and everyone told me to skip that and buy a set-top box.

What I want...

Something that can play online media (Netflix, etc.)
A Blu-Ray Player
Something that can access and play local media on my network.
I do not have cable and do not plan on getting cable any time soon.
I depend on OTA channels.

At present I am considering the Sony/Google TV set-top box (not the TV). I may also consider a PS3. I don't think I could build an HTPC for $300-$400 or less.
Click to expand...

PS3, hands down. Only thing I'd like them to add are Hulu and Pandora access through the PS3. Other than that, it works great as a Netflix and network media streamer in addition to Blu-ray.
 
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