I have ripped my entire DVD library to iTunes, which was a mammoth task as we are talking 300 plus DVDs, including TV boxed series like Start Trek Next Gen & Voyager. Initially the work was done for a mac mini based in the lounge, about 12 months before the AppleTV came out. As such, MP4 was not the main coding of choice. I’ve recently converted all those files again to h.264 compression for the apple TV. Again, a huge job.

Including my audio library & music video’s and subscribed podcasts, I’m talking over a terabyte of entertainment. I stream the entire load to the AppleTV as obviously, 40Gb is a tad on the small side for me. I keep a duplicate copy of the data in the lounge for the mac mini. This is necessary as our lounge has yet to go HD. Its a basic projector as our TV there. (Which people, I have to say, with music videos, makes for the best parties…audio is great, but rocking along with the actual clips playing is something else!) Note to Apple: WE NEED VIDEO PLAYLISTS to work like the iPod!

At first I didn’t like the AppleTV’s menu system, having used the FrontRow on the Mac Mini for nearly a year. Now I find FrontRow clumsy, reminding me of my old commodore 64’s large blocky text on a TV. I DO miss volume control on the apple remote, but it’s really a minor issue, not one I’d ask Apple to worry about fixing.

Streaming to the AppleTV via powerline networking of this much data takes less then five minutes and only happens if either device has been turned off or iTunes has been restarted (usually for an update). Would I stream via wireless? Wouldn’t bother trying! Using the powerline system I’ve found extremely stable, and there is no lag/delay buffering time.

I use an older Mac mini of the pre-Intel chip variety to feed it, and it seems to handle it all. Though I must say, itunes is struggling under the weight of content on this machine.

So…six months on since I purchased the device and how do I feel? Best thing I ever did. We are not ones to hold ’slideshow’ nights so photo streaming is not an issue. Syncing we found awkward but streaming a sinch! The device runs hot, but then…who cares as long as it runs. I use VisualHub, Handbrake and now Turbo h.264 for converting content. Metadata usually through Lostify, MetaX or iTunes. It all works fine.

The AppleTV is based in the main bedroom connected to a 32″ LCD TV via component cables, and works EXACTLY like it should. The cable box gets used…for new TV shows, news & weather.

Does the AppleTV has drawbacks? Hell yes. But does it do what its says it will? Again…Hell yes!

18 months ago I didn’t own a Mac. Using Windows since 3.0 and owning an XBox I intended to go XBox 360 as the media hub. Now I have 3 Macs in the house and an AppleTV. Best changes to my digital life I’ve ever made.

-Robert