AppleTV Alternatives.... if it sucks
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AppleTV Alternatives.... if it sucks
So, I think I will be waiting it out and seeing if the appleTV sucks as much as I suspect it will (no AC3 sound).
As far as I understand it Quicktime mixes down AAC 5.1 to stereo when you output to your awesome 5.1 system, so I can only assume the appleTV will do the same, as it is based on Quicktime.
So... as alternatives I have found a few neat systems:
1. Mvix Wireless Hi-Definition Media Player.
2. Netgear Digital Entertainer HD
3. Linksys KiSS 1600 - no specs yet.
Anyone know of any more options in this realm?
#1 looks the best by far to me... same price as the appleTV and more options for video and audio.
Good with Handbrake?
As far as I understand it Quicktime mixes down AAC 5.1 to stereo when you output to your awesome 5.1 system, so I can only assume the appleTV will do the same, as it is based on Quicktime.
So... as alternatives I have found a few neat systems:
1. Mvix Wireless Hi-Definition Media Player.
2. Netgear Digital Entertainer HD
3. Linksys KiSS 1600 - no specs yet.
Anyone know of any more options in this realm?
#1 looks the best by far to me... same price as the appleTV and more options for video and audio.
Good with Handbrake?
Hi Anamonde,
It remains to be seen if the AppleTV will encode 5.1 AAC to AC3 - sometimes I think it will, sometimes I don't Certainly it has an optical output, but as yet there's been no mention of Dolby Digital Live encoding in any of the media materials, and the AppleTV export setting in QuickTime Pro 7.1.5 mixes 5.1 soundtracks down to stereo, so who knows.
There's a good article here arguing the pros and cons of if it might be forthcoming:
http://www.thismuchiknow.co.uk/?p=24
It remains to be seen if the AppleTV will encode 5.1 AAC to AC3 - sometimes I think it will, sometimes I don't Certainly it has an optical output, but as yet there's been no mention of Dolby Digital Live encoding in any of the media materials, and the AppleTV export setting in QuickTime Pro 7.1.5 mixes 5.1 soundtracks down to stereo, so who knows.
There's a good article here arguing the pros and cons of if it might be forthcoming:
http://www.thismuchiknow.co.uk/?p=24
My receiver has discrete 5.1 inputs (6 RCA inputs), so Griffin's Firewave works for me. I just installed it a few days ago, and HandBrake's 5.1 AAC files work great from Quicktime player, as does DVD playback from DVD Player.
I don't use Front Row though, but I'm sure it would work fine. Instead, I use our laptops to select videos through a LAN web page which can also start and control playback. There's also a Keyspan remote receiver hooked up to the TV Mac so we can use the regular universal remote to control it all too.
For the video connection, my TV has VGA inputs, but i could also hook it up via DVI->HDMI.
I don't use Front Row though, but I'm sure it would work fine. Instead, I use our laptops to select videos through a LAN web page which can also start and control playback. There's also a Keyspan remote receiver hooked up to the TV Mac so we can use the regular universal remote to control it all too.
For the video connection, my TV has VGA inputs, but i could also hook it up via DVI->HDMI.
maurj wrote:http://www.thismuchiknow.co.uk/?p=24
That is a great article. Thanks Maurj.
Re: AppleTV Alternatives.... if it sucks
Looks like none of them support h.264.Anamonde wrote:So, I think I will be waiting it out and seeing if the appleTV sucks as much as I suspect it will (no AC3 sound).
As far as I understand it Quicktime mixes down AAC 5.1 to stereo when you output to your awesome 5.1 system, so I can only assume the appleTV will do the same, as it is based on Quicktime.
So... as alternatives I have found a few neat systems:
1. Mvix Wireless Hi-Definition Media Player.
2. Netgear Digital Entertainer HD
3. Linksys KiSS 1600 - no specs yet.
Anyone know of any more options in this realm?
#1 looks the best by far to me... same price as the appleTV and more options for video and audio.
Good with Handbrake?
Re: AppleTV Alternatives.... if it sucks
H.264 is a MPEG4 codec is it not?cbud wrote:Looks like none of them support h.264.
Re: AppleTV Alternatives.... if it sucks
It is based on MPEG4. Spec sheets usually list h.264/AVC separately.Anamonde wrote:H.264 is a MPEG4 codec is it not?cbud wrote:Looks like none of them support h.264.
Here is another alternative, Pixel Magic Systems, it does not support h.264, or a Mac for that matter.
I also found a better link for the KiSS 1600. It looks like it supports h.264 and Macs. It is new, with limited availibility, but it could be a very good substitute for the Apple TV.
Re: AppleTV Alternatives.... if it sucks
Good find; H.264 support is still uncommon in similar devices. I wonder if they'll release this or something comparable in the US.cbud wrote:I also found a better link for the KiSS 1600. It looks like it supports h.264 and Macs. It is new, with limited availibility, but it could be a very good substitute for the Apple TV.