Why the newer version over the older Apple TV ?

[Doug C]

I'm going to pick up a used Apple TV and was wondering why not just get an older one, I could always use the extra storage. However, I don't really want to keep everything on the ATv's hard-drive either. Is there real advantages to getting the newer ones that I'm not thinking of? What improvements were made? TIA.

[Doug C]

The obvious is that the old one doesn't have Netflix and the newer one does. But can't Netflix content be streamed to your computer, temporarily saved there (or watched immediately) and streamed to the TV via an older Apple TV? Or is the use of Netflix completely out with the older ones? Sorry for the newby questions.

[gibmini]

I've suggested this view of the atv before, but hopefully it will be of assistance in answering your question:

I personally recon that the previous version of the atv (160Gb) is better than the current one, for my needs at least. It has 2 advantages over the new one:

1. it saves the latest versions of films (or the ones you watch most often) on the drive so does not have to stream the content each time you want to watch it. This is good because if you have a lot of network traffic on your wireless network you might find that - especially hd content - may stutter in some circumstances. Think of the hard drive on the atv not as primary storage, but as a buffer.
2. if you travel you can take your atv with you with at least the 160Gb of movies you have stored on it (plus movies, podcasts etc). It gives you a way of having access to some/all of your media while you are away without having to have a fast net connection. You can't do this with the new atv.

Just my view, but it works for me and I won't be upgrading anytime soon unless there is a significant jump in the functionality of the new atv's software over the previous one.

GM
_________________
Loving my mini's, hating what Apple has become.

iPhone 4S
2.3GHz latest gen macbook pro, 2.4GHz latest gen Mini, 1.83GHz Mini, 2.0GHz Macbook
160Gb 1st gen ATV & 2nd gen ATV
1 of every gen of Nano
iPhone 4S
30" apple cinema display

[Smithcraft]

You can also put a Broadcom card in the older ATV and when used with XBMC, you would have a much more capable ATV.

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] Intel mini - 2.16Ghz 2GB 60GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!

[Doug C]

thanks guys, I'd been leaning towards the older version... but I'm still unclear - can I utilize netflix (and/or others) to get streaming programs to my computer then have the older ATV pick it up at the same time ? Or is it only going to be good for non-streaming stuff ?

[gibmini]

Well there's no netflix app for the older atv that I know of, but someone else might have a workaround. I do think though that if you want to stream direct from netflix then you'll need the new one. But if you want to have itunes and your own content streaming from your mac to the atv or stored in the atv then the old one if better.

BTW, in the dec issue of Wired they review the new atv and say its not 'as capable' as the old one...
_________________
Loving my mini's, hating what Apple has become.

iPhone 4S
2.3GHz latest gen macbook pro, 2.4GHz latest gen Mini, 1.83GHz Mini, 2.0GHz Macbook
160Gb 1st gen ATV & 2nd gen ATV
1 of every gen of Nano
iPhone 4S
30" apple cinema display

[mwayne]