Apple TV selling faster than iPods

This device makes so much sense. No more hooking the laptop to the TV.

I wish Apple TV was around when I bought my Mac mini for my media center. It makes so much more sense than the configuration I've got and is one less computer to have in my house. If it had DVR capability it'd be a done deal.

@atvance

Apple TV doesn't even have video inputs. Given that most cable/satellite providers now have options for DVRs, it makes little sense for Apple to reinvent the wheel. Get a DVR from your cable TV provider and realize that the Apple TV is meant to output your computer-based media to the TV, not the other way around (record TV content and make it available on your computer).

Apple TV is like an iPod in that it syncs with your computer to play media. It is seen by iTunes like an iPod (you choose how you want music, video, photos, etc to sync), but it is permanently connected to your TV. It really is genius.

The Apple TV and Mac mini (as a media center) are built for two different markets.

The Apple TV should be thought of as a headless (no screen) iPod for your TV. Simple interface, plays iTunes content, stores media. An important point to note is that the Apple TV will only play content playable through iTunes.

The Mac mini does much more (for twice the price and less fancy interface, of course). You can play any video format (through VLC), record TV through an Elgato EyeTV, in addition to normal computery things.

Jack - Actually it should play an self authored content that's on your computer. I know i can get home movies to play through front row since it pulls content from iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes and I suspect if you have a commercial DVD loaded it would play that too!

Get a DVR from your cable TV provider

Or, get a good DVR like a Tivo Series 3. The current generation of cable company boxes is awful when compared to a good DVR. Maybe the next generation of Comcast Tivo boxes will catch up.

Apple TV doesn't even have video inputs. Given that most cable/satellite providers now have options for DVRs, it makes little sense for Apple to reinvent the wheel. Get a DVR from your cable TV provider and realize that the Apple TV is meant to output your computer-based media to the TV, not the other way around (record TV content and make it available on your computer).

I've got a TV tuner/DVR for my Mac already, and I can export its recordings to iTunes or my Movies folder. That's not the issue. I just want less clutter and ease at the entertainment center. As I stated later in these comments, I'd rather stick the guts of the system [Mac, HDs, & tuner] in a closet and send the content to the TV via some thing. For the most part, I don't watch TV shows unless they're via iTunes or my DVR, so I don't need any inputs on the Apple TV except ethernet to connect to the larger network.

A DVR on the Apple TV would be nice for the larger consumer market. Non-tech geeks [and even some of us] don't want to have one box that will serve their digital content, one box to serve their recorded content, one box for their digital/HD TV signals, and one box for their optical media. My parents, for example, aren't going to invent the time and money into making their computer be their DVR in addition to their digital media hub, but if they had one box that could be their DVR and also seamlessly be their digital hub they just might buy into that. I'm sure the mass consumer market wants just that.

Look at the xBox 360: Not only can it play games, but it also serves up digital content via the internet, its a DVD/HD DVD player, and its probably only a matter of time before Micro$oft forges a deal to add DVR capabilities as well or a deal with Netflix for their online viewing rentals.

Apple TV is like an iPod in that it syncs with your computer to play media... It really is genius.

Yes, it is. I wasn't too impressed by it when it was announced in September. I had my Mac mini media server, so why did I need this little box. But now that I see all the possibilities inherent in it, its appeal grows and grows. Add an optical drive and it'd sell more. Add a TV tuner and it'd sell even better.

Your computer isn't sexy enough?

Actually, I'll be getting a Mac mini for my future home entertainment center in about six months.

The Apple TV simply doesn't do enough for me. It doesn't even have an optical drive.
Of course, it's not supposed to, being a headless TV iPod, but just saying. :-p

Why do I need an appleTV?

What I really want to do is have my Mac mini, external hard drives, and its TV tuner in a closet somewhere and use Apple TV to get content from it to the living room. I've got a ton of cables and equipment sitting around my TV that I'd like to eliminate if possible. Of course, as others have pointed out, Apple TV lacks an optical drive which adds another component back to the entertainment center.

Perhaps Apple will be updating Front Row to have a sexier interface like Apple TV's? That would be nice.