Retailers slash Apple TV Price, Label it 2010 Model
Amazon and Best Buy are now offering the Apple TV for $89.99. A $10 discount from the original price.
What people found more interesting was the device getting branding with a ‘2010’ Model label (see link). This move increased speculation that a new version could be on the way. It’s difficult to say if this is a price cut for the upcoming holiday shopping season or a precurse for a new edition.
With a new version one would expect a more powerful device capable of higher quality videos. The small black box currently wields an A4 processor. Earlier this year we saw Apple release an update iPhone with a dual-core A5. This upgrade allowed the iPhone 4S to handle 1080p content. An A5 transplanted would give the ATV the horsepower it needs to handle better content.
Take this opportunity to pick one up soon. In the meantime, learn why we at Total HTPC are big fans of the apple TV. Check out the following articles:
I’m at a loss as to why someone would use PLEX over XBMC. With advanced features like a shared SQL database, shared thumbnail cache, and daily updates, I don’t see how PLEX can keep up.
I might try it just to see. I don’t image that there would be a problem with having PLEX and XMBC installed on the same ATV2…
There are multiple pluses and minuses to each. Plex is based off XBMC code, with more user friendly features. I usually see original XBMC users stay XBMC, while new users choose Plex.
Don’t worry I won’t spam your mailbox either, not that kind of site. 🙂
Jared,
I can name a number of reasons as someone who tried both (and Boxee) and chose Plex.
1. single, centralized library
2. many more client options (Roku, Samsung TVs, LG TVs, Google TV, Android)
3. Tons more plugins (functionality Plex has had for years but XBMC just added)
And that’s just to name a few. Now add myPlex and I’d argue Plex is way ahead of XBMC.
I have a centralized SQL library on my XBMC install. Granted, it’s not nearly as easy to set up as Plex was, but I have all of my XBMC clients pointed to it. I have all of my clients pointing to a central thumbnail share so that all clients have all the same thumbs. I have my favorite plugins (pandora and twit.tv).
I have three windows machines and two AppleTV 2’s working seamlessly off of the centralized DB.
Now having said that, I installed the Plex server on my 24×7 windows server and on my AppleTV’s. I really like how the ATV2 client LOOKS like it belongs on the ATV2.
Here are the thing that are going to keep me using XBMC for now.
1. The CPU on my server spikes no matter what kind of media I’m playing. My ATV2 is capable of hardware decoding of h264 media. If the device is capable of playing a particular title, then it should be allowed to. Transcoding should only be used if it HAS to. I do homework on my server at night, and I don’t want the CPU being hogged by someone watching TV.
2. There are many times that I have both of my ATV’s going at the same time. There is no way that Plex will be able to transcode and keep two streams going at the same time. With XBMC, the different devices can operate independently as long as my back end storage and network can keep up.
3. My servers processor is only an E6320 and does not really have the chops to transcode the files that my ATV2 can’t handle natively. I know that’s not Plex’s fault, just a personal limitation.
4. In order to get a server that has enough power to make this system sing, it would be an expensive hardware upgrade. With XBMC, I can run my back end storage and database on a modded $20 Seagate Dockstar with 1.5 terrabyte hard drive connected to it (which can be powered for only about $10 a year). Yea… it’s a poor man’s NAS.
Those are the main things I have noticed so far. Many of those issues are personalized to my setup and my usage, but for me, XBMC wins for now.
Jared,
Totally understand, and on the ATV, I agree, although Plex direct streaming, when it comes, should help. Have you checked out PleXBMC? Its a utility some Plex users who had the same gripes with Plex that you pointed out use. Enables the ‘ease of use’ of Plex’s centralized database but the playback of XBMC.
http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/topic/27270-plexbmc-client-for-xbmc/page__hl__plexbmc