Talk to me about ATV3 :-)

[MajorFubar]

Needing a headsup on what this can (and cannot) do, guys.

Up in our bedroom we've got a Samsung LE32R74BD connected to a DVD player. SWMBO has been pestering me to get a second aerial up on the roof for ages so we can watch live TV in bed. But that seems so 20th century.

What about an ATV3? If I connect it to my network using wireless (or a homeplug) could we watch live TV and catch-up TV from the main channels via iPlayer? Also would it be able to 'see' my iTunes media that I share across the household network from my always-on Mac Mini? Specifically films? Seems very hard to find out precisely what it does and I can't fnd anywhere which will just let me borrow one.

Thanks a lot!

 

[chebby]

I don't think ATV3 does BBC iPlayer 'natively' (unless you mirror it from an iThing via AirPlay).

I could be wrong.

 

[daveh75]

Also worth baring in mind that live content isnt always available due to copyright restrictions on iPlayer

 

[Cofnchtr]

Hi,

Can you not split the feed somewhere along the line and divert it to the bedroom?

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[MajorFubar]

Nah that's not really what I want to do

I don't think ATV3 does BBC iPlayer 'natively' (unless you mirror it from an iThing via AirPlay).

I could be wrong.

Ah right. That would be a deal-breaker for me then as iPlayer was a primary reason for buying it. That and streaming from my Mac Mini downstairs

Just as well I asked. I made the silly mistake of thinking iPlayer's inclusion was a no-brainer.

 

[MajorFubar]

Ok so ATV is dead in the water because Apple's little microcosm doesn't recognise iPlayer/ITV Player/4OD etc. Probably it was developed by one of the 60% of Americans who apparently can't find Britain on a map...[/xenophobe mode]

Anyhow...any other ideas for small AV streamers (upto about £100) with a HDMI-out and which will play iPlayer, YouTube, and stream movies from my Mac across the network (AVI, MPEG, MKV and MP4 etc)?

(Maybe I'm better starting a new thread for this...)

Cheers!

 

[John Duncan]

Most £100 bluray players?

 

[MajorFubar]

Any in particular ones you'd highly rate?

Not that I really need the BD functionality: if I could save money by buying something which did everything I want and not BD, I'd go for that instead.

 

[bigboss]

Ok so ATV is dead in the water because Apple's little microcosm doesn't recognise iPlayer/ITV Player/4OD etc. Probably it was developed by one of the 60% of Americans who apparently can't find Britain on a map...[/xenophobe mode]

Anyhow...any other ideas for small AV streamers (upto about £100) with a HDMI-out and which will play iPlayer, YouTube, and stream movies from my Mac across the network (AVI, MPEG, MKV and MP4 etc)?

(Maybe I'm better starting a new thread for this...)

Cheers!

I'm very happy with my Boxee box. Check this thread:

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/home-cinema/which-media-streamer-boxee-tv-jailbroken-apple-tv-or-something-else

 

[daveh75]

A Raspberry Pi running Raspbmc or OpenELEC.

Will play most formats (no support for HD audio yet though) and you'll need a license for MPEG-2 (a couple of quid from http://www.raspberrypi.com/)

There are plugins for iPlayer/ITV Player/4oD/Demand 5 and YT, will even do Airplay if thats your thing...

There's currently about a 3 week wait to get one, from element14, though considerably quicker than RS

 

[John Duncan]

Any in particular ones you'd highly rate?

Not that I really need the BD functionality: if I could save money by buying something which did everything I want and not BD, I'd go for that instead.

Noted, but tbh most of the media players are a bit more expensive than bluray players that offer the same thing, AFAICT. There is the Sony Media box that seems to be going for about £75, which might suit, but check that it has all the on-deman services that you need (it has iPlayer but cna't speak for ITV Player or 4OD).

BB's Boxee Box does look very functional though , and is half the price it used to be.

 

[MajorFubar]

Good leads, thanks all. It's just an embryonic idea atm. She's been pestering for an aerial in there for ages and I ended up thinking "it's 2012, is there not a more hi-tec way of doing this than getting another aerial on the roof or a signal splitter?". First thing I thought of was an ATV, but clearly that's a no-no; the lack of at least iPlayer is a really glaring ommission.

 

[bigboss]

While there might not be a BBC iPlayer app on Apple TV itself, you can pick shows from the iPad app and have them played back - in HD - from your phone or tablet or a Mac via AirPlay.