With the release of Google TV, the set top box (STB) wars just got hotter. I've been thinking about getting a STB for a while now. When Apple announced the new Apple TV I was pretty excited. It would give me the ability to play my movies/TV shows/podcasts on my TV from the media drive. Although my Mac Mini does that now, it still needs more than just a couple of clicks and you're on. I know about Front Row but does anyone use it?
So I went out and got an Apple TV about a week after it was made available at Apple's retail stores (this was well before Google TV was announced).
$99 plus tax (I have to mention the tax because we pay 9.75% in sales tax where I live) is not a bad price. I got it home and setting it up was very easy. It picked up my wireless signal but I hooked it to the router using an ethernet cable to ensure a more consistent connection. I have the AT&T U-verse high speed line with maximum download speeds of 18 Mbits/sec.
Trying to get it to access my media library from my Mac Mini hit a couple of bumps but after disabling and enabling Home Sharing once on my Mini, the Apple TV could locate its library. Playing a 720p video over the air was seamless. It didn't even take much time to pre-buffer the stream. I should mention that my Mac Mini connects to my internet wirelessly.
The Apple TV is now working great and I have no complaints. After about 3 or 4 days after I got it, I was casually browsing eBay and thought about searching for Apple TVs to see if used ones had begun to appear and for what price. A few sorted results later I found one seller selling his for $50 without any cables; just the Apple TV and the remote control. He did mention that the device had a few scratches on the outside but worked perfectly. For $50, I thought to myself, that's a great deal. I can pick up a power cable for under 5 bucks and use one of my existing HDMI cables to hook it to the other TV in my house (in the bedroom) to watch Netflix, YouTube or one of my own videos from my collection while I fall asleep. Not even a Roku beats that price. So I purchased it. It arrived few days later and is now plugged into the bedroom TV and I have used it many times already. Netflix and YouTube's HD videos work great too.
Then, a few days ago, Google TV was announced. I was curious to know the price. Some people had blogged saying Google may drop a bombshell on Apple and mark their product at under $50. That did not happen. Instead the Logitech Revue, which is one of the devices on the market for Google TV, was priced at $299. Sony's Internet TV with a Blu-ray player is priced higher than that at $399 (BestBuy). The other option is buying a TV with a built in Google TV device, which was out of the question for me.
$299?! Come on, Google! I can buy a Netbook for lower than that price and have full functionality of a computer on my TV. So I waited for people to put up reviews of it to see if it was worth the price tag. After reading and watching a few reviews that have surfaced I still don't think it's worth that kind of money. Sure, it gives you ability to control your cable, set up recordings, search the web/DVR/TV schedule for certain episodes/movies simultaneously, watch Netflix, browse the web etc., all using the keyboard and pointing device (Logitech Revue) but maybe $200 would be a better price. I still wouldn't buy it. A couple of the reviews made me think twice; some of the features of the Revue are sweet but the price just wasn't cutting it for me. Yes, you can install apps on it but I am not really an Android person, not yet anyways.
Then there is the Roku player. Comes in 3 models ranging from $59.99 to $99.99. I must say the prices are awesome! It looks like something I could get used to. I have been reading about it over the last few days and have at least figured out the model I would buy if at all I decided to get one. It would be the Roku XD, priced at $79.99. It has ability to play Netflix, Amazon VOD, Hulu Plus (monthly subscription needed), Pandora, Vimeo, MLB.tv (season's almost over now... Go Giants!) etc. The only things missing in this model compared to the XDS which retails at $99.99 are dual-band wireless, component video and optical audio outs and a USB port for media access (available as an update in November 2010). For the moment though, I'm sticking with my Apple TV. It does most of the things I want it to do to get my stuff on the television screen. When AirPlay comes it will get even better. The device has 8GB of built in memory and another slot for a possible expansion to 16GB (from an Apple TV tear-down review), so maybe there are Apps to come to this thing. That would complete the circle, having the option to install Apps just like any other iOS device.
I leave you with this thought. Imagine being able to play Angry Birds or Real Racing on your TV......
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