inluminent

Yes, I did it. I ordered an Apple TV. Want to know why?

Because I’m an Apple dork, and to be honest with you, I’m really not happy with the lack of content available on “standard” HD cable channels, and I’m going to pay another $50/month to get HD movie channels. I’m also tired of storing lots of DVDs in the living room near the TV, so, I’m planning on ripping all of the DVDs I want to watch (including the kids DVDs) and putting them on the Apple TV.

Despite what Robert Scoble said about 720p signals, the Apple TV will be more than capable for what I’m looking for (and it doesn’t matter that he is buying one too. He still shouldn’t be complaining about the specs for the Apple TV. Apple has built something that’ll see more Macs, I think, and more Airports, ad more music and video through the iTunes store. That’s why they built it too, I think, and I applaud them for that.):

What I’m looking for is “easy”.

I want to easily watch my Video Podcasts (Scoble Show, GeekBriefTV, RocketBoom, etc…) while I’m doing other stuff on my laptop at home. About the only time I watch those video podcasts right now, is when I’m on a plane, and that’s only about four times a month. While watching video podcasts on my iPod greatly helps me pass the time on the plane, it also interferes with work that I might want to get done, and there is still more content being produced than I have time to watch on my plane trips.

I want to easily watch movies from the comfort of my couch. I don’t want to have to get up to change the DVD in the DVD player. Sometimes I want to just be a fat lazy ass and grab the remote and browse my collection.

I want to be able to put on music when I want to just “turn off the TV” and play with my kids, and I’ve found having children focused music, or even jazz or classical music, playing in the background really helps the kids (2 years old and 3 months old) play better longer… that music in the background helps them fell more comfortable I think… probably because we play them music before they go to sleep each night. If I can get the music to stream from my iMac to the TV anytime I want it, that means I’ll have mosic in the living room whenever I want it, without having to deal with “what’s in the CD changer?” types of questions and then changing the set from “adult” music to “kid music”. Nothing like hitting play to find the CD changer has nothing but Metallica and Nine Inch Nails in it, when you’re looking for Anne Murray’s children’s albums.

Lastly, I want it to work. Apple products have a habit of “just working”. Sure, every once in a while they have technical malfuntions like the disks going bad, or RAM getting flaked, but, Apple has always fixed my technical problems in 3 or 4 days (max) and I’ve never been dissatisfied by their expertise and customer service. I have a strong feeling this thing will “just work” and I also realize I’ll be upgrading this bad boy once they come out with the 80GB version and then the 120GB version, etc.

I’m totally looking forward to it showing up at our front door. It’ll make the perfect birthday present for my wife.

update:And you should totally go read Ethan’s mini-review of the Apple TV here if you’re thinking about buying one of these. He saw them at MacWorld.