I've been using the Apple TV 2 for about two years now. My first big surprise was when I actually got it. I'd thought it would be the same size as the first Apple TV. The size and design are great. Very basic and sleek. Since it's black, it hides out of the way easily.
I specifically wanted this device because I knew I was going to jailbreak it. I have a lot of DVDs and video files which I didn't want to convert to the iTunes library, and jailbreaking it let me stream the movies from my iMac to my TV finally. There isn't a lot of worthwhile content for someone like myself, living in Japan. Again, thanks to a hack and installing XBox Media Center, I've been able to stream a lot of TV shows that I otherwise wouldn't be able to watch here.
Also, since all my content was on another computer, it constantly had to be running in order to stream files. Everything came together when I bought an Airport Extreme and connected an external drive to it with all my files. Now, I'm able to stream content directly through the router.
The controller is small and almost awkward to hold, and recently pushing the down arrow seems to work only half the time. Luckily, the iPhone has a great control app for the Apple TV.
My advice is if you have everything already in itunes, like purchased music and movies, or you plan on jailbreaking the device, it's a fantastic accessory for the home. At only $100, it's also one of the cheapest accessories you can buy to make your entertainment center better.
The Breakdown
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Design
9
-
Software
6
-
Content selection
6
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Performance
8
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Accessories, remote
5
Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
