Apple TV vs. XBOX 360

Apple tv vs. xbox 360

  • Apple TV

    Votes: 10 25.0%
  • Xbox 360

    Votes: 17 42.5%
  • Other

    Votes: 7 17.5%
  • I have both...

    Votes: 6 15.0%

  • Total voters
    40

rgar3388

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Jun 12, 2009
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I'm in the market to buy a device to stream content. I want all your opinions. Should I buy the new apple tv, or an xbox 360? I go back and forth on whether or not I'll actually play video games, but the plus side is that it can play dvds.
 

Duvi

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Jun 17, 2008
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I'd go w/ the xbox. The fact that it has the ability
to do the video games or play DVDs would be enough
for me to go that way.
 

Mella

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Apr 22, 2010
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Well, days before maybe I'll choose Xbox, but now as AirPlay is an easy way to stream digital media from the iPad to an Apple TV, and also bcz the Apple TV can already access iTunes, more I have got the iFunia iPad video suite for my videos and movies wathcing on the go, so Iwould like to choose the series of apple products, use iPad and Apple TV together~~
 

sting7k

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Dec 15, 2008
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I'd say it really depends if you are heavily invested in Apple or Windows. If you have a Mac then your Xbox will stand alone. Yes it can do a lot more than the AppleTV but with a PC it does even more. The Xbox does everything an AppleTV can do and lots more.

One of it's strongest features IMO is when combined with Windows Media Center and a TV tuner. No more paying for an HD cable box when your PC has it's own guide and can record TV, then just stream it to your Xbox.

The only real downside is to get all of the bells and whistles you need Xbox LIVE which is $60/year. You can normally find a year subscription card online for less though. With that though you get online gaming, voice chat, ESPN3, etc. Really the only thing the Xbox can't do is play Blu-rays.
 

peanutgallery

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Apr 4, 2010
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I have both but as I play fewer and fewer games I turn my xbox on less and less. I rarely have time for anything other than the occasional NCAA football game. I still use it to stream Netflix and watch DVDs but I find that I'm using the AppleTV more and more to watch Netflix simply because the menu is quicker to get to and the xbox has a lot of other stuff I don't care about in the way. I do prefer the xbox set up of Netflix over the AppleTV though. I really appreciate the percentage watched guide. Sometimes I have noticed the AppleTV Netflix to not recognize where I am in a TV series.

It's funny though because I never streamed digital media through the xbox from my laptop, but now I use my AppleTV to stream digital copies of DVDs all the time. I think it's because I never cared for Windows media player, although I don't think all that highly of iTunes either, but it is the lesser evil I suppose. It might help that I can sync the same files to my iPhone through iTunes too.

All that paired with the $60 xbox live subscription made me vote for the AppleTV
 

sting7k

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You don't use Windows Media player to stream. You use Media center or Zune software both of which are much nicer. In fact now that I think about I think it specifices you can't use WMP to stream to an Xbox.
 

uhanrodric

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Jun 23, 2010
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Xbox if you want to be able to purchase content, store it, and view it later. As stated in ealier post, Windows Media Center, let's you do a lot of what Air Play does from a PC. So in theory you could *LEGALLY* rip your content to your PC and stream to your Xbox. Plus the ability to play a game, should the mood ever strike, not too bad.

If all you're looking to do is stream your iPad's iTunes on your TV, then just go with APPLE TV.
 

Jeremy

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Mar 27, 2005
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I have both. But if you are in the market for a single device then I'd go with the one that has the capability to do more things. So Xbox.
 

9thWonder

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Dec 8, 2010
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Xbox 360 hands down cause it does more then apple tv but a WD TVHD live media is a better streamer. The WD TV Live Community – WD TV Live Plus - Main Page

Xbox simply provides nearly all the functionality and more. you get games, stream from your desktop, more formats then apple tv, stream netflix, espn 3, facebook, twitter. Appletv is basically just a netflix streamer and a way to buy stuff off of Apple. I personally have never bought music of videos from itunes so its' just not useful. Nor can apple tv stream the majority of the content stored on my 1.5 terabyte hard drive.

Personally, i have xbox 360 for only for gaming now And use a WD tv HD live media cause it does all that xbox does and way more, 1080p, mkv, files over 4GBs, dts, Mp4, supports .iso, .ts, avi, divx, streams netflix. And i'd buy a WD TVHD way before i bought an apple tv because it just does way way more formats.
 
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mdntblu

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May 17, 2009
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Xbox

My Xbox does EVERYTHING. I don't have any other devices connected to my TV except my Xbox.
I use it for Games, netflix, play DVD's, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, streaming movies from my NAS, Using Playon to watch TV shows/Movies through Hulu, etc. And now I just had it setup as my Uverse receiver so I can watch my Uverse TV and control my DVR from it.
And Xbox Marketplace seems to be very up to date and we rent movies on there all the time.
Xbox FTW
 

jayman16

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Dec 8, 2010
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I'm in the market to buy a device to stream content. I want all your opinions. Should I buy the new apple tv, or an xbox 360? I go back and forth on whether or not I'll actually play video games, but the plus side is that it can play dvds.

The Xbox hands down. It is so much more capable. It plays games, does DVD's, has Netflix, ESPN, Last.fm, has a very robust movie and tv library for purchase or rental.

Plus I use Rivet (Rivet – Stream media from your Mac to your devices – The Little App Factory) and it let's me play all my content from my Mac to my Xbox. Music, pictures, video, movies. It will hook up to iTunes and iPhoto and you can also specify directories for it to find media. I have a Drobo that hold all my "legally ripped" movies and tv shows and Rivet streams those all perfect from the Drobo to my 360, with their intact folder structure.

Mac+Rivet to the Xbox 360 makes the connectivity between a Windows machine and the Xbox look clunky and out dated.

I have an Apple tv as well that we keep in the bedroom, it's nice but Airplay is pretty lame in this iteration and Netflix is dog-slow on the aTV.

The 360 is more robust and has killer features, I'm a huge gamer and I'll bet only half of my time on the 360 is for gaming that's how useful of a media center it is.

Also spend the $300 and get the new Xbox with the built-in WiFi and 250GB HDD, the $200 model comes with a lame 4GB flash drive.

Send me an email or PM if you have questions.
 

jayman16

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Dec 8, 2010
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Playstation 3. Why is it not on the list? Netflix, Blu-Ray, DVD, Games, bam. No required monthly online fee is a major plus.

Because it sucks? Streaming content is horrible compared to the 360. The "online" is free and you get what you pay for. No one has mics, inconsistent lobbies interfaces, Netflix requires a disc...
 

futurecode

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Dec 12, 2008
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It think really does come down to if you game or not. If you have no interest in gaming and want just streaming then go apple tv, if you see yourself or family gaming now or in the future then go gaming console which, in my opinion, the PS3 holds the crown.

As a Apple TV, 360, wii and PS3 HTPC/Gaming PC owner, my "what I use the most" roll call goes: PS3, HTPC, Apple TV Wii, 360.

Then again, I game a lot. If I did not, the PS3 and HTPC would b neck and neck, then the apple tv and wii, then 360.

It's funny actually, I have HTPC and still find myself using my PS3 over that for streaming, just for the simple UI and convenience. You can use it for Gaming in full HD up to 7.1, Netflix in full HD up to 5.1 , Blu-rays, DVD's, #d movies and Gaming, Motion Gaming, a built in web browser for Facebook, Twitter, TiPB, ESPN, everything web based really, buy / rent movies over the PSN network (free) you can stream your network movies (MKV, AVI, etc..) images and music with PS3 media server (free), really, just about everything the Apple TV, 360, wii and HTPC/Gaming PC can do sans a few things here or there.

It's my "all in one" media server winner by a mile.
 
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futurecode

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Because it sucks? Streaming content is horrible compared to the 360. The "online" is free and you get what you pay for. No one has mics, inconsistent lobbies interfaces, Netflix requires a disc...

Baseless and fanboyish to a T. back up what you say, otherwise stop trolling. The person who posted the topic wanted to know what does what so they can choose a streamer, not "why you hate another piece of equipment". State facts or helpful opinions, not just fanyboyisms.
 
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Tobias Funke_mndd_2

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Dec 8, 2010
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Because it sucks? Streaming content is horrible compared to the 360. The "online" is free and you get what you pay for. No one has mics, inconsistent lobbies interfaces, Netflix requires a disc...

Netflix doesn't require a disc(anymore) Streaming content is just as good as 360 (I have both). PS3s dont break nearly as often as 360s. I am on my 3rd Xbox, I have a friend on his fifth or so. They always need to be sent in for repair but Microsoft does a decent job with that. Players not having mics can be seen as as major plus because a majority of online players are annoying when on Mics. Never had a problem with the online on PS3, just as good as XBox live. The drone of the XBox's (they sound like they are about to take off) is a constant annoyance.
 
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uhanrodric

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Jun 23, 2010
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Playstation 3. Why is it not on the list? Netflix, Blu-Ray, DVD, Games, bam. No required monthly online fee is a major plus.
PS3 Lacks Windows Media Center, which allows you to stream from a PC. Which you're not REQUIRED to pay a monthly fee to do, since it's just happens over your home network.