What is the difference between Hulu.com and Apple TV

Hulu.com is a website. An Apple TV is a piece of hardware. An Apple TV lets you easily watch content on your television. It's possible to hook your computer up to your television and watch Hulu. The quality of Hulu video is not going to be as good as things purchased from the iTunes Store and there is advertising. But yes, it's free.

You can't watch live television using and Apple TV. You'd use cable, satellite or broadcast for that.

There are numerous websites up now where you can watch TV shows and movies for free, like hulu.com, thedailyshow.com, etc., but the quality of the video and the smoothness of the streaming varies, and they all have embedded commercials. A lot of new episodes also appear on hulu.com for a limited amount of time, so if you don't watch them soon after they air, you may miss your chance.

Apple TV is essentially an iPod for your TV that allows you to play HD and other video files as well as music files from the iTunes store. The quality is much better, you can watch the files on your TV, and, in the case of purchased files, you can keep them.

Glad you made the choice to go Apple, no matter which device!

Having said that, I personally love my Apple TV as it more much more "at home" as a device hooked up to an HDTV - especially boot up, navigation etc.

I just wish that Apple TV included Hulu support...Unfortunately the chances are slim, given that it would cannibalize a lot of Apple's TV Show sales...

<Edited by Moderator>

adonomis just wanted to mention that with a mac mini you will not be able to rent any HD movies from iTunes like you can with the Apple TV. just something to think about.