AppleTV vs Mac Mini

Apple TV
-HDMI, Optical audio, component video, stereo sound....all the needed/wanted ports for a HTPC
-simple interface
-uses less power (20watt under full load...per kilawatt meter)
-cheaper

Mac Mini
-more powerful
-can run other applications besides backrow
-not as simple to setup
-costs more

Here are a couple of other thoughts:

Apple TV
-Photo screen saver that's fun and automatic
-Easy and compelling for family to use
-More foolproof for avoiding plasma burn-in

Mini
-More video formats viewable (currently)
-Front Row isn't the only interface option (but it's the most stable)
-iTunes visualizer available if you play directly from iTunes

Currently I have both. A Mini is hooked up to our TV in the bedroom and an Apple TV in the living room. They wind up being used differently. I feel the need to keep a keyboard and mouse handy for the Mini, which is something to think about if you are considering it for the living room.

Charlie

If it helps:

I have a few tv's but I thought I'd use a mac mini in the kitchen so we can access the internet, email and IM as well as use front row. Truth is no-one uses front row, it's too easy to go to the next room and use the tv.

I have both -- love them both. But the main advantage between AppleTV over mac mini is that I add content to iTunes on my iMac then sync it to AppleTV. I have to manually add it to my mac mini.

The mini is more flexible but it is yet another device I have to manage. The AppleTV (although not as flexible) is easy to manage.

I know you can get software to keep to iTunes libraries in sync but I bet they aren't as easy as syncing with AppleTV (just click).

BTW, I got an opened box mac mini core solo for $350 so price isn't much either.

Mac mini, iMac 20", AppleTV Mac OS X (10.4.9)

You could use martian slingshot to keep you mini in sync with your normal mac:

http://www.martian.com/SlingShot.html

Not as easy to setup as an AppleTV, but once you set it up, there is no action required.

Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Mac OS X (10.4.7)

For me the main difference is sheer simplicity. With the appleTV it takes a couple of minutes to setup and then it's good to go. At some point with a mac mini, you're going to have to hook it up to a keyboard and mouse and actually configure the thing. As someone else mentioned, that's just one more box to maintain.

I'm assuming you already have some other mac which you intend to use as your media server (otherwise your appleTV won't be much fun!). You can set up your MacMini with some aliases pointing at the movies and music folders on your media server and then you dont have to worry about adding content to the MacMini.

The MacMini takes a lot more work, but once configured it can deliver many more video formats than the appleTV and also has the HUGE advantage that you can stick a DVD or a CD straight into it and play it, without needing to rip-it. Newer ones can also deliver 5.1 sound.

Where AppleTV has the upper hand is that it won't require maintenance and the interface is also much faster than FrontRow.

Basically depends how much time you're prepared to spend "tinkering" with things I guess...

MacPro, MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Winston,
You mention owning multiple TV's
Have you tried streaming content on different TV's from the same library?

I am looking to create a whole house audio system based on a single iTunes library. DRM is killing 3rd party solutions.

Thank you for your time.

Eriks

Under most conditions It's not better, except where comparisons are not relative, ie an old crt monitor vs an LCD TV.

Agreed.

"The AppleTV is plug'n'play, no difficult setup required"