Apple TV question

[Michael24]

Apparently this has been out for about a year or so, but I just stumbled across the Apple TV, and it seems pretty cool. Much better than watching movies and stuff on a little iPod screen.

Does anybody have one? I was wondering how it works exactly. Is it pretty much like an iPod? Hook it up to your computer, purchase and download videos from iTunes, transfer them over, then hook it up to your TV to watch them? A little expensive for me right now, but if it works that simply I may look into it. There's some shows on iTunes I'd like to get since they're not available on DVD.

[Draft]

I personally don't have one, but I did a lot of research on it since I was going to buy one (chose to get a 360 instead)

It can sync wirelessly to your computer like an ipod, or you can hook it up via some sync cable (heard it works faster that way). Then you hook into your TV and it works. If you have an iPhone/iPod Touch (I think later), I think you can get an app from the iTunes Store that works as the apple TV remote (and is much better than the one they give you, and is free). I agree it's pretty expensive, since my library is way over 40GB, and probably is over 160 at this point. If you have a Best Buy Reward Zone Card thing, you can get 10% off on it this weekend (It's basically the only Apple product included), so you can get the 40GB Apple TV for just over $200 and 160GB model (if they sell it, isn't on their website), for just under $300.

Personally, I plan on buying one when I can get the 160 for around $150 or so in a couple of years. But beware, cause they run really hot (One of my only complaints about the machine)

[The Irishman]

I spent about half an hour messing about with it in the Apple shop a while back. It seems like a good idea, but it's way too expensive for what you get. Besides the high initial price there's the running costs, episodes are $1.99 ea, which by the way are only as good as there's space on the thing to store them. And to top it off, I found the selection to be downright horrible, there was nothing available that I either couldn't get for free on the internet (like The Daily Show) or rent (recent movies).

Oh and one more thing, YouTube videos may look fine on the computer, but on a 42" plasma screen they'll hurt your eyes.