A Shameless Plug

In Praise of AppleTV

While my contempt for mainstream media is well documented in my past blog entries, I sort of experienced the straw that broke the camel's back with the initial airing of "Momma's Boy" this week on broadcast television. Coming right on the heels of the final "The Biggest Loser" and foreshadowing the coming of "Bromance", I leaped from my couch and ran out the front door screaming while jabbing knitting needles into my eyes.

Well, not exactly, but that is what I felt like doing. I have often stated that I feel that mainstream media is 'dumbing down' the American populace and I believe that these shows vindicate that prediction.

But, I am happy to say that I have found salvation. Brothers and Sisters, I give you AppleTV. The little DVR from Apple computer that sits on top of our HDTV.

I originally bought one of these units on a whim, because I thought it would be a 'cool' little toy to add to the Apple Wireless network in our home. In retrospect, it may have been the best entertainment investment I have ever made.

The wife and I don't watch a lot of broadcast television anymore. The simple reason is that most of it just isn't worth watching. But with AppleTV we have a whole new world of options....all commercial free.

Besides having complete access to the iTunes store on line (through our Wifi network), it can also play video from DVDs that I have ripped on my iMac G4 (most of which I get from free from the Public Library). I have just finished ripping the wide screen version of "Mutiny on the Bounty" with Marlon Brando, all in HD format and it cost me 'nada'....not a dime.

If you want to watch television on this little wonder, you can, with no commercials, in HDTV. Only you will have to pay for it. While it might sound stupid to pay for something you can watch for free off the airwaves, bear in mind that most of the shows are in HD, none have commercials and you can download entire seasons of shows onto the unit and watch them at your leisure. The wife and I are on Season #3 of the Sopranos, we will be through the entire series by sometime in February. That is six seasons of the Sopranos, uncut, HD when ever we want.....sweet. (for about the same price as the DVD boxed set that just came out, and it isn't in HD)

If that weren't enough, we also get free access to Video Podcasts (NBC nightly news each night without commercials), access to my entire iPhoto collection and access to my online Flickr account along with all my Flickr contacts. Which means I can view my Flickr photos in a slide show AND any of my contacts photos in a slide show....again, all in HD.

But wait, theres more, I also have access to YouTube through the AppleTV unit, which lets me browse and search anything on Youtube with the AppleTV remote.

They keep hammering into our heads that Digital TV is coming in February, but I am not really that concerned. Thanks to AppleTV I have become my own network and I schedule my own programming. It is all in HDTV and there are no commercials. Better still, there is no Real World, Paris Hilton's BFF, Bachelorette, Biggest Loser, Bromance or Momma's Boy.

Thank you Steve Jobs.....from the bottom of my heart. You kept me from shoving knitting needles into my eyes.

(click the title to go to the AppleTV website, do it, you know you want to)