- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 175 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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15 out of 28 people found this review helpful
2.5 stars
"Are they kidding?"
Pros: Attractive design and interface. Apple quality.
Cons: Overpriced with limited features
Summary: A very small market (Mac users only) should even consider the Apple TV. The crippled features is almost appalling when compared to SlingMedia's upcoming SlingCatcher. With Apple TV you can only stream video through iTunes? Yikes, that's weak. When in comparison, the SlingCatcher allows you to stream any content from your computer (or another TV or whatever) to your TV. You can also stream popular flash videos (like the free videos on popular sites like YouTube, etc). So, the SlingCatcher does everything the Apple TV does, and more. Plus, it is $200 instead of Apple TV's $300. SlingPlayer has won so many awards for their previous products that I am sure the quality will be just as high with their new SlingCathcer. I am not sure how the Mac support is from SlingMedia though, so there might be a concern there for Mac users. For the rest of us, do yourself a favor a watch this CNET video...
http://reviews.cnet.com/SlingMedia_SlingCatcher/4660-12760_7-6683232.html
I'm sure the Apple TV will be a rock solid solution for what it does. But, it seems to be very limited in features compared to the competition, and it costs more. That why I am giving it an average rating (5/10). Of course I don't feel it is fair to rate something before it comes out, but it just seems with this product they are aspiring for mediocrity.Updated
I never said it was for a small market. If you read the review you would see I said only a small market should consider the product, because there is a better solution for most of us. Obviously iTunes is on the Windows platform, but when you have a cheaper solution that does the same thing and more, I would consider that the better option. That's all I am trying to say here. Many people haven't heard of SlingCatcher because SlingMedia doesn't have the advertising resources that Apple does, I was trying to let people that might not be as tech-savvy know about this cool upcoming product. I thought this was a good place to compare the two products since they will be rivaling each other in the years to come.
[Edited by: admin]
- 6 replies to this review
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More than a year later your vaunted Slingcatcher is still "Coming Soon."
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Apple TV is everything it is supposed to be. We are not speculating on future products. I use APPLE TV and watch movies using APPLE TV in 1080 DPI, can I do do that in Sling? No, Sling is not out yet. Have you used Appe TV?
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Quote: " A very small market (Mac users only) should even consider the Apple TV. " from YOUR POST.
So, sir, you did indeed say that this was just for Mac users.
Obviously, you are just a disgruntled SlingBox salesman thats got his panties in a buch because of Apple's stepping into the consumer electronics market that's a little too close for home.
AppleTV not for you? fine.
Go to your Apple retail store & see it in person. Try it out. THEN comment.
Hate Apple products? fine.
Then WHY are you here reading & responding to to a CNET AppleTV review instead of watching your precious SlingBox?
Go jump into a frozen lake Mr. PolarBare. -
Hard to comment on a product that no one has used, however, a techno-geek has informed me that the quality of the streaming video will be the same as a VHS recorder. Not DVD, not Hi-Def, but a VHS recorder. Since no one has seen it yet, you can only go by the technical specs which clearly show that you can't expect very much except the ability to stream from your computer at a low resolution. Worth the money? I'm inclined to try it, but think that the Sling products will beat it hands down.
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Will this sling catcher stream video from itunes? I doubt it.
Will is stream music with DRM? I doubt it.
Well it doesn't work with the most popular online media service so what is so great about it?
I hope apple supports other file formats in the future. But I'm sure third party add-ons will sove this problem. -
iTunes works on Windows & Mac computers, so the tiny market you described is only in your tiny brain.
Plays Movies, TV shows, Slide shows from photo gallery (PC/MAC) and music videos...
Plus, this is AppleTV 1.0, there's more to come.
802.11n FAST streaming that shares with other devices.
http://www.apple.com/appletv
Apple TV (40GB):
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