What’s on the Apple TV front?

There has been many rumors about a new Apple TV for some time now. Now we’re hearing about iMac and Mac Mini shortages, suggesting refreshes for those products are coming soon.

So what is in store for the Apple TV? Always a hobby at Apple, the Apple TV is basically a stripped down Mac Mini with HDMI out. The Apple TV has a simple interface and is designed to play Apple DRMed content which is either purchased directly from Apple on the Apple TV, or synced from a computer running iTunes.

What you can’t do with Apple TV is run other software. Well, not easily at least. There are usb stick hacks to install other software on the Apple TV, but it is spotty at best, slow and just plain not Apple-like.

Unless Apple does something significantly cool with the Apple TV, my Apple TV might be replaced by a Mac Mini. Let’s look at what has become available since the Apple TV shipped several years ago:

Mini’s now have HDMI output (via Mini DisplayPort output)

Mini’s have 5 USB ports

Mini’s have FW 800 for expansion

Mini’s can play web based content (Hulu, FOX, etc)

Mini’s can play all of your iTunes content

You can Screen Share from a laptop to the mini to control it

Mini’s can run Snow Leopard

Oh that last one is interesting. Why?

Snow Leopard supports wake on demand. You can have your Mini go to sleep and be woken up

iTunes 9 now supports auto syncing so your mini can automatically pull purchases from another Mac.

So what is missing?

HD! iTunes doesn’t rent HD, only via the Apple TV.

Well the mini does have front row, which is similar to the Apple TV UI, but you can’t rent/buy content via that UI

No iPhone Apple remote support, but there may be another app that gives keyboard input to your mac via the iPhone

IR remote support? But do we even care with the other options available, as stated above?

Cost. The mini is much more expensive.

All signs point to replacing the Apple TV with a more mini-like Apple TV. Right now, Apple is holding the HD card for the Apple TV alone, but once they get their heads out of their collective behinds and let computer users rent HD, the Mini will make a much more flexible home theater device.

And when you want to upgrade your Mini, your old Mini can go to someone who can use a Mac, unlike an Apple TV.