If there was a prize for most minimalist setup, the Apple TV would win. It’s smaller than a dinner plate and dinky when compared to the other products on test.There’s little on the unit itself to suggest what it does. A single white cable attaches to the mains, while the rear has colour-coded sockets for component video and HDMI (cable not supplied).

For your money you get 160GB of storage and a unit that can automatically sync all your iTunes library content so you can play it straight from the Apple TV you’ve plugged into your TV or hi-fi. Be warned, however, that if you go down this route, it can take an hour or two for the device to copy across your media. You can’t stream other content of the same type while it’s synching, either.

The first attempt at an Apple TV had a paltry 40GB hard drive, so we’re mighty pleased to find Apple has had a rethink and upped the ante – but it’s a far cry from the 500GB drives featured elsewhere in this group test. Given that we’ll be looking to store movies downloaded from the iTunes Store, the limited storage is an issue.

Apple claims you’ll get 200 hours of video on the 160GB model, but this relates to 640 x 480 footage rather than 720p or 1080 HD video.

The Apple TV is better geared up for wireless streaming. It has no problem playing content found in the iTunes libraries of the iMac we used it with. It works just as well with over Ethernet, but failed to see other networked devices and content not loaded into iTunes.

The Apple TV provides easy access to the extensive content that iTunes supports, including digital rights management (DRM)-protected music and podcasts. We could also play YouTube clips and the Flickr photo-sharing site is now supported too.
Apple supplies a basic remote control that’s awkward for entering keywords or encryption details. However, the remote control software for the iPod touch or iPhone can be used for this task.
For the minimalist that runs their life through iTunes, this is a neat solution. Movie rentals and purchases aren’t cheap, however, nor is the Apple TV itself. Better-value and more flexible options are available.