AppleTV 2 - Excellent companion to MythTV

Apple today announced the AppleTV 2, their second generation set-top device.

It’s time to give Apple’s TV product a second look in terms of it being a companion to a MythTV system.

Even if it doesn’t run the MythTV Frontend, here are the key points to consider:

1. Apple TV does HD
2. Apple TV 2 can subscribe to video podcasts
3. MythTV can publish video podcast feeds using the myth2ipod script
4. It’s only $229

Let’s take a step back and look at how these two products may be able to work together...without major hacking of either device.

At $229, I know from experience that there is no way to build a HD capable frontend for less money. A HD MythTV frontend can be built for somewhere in the $300 range if you know what to buy and where to shop.

The price was a limiting factor with the original AppleTV. $299 was too much for what it could do for MythTV. There was no reason to consider the AppleTV before.

Now at $229, a 23% price drop, with more features to boot, the scale has been tipped. It’s an idea that is starting to maybe not only be reasonable, but maybe actually make sense.

Personally, I’m excited to see where this will go. [Does anyone at Apple want to send me a unit?? ;-)]