PRODUCT REVIEW: Apple TV

The Apple TV is essentially a stationary, networked iPod that lets you enjoy all of your iTunes digital media (video, audio and photos) on the wide-screen HDTV and sound system in your living room.

EDITORS' RATING: 7.7, very good

THE GOOD: Sleek external design and elegant user interface; simple, streamlined setup; streams music and video files purchased from the iTunes Store; capable of HD video output; includes state-of-the-art 802.11n wireless networking while maintaining backwards compatibility with older Wi-Fi and wired networks; smooth, hiccup-free streaming.

THE BAD: Only streams iTunes content _ leaving it up to you to get your videos into iTunes; current crop of iTunes movies and TV shows look much worse on a big-screen TV; no HD content on iTunes Store; can't connect to older non-wide-screen TVs; small 40GB hard drive has only 33GB of usable disk space; oversimplified remote can't control other devices; no ability to purchase iTunes Store content directly through Apple TV; no A/V cables included; no Internet radio support.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Although the current lack of high-quality video at the iTunes Store is a major shortcoming, the Apple TV delivers a simple and elegant streaming media solution.

CHECK PRICES: http://reviews.cnet.com/Apple_TV/4014-6739_7-32306442.html

FULL REVIEW: http://reviews.cnet.com/Apple_TV/4505-6739_7-32306442.html

This story was originally published April 19, 2007 at 2:12 PM with the headline "PRODUCT REVIEW: Apple TV."