[MrAsker]

I know this (Subject) is a broad question and that it most probably will be impossible to get ONE answer to this questions but I guess we at least can get the alternatives out there and have a discussion around it.

Today I have a Apple TV 2Gen with XBMC on it. It works great but I think it is a too slow. So my question is what is a good replacement that is quicker?

My needs are that it has to be quite as the ATV and quicker then the ATV. It has to be able to move 1080p MKV, which the ATV 2Gen can do. I guess I would like to have a quicker ATV but until the ATV 3Gen is jail broken and I would like to look at alternatives. Then again, maybe the ATV 3Gen is not noticeably quicker so I might not go that way anyway.

If it also can play my CD/DVD/BR discs I don't mind but since I have a very good NAD CD-player (which I practically never use anymore) and a PS3 (which I basically only play BF3 on) I really don't need a new CD/DVD/BR player. Then again, if the new XBMC box can replace the NAD CD-player then why not.

I do not really need it to be a real computer since we have laptops, iPhones, Android phones, iPads, etc ... but then again, if it also is a computer with all that it brings I do not mind.

But, I do not want to buy or build a HTPC if I can avoid it since they, in my mind, are too big and bulky. If I can buy a HTPC that is small, quite and quick I will however naturally consider it.

One thing I really like about the ATV is that it simply works. I do not need to fiddle around with drivers and upgrades. I also like that it is small and black and literally disappears into the background under my 60" TV.

So, what do YOU think? What are my alternatives and why? Give me all you got!

... and thank you in advance for all your input!

[Chris!]

ATV 3 seems to be what you want as you pretty much ruled out the other options.

[W00dyW00d]

I have Mac Mini and it works great. A lot more expensive then ATV so I would probably wait for ATV3 jailbreak to hear if speed is improved.

[vicbitter]

What about the Zotac ZBOX ID41 running OpenELEC (www.openelec.tv)... A relatively small form factor that meets all of your requirements. It can easily handle 1080p content with HD Audio bitstreaming including BluRay ISOs...

[Docfxit]

I'd like to know how the Lenovo Q180 compares. I haven't used it myself.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/contr...ction=init

Does anyone have any experience with it?

What would a person need to add to it?

Thanks,

Docfxit

[MrAsker]

ATV 3 seems to be what you want as you pretty much ruled out the other options.

Yes, I think so but I would like to be proved wrong.

[MrAsker]

ATV 3 seems to be what you want as you pretty much ruled out the other options.

Yes, I think so but I would like to be proved wrong.

Especially now that it seems like a Jailbreak for ATV 3 is far far away ...

Apart from the above suggestions, what do you think is a good way forward?

[MrAsker]

ATV 3 seems to be what you want as you pretty much ruled out the other options.

Yes, I think so but I would like to be proved wrong.

Especially now that it seems like a Jailbreak for ATV 3 is far far away ...

Apart from the above suggestions, what do you think is a good way forward?

Found this page:
http://www.xbmcandroid.com/2012/12/12/be...-holidays/
... anybody have any feedback on this?

[User 146225]

Pivos Xios DS using its XBMC Linux build

[un1versal]

See Android_hardware (wiki) for information.

Personally I would go for any box with a intel CPU and a NVIDIA GPU with 2gb ram, hands down the absolute best both for Linux and Windows.

uNi

[Kib]

Personally I would either go for a small fanless ION2 machine or an Intel NUC.
Those are more expensive than the aTV series, but they also give more performance.

[MrAsker]

Quick update.

The ATV 2 broke down the other day so I bought a Raspberry Pi and run OpenELEC on it. Basically the same performance as with the ATV 2 but to a fraction of the price. I can really recommend it! The only thing I miss is the nice remote, but I can live with the XBMC remote apps for my Amdroid based phone, my wifes iPhone and our iPad.

[Oxyg3n]

Do you know how the remote sends it's signals (I've never had one so I don't know) to the ATV2? If its just an IR command, you could probably resurrect the remote and be back to normal with a GPIO module or USB IR adapter

[Ned Scott]

ATV2 remote uses IR and is supported "out of the box" with the GPIO module: http://forum.stmlabs.com/showthread.php?tid=5549

[MrAsker]

... you can even use the Flirc (flirc.tv) if you don't want to get your hands dirty.

Another thing with the RbPi that I'm not to fond of is the lack of slick cases so as a protest I got myself a transparent case. I'm not to fond of the ones I've seen so far so this works for me until I do.