Apple TV vs Blu-Ray Player with Wifi
Cutting the Cable Bill
More and more people are looking to drop their cable company. Even though people want to drop their cable bill; people still don't want to to give up their favorite TV shows. Fortunately, it is possible to drop your cable company and still watch most of your favorite shows using online websites.
Basically, to watch these shows from the Internet you'll need a device to deliver them to your TV. There are numerous solutions for this problem, two of which are the Apple TV and a Blu-Ray player with wifi. For a small one time investment you can enjoy all your favorite TV shows by streaming them online right to your TV. The best part is that your cable company won't see a penny from you.
Smart Blu-Ray Player
If you are the type of person who watches a lot of movies and doesn't plan to spend too much time watching Hulu or Netflix than a Blu-Ray player is a good choice for you. A Blu-Ray player that has wifi will allow you to connect to the Internet with a wireless connection to watch Netflix and Hulu. It will also give you the ability to watch Blu-Ray Disk unlike a device like Apple TV.
Instant Entertainment
Assuming you have an Internet connection, almost all Blu-Ray players today have some sort of "smart" functionality. This will provide you with instant access to your Netflix and Hulu accounts. Often times you can even get access to sites like Pandora and Youtube. However, it is important that you check which media sites your Blu-Ray player will work with. For instance not all Blu-Ray players will connect to Hulu.
Limited Features
Most Blu-Ray players have limited features when compared to something like the Apple TV. A Blu-Ray player's primary function is to play Blu-Ray disc, not to stream media online. Blu-Ray players do a good job of streaming media, but you will find that the services that provide media will be limited and you won't see new channels developed for your player.
Who is the Blu-Ray Player with Wifi Meant For?
If you are the type of person who simply wants access to your Netflix and Hulu, as well as the ability to watch Blu-Ray than this is a great option for you. If you go with the Blu-Ray option you will be able to access the most popular media services like Netflix and will have the added benefit of having a Blu-Ray player. If you love to watch movies in Blu-Ray quality and want to stream media than this option is the best one for you.
Apple TV
Apple TV is an entirely different piece of technology when compared to a Blu-Ray player. Apple TV is a media streamer so it takes your videos, movies, shows and music from online and allows you to view them on your TV. The great thing about a media streamer is that it has one purpose which is to deliver media.
Since the Apple TV is dedicated to streaming media you will find that it has loads more features than your average Blu-Ray Player.
More about Media Streamers
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Apple TV Features
Apple TV comes with a vast number of features that most Blu-Ray players won't provide. This is why if you are serious about streaming media it's a better idea to get a media streamer rather than a Blu-Ray player that so happens to stream media.
Apple TV Interface
Apple does an amazing job at making things look cool. The Apple TV's interface is easy to use and it looks great. They have also integrated sites like Rotten Tomatoes to make movie browsing even better.
Use of the iCloud
Apple TV can be connected to the iCloud. The iCloud allows you to store your movies and shows in a remote location called a cloud. This is really useful when you have multiple Apple devices and you don't want to have to sync all your devices to gain access to each one. Its also great if you want to store a lot of stuff like HD movies.
Apple TV Content
Apple TV provides a ton of movies, music and shows through the Apple Store. Apple TV charges on a per song/movie/show basis which I feel can add up quite quickly. At the current moment they do not provide a subscription based service for the Apple Store. Apple also allows you to connect the Apple TV device to your Netflix account and other media sites.
AirPlay
Apple TV's AirPlay feature is what really sets it apart from most Blu-Ray players. I am nearly positive that no Blu Ray Player provides a feature like AirPlay. AirPlay connects your iPad or iPhone to your TV. With AirPlay you can access all the media on your iPad and show it off on your television. If you already own a lot of Apple devices AirPlay will be a perfect fit.
Blu-Ray or Apple TV?
The answer to which is better is really based on what you are looking for. If you are the type of person who really enjoys high quality Blu-Ray action than it is obvious that you should go with the Blu-Ray player with wifi.
If you are someone who has already invested in the Apple brand and own an iPhone or iPad than the Apple TV is going to make a great addition to your Apple devices.
Both the Blu-Ray player and Apple TV will do a good job delivering media from Netflix or Hulu; however, I feel the Apple TV does a better job. That is why I recommend the Apple TV over any Blu-Ray player.
