Apple TV HD Image Quality.

[Bebop]

Someone did a comparison with various sources.  Apple TV looks good.

http://ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/apple-tv-20-vs-blu-ray-dvd-hd-cable-the-comparison/

[LowSignal]

I wonder how it stacks up to a xbox 360, for the price you might as well get a gaming system and still have the ability to get shows and  movies.

[Bebop]

More comparisons.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/02/13/apple_tv_take_2_an_in_depth_review_part_1_whats_new.html
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/02/14/apple_tv_take_2_review_part_2_hd_movie_comparisons.html


It is coming from an Apple site, so take it for what it's worth.

[Gamera]

The advantage of an AppleTV-like service is no physical storage space needed.  Who has space to store and display CDs, VHS, DVD and Blu-RAY?

I was very surprised at the quality of the standard DVD image in those examples.  It looks pretty good.

[jarschmd]

Just get yourself a decent video card...as long as you don't have any bottlenecks in your system, the Apple application is a waste...

[Gamera]

A video card will only allow you to view better video on your computer.  You still need to figure out where your video content will come from.  And if you're just buying discs, what's the point of the computer.  The Apple system is a total solution that, now with AppleTV Take 2, bypasses the computer altogether.  I think it has a LONG way to go before becoming remotely as successful as the iPOD/iTunes model but it's certainly a step in the right direction IMO.

[Drummerboy]

It supplements my set up very well.  I don't have any subscription television services.  It provides legal access to that content that doesn't require a computer guru.  It passes my "wife test" for usability and the picture quality is very good, granted not 1080p good but it looks like HD to me (compared with OTA HD).  Heck my 3 yr old daughter can figure it out (hopefully I won't get surprise-billed for "The Aristocats").

On a side note I'd be more apt to call BluRay "HD Pro" then call compressed content "HD-Lite".