AppleTV is a device made primarily to play videos purchased from iTunes on your TV. It can't record at all. It can't play most content you download from file sharing sites, digital cameras, nor TV tuners like EyeTV without tedious transcoding. So, the only things that qualify as true AppleTV alternatives would be a device from Apple (like the 5th gen iPod), or a computer running iTunes (that rules out Linux/MythTV and my Xbox).

I think that the closest thing to a nearly free AppleTV alternative is a 5th gen iPod with a $5 cable, if you happen to already own the iPod. It wont play true HD video, but iTunes doesn't sell any true HD video anyway.

If you don't have a 5th gen iPod, or you haven't bought a lot of video from iTunes, or if you have a lot of DivX, DVD, MPEG2, MPEG1, and/or WMV content, then a cheap old Xbox running XBMC is the best media player. I bought a couple of old Xboxen with XBMC installed and the DVD remote kits for $100 each. Component video cables cost extra, but I'm happy with the standard composite connection to my SD TVs. I already wired my house for Ethernet. A wireless adapter would cost extra.

If you also want TV tuners and recording like a DVR, then MythTV sounds nice, but a real Tivo has some advantages too. This doesn't really have anything to do with an AppleTV though.


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