Speaking of Apple TV

I mentioned earlier that Apple TV is one of those futuristic inventions I can approve of. I got mine a few weeks ago when I realized how easy it would be to hook one up to my HDTV's extra HDMI port. And at just under $100 it's not that expensive. It's also very small, takes up hardly any space.

So I ordered one from Amazon and hooked it up. Like most Apple products, it's very intuitive and works first time. I plugged it in and logged onto my wifi network, then logged into my Netflix account, and I was in business. I do wish that Netflix streamed more of the older stuff I like to watch, but there is already quite a lot to choose from, and more coming all the time. I especially like that you can get so many of the British TV programs otherwise only available from PBS stations. There's also quite a good selection of older TV programs, like the Rockford Files and the X Files. I'm a great fan of programs about files.

Some of the reviews said that there were problems with picture quality, but so far I haven't noticed any hiccups. The picture quality has been excellent, and I'm completely satisfied with this little device. Of course, one result is that I have even less reason to watch network television, which for me now consists almost entirely of sports and an occasional news broadcast. And once you get used to watching TV without commercial interruptions, you never really want to go back.

With the addition of this little device, I now have nearly complete control over my video life. With my Comcast DVR I can record broadcast programs for future viewing at my own pleasure, and with the Apple TV I can watch many programs whenever I desire. One day soon it should be possible to view almost everything on demand, without concerning oneself with network programming. The technology will continue to advance and change our notions about video entertainment. I could speculate on what all this will mean for commercial driven networks, but for now I will just enjoy the relative freedom of choice these little devices are bringing us.