[scarletjim]

I've now read quite a lot of pages about these, but I'm just not techie enough to understand the finer points, so am struggling to understand what one will give me over the other.

Airport Express also boosts your wireless network signal, which Apple TV doesn't?
Apple TV gives video options (YouTube etc) which AE doesn't?

Can anyone easily list the key differences between them?
What can one do which the other can't?
Is audio quality the same for both?

Originally I just wanted to send music from my laptop and I-Touch wirelessly so I can control them from my sofa, and for that, Airport Express sounded perfect. But then I see that for hardly any more money, Apple TV would also let me access You Tube videos etc, presumably sending the audio to my amp and the HD pic to my TV, yes? If it's that simple, then Apple TV sounds better, but because there is hardly any difference in price, I suspect I'm missing something important...

[Matt_C]

AppleTV is a device to play music and movies, along with YouTube and a few other music/video related apps, on your TV. It's an extension of iTunes on your computer, or iOS device, and allows you to rent movies from the iTunes store too.

Airport Express is a wireless networking device, originally designed to turn a modem into a wireless network. IT also allows you to send music from iTunes on your computer, or iOS device, to a hifi set up using the built in audio port. You can also connect a printer and/or USB hard drive to the USB port on it to facilitate wireless printing, and/or share a hard drive as a network drive.

In your scenario, yes; Apple TV would allow you to access YouTube video's, sending the audio to your amp and the pictures to your TV, ALONG with being able to send music from your laptop and iTouch as well.

So, if you don't need to extend or create a wireless network, add a network drive or wireless printer, and think you'd benefit from being able to play/rent videos and watch YouTube on your TV, along with music, get an AppleTV.

If you don't care about being able to watch anything on the TV from iTunes or YouTube, but want to extend or create a wireless network, and also want to play music from your laptop and iTouch, get an Airport Express

[scarletjim]

Hmmm - so maybe wait until Sky set up my broadband next weekend with their router, see how well it copes with whatever devices we have in the house (probably a desktop with wired connection, then two laptops / tablets, two mobile phones, possibly recording from two security cameras, and either Airport Express or Apple TV). Presumably, if the Sky router copes with all that ok, then I should go for Apple TV, but if it struggles then maybe Airport Express or both?

[amcluesent]

Is audio quality the same for both?

Nope, Apple TV resamples all digitial audio, whether you can hear that has been questioned...

[larkone]

Originally Posted by amcluesent

Nope, Apple TV resamples all digitial audio, whether you can hear that has been questioned...

The ATV resamples everything to 16/48, the AE supports 16/44 so if you are ripping CDs they remain bitperfect with the AE but not the ATV

[Matt_C]

(except the ATV1, which also supports 16/44)

[larkone]

Originally Posted by Matt_C

(except the ATV1, which also supports 16/44)

and no longer sold by Apple

[Matt_C]

But readily available