It seems as though apple tv sparked the concept of watching tv shows and movies from your PC on to your TV. Is Apple TV the best choice for people who want to stream shows from their PC to the TV? Lets look at some popular options in no particular order. . .

1) xbox 360 ($300-$400)
Brief Summary:
Used for gaming, content streaming from pc, ability to download HD movies, HD trailers, and game demos

File types officially supported:
windows formated video (.wmv etc), x264 codec (spring 07 update), pictures, mp3s.

High End Audio/Video Connections: HDMI (Xbox Elite) Component (standard 360), Optical Out

Max Video Resolution: 1080p

Wireless Remote Included?: Optional

File types UNofficially supported:
ALL. www.tversity.com can re-encode on the fly. Very CPU intensive though and does degrade quality a bit.

My Verdict: 9/10
A very solid choice. If you are into games, or already own this then there is no need to look elsewhere. It really is the best gaming and content streaming option for a reasonable price. Plus. you can already stream hddvd rips like Lucky.Number.Slevin.2006.HDDVDRip.VC1.5.1.XBOX360.WMV-IGUANA from your PC. Need I say more?

2) Apple TV ($300)
Brief Summary:
Used for streaming video and audio content from a MAC or PC. Ability to download movies and/or tv shows at decent resolutions

File types officially supported:
apple formated video (.mov etc), x264 codec, pictures, mp3s.

File types UNofficially supported:
xvid/divx

High End Audio/Video Connections: HDMI, Optical

Resolution: 1080i

Wireless Remote Included? Yes.

My Verdict: 6/10
It's not bad. It's just clearly not the best option for the price. The max resolution it supports isn't 1080p! wtf. If you think videos you bought on apple store will look crystal clear on your 60", think again.

3) Output video and audio from your PC ($50-$300)
Brief Summary:
Already have a decent PC? Buy the cables to output the video and audio to your HD TV.

File types officially supported:
All.

High End Audio/Video Connections: HDMI/DVI, Optical Out

Max Video Resolution: 1080p max (video card dependent)

Wireless Remote Included?: Does a wireless mouse count?

File types UNofficially supported:
ALL.

My Verdict: 10/10
The true winner. Why the broad range in price? Some people may just need to buy cables to output their audio and sound. Others will need to buy an x-fi soundcard and new video card in addition to the cables. So do yourself a favor, research what you need and give this option a try. Don't waste your money on Apple TV and/or Xbox 360 if you already have a good computer to output to your tv.

Which option do I use? I use the PC choice. I bought myself 50ft cables and ran them through the ceiling to the back of my tv and have never looked back. I realize this option isn't for everyone because people are lazy idiots, but it is clearly the best.