The OFFICAL Apple TV thread

Kops
Yes you sure can.The Apple TV first generation provides a Toslink digital output .I am not so sure about the second generation although most likely it probably does.
Pos ta pate kato tora? Ehoume kairo na ta poume.
Efhome na einai ola kala.
Giorgos

Jastorg1 -

I have not tried the USB input on the Rega DAC, and have not heard the USB on the rDAC, so no opinions from me. I don't want my computer tied to my system, hence the reason why I went with the Apple TV gen 1.

The only way to find out if a laptop would be better than the AVT2 would be to try it out. No one can tell you what you'll hear, then can only tell you what they hear. If I listened to what people told me I'll hear, everything would sound great and horrible at the same time!

PCM is a digital signal, not analog. I may be wrong, but I think PCM is basically a 2 channel digital signal, whereas DSD is multichannel. Someone will probably rightfully refute that.

Kops,

As Yioryos was speculating, the ATV 2 has an optical digital output, which bypasses the internal DAC.

Kbarkmian,

Yup it's true I need to try it myself. ANyways, I believe ATV1 has a hard drive so we are different.. ATV2 completely streams audio via wifi or a connected LAN before going to whatever it is that is in your system..

Well actually the Apple TV Generation 2 does not have an internal DAC, since the only way to output audio is via a optical out. An optical out must be fed to a DAC if you wish to make music. :-)
The first generation Apple TV could output both in optical or analogue.