Apple TV without TV

I had an ATV running headless...most of the time. I controlled it with an iPod touch. 160gb HD was too small so I just streamed it from my computer. Mac or PC, just need iTunes running. I found ATV to be frustrating at times and quite buggy. New one has no HD and is designed to stream from a PC. I'd recommend that instead. Another option is to use an Airport Express.

Thanks again for the replies. I like that the ATV has a built-in HD, no streaming required. But would like to avoid going further into the Mac ecosystem. Sadly, no Android app I can find will control it.

The potential downside of the AirPort Express is the Very High output jitter.

Some DACs, like my CA840c do not like that and can lose lock.

Silverarrows -
What issues did you have with yours? I've used mine as my main source and have had zero issues. Well, at least zero issues after the first day or two, but those were learning curve related. I remember after I had everything synched (that initial synch took way too long), I checked a box in iTunes preferences that instantly deleted everything I synched.

In regards to running it without a TV, the other issue is that Internet radio is pretty much not an option. I heard you can save stations to a playlist, but I haven't tried it.

I just wish the ATV had presets for Internet radio and could play Pandora and the like without any extra programs. Then it would be perfect IMO.

Refurbished iPod Touches on Apple's website sell for $150. Just an FYI. They're basically an iPhone minus the phone. They can do a lot more than just be a remote, helping justify the cost a little bit.