802.11n router w/NAS

While the new Apple 802.11n Airport Extreme has some new, first-generation hardware issues (as well as draft, pre-n standards issues) that must be resolved in a few months with an update revision to the product, it actually seems reasonably priced for the money, especially given the connectivity and faster streaming capability for Apple TV that you get.

In addition to the Ethernet WAN port, it has multiple Ethernet LAN ports and of course, you can connect that USB hard drive to add network storage (Unfortunately, it is missing gigabit Ethernet, a very odd omission for NAS and I hope this also will be corrected in a future revision update). Most importantly, the new Airport Extreme will give you the network throughput to stream iTunes movies and video.

Finally, while it is $40 more expensive than the old 802.11g Airport Express, it is about $70 less expensive than Apple's old Airport Extreme (though it does not have a hardware-based dialup modem, as did some "g" Airport Extreme models).

Still, this new Airport Extreme does not have the combined, analog/digital audio (optical) connector for audio speakers. For this reason (and because the old 802.11g Airport Express price now has been reduced to $99), I think that a new, less expensive 802.11n Airport Express also must be in Apple's pipeline.

Geo, you do realize you didn't even try to answer this guy's question, right? Have you hooked up those Netgear gigabit switches you bought yet and/or tried any draft "n" products yet? Or are you speculating without any actual home theater gigabit networking or "n" streaming experience under your belt?

diamondg14--there are other "new-draft-n" routers which have a gigabit switch component, something like the D-link DIR-655, but I've only personally seen one other product which ALSO boasts of something similar to Apple's Air Disk over USB, and that's the Linksys WRT350N. Whether that port also supports multiple storage devices and printer sharing, like the Apple product does, is someone else's guess, but I doubt it does. Haven't personally used either yet, and don't plan to until the kinks have been worked out--or until the new Apple extreme n ships with gigabit LAN.

Check in this thread for some comments from people who actually have used the new Apple and D-Link n products, and at least one who has already tried to move high def EyeTV recordings over that Apple USB, and failed:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=806026