AppleTV work with USB DAC?

Don't think a USB DAC can be used on Apple TV. I've used the ATV with excellent results thru a Benchmark DAC1. Unless you are up to doing serious mods, it's probably best to use optical out.

***On a side note, I read in a forum about a couple audiophiles who built a capacitor filter fob that plugged into the USB plug and added additional filtering to the 5v line. Apparently both the toslink transmitter and usb share the line so the extra capacitance on the 5v line contributed to better sound out of the toslink output. Basically it looked like a thumbdrive, but contained capacitors instead and only used the 5v line, not the signal lines.

When using the Apple TV, is there any way to select songs and playlists remotely via computer rather than the TV screen? Or is the ATV inseparable from the TV?

This is the only way I know of to set up your ATV for use with the USB external hard drive capabilities.

http://www.atvflash.com

Mingles- using an Ipod Touch or IPhone you simply use Apple Remote to run the music, and it's a beautiful and simple interface. And the Apple Remote app is free as well.

Wow the AppleTV has a fan? I didn't know that. I only saw
it at the Apple store and I really liked the small size and
of course the killer GUI.

I was reading that the AppleTV can be hacked to the point
where you could install a full version of OS X. Somehow
I was figuring if the USB could be enabled for USB harddisks
then the next step would be to copy over Audio Midi Setup,
start it up, and then select the USB port for Audio output.

Gherrera1: I will have to check into that capacitor mod
on the AppleTV. We emailed a year ago when I bought my
Krell 400xi and SACD3. You were considering the AppleTV
or MacMini back then.. I guess you picked the AppleTV..