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Apple TV + App Store + VLC = WIN!
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It would be nice if we didn't have to rip everything into an iTunes-compatible format in order to view in on Apple TV.
I like converting everything to h.264... makes things easier in the long run (plus, I don't even like downloading stuff anymore, I prefer to convert or buy it).
However, even if there is no App store on the ATV anytime soon, you can use the VLC app for iPhone or iPad and use Airplay. I did load an old AVI movie of a crappy horror movie from the 80's (but one that I enjoy a good deal) and used Airplay on the VLC app for my iPad. Right now on the 4.2 beta, it's only audio (unless I'm missing something), but when the official release is out, it should do video and audio.
However, even if there is no App store on the ATV anytime soon, you can use the VLC app for iPhone or iPad and use Airplay. I did load an old AVI movie of a crappy horror movie from the 80's (but one that I enjoy a good deal) and used Airplay on the VLC app for my iPad. Right now on the 4.2 beta, it's only audio (unless I'm missing something), but when the official release is out, it should do video and audio.
For me it would be essential that i would not have to pass thru my imac at all, to be able to go directly to my external hdd thats hooked up on my airport extreme. If the VLC app would let me browse to the content i would like to watch then that would be a god send.
The best would be an app that would do just like XBMC, Plex or Boxee ( would sort out every movies or tv shows by seasons, would add all meta data by scrapping dedicated web sites) .... If an app like that happens ... We are golden !!
Of course that is ... If there ever will be an app store for
TVI'm waiting for this as well. Most of my shows/movies are in .avi format. While VLC is a workaround (works well on the iphone so far), I would much prefer accessing that content directly from my external hard drive.
Ideally I'd love to be able to plug my hard drive directly into ATV and access all my files that way.
Ideally I'd love to be able to plug my hard drive directly into ATV and access all my files that way.
The A4 processor in the new Apple TV isn't a particularly strong chip, it's even slower than the Pentium-3 class processor that was used in the original Apple TV. Given that, the chance of ever seeing HD video out of VLC on any of the current generation iOS devices is pretty slim. Apple would have to enable third-party access to the GPU in the Apple TV in order to allow VLC to handle anything above very basic standard definition.
As annoying as it is to have to convert/tag things to get them into iTunes in an organized fashion, the benefit of being able to click and sync any video to any device I own is definitely worth it for me.