Apple TV, macbook on?

[ynots]

If all my itunes content is stored on a external hard drive do i still need my macbook on for Apple TV to work?

Also having all itunes content on a external hard drive i cant connect it directly to Apple TV can i? So what would work better and why, airbase or a time capsule?

 

[srl7741]

iTunes must be running one some device (MP, etc) in order for ATV to work. You can store the iTunes library on an external drive if you wish but iTunes must still be running for ATV to work. You could place your iTunes library on TC and change your iTunes music folder location to the TC and it should work.
Look in preferences/advanced tab to change the folder location.

 

[kolax]

Obviously you can store some content on the actual Apple TV, so when your iTunes Library isn't open then you can access some of it.

Though that is the downside - and why quite a few people have opened up their Apple TV's in order to install a much larger hard drive.

 

[ynots]

So if you can store content on the Apple TV's hard drive why would you need something with itunes running for Apple Tv to work?

 

[kolax]

So if you can store content on the Apple TV's hard drive why would you need something with itunes running for Apple Tv to work?

Because the Apple TV's hard drive is only 40GB or 160GB (depending on which model you have).

Not very big at all - so a lot of people will just put their content on an external drive and stream it all. Some people have libraries over 1TB.

 

[ynots]

I get that. I have all my media on a external hard drive. Nothing is stored on my macbook. So why would my mac have to be running for Apple TV to work?

 

[kolax]

I get that. I have all my media on a external hard drive. Nothing is stored on my macbook. So why would my mac have to be running for Apple TV to work?

Because essentially it is going through your MacBook.

Your MacBook has iTunes on it which contains all the aliases for your media on your external drive. Everything is done through iTunes.

Apple are rumoured to be bringing out some sort of home media server, which would work as an iTunes server too - everything is stored on it and syncs through that rather than through your Mac.

If you find it an issue and are comfortable with opening up your Apple TV, just put in a new hard drive and follow the clear instructions posted on the net on how to put the ATV software back on, partition it etc.

 

[ynots]

Ok, so files that are stored on the Apple TV can be played without itunes open?

Its just a shame Apple TV wont locate the file like a macbook would when the file is on a external hard drive.

 

[rwoolsey]

I share your pain. I was under the assumption I could transfer, store and play media on ATV without iTunes being open. Minus that, I love my new toy!