Confused about home sharing and ATV after talking to a salesperson

[sappamato]

I was talking to a salesperson at a Humac People store (closest thing to an Apple store in Finland) and he told me that and AppleTV cannot access an iTunes library if it's on an external drive. This is not true right? I mean if I have a computer and iTunes running home sharing works no matter where the library actually is.

I see no reason this wouldn't be the case but he was really sure about it. Thanks!

 

[Intell]

If the media is in your iTunes library and iTunes can find it, the Apple TV can play it.

 

[mike457]

What he probably had in mind is that you cannot connect an external hard drive directly to an ATV, which is true. However, it doesn't apply to iTunes on a computer.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Nor can you connect Apple TV to a NAS, unless it goes NAS -> iTunes -> Apple TV.

 

[chenks]

If the media is in your iTunes library and iTunes can find it, the Apple TV can play it.

you missed out a third crucial point, and if the media is within supported specs.

 

[EvilC5]

you missed out a third crucial point, and if the media is within supported specs.

There are workarounds even for that

Airvideo server, plex iOS app, etc.

 

[sphinx99]

you missed out a third crucial point, and if the media is within supported specs.

I just noticed this. iTunes seems to be pretty selective about what it makes available to the Apple TV, and does not even tell you that some things will be missing, nor why. It just decides to not show the content.

 

[sappamato]

What he probably had in mind is that you cannot connect an external hard drive directly to an ATV, which is true. However, it doesn't apply to iTunes on a computer.

You are probably right. But why would anyone think this? He basically just assumed that I was and idiot Great service.

Oh and all my media is in the right format, don't worry.