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- Thread starter oli2140
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Hi,
I was just discussing this with a chap at work today.
Looking on the apple tv webpage at apple.com, it says it'll stream anything in your itunes library (video or music) from your mac.
This means as long as you can play it in itunes, (h.264, m4v, mov etc,) It'll play on apple tv (as long as the resolution is ok). Well... I don't *have* an apple tv, so I can't say for sure, but that's how it sounds on the website.
here's what I do at the moment with my iphone...it'd be the same deal to stream to the apple tv.
1) Download a divx/mkv etc file, from a totally legitimate source, breaking no laws.
2) use visualhub (google it) to convert whatever file it is to itunes (profiles are setup for iphone/ipodtouch/apple tv etc.)
3) once converted, add to your library, change the settings to your desires (is it a tv show, is it a movie etc. what season is it etc)
4) Enjoy!
Someone with an apple tv, feel free to chime in on if this is correct? I believe it is, and am actually thinking of buying an apple tv next month!
I was just discussing this with a chap at work today.
Looking on the apple tv webpage at apple.com, it says it'll stream anything in your itunes library (video or music) from your mac.
This means as long as you can play it in itunes, (h.264, m4v, mov etc,) It'll play on apple tv (as long as the resolution is ok). Well... I don't *have* an apple tv, so I can't say for sure, but that's how it sounds on the website.
here's what I do at the moment with my iphone...it'd be the same deal to stream to the apple tv.
1) Download a divx/mkv etc file, from a totally legitimate source, breaking no laws.
2) use visualhub (google it) to convert whatever file it is to itunes (profiles are setup for iphone/ipodtouch/apple tv etc.)
3) once converted, add to your library, change the settings to your desires (is it a tv show, is it a movie etc. what season is it etc)
4) Enjoy!
Someone with an apple tv, feel free to chime in on if this is correct? I believe it is, and am actually thinking of buying an apple tv next month!
This is correct. You can add the files to iTunes without coping the files (music or video) to your library folder. Find the files you want to copy and hold down the command AND option keys. Drag the files into the iTunes WINDOW (NOT the dock icon). It will add the files to iTunes but will map those files to the original location. Then stream away...
As long as iTunes can access the file and knows where it is - it will play. As the poster above you said, all you need to do is drag a file to iTunes holding down those keys and it will tell the library where the file is without copying it to your local hard drive. You can also just have iTunes organize music and not video and then all you have to do is drop the file onto iTunes without the keyboard shortcuts (you can set this up with iTunes preferences - see image).
Attachments
It all depends on how you set it up - I recommend you download and read the manual on Apple's site - it answers most of these questions.
http://www.apple.com/support/manuals/appletv/
I use Apple TV with a NAS. In iTunes i specify my media folder as a folder on the NAS and iTunes then expects all the media to be there (and will copy it there for me if i add something to the library from another location). This eliminates the need to use the command key to add files.
The apple tv allows me to play anything in the iTunes library and it streams it from the NAS, it does need connectivity to the computer running iTunes, but it does not copy the file at all, it streams directly from the NAS and works well.
The space on the apple tv is for content you don't want to stream (maybe you want to play your music when your computer is off, ...), I have no need for that as my computer is always on.
Now that apple tv supports rentals the disk space is also used for that. I sync my photos onto the apple tv so they show in the nice screen saver, but all other content i stream (so for me the 40gig version is plenty).
peter
The apple tv allows me to play anything in the iTunes library and it streams it from the NAS, it does need connectivity to the computer running iTunes, but it does not copy the file at all, it streams directly from the NAS and works well.
The space on the apple tv is for content you don't want to stream (maybe you want to play your music when your computer is off, ...), I have no need for that as my computer is always on.
Now that apple tv supports rentals the disk space is also used for that. I sync my photos onto the apple tv so they show in the nice screen saver, but all other content i stream (so for me the 40gig version is plenty).
peter