HD file sizes and Handbrake stuttering

[CMD is me]

I want to get an AppleTV to watch our HD iMovies and show photos to friends on something bigger than a 15" laptop. A couple questions:

1) How much space does a 1 hr HD movie take up? I've ready around 8gb. If that's the case it wouldn't be long before a 160gb would be full. I'm learning towards a 40gb.

2) I've read Handbrake has stuttering issues with the latest ATV update. I have 10 or so standard def DVDs I'd like to have access to. Do they need to be stored on the ATV drive to keep from stuttering or will the stream ok with a new AEBS?

3) You think I'll have any signal issues with having the AEBS, the AEBS will be on the 2nd floor right corner and the HDTV is in the basement lower left? Currently I have an original graphite ABS (802.11b cira '99!) which I want too upgrade. The signal often is dropped across the house.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

I want to get an AppleTV to watch our HD iMovies and show photos to friends on something bigger than a 15" laptop. A couple questions:

1) How much space does a 1 hr HD movie take up? I've ready around 8gb. If that's the case it wouldn't be long before a 160gb would be full. I'm learning towards a 40gb.

2) I've read Handbrake has stuttering issues with the latest ATV update. I have 10 or so standard def DVDs I'd like to have access to. Do they need to be stored on the ATV drive to keep from stuttering or will the stream ok with a new AEBS?

3) You think I'll have any signal issues with having the AEBS, the AEBS will be on the 2nd floor right corner and the HDTV is in the basement lower left? Currently I have an original graphite ABS (802.11b cira '99!) which I want too upgrade. The signal often is dropped across the house.

1) A regular 2 hr. standard definition DVD takes about 5GB of space, hence a single DVD disc. I think HD or Blu-Ray discs are 8-10GB or so. Again, I'm not a pro at the sizes of the discs. Just my guesses.

2) I recommend having the DVDs in the ATV and not stream, since streaming takes a lot of bandwidth. But if it's a relatively new DVD you just bought, and haven't had time to stick into ATV, then stream by all means. Streaming is pretty fast with the new AEBS (802.11N).

3) You might have bad signal reception with that setup, but you can use an AirPort Express to strengthen the signal. That way, you get less deadspots. But any router with WDS or bridge mode will suffice.

Hope that helps you, with your wireless upgrades!

 

[kolax]

1. You could get away with a 1GB H.264 file for one of your hourly long HD movies at 720p (3000kbps bitrate). I've encoded many HD TV Shows at this rate, and the quality is decent (not true HD but not far from it). If you want to stream most of your content, then the 40GB model will be sufficient.

2. I've not had any stuttering issues when ripping DVD's using HandBrake - playback fine on my Apple TV. They will stream perfectly fine via AirDisk from your Airport Extreme. This is how my movies are stored and streamed.

3. The new AEBS has a good range, but you are pushing it by putting your-to-be Apple TV in the basement. A range booster (Airport Express for example) would be useful. A complete N' network is recommended, but I stream on a G' network with SD and HD content flawlessly (over two floors).

 

[dynaflash]

2) I've read Handbrake has stuttering issues with the latest ATV update. I have 10 or so standard def DVDs I'd like to have access to. Do they need to be stored on the ATV drive to keep from stuttering or will the stream ok with a new AEBS?

The latest update has *nothing* to do with any stuttering issues with HB encodes, streaming or otherwise. *If* you have stuttering issues while streaming anything encoded with HB's atv preset, then look to your network config.

In fact, with the current atv software update we can actually get away with more quality wise than we could before as far as HandBrake custom settings.

 

[CMD is me]

1) My mistake. I was thinking about AVCHD file sizes. Just to clarify, I want to take my HD iMovie videos and save them for AppleTV. I read at the 5Mbps (I believe that is the ATV max?) they should be around 2-2.5gb/hr.

If that's the case maybe I could get away with a 160g which would hold then more like 60-80hrs.

3. The new AEBS has a good range, but you are pushing it by putting your-to-be Apple TV in the basement. A range booster (Airport Express for example) would be useful. A complete N' network is recommended, but I stream on a G' network with SD and HD content flawlessly (over two floors).

So adding a Airport Express brings the network down to G? Perhaps no issue with if iMovie > AppleTV has a 5Mbps limit!

4) new question: IF I went with a 160g ATV could I just take it up to the computer room, sync new music/videos/photos via ethernet (or slow 802.11b) then play everything locally? If I did that I would not have to upgrade my base station or possibly need an Airport Express as a repeater.

 

[kolax]

So adding a Airport Express brings the network down to G? Perhaps no issue with if iMovie > AppleTV has a 5Mbps limit!

The new Airport Express is N. Older one was G.

4) new question: IF I went with a 160g ATV could I just take it up to the computer room, sync new music/videos/photos via ethernet (or slow 802.11b) then play everything locally? If I did that I would not have to upgrade my base station or possibly need an Airport Express as a repeater.

That is one way of doing it. You won't be able to stream obviously, but it would be something you could buy later down the line once you get started.

 

[Cave Man]

I think HD or Blu-Ray discs are 8-10GB or so. Again, I'm not a pro at the sizes of the discs. Just my guesses.

My Blu-Ray rip of The Fifth Element is 26 gb.

2) I recommend having the DVDs in the ATV and not stream, since streaming takes a lot of bandwidth. But if it's a relatively new DVD you just bought, and haven't had time to stick into ATV, then stream by all means. Streaming is pretty fast with the new AEBS (802.11N).

Except when you try to ff or rew; then lots of stuttering. With syncing, these issues disappear completely, even with high bitrate 720p content. Anyone thinking of getting into HD should seriously think about eSATA for their ATV.

 

[CMD is me]

That is one way of doing it. You won't be able to stream obviously, but it would be something you could buy later down the line once you get started.

I take a 3 yr break from buying anything and technology is flying by me -- SD miniDV vs HD formats, iMovie 6 vs 8 vs FCE, network b vs g vs n... even my receiver need updating since it only has 30mhz video switching! Too many pieces to sort out. I'm getting there.

 

[kolax]

Except when you try to ff or rew; then lots of stuttering. With syncing, these issues disappear completely, even with high bitrate 720p content. Anyone thinking of getting into HD should seriously think about eSATA for their ATV.

You experience troubles fast forwarding and rewinding on streamed content? I watched the latest episode of Weeds in 720p HD (3000kbps bitrate) and I could skip past the intro, waited a second or two then it continued streaming.

Unless that is what you meant? It just sounded like you experienced lots of stuttering once you had ff or rew.

 

[Cave Man]

You experience troubles fast forwarding and rewinding on streamed content? I watched the latest episode of Weeds in 720p HD (3000kbps bitrate) and I could skip past the intro, waited a second or two then it continued streaming.

Unless that is what you meant? It just sounded like you experienced lots of stuttering once you had ff or rew.

No, not jumping chapters. I mean 1x, 2x, 3x ff/rew is silky smooth with sync'd content. No reloading at all.

 

[kolax]

No, not jumping chapters. I mean 1x, 2x, 3x ff/rew is silky smooth with sync'd content. No reloading at all.

Yeah I know you didn't mean chapters. I get you now - I usually skip forward than fast forward so never actually realised that it would stutter so much when fast forwarding.

 

[zedsdead]

Yeah I know you didn't mean chapters. I get you now - I usually skip forward than fast forward so never actually realised that it would stutter so much when fast forwarding.

The streaming speed for Fast Forwarding is horrible and the Rewinding is even worse. At 2x and 3x it constantly has to buffer, and I am on a Wireless N Time Capsule with some SD content.

 

[dynaflash]

The streaming speed for Fast Forwarding is horrible and the Rewinding is even worse. At 2x and 3x it constantly has to buffer, and I am on a Wireless N Time Capsule with some SD content.

no surprise. its not that hard to ffwd or rewind past the streaming buffer on the atv.

As Cave Man correctly pointed out, you are only going to get fluid action with content stored locally on the atv's hard drive. particularly if you are streaming from your Time Capsule to your mac then ba