Why doesn't Apple TV offer support for external HDDs?

[Mirai 11]

thank you very much. If you could possibly take a look at my thread https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/755001/ just to help me out on a couple others, i'd really appreciate it

 

[gugy]

The storage issue, different codecs and the lack of 1080p support are the reasons I have not give TV a shot,

I hear MacMini is great but my biggest issue is that my family (wife/kids) are not so computer oriented and I want to make sure that they can access the library of videos and music with the simplest possible way. If it becomes a bit complicate, they will just drop it and ignore it.

I hope the next TV will address these issues and become a real HTPC solution for the rest of us.

 

[JonHimself]

Although streaming is one way to get around the storage issue, it isn't always convenient (and sometimes wasteful) to leave your computer on, particularly when your only computers are notebooks (Snow Leopard will get around this issue, however)

Can someone explain the SL part? I'm missing something

 

[Shuttleworth]

Can someone explain the SL part? I'm missing something

You will be able to allow your computer to go to sleep, Snow Leopard will enable Airport to wake a computer from sleep. Not quite a cure as the MB still needs to be powered, but at least it can be alowed to sleep!

 

[adbe]

I can't understand why Apple can't shoehorn an iTunes server into an Airport Extreme or similar.

A Mac Mini running as a whole house media server is vastly overkill. A slightly beefed up AE with a Drobo hanging off the back, or even just 2TB Time Capsule would provide a true all in one media system from Apple.

One box sitting in the basement, or closet, quietly running the wireless network, acting as a backup target, but also providing streaming to Airport Expresses, ATVs, and iTunes clients around the house, it just seems like such an insanely obvious gap in the product line-up.

At even a hundred bucks over the price of the current Extreme, it'd still be way cheaper than a Mini, draw much less power, and be much less intimidating to non-techies. Particularly if existing iTunes setups could see the device, then offer the user the option to just auto push all content to it, and rejig themselves as streaming clients. One-click media server config for under $500 USD, seems like a deal to me.

 

[CBlakeston]

I've never found the Apple TV to be limiting. The trick is to look at it as a way to get your iTunes library to your TV. In the same way an iPhone or iPod Touch is a way to carry your iTunes library on the move (or a selection of it)

So my 40GB Apple TV auto syncs any unwatched TV Shows, Movies and Podcasts, and if I want to watch anything else I just make sure my mac is on or I sync it to the apple TV ahead of time.

If you're looking at the Apple TV to be a big dumping ground for all your media I don't think it will ever suit that expectation fully.