Copying movies manually to AppleTV

[Iggy]

You know on the iPod you can "manually update songs" and just drag the songs from iTunes to the iPod in the Devices bar? Can you do this with the AppleTV or can it only sync what's in your iTunes. See, I want movies on my AppleTV but not in my iTunes Library.

[speakerwizard]

you have to sync using one of the options (last 5 / last 10 unwatched / all etc)

[Iggy]

Shame.

[OldSkoolNJ]

Actually there is a slection to only sync selected movies. So that is what your looking for. It is just not a drag and drop solution, but it works just as good.

Kevin

[wngraham]

I think I understand what you're wanting to do, and yes, it is possible in a round about kind of way.

You'll need to sync whatever movies you want on your Apple TV from iTunes, then turn off syncing, then delete the movies from iTunes. Be forewarned though, the next time you sync the movies on your Apple TV will be deleted....

[ClassicBean]

I know exactly what you want. You want to be able to copy a movie onto your apple tv, delete it from your computer and then keep it on the apple tv - much like you could do with an iPod.

Well, it's entirely possible. I keep all my movies on an external hard drive. Then, I move it to my iTunes library while holding down the option key. This basically tells iTunes to keep the movie in its original location and not copy it to a library. Then, I sync it to my apple tv, making sure that the external drive is plugged in or networked through my airport extreme.

Once that's done, I can unplug the external. As long as I don't attempt to watch the movie in iTunes by accident while not plugged in - and then forget to fix the exclamation mark that tells you the file could not be found - Apple TV won't know that the file is not on my computer.

Hope that helps.

[Iggy]

I know exactly what you want. You want to be able to copy a movie onto your apple tv, delete it from your computer and then keep it on the apple tv - much like you could do with an iPod.

Well, it's entirely possible. I keep all my movies on an external hard drive. Then, I move it to my iTunes library while holding down the option key. This basically tells iTunes to keep the movie in its original location and not copy it to a library. Then, I sync it to my apple tv, making sure that the external drive is plugged in or networked through my airport extreme.

Once that's done, I can unplug the external. As long as I don't attempt to watch the movie in iTunes by accident while not plugged in - and then forget to fix the exclamation mark that tells you the file could not be found - Apple TV won't know that the file is not on my computer.

Hope that helps.


ClassicBean, that is the most useful piece of information I have ever heard. I wish to have rampant sex with you. Your sexual inclinations remain forthwith irrelevant.

[Raid]

ClassicBean, that is the most useful piece of information I have ever heard. I wish to have rampant sex with you. Your sexual inclinations remain forthwith irrelevant. Hey now what ever happend to a simple thank you, and a hearty handshake? :D

[ClassicBean]

ClassicBean, that is the most useful piece of information I have ever heard. I wish to have rampant sex with you. Your sexual inclinations remain forthwith irrelevant.

You mocking my advice?

[Iggy]

You mocking my advice?

No really! That piece of advice was a gem!

[ClassicBean]

Ok cool. Yeah, I wish you could manually drag and drop like you can with an iPod but such is life. My solution works nicely - so long as you have an external drive.

[Lebowski]

all these overly complicated workarounds...


all you do is set (under the movies tab on the appleTV) to ONLY SYNC SELECTED MOVIES. then, as you add any new movies, you just give them a checkbox, and its done.

this is how I do all of mine.

[ClassicBean]

all these overly complicated workarounds...


all you do is set (under the movies tab on the appleTV) to ONLY SYNC SELECTED MOVIES. then, as you add any new movies, you just give them a checkbox, and its done.

this is how I do all of mine.

I'm afraid you're dead wrong. The problem here is wanting to put something on the apple tv and not keep it on your computer.

If the file is gone from iTunes, it will no longer appear as a checkable option under the apple tv tab.

Your suggestion works if you want to put stuff on the apple tv and still leave it on your computer, that is viable. But if you want it off your computer but desire to leave it on the apple tv, my solution works - yours does not.

Regards.