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mattay32

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 6, 2013
4
0
Hello everyone, i'm after some advice. I've looking across the forums but the more I read the more confused i get! I have apple TV 3 and I would like to watch my movie collection via the ATV. What I would like to know is there away to stream movies to the apple tv without having the computer on? I don't mind using my ipad in anyway, but don;t wish to have the laptop on! I've been looking at the synology and maybe using a NAS system. Any advice or tips would be very useful. Thanks again to anyone who can help.
 

musicpenguy

macrumors 68000
Oct 29, 2006
1,824
734
So you have a few options.

The Apple TV works best for those in the iTunes ecosystem. I have hundreds of movies in my iTunes in the Cloud library and stream directly from Apple's servers.

To my knowledge there is no way to stream from a NAS. You would need to have a computer on running the server (which also is running iTunes).

You could utilize AirPlay on an iPad or iPhone to utilize third party apps like Air Video, but again most of those use a Mac or Windows box as the server - there may be ones out there that use a NAS for storage, but I'm not sure if any do that.

Perhaps others can give you better advice here. The Western Digital TV box may be a better fit for you. I love my Apple TV because I'm an iTunes customer and that is the ecosystem I live in.
 

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
Hello everyone, i'm after some advice. I've looking across the forums but the more I read the more confused i get! I have apple TV 3 and I would like to watch my movie collection via the ATV. What I would like to know is there away to stream movies to the apple tv without having the computer on? I don't mind using my ipad in anyway, but don;t wish to have the laptop on! I've been looking at the synology and maybe using a NAS system. Any advice or tips would be very useful. Thanks again to anyone who can help.

The AppleTV either A. Needs your laptop running iTunes to access videos via Homesharing or B. All have to be loaded onto your iPad and then using Airplay the iPad can "beam" the videos directly to the AppleTV. Unless Synology can run iTunes, it wouldn't be possible to just load the videos into a NAS and share them directly to the AppleTV.
 

Menel

Suspended
Aug 4, 2011
6,351
1,356
The AppleTV either A. Needs your laptop running iTunes to access videos via Homesharing or B. All have to be loaded onto your iPad and then using Airplay the iPad can "beam" the videos directly to the AppleTV. Unless Synology can run iTunes, it wouldn't be possible to just load the videos into a NAS and share them directly to the AppleTV.
If the NAS supports DLNA.

You can get an app on iPhone/iPad, I use AcePlayer, to then Airplay from DLNA to the AppleTV.
 

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
If the NAS supports DLNA.

You can get an app on iPhone/iPad, I use AcePlayer, to then Airplay from DLNA to the AppleTV.

I suppose you could do something like that. Either way, there isn't an elegant way to stream from the NAS directly to the AppleTV.
 

mattay32

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 6, 2013
4
0
I like the idea of DNLA and using my ipad. Would this give me surround sound?
 

Menel

Suspended
Aug 4, 2011
6,351
1,356
I suppose you could do something like that. Either way, there isn't an elegant way to stream from the NAS directly to the AppleTV.
Touch interface, swipe scrolling and touch to select, is far more responsive, and easier to navigate than the damn micro clicker that is so easy to lose.

I have a PS3 as well, have used it for DLNA, but having TV set to AppleTV and swiping through iPhone app to select DLNA stream is more convenient.

Don't knock it till you try it.
 

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
Touch interface, swipe scrolling and touch to select, is far more responsive, and easier to navigate than the damn micro clicker that is so easy to lose.

I have a PS3 as well, have used it for DLNA, but having TV set to AppleTV and swiping through iPhone app to select DLNA stream is more convenient.

Don't knock it till you try it.

I use the remote app for my appletv's. In fact, all of them are hidding behind my mounted screens so "I have tried it"....

My point was that having to stream the video to your ipad and then your ipad to your television isn't an elegant solution. That's a recipe for a lot of lost data packets which can lead to a lot of studdering and/or loss of resolution. Using your iPad to control the AppleTV is excellent. The only thing we use those stupid silver remotes is to keep my child entertained so she can have her "own remote"....
 

musicpenguy

macrumors 68000
Oct 29, 2006
1,824
734
Um - to my knowledge any AirPlay solution would be stereo - don't think AirPlay supports surrounds sound - not in the protocol to my knowledge ...
 
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