Advice on what I need to buy and/or download

Check out Plex Media Server. It allows you to use your computer as a media server and broadcast your media throughout the same network. You can then download the Plex App for iPad or iPhone and watch movies that way.

If you want to stream to your TV using an ATV, you'll need a jailbroken ATV2 to run Plex (ATV3 cannot be jailbroken at this time). OR, you can use the Plex app to watch a movie, then Airplay the movie to your ATV and watch it that way. A Roku WILL allow Plex to be installed, so that's another option if you do not mind leaving the Apple ecosystem.

In order to play movie files on an iDevice, they need to be .m4v. So, if the movies that your friend gives you are already in that format, then you could just copy them into your iTunes library, turn on HomeSharing, and watch them through your AppleTV. If they are not in .m4v, then you can convert them using Handbrake.

Basically, in order to wirelessly stream media, you need an AppleTV, Roku or something connected to your TV and some sort of media server running on a computer.

If the OP has a newer MacBook Pro, couldn't the movies be mirrored through Airplay to the ATV without messing with jail breaking?

Bozley0621 said:

If the OP has a newer MacBook Pro, couldn't the movies be mirrored through Airplay to the ATV without messing with jail breaking?

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Yes. But Airplay of video's can be hit or miss for good playback quality. It's really meant to be used to display your desktop, which is not very demanding. Once you start airplaying desktop videos you are really pushing the limits. Remember, Airplay converts (using hardware) output to h.264 before sending it to the aTV.

If your tv has wifi capability, is DLNA compliant and your home wifi is fast enough you can use Eyeconnect or PS3mediaserver to stream files directly to your TV . The file types that can be played without conversion depends on your TV. I do this with my Sony EX645 which plays all the common file types including mkv. I no longer have to convert files with a handbrake. I have a Mac Pro 1.1 and an apple airport extreme base station router.

The interface is butt ugly but it works.

The Apple TV excels at media gotten through iTunes or over Airplay. Another option not mentioned to to copy the files over to your computer. Convert them using handbrake to an Apple friendly format, add the new file to itunes on your computer, and watch it on your aTV via Home Sharing.

Personally, I have a WD Live I bought for $50 I use for things like your situation. It will play just about any file format you will come across. Just plug in the flash or hard drive and play it. It may sound strange to have two media boxes but it works for me.

mic j said:

Yes. But Airplay of video's can be hit or miss for good playback quality. It's really meant to be used to display your desktop, which is not very demanding. Once you start airplaying desktop videos you are really pushing the limits. Remember, Airplay converts (using hardware) output to h.264 before sending it to the aTV.

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I didn't know this. Thank you. I haven't played with Airplay from my husband's newer MBP much yet.

Abfarris said:

I have a friend who lends me movies/shows on a flash drive/external HD...

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Another thing I forgot to mention: you can "option-click" the files from the external HD and drag them to iTunes. Using the option key will not copy the entire file over from the HD, rather it will create a "link" in iTunes to that file. That way, your your computer's internal HD does not get overcrowded with movies, but you can still Homeshare the files to an AppleTV.

boomhower said:

Another option not mentioned to to copy the files over to your computer. Convert them using handbrake to an Apple friendly format, add the new file to itunes on your computer, and watch it on your aTV via Home Sharing.

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Definitely wrote that in my first post...