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AVIs to iTunes for Apple TV

R

raggamac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2009
17
0
This is driving me a bit crazy.

Whats the best way to get my AVIs to play on my Apple TV without converting every one individually?
The only solution I can find at the moment is to batch convert them using shareware but is there not an easier way? ie without converting them.

Pete
 
anim8or

anim8or

macrumors 65816
Aug 16, 2006
1,362
9
Scotland, UK
Unfortunately, unless someone knows any better, converting them by batch or otherwise is your only way.

I use the now discontinued visualhub to convert my avi files for appletv use, and when i have a load of them i just do a batch overnight.

I don't know how many you have but once they are all converted you will reap the rewards of your time spent doing so.
 
K

KeithJenner

macrumors 65816
Sep 30, 2010
1,264
364
raggamac said:
so really, nobody has found a way to do this!?
Click to expand...

Not that I know of, but there is potential with Airplay if you aren't in a rush.

If video Airplay is made available to third party Apps then it raises the possibility of using something like AirVideo to stream to an iOS device and then use Airplay to transfer to the Apple TV.

Of course it does rely on you having that device, video Airplay being opened up and you are doubling network usage, as it has to go via the iOS device.
 
R

raggamac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2009
17
0
ive found an old link for visualhub.. is it a good program? I've got Total Video Converter and Tune4Mac which both seem to be ok although Tune4Mac doesn't convert to .mov which is annoying. Total Video Converter seems to be the best freeware I can find to do it by batch.
 
R

raggamac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2009
17
0
I've got visualhub downloading now, the best program I've found so far is Total Video Converter.. Seems to do the job.
 
R

raggamac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2009
17
0
A bit of a novice one but whats better .mp4 or .mov? Is there any difference in quality?
 
S

shaotse

macrumors member
Jun 17, 2009
80
0
Since visualhub was discontinued

I'm now using videomonkey to batch convert- it's an awesome resurrection of the visualhub code which stays current- use the appleTV preset with some tweakability and the app is perfect-
 
CWallace

CWallace

macrumors G5
Aug 17, 2007
12,026
10,727
Seattle, WA
raggamac said:
Unfortunately, there is not one as the :apple:tv cannot natively playback AVI files. So it has to be converted into a format that the :apple:tv can play.

Note: If you have the older, larger :apple:tv, there are hacks that will allow it to play AVIs. But I don't believe the new, black model has been hacked to bring that functionality, but I might be wrong.
Click to expand...
 
M

mdwsta4

macrumors 65816
Jul 23, 2007
1,300
175
this is pretty much what i'm waiting for as well. I have no desire to convert ALL my avi files, let alone dump them all into itunes and waste hard drive space on my MBP (currently all movies/shows are kept on external drives). i'm hoping VLC app will update soon enough and all us to use airplay to view those files.

Hopefully a solution like this will be out soon in cydia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1CK9X3aFTw&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvMkLH2QH5E&feature=player_embedded
 
SurfMacJpMtb

SurfMacJpMtb

macrumors member
Nov 19, 2008
87
5
USA
I often use Quicktime/Perian

Export to TV

Works great unless there is interlace issues. The files are unfortunately larger.

VisualHub is also great and can assist with interlace issues.
 
Last edited:
illitrate23

illitrate23

macrumors 6502a
Jun 11, 2004
681
270
uk
it's not the simplest method, but i set up the apps and scripts detailed here for converting my dvds for watching on AppleTV and iPhone
http://forum.handbrake.fr/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12726&sid=c2c3c65aa7e650ff96f04b0e59fddf3f

since then, I put together my own Automator workflow saved as a service so i can right-click on an .avi file, choose my Convert to iTunes script, and it converts the file using Handbrake, then downloads and applies the tags for the movie or tv show, and loads it into iTunes.

took a bit of time to set it all up, but it was worth it
 
R

raggamac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2009
17
0
Thats cool,

Is there an AirVideoEnabler for MBPs or plugin for Chrome?

Pete

mdwsta4 said:
this is pretty much what i'm waiting for as well. I have no desire to convert ALL my avi files, let alone dump them all into itunes and waste hard drive space on my MBP (currently all movies/shows are kept on external drives). i'm hoping VLC app will update soon enough and all us to use airplay to view those files.

Hopefully a solution like this will be out soon in cydia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1CK9X3aFTw&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvMkLH2QH5E&feature=player_embedded
Click to expand...
 
R

raggamac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2009
17
0
But again this is just converting them isn't it?
Can you batch convert with QT?

Pete

SurfMacJpMtb said:
I often use Quicktime/Perian

Export to TV

Works great unless there is interlace issues. The files are unfortunately larger.

VisualHub is also great and can assist with interlace issues.
Click to expand...
 
R

raggamac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2009
17
0
iFlicks looks great. I'll try and get it running tomorrow and set the default to 'delete original'. Cheers.
 
A

aelalfy

macrumors 6502a
May 2, 2010
563
0
Berlin, Germany
raggamac said:
iFlicks looks great. I'll try and get it running tomorrow and set the default to 'delete original'. Cheers.
Click to expand...

Hi, Out of habit and me usually liking to double check things, I dont set it to delete original. I encode using the "HD 720p" and delete the files after I make sure they are in itunes.

Also I think .mkv files convert and play on itunes but not on AppleTV when converted using iflicks. I like iflicks because it not only tags the files really well but the conversion is reasonably timed and the file size is usually smaller than the original. Plus no quality is lost (or atleast not that I can see).

I think its great when converting .avi files from downloads and stuff. But I think it has a problem with .mkv

Thanks
AE
 
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