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App to stream movies from Mac to iPad without converting?
- Thread starter frosse
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I did hear of one a while back, but I can't remember the name. If it comes to me I'll let you know. Anybody else here remember it?
What format the videos are in? If MP4 / M4V / MOV (that is, iOS-native ones), you can just drag rhem into iTunes and use Home Sharing. It's by far the easiest and most efficient.
If you have videos in other formats, you definitely want to try AirVideo or Plex. They are both excellent on-the-fly converters.
If you in no way can use any of the above and your videos are 1080p, you should jailbreak (if you can) so that you can use hardware acceleration, or, look at other, less restricted tablet platforms (Android, Windows RT). The reason for this has been pointed out in several of my sreaming-related articles and roundups (you might want to read them - you'll learn a LOT from them): it's not possible to use hardware decoding with streamed non-iOS-native content.
Have you got a Plex review as well? I just discovered that my new Roku 2 has a channel for it...this can free up my Raspberry Pi for DIY stuff (XBMC = still not ready for prime time) and solve my iPad Mini streaming woes - two birds with one stone
Have you got a Plex review as well? I just discovered that my new Roku 2 has a channel for it...this can free up my Raspberry Pi for DIY stuff (XBMC = still not ready for prime time) and solve my iPad Mini streaming woes - two birds with one stone
Not a full review yet, only tips and tricks in several of my articles where I also mentioned Plex (for example, my UPnP bible).
However, it's an excellent, highly recommended app. Just don't forget to set the local Wi-Fi streaming quality to 1080p 20 Mbps to allow for non-reencoded streaming.
Thank you! The formats are non-native (mostly AVI I would say). I would never go Android or Windows, that aint happenin' hah.
Would you prefer Air Video or Plex?
Then, unless they're low-res videos, server-side repacking / reencoding is the only way of flawless (hardware-assisted) playback, "thanks" to Apple's stupid, restrictive AppStore rules concerning video acceleration.
In this case, they're far superior to iOS (no idiotic restrictions) - see hardware acceleration above.
Both are great. I've already queued a very thorough comparison; will publish it very soon. I'll post a note in this thread when it's ready.
Plex is a media library and as such you need to have your media slightly organised. It's a bit finicky whenever I add new content to my watched folders, sometimes it adds the new item, sometimes it doesn't but that could be fixed now, I don't really use Plex as much anymore.
Air Video is a simpler file directory based transcoder meaning you set it up to see certain folders and you navigate these folders on your client and select the video from there. Simpler and sometimes my go to item for instant streaming since my annoyance with Plex.
That said, Plex is insanely pretty and more powerful than Air Video.
Air Video is a simpler file directory based transcoder meaning you set it up to see certain folders and you navigate these folders on your client and select the video from there. Simpler and sometimes my go to item for instant streaming since my annoyance with Plex.
That said, Plex is insanely pretty and more powerful than Air Video.
I see.
That may be the case, however video playback options < total tablet experience. In my case at least.
Please do! I'm getting an iPad in March so there's no rush.
Air Media Center on iPad and Air Media Server on PC/Mac
download server in Appstore for free. Media Center costs $1.99 (well worth) works like a charm, easy to install and configure!
download server in Appstore for free. Media Center costs $1.99 (well worth) works like a charm, easy to install and configure!
You can try streamtome. You do have to have a client on your computer running. I use it and haven't had a problem with it.
http://projectswithlove.com/streamtome/
http://projectswithlove.com/streamtome/
Old post, but I use Quik.io http://quik.io
You don't even have to be on the same wifi which is awesome. You just need the client, to make a login, and choose your folders.
It's absolutely beautiful too. Been using it for a few months now.
![nail_fix2.jpg]()
You don't even have to be on the same wifi which is awesome. You just need the client, to make a login, and choose your folders.
It's absolutely beautiful too. Been using it for a few months now.
Old post, but I use Quik.io http://quik.io
You don't even have to be on the same wifi which is awesome. You just need the client, to make a login, and choose your folders.
It's absolutely beautiful too. Been using it for a few months now.
Image
Ok, this looks pretty slick!!!!
Okay so I've tried Quik.io now, I like the app but its really slow when I'm streaming. I know its not my network...Old post, but I use Quik.io http://quik.io
You don't even have to be on the same wifi which is awesome. You just need the client, to make a login, and choose your folders.
It's absolutely beautiful too. Been using it for a few months now.
Image
Depends how how fast the source computer is, for what it is worth I run it on a Core 1 Duo 1.83mhz Mac Mini, and it works 'good enough' as long as it isn't 1080p or something. I can't remember for sure how much converting vs. streaming for my particular uses.
Quite an old MBP, almost 3 years old. Should still suffice to transfer/stream files, right?
Long time AirVideo user here, had it on my Core i7 Gaming Laptop with W7/W8 for three years, never had a problem but it was developed back in the iPad 1 days so the highest res it will stream is 720p but I find this is sufficient on a 10" screen.
I had no problem streaming 720HD over 150Mbps wireless-N.
I now have the OS X version on my rMBP and it obviously has no problems either as the processor is 50% more efficient that my old i7 and I now use 450Mbps wireless-N over 5GHz to my iPad 3.
You can also use the iPad to queue up files for conversion and it dumps it into your chosen folder, these files will then import into iTunes if you want, and play natively without trans coding to any Apple device.
But personally I use Handbrake to make the conversion if I amnot in a hurry as it maintains the quality and file size while making it Apple friendly, Airvideo seems to increase file size 30%.
I had no problem streaming 720HD over 150Mbps wireless-N.
I now have the OS X version on my rMBP and it obviously has no problems either as the processor is 50% more efficient that my old i7 and I now use 450Mbps wireless-N over 5GHz to my iPad 3.
You can also use the iPad to queue up files for conversion and it dumps it into your chosen folder, these files will then import into iTunes if you want, and play natively without trans coding to any Apple device.
But personally I use Handbrake to make the conversion if I amnot in a hurry as it maintains the quality and file size while making it Apple friendly, Airvideo seems to increase file size 30%.