Setting up external HDD with Apple TV question

[dporter15]

Hey everyone. Currently I have an iMac with an external HDD streaming my movies to my Apple TV3 which works great. Unfortunately my iMac is collecting dust so I am giving it to my father. So anyways I was curious since my now primary computer is my rMBP if there was a way I could stream the movies to my Apple TV without having to keep my laptop connected to my external all the time.

I'm not sure if this would work or the performance of it but what if I connect my hdd to my airport extreme's usb, then set up home sharing through my macbook and connect my apple tv via ethernet directly to my airport extreme.

If it doesn't work or has poor performance, would I be better off replacing my Apple Tv with a Mac Mini and just running the HDD off of that?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[linds15]

i haven't tried exactly what you are asking for. but when i had an externall HDD plugged into my APE i couldn't get watchable video straight to my macbook, let alone trying to pass that along through to the ATV. your best bet is to either have a permanent computer running itunes with the hdd, or the mini at the tv instead of an tav

[blueroom]

A USB drive on the AEBS will work fine, or consider getting a NAS.

[GarrettL1979]

Originally Posted by blueroom

A USB drive on the AEBS will work fine

This is what I'm doing. Works great.

[dporter15]

Originally Posted by blueroom

A USB drive on the AEBS will work fine, or consider getting a NAS.

Ok, so now I'm starting to consider setting up a NAS. I wasn't to familiar on what exactly it was so I did a quick search on google to find out more but I'm still a little confused. From the sounds of it connects via ethernet to the back of my APE?

Also, any recommendations as a good NAS thats full OS X compatible. Thanks Again

[blueroom]

Easy, Synology NAS. I've got a DS212j

They're really nice devices and I highly recommend them.

Yes, it connects via Ethernet. The blog link in my signature is Wordpress running on mine.

[Che Castro]

Originally Posted by blueroom

A USB drive on the AEBS will work fine, or consider getting a NAS.

Doesn't iTunes have to running on his laptop ?

[dporter15]

Originally Posted by Che Castro

Doesn't iTunes have to running on his laptop ?

I was wondering this as well.

[mpress03]

Another option would be to buy a netbook and use it to strictly run iTunes so that it serves the AppleTV. I got a netbook off eBay for about $80 and plugged my HDD into that and all it does is run iTunes homesharing so that my AppleTVs have access to my movies. They aren't very powerful so don't plan on doing too much with it but mine is out of the way and with Windows task schedular it turns off at about 2am and back on at noon so that it saves even more power. It is plugged into the router through Ethernet so in a way is like a NAS, only I can easily add more HDD without reformatting and if the netbook takes a crap it's much cheaper to replace than a NAS.

[tdhurst]

Originally Posted by Che Castro

Doesn't iTunes have to running on his laptop ?

Yes, it does.

[thasan]

Originally Posted by Che Castro

Doesn't iTunes have to running on his laptop ?

im not sure what u mean. but my synology NAS has an itunes server. i am yet to get an apple tv but i am hoping it will work. also, the new system in synology (DSM 4.2) is supporting airplay streaming (http://www.synology.com/dsm/dsm4.2_beta.php?lang=us).

p.s. the videostation is fantastic for ipad and iphone. it seems i need an atv to run videos in my 4 year old tv.

[mic j]

Originally Posted by thasan

im not sure what u mean. but my synology NAS has an itunes server. i am yet to get an apple tv but i am hoping it will work. also, the new system in synology (DSM 4.2) is supporting airplay streaming (http://www.synology.com/dsm/dsm4.2_beta.php?lang=us).

p.s. the videostation is fantastic for ipad and iphone. it seems i need an atv to run videos in my 4 year old tv.

It will work...for audio only.

[thasan]

Originally Posted by mic j

It will work...for audio only.

have u tried videostion? it works with full video streaming..and they claim it will work for video too in tv with atv

[blueroom]

I've tried VideoStation with files encoded via Handbrake for both ATV2 & 3. So far it fails to work. Interesting idea once they get the bugs worked out as it means you can start playback from a browser.

[dporter15]

Basically if possible I want a solution that doesn't require my laptop running all the time or not even use my laptop at all.

[tdhurst]

Originally Posted by dporter15

Basically if possible I want a solution that doesn't require my laptop running all the time or not even use my laptop at all.

Buy a Mac Mini.

Stream from your iPhone or iPad.

Stream from iTunes via the iTunes Store.

But you need to have a computer on to do this locally. How else would the AppleTV access the content you've already downloaded?

[dporter15]

Hey guys just to give you an update.

I decided to wire my AppleTV directly to my Airport Extreme which definitely helps with lag I had when it was wireless. I then connected my external HDD directly to the APE. My mac is still connected wirelessly but I have it running on the 5GHz network so I really don't notice any delay.

The only downside I have found thus far was my laptop has to stay running but I am eventually going to buy a Mac Mini to replace the rMBP as the iTunes server. Thanks again for everyones help!

[tekno]

I have the ATV1 so excuse my ignorance.

To be clear, no matter how many external drives, NAS drives etc, is there no way to watch films on your apple TV without having a computer running iTunes? Why can't Apple make it work without going via a computer?

[shyam09]

Originally Posted by dporter15

Hey guys just to give you an update.

I decided to wire my AppleTV directly to my Airport Extreme which definitely helps with lag I had when it was wireless. I then connected my external HDD directly to the APE. My mac is still connected wirelessly but I have it running on the 5GHz network so I really don't notice any delay.

The only downside I have found thus far was my laptop has to stay running but I am eventually going to buy a Mac Mini to replace the rMBP as the iTunes server. Thanks again for everyones help!

Hey, I just got an ATV 3 and I have a ext HDD connected to my PC, but could you explain how you got the setup working (in the OP)? And I assume the videos have to be on.mp4

Thanks

[dporter15]

Originally Posted by shyam09

Hey, I just got an ATV 3 and I have a ext HDD connected to my PC, but could you explain how you got the setup working (in the OP)? And I assume the videos have to be on.mp4

Thanks

It was pretty easy to set up. Basically, I converted all my movies using Handbrake. There's a preset for Apple TV 3 so it's pretty easy. After all my movies had finished, I opened iTunes and unchecked, "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library' Then just add your movies. After thats finished all you should have to do is make sure home sharing is enabled in iTunes and your Apple TV should automatically find it as long as there on the same network.

----------

Originally Posted by tekno

I have the ATV1 so excuse my ignorance.

To be clear, no matter how many external drives, NAS drives etc, is there no way to watch films on your apple TV without having a computer running iTunes? Why can't Apple make it work without going via a computer?

So far, I haven't found a way for it to work without some version of iTunes running.

[bearcatrp]

Cheaper to buy a roku, WD Live, or OUYA and pull the movies from a disk on your AE and let these boxes do the work. Don't see why apple doesn't put iOS on an apple tv to do this. One of the reasons I am moving away from apple. Have 2 ATV but looking real hard at WD Live to replace them.

[shyam09]

kk i got the ATV today (the A1469 one ) and i set up air video on my PC (win 8) ... it's asking me to download java... and with all the zero-day vulnerabilities going on with Java, is it safe to install java or should i wait a bit longer?