How can I stream videos from my iMac to my ATV?

[kat.hayes]

I'd like to be able to use MakeMKV and Handbrake to put tons of videos onto an external drive connected to my iMac and somehow be able to stream the videos to my AppleTV, and even to my iPhone and iPad. How can this be done?

Thanks!

 

[satcomer]

Make sure you turn on local sharing on your Mac with the external mounted on your Mac. Then use several apps that use SMB connections like Plex, Infuse, VLC, etc.

 

[bingeciren]

I just use Airplay. Works fine for me.

 

[Hermes Monster]

Do you happen to have an Airport Time Capsule? I have an external HD with my movies and TV shows on it, plugged into the ATC. I then use the Infuse App on the Apple TV, iPhone and iPad to watch them on. It's flawless and provides metadata and artwork for you. Honestly, I can't recommend it enough.

You have the added benefit of it showing up in finder as well, so you can simply write straight to the External HD over your network

This may be possible with other routers of course

Also, I've said this a few times, but you may as well just torrent the movie files and save yourself a lot of time end effort ripping them. You're breaking the law anyway, may as well save yourself some time!

 

[jdag]

You need to consider a few things to be sure you "future proof" and save yourself a lot of work down the road...

1) I think the #1 consideration is around users. Will your video library be used by you alone? Or would you need it available for others as well? Today may be you alone, but how about down the road? What device platforms to others use? Will you need to feed multiple streaming boxes in your home? Outside of your home?

2) What device(s) will you need to play videos on? Again, think about today and the future. If everything is Apple (iMac, AppleTV, iPhone/iPad) then using iTunes for video management makes sense. If you are eventually going to need/want to support other device platforms (Android, Roku, FireTV, etc.), then you might want to look into Plex.

3) Again, from a user perspective, do you want to maintain play status on a user-by-user basis? If so, Plex is fantastic and iTunes is "shared". As your library grows, having watched/unwatched status on a user basis is very helpful.

Those are the main points to start with. In my case, I started with nothing but Apple products and used iTunes to store all videos. They played perfectly from my iMac out to my 3 AppleTVs. But as I learned about Plex, I installed the Plex Server on that same iMac and pointed it to the same video files. Now, I can support both Plex and Home Sharing at the same time with the same files. I share my library via Plex with my parents and other family/friends with zero issues.

 

[meeks]

Use an app called Beamer. It allows you to stream ANY type of media file from your Mac to your Apple TV. It's easily one of my favorite apps.

 

[ajforbes20]

I

I'd like to be able to use MakeMKV and Handbrake to put tons of videos onto an external drive connected to my iMac and somehow be able to stream the videos to my AppleTV, and even to my iPhone and iPad. How can this be done?

Thanks!

I like infuse. Cause you don't need a computer on at all

 

[QWERTYMac7]

I use Make MKV and Handbrake.

Then I import the files into iTunes.

Everything is accessed via an iPhone or iPad via the Remote app.

490+ movies and 140+ TV episodes.

Easy and works well.

 

[kat.hayes]

Make sure you turn on local sharing on your Mac with the external mounted on your Mac. Then use several apps that use SMB connections like Plex, Infuse, VLC, etc.

Are you saying simply loading videos into VLC on my iMac and downloading the VLC player on an ATV will allow me to stream video from the Mac to the ATV?
[doublepost=1458402460][/doublepost]

Do you happen to have an Airport Time Capsule? I have an external HD with my movies and TV shows on it, plugged into the ATC. I then use the Infuse App on the Apple TV, iPhone and iPad to watch them on. It's flawless and provides metadata and artwork for you. Honestly, I can't recommend it enough.

You have the added benefit of it showing up in finder as well, so you can simply write straight to the External HD over your network

This may be possible with other routers of course

Also, I've said this a few times, but you may as well just torrent the movie files and save yourself a lot of time end effort ripping them. You're breaking the law anyway, may as well save yourself some time!

I have an Extreme AC router. Are you actually breaking the law by simply ripping and converting DVDs for playback on an iPad/iPhone?

I know nothing about torrenting. Where do you go to download stuff?
[doublepost=1458402625][/doublepost]

I use Make MKV and Handbrake.

Then I import the files into iTunes.

Everything is accessed via an iPhone or iPad via the Remote app.

490+ movies and 140+ TV episodes.

Easy and works well.

How do you use the Remote app to access video in iTunes? Do you mean you use the Remote app to play the videos on your Mac?

 

[Hermes Monster]

I have an Extreme AC router. Are you actually breaking the law by simply ripping and converting DVDs for playback on an iPad/iPhone?

I know nothing about torrenting. Where do you go to download stuff?

Yep, as soon as you break the DRM, which the vast majority of mainstream movies have, you're breaking the law.

I won't go into Torrents as it's probably against the rules, but a quick google will show you the way quickly enough

 

[satcomer]

Are you saying simply loading videos into VLC on my iMac and downloading the VLC player on an ATV will allow me to stream video from the Mac to the ATV?

Yes! As long as you turn on sharing!