Airport Extreme - Wots the Use!

[Harryoldboy]

HI. I've had Macs since the SE was new and my wife made me count up how many I've had and how many I still have. It's embarrasing! However until recently I never had either Airport Express or Extreme. My ISP always supplied a router/modem. I have a Netgear router only, which was an easy to set up for playing videos from my MBP to the TV in holiday.
In this lockdown scenario I thought I could use a similar set up with the Extreme for a child to watch movies either directly to the TV or via Apple TV on his own net and not take bandwidth from the rest of us.

What a Palaver, too much choice! After a weeks fiddling all the choices, the system just does not want to know - it insists on an internet connection, the opposite of what I want. It should be simle but I don't 'Get It'!
(BTW I love the Express it adds my Hi-Fi to airplay beautifully. I'll get another for my shed!)

 

[jbachandouris]

Digital rights management requires an internet connection to verify that you own it. You would have to convert files using Handbrake to strip the DRM from the files to allow this. I have no idea how this is done as I have never tried to.

I have used the Airport Extreme for years and am disappointed that it has been discontinued by Apple.

 

[Longkeg]

Handbrake generally won’t remove DRM. In extremely limited cases it could strip older DRM schemes from older DVDs but to my knowledge it can’t clean downloaded DRM protected digital files, like those bought from Apple.

If you can strip off the the DRM, or better yet find the files where this has been done for you, it becomes much easier to achieve your goal. As noted previously DRM files need to “phone home” via the internet to confirm legitimacy. Learning how to remove DRM can be a steep learning curve. For legal and ethical reasons people here may be, should be, reluctant to speak of it. With some Google searches, a lot of trial, and even more error it can be done.

 

[jbachandouris]

Handbrake generally won’t remove DRM. In extremely limited cases it could strip older DRM schemes from older DVDs but to my knowledge it can’t clean downloaded DRM protected digital files, like those bought from Apple.

If you can strip off the the DRM, or better yet find the files where this has been done for you, it becomes much easier to achieve your goal. As noted previously DRM files need to “phone home” via the internet to confirm legitimacy. Learning how to remove DRM can be a steep learning curve. For legal and ethical reasons people here may be, should be, reluctant to speak of it. With some Google searches, a lot of trial, and even more error it can be done.

Well, I was half right. I wasn't aware how difficult it was. You all make it seem so easy.

 

[Longkeg]

It’s not difficult if you know how and have the right tools. Like the old joke: A Plumber gives the customer a bill for $300. “What do you mean?” Says the customer. “All you did was hit a pipe with a hammer.” Plumber takes back the bill and scribbles “hitting pipe with hammer- $1, knowing where to hit- $299.”

Copy protection schemes are always evolving. It’s an ongoing game of hi tech whack-a-mole.

 

[Harryoldboy]

It’s not difficult if you know how and have the right tools. Like the old joke: A Plumber gives the customer a bill for $300. “What do you mean?” Says the customer. “All you did was hit a pipe with a hammer.” Plumber takes back the bill and scribbles “hitting pipe with hammer- $1, knowing where to hit- $299.”

Copy protection schemes are always evolving. It’s an ongoing game of hi tech whack-a-mole.

Thank you both. My work-around was to drag up a Belkin router/modem from the cellar and all's well. Apt. Extreme is off on a journey via eBay, pity its a pretty little thing. - that saved my metophorical $299