AppleTV and HomeSharing - Going All Digital (Questions)

[sandmanfvr]

Ok I have been on the net researching this for a week, getting old searching lol, but I think this is what I want. I want to try and go all digital on my movies and tv shows. The thing is most places, Amazon etc, want you to stream them, and I have a 50 mb Comcast connection, I hate when streaming services act up, etc and frankly hitting on the data cap. I want to download and keep my stuff, period, and I know Apple does this and Sony/Microsoft does this, but not on the new consoles, stream only (Really irritated me, I have the first hobbit on the PS3 and it went upstairs for the wife to use after I got a PS4, and well Sony in their infinite wisdom forces me to stream on the PS4, unlike the PS3 😕 ) Anyway, Apple seems the best overall as I can use our newer Mac Mini or a pc and store the itunes library, Home Share it, and have an Apple TV and just stream locally. I had some questions:

1. On the HD 1080p versions, read comparisons online and I know they aren't bluray, any real quality issues noticed on a HD tv?
2. I like DTS usually, louder than Dolby, but since iTunes is Dolby 5.1 on English only, how is the sound clarity on voices vs booms/loud noises and is it nicely loud and not soft?
3. Any issues in the past using the optical out, which I prefer in surround sound?
4. Has anybody put iTunes library on external usb 3.0 drive, any issues?
5. On putting the Mac to sleep, I have read some it works, others not. So I think I need to run with no sleep, but can I do the option in OSX to spin down drives and not affect the home sharing?
6. I read 6.1 has affected Dolby Digital and Optical, this wide spread?

I am hoping to get my wife off physical media, I hate the costs of the blurays, so lets see. Thank you for the help.

 

[oldhifi]

your best bet is to stream off Apple TV or Roku. Air mirroring is not that good. Video quality is poor. I bought a 2012 Mac Mini to Air Mirror, and was very disappointed, so I sold it. Now some people luv the Plex.

 

[Peace]

Just a little fyi..

Comcast has no current cap. It has been suspended indefinitely ..Has been for about a year.

 

[mpainesyd]

I am no expert in this but...

Handbrake can create MP4 video files with DTS audio (see the Handbrake forums). MakeMKR.app will convert Bluray to a format that Handbrake can use for this so you can convert all your optical media into MP4 with DTS audio. Handbrake can also directly convert EyeTV recordings.

I use an Apple TV with optical audio output and this seems to work fine for DTS encoded MP4 files. Note that the Apple TV reads the MP4 files directly - iTunes is just used for cataloging and the fact that iTunes does not support DTS should not be an issue.

 

[sandmanfvr]

Thank you for the replies and help, but I don't want to stream, and going all digital ripping is something I once did and I don't want to again. 🙂

Does anybody buy iTunes movies/tv 1080p and locally stream to their ATV? I guess I can buy one and try it out and see. Thanks.

 

[SWD]

Don't forget, the source(disc) needs to have DTS audio available, you can't just encode to DTS and it's magically better.

 

[Alrescha]

1. On the HD 1080p versions, read comparisons online and I know they aren't bluray, any real quality issues noticed on a HD tv?
2. I like DTS usually, louder than Dolby, but since iTunes is Dolby 5.1 on English only, how is the sound clarity on voices vs booms/loud noises and is it nicely loud and not soft?
3. Any issues in the past using the optical out, which I prefer in surround sound?
4. Has anybody put iTunes library on external usb 3.0 drive, any issues?
5. On putting the Mac to sleep, I have read some it works, others not. So I think I need to run with no sleep, but can I do the option in OSX to spin down drives and not affect the home sharing?
6. I read 6.1 has affected Dolby Digital and Optical, this wide spread?

I have had no issues with the video quality on purchased movies using a 100" screen and a 1080p projector. Some folks have reported problems with television shows, but in general reviews of movie quality are good.

I use the optical out to my A/V receiver without issue. I have forced Dolby Digital to "On" in my Apple TVs.

My iTunes library is and always has been on an external drive. I have no issues with "Wake on network access" and Home Sharing. I download all my iTunes purchases and stream them locally.

I have not noticed any issues with v6.1 and audio. Some of my MKV conversions have gotten a little jerky with 6.1.

A.

 

[sandmanfvr]

I have had no issues with the video quality on purchased movies using a 100" screen and a 1080p projector. Some folks have reported problems with television shows, but in general reviews of movie quality are good.

I use the optical out to my A/V receiver without issue. I have forced Dolby Digital to "On" in my Apple TVs.

My iTunes library is and always has been on an external drive. I have no issues with "Wake on network access" and Home Sharing. I download all my iTunes purchases and stream them locally.

I have not noticed any issues with v6.1 and audio. Some of my MKV conversions have gotten a little jerky with 6.1.

A.

Thank you! I know others were trying to help, but iTunes HD movies/tv is way I want, thus legal and I just buy it downloads and stream on home network, thus I download once and done. So dolby is nice and clean and loud and wake on lan good? Ok cool, I think I will get me refurbed ATV 3 to try this on, got a couple movies now and I think I will start with my movies at least, going digital.

 

[Alrescha]

So dolby is nice and clean and loud

I have not noticed any problems with purchased movies. Some of my DVD rips have poor dialog/sound effects levels, but I fix this with my receiver (I increase compression and bump the center channel volume).

A.

 

[sandmanfvr]

I have not noticed any problems with purchased movies. Some of my DVD rips have poor dialog/sound effects levels, but I fix this with my receiver (I increase compression and bump the center channel volume).

A.

Awesome, answered what I needed and I have a 42 inch led tv, thus I expect awesome movie experience. Thanks.

 

[TheLotusEater]

My setup

I have an early 2008 MBP connected to a 2TB FW800 ext drive which holds the itunes library (movies, TV shows, uncompressed audio) and then the AT3 is connected via ethernet which outputs to a yamaha receiver via HDMI.

I haven't noticed any problems with video quality, audio is a bit boomy at times but nothing significant. I normally use IVI to make iTunes versions of MKV ripped bluerays and try to keep the file size to no more than 12gb.

No problems with streaming from itunes or netflix. The only problem I currently have is the loss of DD 5.1 on Netflix with the recent update.

 

[linds15]

1. On the HD 1080p versions, read comparisons online and I know they aren't bluray, any real quality issues noticed on a HD tv?
   
   depends on your viewing experience. on a 40" that i sit too far away from (room configuration, nothing i can do but go bigger screen which isnt happening) i barely notice the blu ray vs itunes downloads. big screens ive been in, and bigger TVs in a properly setup room, definately a noticeably difference. comes down to an acceptable quality vs convenience issue.
   
2. I like DTS usually, louder than Dolby, but since iTunes is Dolby 5.1 on English only, how is the sound clarity on voices vs booms/loud noises and is it nicely loud and not soft?
   
   whats your setup? tv speakers or a soundbar, not really a difference, nice surround system, noticeable difference. again, its a perceived quality vs convenience problem, is dolby different than dts, yes, is it "better" enough to wants to change your setup to get this advantage?
   
3. Any issues in the past using the optical out, which I prefer in surround sound?
   
   haven't read or personally encountered any issues
   
4. Has anybody put iTunes library on external usb 3.0 drive, any issues?
   
   i have the itunes library on my mac, but place the movies/tv shows on an external and just point itunes to it
   
5. On putting the Mac to sleep, I have read some it works, others not. So I think I need to run with no sleep, but can I do the option in OSX to spin down drives and not affect the home sharing?
   
   i have my mini not sleep, and the hard drives spin down, apple tvs all over the house just wake them up
   
6. I read 6.1 has affected Dolby Digital and Optical, this wide spread?
   
   not heard of this, cant comment

 

[sandmanfvr]

1. I like DTS usually, louder than Dolby, but since iTunes is Dolby 5.1 on English only, how is the sound clarity on voices vs booms/loud noises and is it nicely loud and not soft?
   
   whats your setup? tv speakers or a soundbar, not really a difference, nice surround system, noticeable difference. again, its a perceived quality vs convenience problem, is dolby different than dts, yes, is it "better" enough to wants to change your setup to get this advantage?
   

Thanks on the other questions. I have a Sony soundbar setup, it has front left, right, and center (unlike some sound bars) and subwoofer with hdmi pass-through but I use optical. Its not full on surround sound, but very close and dolby vs dts, I and my wife (who isn't picky like me) can tell a difference in clarity on some blurays, where dts just is clearer and don't have to turn the system way up. But that is the movie and how they encoded, since everybody says it is good then awesome! 😎