Confused over Apple TV and Music of Macbook Pro 2019

[aceface321]

Hi All,

New member here just upgraded to my first MacBook after years of PC use.

I'm a little confused over my music and film library on the MacBook, when I launch the TV app all I can see are the movies that I have downloaded to the Mac, I cannot see my entire library unless I go to 'purchases' and from there I only have the option to downloaded them. Same thing for my music purchases, I can download them and see them in purchases but have no option to stream them.

Am I missing something here, surely there should be the option to stream these item, I have no intention of filling up my harddrive with all the media I have purchased over the years!

regards,

aceface321

 

[26139]

Are you subscribed to Apple Music?
You were able to stream purchases (both music and movies), without downloading, before?

 

[lwilliams]

1. You need a subscription to Apple Music and Apple TV+ to watch/hear more than samples.

2. If you have iTunes on your PC, and if you have iCloud for Windows installed on that pc, you can stream all the music that is stored on your Windows pc from iCloud on your Mac, iPHone, iPad, Apple Watch. You must sign in to iCloud on all devices. It will be automatic after that.

I have a little over 300,000 CDs ripped to my Windows Server at home. All are imported into iTunes. I listen to those anywhere and everywhere with my Apple devices using the method above.

 

[26139]

2. If you have iTunes on your PC, and if you have iCloud for Windows installed on that pc, you can stream all the music that is stored on your Windows pc from iCloud on your Mac, iPHone, iPad, Apple Watch. You must sign in to iCloud on all devices. It will be automatic after that.

I have never heard of this method.
You can stream music downloaded to your computer (from sources other than Apple Music) to all your Apple devices this way?
Stream as in anywhere you have internet access?

I don't think this solves the OP's issue, but now I want to see if this works for Macs!

 

[lwilliams]

I have never heard of this method.
You can stream music downloaded to your computer (from sources other than Apple Music) to all your Apple devices this way?
Stream as in anywhere you have internet access?

I don't think this solves the OP's issue, but now I want to see if this works for Macs!

It is working for me as I type this!
[automerge]1581436524[/automerge]
If you add the music to your iTunes Library, and have that PC authorized on you Apple iTunes account, AND use the same Apple ID on all those devices.........You can play from iTunes on your Mac, iPHone, Apple Watch and iPad all the music that is on your pc where the music is stored.

It will stream to the cloud and back to you as you listen. Of course, your host PC will need to be on with a live internet connection for this to work. At least, I have never tried it any other way. But I can't see Apple hosting all that data for free.

 

[aceface321]

I was on the phone to apple support last night for over 2 hours and they don't know what the problem is, they are going to give me a call today, hopefully with a resolution.

I seem to be in an unfortunately unique position.

aceface321

 

[26139]

I was on the phone to apple support last night for over 2 hours and they don't know what the problem is, they are going to give me a call today, hopefully with a resolution.

I seem to be in an unfortunately unique position.

aceface321

I’m still not clear what the issue is. You are looking to stream your media but you don’t use Apple Music?

 

[aceface321]

I don't subscribe to apple music, I have lots of music, movies and tv shows that I have purchased from iTunes.

I should be able to stream all this content but when I go to my library it is not visible, it is only visible if I physically download the media to my mac then I can play it.

Very frustrating as I don't want to fill my hdd with media on the off chance I want to listen to / watch something.

Spotify etc stream perfectly fine, and I can also stream from my iphone and ipad, although trying to stream from iTunes on my pc gives the same issue.

 

[26139]

I don't subscribe to apple music, I have lots of music, movies and tv shows that I have purchased from iTunes.

I should be able to stream all this content but when I go to my library it is not visible, it is only visible if I physically download the media to my mac then I can play it.

Very frustrating as I don't want to fill my hdd with media on the off chance I want to listen to / watch something.

Spotify etc stream perfectly fine, and I can also stream from my iphone and ipad, although trying to stream from iTunes on my pc gives the same issue.

If you go to your TV app and your movies, do you have the ability to play the video by clicking on the thumbnail and the option to download via the symbol next to the three dots on the right?

 

[aceface321]

When I go to my TV app I see nothing in any of the categories, I have to go to the account --> purchases and then I see a thumbnail for my media, all I can do with the thumbnail is either remove it (hide it) or download it, no other options. Once downloaded it appears in my TV app under the relevant category and I can play it or remove it.

 

[lwilliams]

Are using the same Apple ID for all your devices? You must do that for what you want to work.

 

[VineRider]

I think you have to subscribe to Apple Music to do what you are trying to do.

Use Sync Library with your Apple Music subscription - Apple Support

Use Sync Library to stream your music library on any device that's signed in to the Apple Music app with the Apple ID that you use with your Apple Music subscription. Learn what you need to use Sync Library and how to turn it on.

support.apple.com

1. Go to Settings > Music.
2. Turn on Sync Library. If you don't subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match, you won’t see an option to turn on Sync Library.

If Sync Library is updating or turned off, you'll see a message at the top of the Library tab in the Apple Music app.

This article states that you have to subscribe to Apple Music to turn on Music Sync, which is what you seem to be trying to do. Also, as part of Apple Music, there is a service that matches your already owned music with iCloud and that allows your already owned music to show up in your Apple Music library.

I could be wrong, but i don't think this is possible outside of subscribing to Apple Music or iTunes Match

You can also subscribe to just iTunes Match

Subscribe to iTunes Match - Apple Support

iTunes Match gives you access to all of your music on all of your devices, even songs that you've imported from other sources such as CDs.

support.apple.com

 

[aceface321]

Thanks for the replies but I have started to bottom things out now. It looks like it's an issue with my account.

I took the MacBook to an apple store and they were stumped as well, one of the staff logged onto my MacBook though and everything worked as it should, could stream and all media showed in the library regardless of it being downloaded.

I logged into a different mac and low and behold had the same issue as before.

At least I can now be more accurate with info for support, although what the issue is is anyone's guess as my phone and ipad work fine.

aceface321

 

[26139]

Thanks for the replies but I have started to bottom things out now. It looks like it's an issue with my account.

I took the MacBook to an apple store and they were stumped as well, one of the staff logged onto my MacBook though and everything worked as it should, could stream and all media showed in the library regardless of it being downloaded.

I logged into a different mac and low and behold had the same issue as before.

At least I can now be more accurate with info for support, although what the issue is is anyone's guess as my phone and ipad work fine.

aceface321

Cool. I just checked in my account, and I can stream movies (I have Apple Music so I can't test the audio) I've bought from iTunes without downloading them first (I've never done it because I watch all my films on Apple TV), so yeah, it definitely feels like it's an issue with your account on that Mac (based on all the other replies).

Good luck!