Since music (and who knows maybe video in the future) can now be streamed from the ATV is it reasonable to expect apple to enable usb storage to be connected to the unit. Using the ATV as an 'itunes' server would suit my needs as I am without a desktop machine to act in this way. Instead I have a number of ageing laptops, as a consequence access to my library is reliant upon having the 'master' one on which can be a pain. Anyway to get back to the point I have the original 40gig ATV and am rapidly running out of space. It's either a new computer with large a large hard drive and then stream everything from it or store and stream from ATV which could save me a bunch of cash in the long run. What do people think?
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Do you think Apple will enable USB for extra storage after 2.3?
- Thread starter glynn
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Since the ATV runs off of iTunes, I don't see this happening. If you stream content, you need a computer on with iTunes running.
Just buy an external drive and connect it to your laptop. Put your media files on the external drive, set iTunes to stream to your ATV, and you're set. Depending on what kind of connectivity options you want, external drives can be had for very cheap. You can find Western Digital 500 GB MyBook USB drives for about $90. I recently bought a couple of 1TB models with FW800 and eSATA for $230 each.
Just buy an external drive and connect it to your laptop. Put your media files on the external drive, set iTunes to stream to your ATV, and you're set. Depending on what kind of connectivity options you want, external drives can be had for very cheap. You can find Western Digital 500 GB MyBook USB drives for about $90. I recently bought a couple of 1TB models with FW800 and eSATA for $230 each.
It was my understanding that music that is synched to the ATV could be streamed from the ATV to airports etc without having to have itunes open. Is that not the case with 2.3. I haven't upgraded so I can't comment on personal experience just what I have read.
Sorry, I misunderstood your original post. Yes, my understanding is that the ATV can now stream music right from the box.
I still don't think Apple will enable the USB port anytime soon though.
We do know for a fact, the Apple has realized it needs to somewhat seperate the ATV from the computer for it to be successful. They are totally right. There are a lot of people for whom streaming is either not an option, or a major inconvenience. Requiring a computer on and running things in itunes at all times in order to watch tv is just not gonna cut if for 95% of the living rooms out there. The ATV needs to be easy to use and self sufficient, so it can act like a tv.
So I COULD see this happening in the future. I think it makes perfect sense considering the direction they've taking with 2.0.
So I COULD see this happening in the future. I think it makes perfect sense considering the direction they've taking with 2.0.
They should at least put a DVD drive in it, if not a Blu-ray drive. Add Netflix streaming to it and you have one badass device. I know their rental service competes with Netflix, but not directly. The iTunes rental downloads are better quality than the Netflix streams, but streams are free with Netflix. But then Apple's rentals get there quicker than Netflix's mailed discs. But then Netflix provides Blu-ray rentals.
So, I would have to connect an external HDD to my 
tv, and then everytime I have new content, I would have to disconnect it, carry it into the other room, connect it to my Mac, copy the new content to it, and then carry it back to the living room, and re-connect it to my tv?
No thanks, I'll stick with syncing.
tv, and then everytime I have new content, I would have to disconnect it, carry it into the other room, connect it to my Mac, copy the new content to it, and then carry it back to the living room, and re-connect it to my tv?No thanks, I'll stick with syncing.
So, I would have to connect an external HDD to my
No thanks, I'll stick with syncing.
You can also setup the ATV in a way so that the external USB drive will be synced with iTunes.
I wish they would. I would love to connect a 1.5 TB drive (or maybe even a Drobo with more capacity) dirrectly to my ATV. I've currently got about 750 GB of media in my iTunes library. I'm streaming it to the TV, but if I could sync it all, I'd go that route. I know I can hack the TV and do it right now, but then I've got issues when Apple publishes upgrades. Not sure why they don't enable it.
TV, but if I could sync it all, I'd go that route. I know I can hack the TV and do it right now, but then I've got issues when Apple publishes upgrades. Not sure why they don't enable it.
