Move itunes files to appleTV, so i can delete from Mac

[mattsswellhouse]

Hi,

My dilemma: I would like to delete (some of) my music files from my Macbook, but keep them for use on my AppleTV.

I have 100GB of music stored in itunes on my Mac-sync'd with the aTV.

(If it helps with the legalities) they are all from original CD's..I have never purchased from itunes.

I plan to use the AppleTV more .. perhaps looking at upgrading with aTV flash and adding an external hard drive? and I am assuming the Macbook would benefit from less on it's hard drive, but of course whenever I delete a track..AppleTV follows suit.

I want to retain the option of syncing to add new files from the Macbook/CD's in the future of course.

My set up: MacbookPro 160GB, apple tv 160GB, 500GB Time Capsule.

 

[TheCheapGeek]

In its stock configuration the apple tv simply mirrors what is on your Mac. Your best bet would be to purchase an external hd for your MacBook or hack the apple tv and use the external drive.

 

[spice weasel]

On an un-hacked ATV, your media files have to remain on your computer. If you sync them to the ATV and then delete them from your computer, they will be deleted from the ATV as soon as you sync again. Obviously streaming won't work if they are not on the host computer.

The ATV is like a big iPod for your television.

 

[mattsswellhouse]

Yep, Thanks so far.

I suppose the time capsule can't help me here as the external hard drive to the Mac?

I know the AppleTV mirrors the itunes on Macbook, so I suppose I'm wondering would aTVFlash or a similar USB hack (on the aTV) which enables me to attach an external drive, which could then hold the music files etc. for the AppleTV, independently from Macbook?

(*I'm considering ATVFlash anyway, so I'm hoping it might help with this issue as well?)

 

[spice weasel]

Yep, Thanks so far.

I suppose the time capsule can't help me here as the external hard drive to the Mac?

I know the AppleTV mirrors the itunes on Macbook, so I suppose I'm wondering would aTVFlash or a similar USB hack (on the aTV) which enables me to attach an external drive, which could then hold the music files etc. for the AppleTV, independently from Macbook?

(*I'm considering ATVFlash anyway, so I'm hoping it might help with this issue as well?)

Yes to both points. You can use the Time Capsule as a NAS to store your music files. However, you would still need your Mac on with iTunes running, and your network would take a double hit as traffic has to go from iTunes to Time Capsule and to the ATV, rather than just iTunes to the ATV. You can also use an Airport Extreme with an external USB drive attached.

Or you can hack the ATV and attach an external USB drive and run your media from it. This is preferable to the above solution.

Or, just move your media to an external drive and keep it attached to your Mac. This is the easiest solution.

 

[rayward]

Yep, Thanks so far.

I suppose the time capsule can't help me here as the external hard drive to the Mac?

I know the AppleTV mirrors the itunes on Macbook, so I suppose I'm wondering would aTVFlash or a similar USB hack (on the aTV) which enables me to attach an external drive, which could then hold the music files etc. for the AppleTV, independently from Macbook?

(*I'm considering ATVFlash anyway, so I'm hoping it might help with this issue as well?)

You can move your iTunes library off your Mac's HDD, either onto a Time Capsule or some other external (or network-attached) HDD. That way, your media is on your external HDD but you don't have to hack your ATV and everything works as normal.

It's pretty simple to do: just create a folder on your external HDD, tell iTunes (under preferences) to look for your media there, then consolidate your library and iTunes will do the rest. It'll copy all your media to the new external folder, so you'll have to go back and delete the media off your internal HDD afterwards, but that's it. Any content added from then on will go straight to the external HDD.