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General => General discussion => Topic started by: The Doc on 30 November 2011, 08:02
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Im thinking of buying apple tv, can you plug a hard drive into it and stream MP3 music through it?
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if that's all you want to do then Airport Express might be an alternative. Plug it in the wall. Plug in an audio cable from airport express to your hifi and then you can stream music from your Mac via itunes to your hi fi.
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With playing music through the AirPort express, you have to control the music from your computer (with iTunes) with Apple TV you control it with a remote on your TV screen, and I think it will play music from your iTunes library on your computer, but your computer has to be on and no you can't plug a hard drive into it. It's quite limited in that respect.
If you want that function, you're better off with a Boxee.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-Boxee-Digital-Media-Player/dp/B0043EV3MS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_T1?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3TFGMH13KSBGY&colid=IFHX74AZZXGB (http://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-Boxee-Digital-Media-Player/dp/B0043EV3MS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_T1?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3TFGMH13KSBGY&colid=IFHX74AZZXGB)
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I have 2 Apple TV's both jailbroken,I have one in my living room & one on my kitchen. I use them for streaming music from my computer controlling them via my iphone. I also use them for watching films on my TV's sent from my computer via Apple TV.
I think they are a great bit of kit for the money, if you don't want to jailbreak them they are still worth it as you can now mirror & airplay your Ipad 2 :cool:
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But they are still limited in that you can't store anything on them and you can't plug a hard drive into them. Meaning you either have to be watching online content (is there an iPlayer app for Apple TV?) or have your computer on and watch something stored on it.
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But they are still limited in that you can't store anything on them and you can't plug a hard drive into them. Meaning you either have to be watching online content (is there an iPlayer app for Apple TV?) or have your computer on and watch something stored on it.
They got rid of the storage capability on the ATV2 because it doesn't need storage, who plugs anything into anything nowadays, everything is done wirelessly. You either run it from your computer, ipad or if you want it from a storage device you can use a NAS. I usually run mine from my computer but that doesn't bother me as thats where i have all my films & music stored plus when it's running via my computer its virtually on stand by so using minimal power.
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Apple are taking a step backwards by NEEDING a PC to be on, flash storage is cheap enough should have kept onboard storage even if it were only 64Gb to keep the size of the unit down. Lame.
Boxee box FTW, installed Boxee on my PC and used it for a while as a media centre, very good with lots of free media and played all my films and TV shows I have.
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Apple are taking a step backwards by NEEDING a PC to be on, flash storage is cheap enough should have kept onboard storage even if it were only 64Gb to keep the size of the unit down. Lame.
Boxee box FTW, installed Boxee on my PC and used it for a while as a media centre, very good with lots of free media and played all my films and TV shows I have.
In your opinion i think it's a step forward remember it can also access anything you have saved in the cloud. Having your computer running is hardly an issue when watching a flim my imac virtually shuts down you can't hear it running or see it running.
I would find it a pain downloading flims onto my computer then tranferring them to the apple tv, whats the point when i can just play them from where they are stored. If i wanted to store stuff on it i would have got a mac mini :cool:
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Fair enough if you have stuff in "the cloud", but what if you're internet connection goes down, or your connection speed has slowed down because it's a busy evening? Then you just have to wait every so often while it buffers the rest of the film.
The majority of broadband users in the UK still don't have enough speed to watch HD over the internet. (Although this is changing)
Ok, so lots of people use WiFi and don't want wires around the place, but your AppleTV has to be physically wired to the TV, so what's wrong with having another cable connecting it to some storage. Besides WiFi is still not 100% reliable, why do you think industry still use Cat5e/6 ?
I've had plenty of connections dropped or transfers fail due to Wifi.
The current Apple TV is basically an iPhone4 in a small box, so why not include the iPhone's storage?
Also what about content in other formats? Files off your camcorder or divx content?
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Fair enough if you have stuff in "the cloud", but what if you're internet connection goes down, or your connection speed has slowed down because it's a busy evening? Then you just have to wait every so often while it buffers the rest of the film.
The majority of broadband users in the UK still don't have enough speed to watch HD over the internet. (Although this is changing)
Ok, so lots of people use WiFi and don't want wires around the place, but your AppleTV has to be physically wired to the TV, so what's wrong with having another cable connecting it to some storage. Besides WiFi is still not 100% reliable, why do you think industry still use Cat5e/6 ?
I've had plenty of connections dropped or transfers fail due to Wifi.
The current Apple TV is basically an iPhone4 in a small box, so why not include the iPhone's storage?
Also what about content in other formats? Files off your camcorder or divx content?
I was just saying that is why they have done it linked to the cloud, forward thinking that eventually we will all have high speed internet & good wifi although by then the new ATV's will be out i think which everyone guesses will be built into TV's like freeview
As i said mine are jailbroken using Seasonpass & running atv flash i can play any files in any format on mine, i do actually have one plugged into the router as the router is right by my living room tv but the one in the bedroom runs on wifi & never drops the connection when watching films
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Net spepd is OK @ 50 meg ish most of the time, decisions decisions
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been looking at apple TV too... just wondering if I could combine it with my Time Machine as a kind of music storage jobbie
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been looking at apple TV too... just wondering if I could combine it with my Time Machine as a kind of music storage jobbie
As long as you use a computer to access media on your TC via iTunes, you can stream it to your ATV2 (which recognizes your computer running iTunes Home Share).
Therefore if iTunes can play it on your Mac, ATV2 can stream it to your TV so basically it's possible but it needs to run through your computer.
I think the only way of doing it without the computer is a NAS drive
I could be wrong :undecided:
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been looking at apple TV too... just wondering if I could combine it with my Time Machine as a kind of music storage jobbie
As long as you use a computer to access media on your TC via iTunes, you can stream it to your ATV2 (which recognizes your computer running iTunes Home Share).
Therefore if iTunes can play it on your Mac, ATV2 can stream it to your TV so basically it's possible but it needs to run through your computer.
I think the only way of doing it without the computer is a NAS drive
I could be wrong :undecided:
thats fairly pants :sad:
still... it can play sh!t directly from the iphone so all is ok :)
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been looking at apple TV too... just wondering if I could combine it with my Time Machine as a kind of music storage jobbie
As long as you use a computer to access media on your TC via iTunes, you can stream it to your ATV2 (which recognizes your computer running iTunes Home Share).
Therefore if iTunes can play it on your Mac, ATV2 can stream it to your TV so basically it's possible but it needs to run through your computer.
I think the only way of doing it without the computer is a NAS drive
I could be wrong :undecided:
thats fairly pants :sad:
still... it can play sh!t directly from the iphone so all is ok :)
Indeed from your iphone or ipad via airplay & mirroring :cool: i tend to play my music on my computer then stream it to both my atv's in different rooms as you can control everything from your phone like independent volume on each atv access to all your playlist etc etc via an app called Remote.
For £85-99 they are a cheap solution but defo improved by jailbraking ( http://support.firecore.com/entries/387605 (http://support.firecore.com/entries/387605) & load on atv flash from http://firecore.com/atvflash-black (http://firecore.com/atvflash-black) which makes loading software onto it childs play) but if you don't want to jailbreak them for films then just use Handbrake to convert your films to mp4 :cool: i do convert some films to mp4 for watching on my ipad as you don't get the letter box effect after converting just lose a little off the sides
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I will add though at the moment for IOS5 ( atv 4.4 which allows mirroring ) there is only a tethered jailbrake at present. I still have both of mine running on 4.3 until an untethered solution is sorted, but you can take them back to 4.3 still even if it arrives with 4.4 already on it.
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been looking at apple TV too... just wondering if I could combine it with my Time Machine as a kind of music storage jobbie
As long as you use a computer to access media on your TC via iTunes, you can stream it to your ATV2 (which recognizes your computer running iTunes Home Share).
Therefore if iTunes can play it on your Mac, ATV2 can stream it to your TV so basically it's possible but it needs to run through your computer.
I think the only way of doing it without the computer is a NAS drive
I could be wrong :undecided:
So again, you need your computer on to make that work.
My DLink NAS has an iTunes server on it, so an Apple TV would be able to stream music and movies from it.
That's a function Apple could have easily built into the Time Machine, which they must have done deliberately.
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been looking at apple TV too... just wondering if I could combine it with my Time Machine as a kind of music storage jobbie
As long as you use a computer to access media on your TC via iTunes, you can stream it to your ATV2 (which recognizes your computer running iTunes Home Share).
Therefore if iTunes can play it on your Mac, ATV2 can stream it to your TV so basically it's possible but it needs to run through your computer.
I think the only way of doing it without the computer is a NAS drive
I could be wrong :undecided:
So again, you need your computer on to make that work.
My DLink NAS has an iTunes server on it, so an Apple TV would be able to stream music and movies from it.
That's a function Apple could have easily built into the Time Machine, which they must have done deliberately.
Apprently is coming on the new time capsules so yes deliberate :grin:.
They have now announced as predicted the new version of the Apple TV but the prices are sky high, so i will be sticking with my cheap version connected to my tv :grin:
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-tv-details-gene-munster-2011-11#ixzz1fCrVRL3o (http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-tv-details-gene-munster-2011-11#ixzz1fCrVRL3o)
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im not going to read through all the jibba jabba above.. but I have a sony tv connected up to a ps3 which can stream to from my sony laptop.
Although if i want I to play music from an external HD/USB stick etc I can plug it into my tv or ps3 or computer. Interoperability.. apple are not the only ones to have it :cool:
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im not going to read through all the jibba jabba above.. but I have a sony tv connected up to a ps3 which can stream to from my sony laptop.
Although if i want I to play music from an external HD/USB stick etc I can plug it into my tv or ps3 or computer. Interoperability.. apple are not the only ones to have it :cool:
Ps3 is a little more expensive if you dont already have one plus doesn't have home sharing I don't think so you can't run your iTunes through it but is defo an option if you just want to watch films, im not saying Apple are the only way to do it just that's it's a cheap option that runs very nicely with your iPad or iPhone since AirPlay & mirroring became available :cool:
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im not going to read through all the jibba jabba above.. but I have a sony tv connected up to a ps3 which can stream to from my sony laptop.
Although if i want I to play music from an external HD/USB stick etc I can plug it into my tv or ps3 or computer. Interoperability.. apple are not the only ones to have it :cool:
Ps3 is a little more expensive if you dont already have one plus doesn't have home sharing I don't think so you can't run your iTunes through it but is defo an option if you just want to watch films, im not saying Apple are the only way to do it just that's it's a cheap option that runs very nicely with your iPad or iPhone since AirPlay & mirroring became available :cool:
Not sure which TV the doc currently has... but most new tv's (well the ones I looked at anyway) have a usb slot which means you can connect a usb drive straight into them. As mine happens to be sony it has a very simple ps3 type interface, which makes it easy to flick through films and music :cool:
just an option
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All are good options Some people dont mind sticking drives in to tv's etc... My samsung Tv has wireless and i can watch anything from any device and has a built in media player which is good for music.... Apple tv is good though but i do agree there are better out there boxee is bloody good just a little bit more expensive...
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im not going to read through all the jibba jabba above.. but I have a sony tv connected up to a ps3 which can stream to from my sony laptop.
Although if i want I to play music from an external HD/USB stick etc I can plug it into my tv or ps3 or computer. Interoperability.. apple are not the only ones to have it :cool:
Ps3 is a little more expensive if you dont already have one plus doesn't have home sharing I don't think so you can't run your iTunes through it but is defo an option if you just want to watch films, im not saying Apple are the only way to do it just that's it's a cheap option that runs very nicely with your iPad or iPhone since AirPlay & mirroring became available :cool:
Not sure which TV the doc currently has... but most new tv's (well the ones I looked at anyway) have a usb slot which means you can connect a usb drive straight into them. As mine happens to be sony it has a very simple ps3 type interface, which makes it easy to flick through films and music :cool:
just an option
Ahh right I get you that's pretty good if you have PS3
Yea I have a USB slot on my tv & the tv remote operates it just a pain loading stuff onto your flash drive USB stick, I did do it that way before I had my atv's
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All are good options Some people dont mind sticking drives in to tv's etc... My samsung Tv has wireless and i can watch anything from any device and has a built in media player which is good for music.... Apple tv is good though but i do agree there are better out there boxee is bloody good just a little bit more expensive...
Not seen tv's with wireless capability sounds pretty good, it's pretty crazy the way things are changing so quick
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FYI I've got a Samsung 55" led USB and WI-FI equipped television as my main tv.
I'm after the optical out on the apple tv to link into my Cyrus Dac to stream music and use my iPad on m tv :wink:
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FYI I've got a Samsung 55" led USB and WI-FI equipped television as my main tv.
I'm after the optical out on the apple tv to link into my Cyrus Dac to stream music and use my iPad on m tv :wink:
The optical output is good for digital sound I unfortunately had to buy a converter as I need to update my amp to a digital one :cry: computer wise I am so up to date buy sound system wise I am years behind lol
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All are good options Some people dont mind sticking drives in to tv's etc... My samsung Tv has wireless and i can watch anything from any device and has a built in media player which is good for music.... Apple tv is good though but i do agree there are better out there boxee is bloody good just a little bit more expensive...
Not seen tv's with wireless capability sounds pretty good, it's pretty crazy the way things are changing so quick
Yup a lot of the samsung range have wifi now.. I have the samsung c9000 55 Led in the living room its the mutts nuts very fast interface..... Mate has just bought the new d8000 samsung and his interface is even better all the built in players 4od bbc player its good like
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All are good options Some people dont mind sticking drives in to tv's etc... My samsung Tv has wireless and i can watch anything from any device and has a built in media player which is good for music.... Apple tv is good though but i do agree there are better out there boxee is bloody good just a little bit more expensive...
Not seen tv's with wireless capability sounds pretty good, it's pretty crazy the way things are changing so quick
Yup a lot of the samsung range have wifi now.. I have the samsung c9000 55 Led in the living room its the mutts nuts very fast interface..... Mate has just bought the new d8000 samsung and his interface is even better all the built in players 4od bbc player its good like
Will check them out as I want a new TV early next year, thanks :cool:
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The d8000 is the 1 to go for 55 inch is 2grand i think the c9000 is a rare model and tbh not worth 3500 i only bought it becuase i got 25% discount as i was a engineer at samsung the d8000 is basically the same tv with only a 5mm frame looks amazing http://img1.lesnumeriques.com/news/18/18623/samsung-d8000-menu-cache.jpg i think it looks amazing minus the stand but ideal if you wallmount it
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The d8000 is the 1 to go for 55 inch is 2grand i think the c9000 is a rare model and tbh not worth 3500 i only bought it becuase i got 25% discount as i was a engineer at samsung the d8000 is basically the same tv with only a 5mm frame looks amazing http://img1.lesnumeriques.com/news/18/18623/samsung-d8000-menu-cache.jpg i think it looks amazing minus the stand but ideal if you wallmount it
A lot of money for a tv :shocked: but does look the business :cool:
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OT bastards :grin:
So as long as my pc is on I can stream music to the fecker?
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OT fatherless sons :grin:
So as long as my pc is on I can stream music to the fecker?
Yes lol & films plus with jail breaking & atv flash loads more stuff
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I'll get two then as my 50" sammy in my bedroom will require one too :grin:
Thanks for all your input chaps :smiley:
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I'll get two then as my 50" sammy in my bedroom will require one too :grin:
Thanks for all your input chaps :smiley:
No problem glad to help, if you want to jailbreak them & add atv flash black everything you need to know can be found on this site http://firecore.com/ (http://firecore.com/) any problems just revive tis thread & I will do my best to help :cool:
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FYI I've got a Samsung 55" led USB and WI-FI equipped television as my main tv.
I'm after the optical out on the apple tv to link into my Cyrus Dac to stream music and use my iPad on m tv :wink:
Doc, does your samsung not have optical out? :huh:
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After a bit more research it seems , you can connect two AppleTVs to the Time Capsule and stream simultaneously. The TC won't be quite as fast as some other NAS drives, but streaming to two AppleTVs should be fine. Thats pretty good if you want to stream different films to 2 different rooms.
Still not sure if that is a direct connection or through the computer, it seems to be direct from what i have read.
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FYI I've got a Samsung 55" led USB and WI-FI equipped television as my main tv.
I'm after the optical out on the apple tv to link into my Cyrus Dac to stream music and use my iPad on m tv :wink:
Sonos.com
Proper Job.
Streaming to multiple 'zones' in any combination with properly syncronised playing in the multiple zones.
:smiley: