Apple tv for streaming without Jailbreak - Is it possible?

I bought a program called iFlick was on the mac store. Converted all my movies and series so that they play on the apple tv. It organizes all your files and puts them in organized folders. Its a long process but when all is done it is very nice. The conversion for the iFlicks works so well that my iPad 2 can play the HD movies without lag. Works well don't know if there is a windows version tho.
 
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It will really be the better option to setup Plex properly and then you can stream to basically any device, Apple TV, Droid TV, Roku etc and any DLNA compatible device.

Your issue with Plex seems to be you have your movies and series in the same directory?
 
Dolby said:
Yea perhaps another type.

I have both as well and function wise, there is little comparison. I bought and use my ATV only for Netflix - and it does it well I think. Smooth with a great interface.

But when it comes to adding files, it pales. It won't accept any of my music (unless I convert) and half my movies (unless I convert. I'd spend months waiting for the conversion of what I have - then I've heard there are still issue with tagging, unlike XBMC which just works.

After this process I'd need to make sure that I only get the right codec, container etc that Apple want - it's just far easier going elsewhere
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You can't add music to an Apple TV. You can add music to iTunes on a separate computer/NAS running iTunes/iTunes Server that will stream to an Apple TV. You say that you cannot add any music. Can you specify what audio file types you are using since I can add MP3's to iTunes with no issues.
 
vinodh said:
You can't add music to an Apple TV. You can add music to iTunes on a separate computer/NAS running iTunes/iTunes Server that will stream to an Apple TV. You say that you cannot add any music. Can you specify what audio file types you are using since I can add MP3's to iTunes with no issues.
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I know - but iTunes doesn't recognize FLAC files, which my entire library.

I'm not sure which movies won't play as I have near 2,000 - but when imported, I get half of that because it doesn't recognize formats. My collection is made up of MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV and a few others with various containers and I probably lose close to 400 because of some silly thing that is not recognized.

XBMC? Reads all 5,000 songs and 2,000 movies, tags automatically - all while looking far better too.

ATV is not bad at R1,300.00 - but it's hardly what I'd call a serious media streamer.
 
The ATV is mainly aimed at people that buy all their content preferably from iTunes. Then everything works really great. If your get your content from other sources, then it's a problem.

You have the option of converting your FLAC files to Apple Lossless. I tried converting a FLAC file to Apple Lossless and it was instant. I'm not sure what it did but the file was done almost within 1 second of me clicking start. This means that you could have your entire audio collection converted in minutes.

However, movies will be a bastard. Most of them can be sorted out with iFlicks since they just get flattened which takes seconds but the remainder will have to be converted the hard way. That normally is hit and miss since there are sometimes issues with audio sync and video corruption.
 
Soul Assassin said:
It will really be the better option to setup Plex properly and then you can stream to basically any device, Apple TV, Droid TV, Roku etc and any DLNA compatible device.

Your issue with Plex seems to be you have your movies and series in the same directory?
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+1 for this. This is like saying I don't like cars because I tried one once and the clutch caused the whole car to come to a halt and I had coffee in my hands and it spilt everywhere so now I walk to work but I'm looking for another solution that isn't a car.
 
Plex does have a naming convention but I've found it's not really that strict and does a great job of knowing what it's scanning, it just sounds to me as if you have your TV shows and movies in one big folder and you added that to Plex, which won't work, if movies and TV are separate then it will be easy as pie.
 
vinodh said:
The ATV is mainly aimed at people that buy all their content preferably from iTunes. Then everything works really great. If your get your content from other sources, then it's a problem.
Click to expand...

Agreed - but judging from OP he seemed to know what he was doing in a little bit of a tinkerer. Guessed he may want to know the disadvantages because in my eyes, they're pretty large

vinodh said:
You have the option of converting your FLAC files to Apple Lossless
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Problem is nothing else can read them. FLAC is pretty much a standard and I have other things that will read it, where Apple lossless is, well, Apple only. Two libraries to sort and use.

vinodh said:
the remainder will have to be converted the hard way. That normally is hit and miss since there are sometimes issues with audio sync and video corruption.
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Yup.

Look - it's got it's place, but it really isn't something I'd recommend to anyone. I'd usually recommend an Apple product to my grandparents because of ease of use and simplicity - but in that case I wouldn't even do that. The only reason I'd recommend it - and the reason I have mine - is Netflix.
 
Soul Assassin said:
Plex does have a naming convention but I've found it's not really that strict and does a great job of knowing what it's scanning, it just sounds to me as if you have your TV shows and movies in one big folder and you added that to Plex, which won't work, if movies and TV are separate then it will be easy as pie.
Click to expand...

So what my setup is as follows.
Main server contains 8 Hdd differently mapped to different drive ltters exampl
Tv series 1 = (D)Hdd1
Structure as Sub folders
(D)
Tv Series 1
Tv Series 1
A - B
C - D
E- F
........
Tv Series 2 = (E)Hdd2
Structure as Sub folders
(E)
Tv Series 2
Tv Series 2
A - B
C - D
E- F
........

Tc Series 3 = (F)Hdd3
Structure as Sub folders
(F)
Tv Series 3
Tv Series 3
A - B
C - D
E- F
........
Movies = (G)Hdd4
Action
Cartoons
.......

So please help what the folders then should be named as plex is not bad and I wont mind using it If it works for me.
The only think I don't like is to use an ipad to stream the contents via the main server to the ATV and I know that is how it will need to be done, and it is better than what I have now.
 
Acid0 said:
So please help what the folders then should be named as plex is not bad and I wont mind using it If it works for me.
The only think I don't like is to use an ipad to stream the contents via the main server to the ATV and I know that is how it will need to be done, and it is better than what I have now.
Click to expand...
You just need to add each folder to the relevant section - iow all your individual series folders get added to the TV show library and your movies folders to the movie library. Plex will then scan the individual folders and then compile one master library.
 
bwana said:
You just need to add each folder to the relevant section - iow all your individual series folders get added to the TV show library and your movies folders to the movie library. Plex will then scan the individual folders and then compile one master library.
Click to expand...

Aha will try that.
Because what I have done was told Plex that Tv Series 1 is tv shows
Tv series 2 is tv shows
and Tv series 3 is tv shows.
So if I browse it was easy to know what is where.
But what you say is that I need to add them one folder at a time..... that is going to take awhile.
But willing to try and see what I get when I did that.

Thanks.
 
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