Apple TV and NAS

[stevenbee]

I use iTunes on a laptop connected by dlan to a Buffalo NAS and so access a music library of >500gb. (The NAS is also linked up to Sonus.)

Can I do the same thing with an Apple TV? I.e. link it to a folder on the NAS with my videos, in the same way my music library is in one?

Is this just wishful thinking - to utilize the Apple TV's c.160GB... and the NAS? Failing that, what is the cheapest, easiest (in that order) way to expand the Apple TV's storage?

Many thanks.

 

[John Duncan]

Not sure about using it with a NAS, per se, since I never tried it. However, it is possible to extend an @TV's storage by enabling the USB port to accept an external hard drive (it does however require you to delete all the content that's on there currently and start again, and the internal hard drive then remains empty). If you're comfortable with hacking the @TV's OS using Unix suntax, you can do it for free by following the instrucitons here, otherwise you can pay $50 for a whole load of extensions (some of which work, some not) from ATVFlash.

 

[stevenbee]

Thank you, John, for that. The hacking part reminds me of a five-star word from an earlier review (NaimUniti?), namely "faffage"! In very truth, I'm afraid that that is beyond my talents.

The MPEG-4s I'm hoping to stream (created via Pinnacle Video Transfer) would not work with a WD HD TV Mini, which at £40 was worth a shot. Am now waiting for a Lacie LaCinema, which seems to get around the storage question. And it sounds like an actress.

 

[John Duncan]

yes, I think I've seen some of her films.

The lacinema sounds like it does the job, certainly, and fairly sure it got a good write-up, though vaguely remember one issue with it, must look up the review...

 

[kinda]

Why don't you try sticking the free XBMC on your Apple TV. This software definitely allows access to files on the NAS, and will expand the file types you can play via your apple TV.

It also leaves the existing functionality of the Apple TV accessible as was.

 

[stevenbee]

Thanks for that. Do you know if and when this is available for Windows? I'd be most grateful.

 

[kinda]

It's already available for Windows, Linux, Mac OSX, and in a form called XBMC live that will run on a machine without any operating system installed creating a pure media centre device.

It started off as a program for modified XBoxes some years ago, and has moved on since then. Back in 2005 I was using my XBox as a media centre connected over the network to a NAS doing things that put many current media player offerings to shame. Music and video in almost any file format plus DVD ISO images all played fine and the interface is great.

Unfortunately for HD video / audio purposes the XBox hardware isn't up to sratch but luckily XBMC has continued to evolve and be ported to new platforms. I'd say it's the best media centre out there currently, is free, and is continuously enhanced.

 

[kinda]

BTW way if you haven't got an Apple TV currently but are just looking for something similar to run a media centre then an ION based PC would be better in my opinion.

 

[stevenbee]

I have gone for a different option: one which ignore both part of the thread's subject heading!

I.e. Lacie LaCinema Classic (not networked) hardwired by USB to laptop equipped with a bit of AVI-conversion software. The Pinnacle Video Transfer copies my VHS in real time, and the conversion/transfer to AVI/Lacie takes about the same again. But 1TB capacity, the rock-solid connection and very good picture quality (and almost-as-good sound) on TV and amp combo make up for the lack of actual streaming.

So not quite the ultra-sparkly, bells-and-whistles set-up I planned or, indeed, suggested by the subject heading. But the actress-turned-media player from Lacie turned out just fine for me (just over £100 plus £30 for some useful conversion tools) makes sense for my needs.

Especially as I now want one of those new Sony BDP-S370s which I can..."sort of" integrate into my network. By which I mean, do something networky with my TV!

Cheers to all.