camster39
join:2001-11-18
1 edit | [Beginner] Apple TV synched with PC & iTunes
I have a Gateway PC – 360gb running Win XP Pro. On this PC are all my music, photos & video and iTunes. The PC is connected to my router via a Cat 5 cable.
I just got an Apple TV 40g as a present --- I am planning to connect this with a Cat 5 cable as well. I’ll run the Apple TV via HDMI to my multimedia center.
1 – My understanding is that iTunes on my PC is going to be the ‘engine’ or the storage mechanism for all my files (music, photo, video) and nothing is really stored on the Apple TV. Is this correct?
2 – Assuming that my PC is storing all the data, how does the data get to the Apple TV? Is it simply streamed or is it actual moved from the PC to the apple TV.
3 – If the information is simply streamed from the PC to the Apple TV, do I really care how big the drive is on the Apple TV?
If data is actually moved from the PC to the Apple TV, I may want to consider a bigger drive.
Thanks |
|
Teasip
join:2001-05-14
Plano, TX
| 1. Not necessarily. Data can be stored on AppleTV unless deleted.
2. Data is streamed either wirelessly (built-in) or wired
3. Not really if you're not planning on keeping material on there indefinitely
4. Don't know about ability to copy over OS from ATV |
|
LBDSL
Lightning Bolt
VIP
join:2002-01-07
Auburn Hills, MI
| reply to camster39
1. That depends if you set appleTV to stream, or sync the data
2. See #1
3. No, if you plan to stream everything the Hard drive size means very little.
4 When.....?
- I upgraded my 40Gb drive to a 320 a few months ago., of course my iTunes Library is over 1Tb in size.
--
Lightning Bolt Technologies |
|
camster39
join:2001-11-18 | Will there be any issues with streaming video though? For example, if the video is not stored on the Apple TV, won't it take a while to actually stream and cause a delay in my viewing -- especially with HD Movies. |
|
hyperjoe
Premium
join:2000-11-03
Gates Mills, OH
| said by camster39  :Will there be any issues with streaming video though? For example, if the video is not stored on the Apple TV, won't it take a while to actually stream and cause a delay in my viewing -- especially with HD Movies. if you have a strong network, 720 streams nice.
--
I am proud to be Americana. In today's society, I would be considered folklore -Hyperjoe |
|
TearAbite
join:2001-07-25
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | reply to camster39
so to use AppleTV, you have to turn on your computer, log in and run iTunes every time? |
|
Teasip
join:2001-05-14
Plano, TX | reply to camster39
I can tell you that when I had mine earlier this year, using FiOS at 20/5 speeds, I was able to begin a HD movie within a minute. |
|
LBDSL
Lightning Bolt
VIP
join:2002-01-07
Auburn Hills, MI
1 edit | reply to camster39
said by camster39 :Will there be any issues with streaming video though? For example, if the video is not stored on the Apple TV, won't it take a while to actually stream and cause a delay in my viewing -- especially with HD Movies. All my video streamed fine over my 100m wired connection, and video starts within seconds
--
Lightning Bolt Technologies |
|
LBDSL
Lightning Bolt
VIP
join:2002-01-07
Auburn Hills, MI
| reply to TearAbite
said by TearAbite :so to use AppleTV, you have to turn on your computer, log in and run iTunes every time? If you chose to ONLY stream data, then yes, if you sync data, then things are stored on the appleTV, and no computer or iTunes is needed to view things
--
Lightning Bolt Technologies |
|
camster39
join:2001-11-18
| Is there an option, within iTunes, that says to either stream or synch?
Also, let's when I add new photos, music, movies to iTunes and I don't have the synch option set, will I be able to browse the actual iTunes library immediately or would I have to run some type of a synch / stream. In other words, I just want to add stuff to iTunes and have it immediately available for viewing on the Apple TV. |
|
LBDSL
Lightning Bolt
VIP
join:2002-01-07
Auburn Hills, MI
| The stream or sync option is on the AppleTV when you set it up.
In either setting, new content is available for viewing within minutes. Any time iTunes is started up, and sees the AppleTV, it will "sync" each other. What this means, is it looks at the library and makes a data file (I'm assuming) of the titles. like a index for the lack of a better term. So your AppleTV knows what is stored in iTunes. This process typically takes a minute or 2, which is why new content will be available within minutes. (I hope that made sense.)
--
Lightning Bolt Technologies |
|
camster39
join:2001-11-18
| Thanks for your reply - I think I get it now.
Just curious to get your opinion then -- since all my data is stored on my PC and I plan on having iTunes open and running at all times, is there any sense in my getting the bigger drive for the Apple TV?
Also, from what I've gathered from this post, if I am streaming my video over a Cat5 and not wireless, I should not experience any difficulties. |
|
kerriskandie
join:2001-10-09
Coram, NY
 ·Optimum Online
| reply to camster39
If ALL you intend to do is stream..then a bigger HD should be well down your list of priority's......
Yiu should be able to stream wirelessly over a mixed b/g network......depending on a few factors....like the overall speed of your provider/distance from wireless station/interference etc.....
I used to stream from my ATV, wirelessly, mixed b/g network, from a NAS located some 40/50 feet away...in a metal building....
most times, there was a v brief delay, then everything was fine, the ATV started to struggle to play SOME high end HD content ( one of the reasons I switched to a Mini HTPC)....but 720 was aok! |
|
camster39
join:2001-11-18
| OK, last question (I hope). How exactly am I going to stream my photos from my PC to ATV? I don't have iPhoto since I'm using a PC and as far as I can tell iTunes does not store photos (only video, music, podcasts, TV etc...). Is there somewhere within iTunes that I would 'point' to my directory where all my photos are stored? How does ATV know where to look for my photos if it's only looking to iTunes for all my content. |
|
LBDSL
Lightning Bolt
VIP
join:2002-01-07
Auburn Hills, MI
1 edit | Syncing: »support.apple.com/kb/HT2265
Streaming: »support.apple.com/kb/HT1273 |
|
