Apple TV + NAS?

[glurx]

I am thinking about buying an Apple TV and a Buffalo TeraStation NAS.

My question: Will I be able to stream content residing on the TeraStation on my network to the Apple TV?

Thanks for your help.

[Xool]

Probably, but it will have to be routed through a computer running iTunes.

NAS with videos for iTunes mounted on Mac which streams or pushes content to your AppleTV. This would work the same as storing your iTunes on an external Hard Drive, just yours is over a network mount.

Does the NAS support gigabit? What's your Mac?

[glurx]

Originally Posted by Xool

Does the NAS support gigabit? What's your Mac?

Yes. It supports gigabit ethernet.

Presently I have three Macs: a sage G3 iMac, a Power Mac G4/533, and an iBook G4/1.42 GHz.

I'm waiting for the release of Leopard this Fall. Once Leopard is released I intend to purchase a Mac Mini, an Apple TV, and a NAS.

[k squared]

I have a setup similar to what Xool describes: video content storage on an external drive with "soft" links in iTunes. Works pretty well so far.

[Project2501]

Originally Posted by k squared

I have a setup similar to what Xool describes: video content storage on an external drive with "soft" links in iTunes. Works pretty well so far.

Sort of similar idea, but if I remember correctly there was a NAS device on market that was able to serve as iTunes library by it self, so that would also rule out the need for extra computer. Just can't remember what was that product called. [EDIT] Google to the rescue, this is what I meant[/EDIT]

[Carniphage]

Originally Posted by glurx

I am thinking about buying an Apple TV and a Buffalo TeraStation NAS.

My question: Will I be able to stream content residing on the TeraStation on my network to the Apple TV?

Thanks for your help.

The problem with holding content on a NAS and then streaming via iTunes is the way data flows to the Apple TV. If you were using wireless, the flow would be like this.

NAS->Router->(WiFI)->iTunesServer->(WiFi)->Router->(WiFi)->AppleTV.
Notice that there are three wireless streams all going at the same time. all competing for the same bandwidth. Even with 802.11n you'd see problems when streaming video.

In an ideal world you'd want the data to flow like this...
NAS->Router->(WiFi)->AppleTV

But you can only do this if you modify the AppleTV. I have done this and use the AppleTV Files plugin to play directly from a network share.

http://plugins.awkwardtv.org/det.php...2645a5e6e3169b

C.

[gordy]

Just put your iTunes Library--and all of your media--on the NAS. Problem solved.