Apple TV (2015 Model)

Armonline

Picked one up in iConnect in Henry st yesterday. The had a few more in stock of both sizes. So far looks good, plex app works very well.

Austin1

Can someone please explain to me what the benefit of having Plex on your ATV is? My current workflow after getting a movie file on my Macbook is as follows:

1. Convert file to m4V format using Handbrake, so it will play on itunes.

2. Once conversion is done(painfully slow as its practically in real time for a large file thats 1GB+) import the file into iTunes.

3. Play file on my Apple TV 3rd Gen through my TV.

How is using Plex better than the above? Does it just play the unconverted file without me having to put it through Handbrake? Or is it just their streaming channels that appeal to people?

If there are any other benefits to Plex I'm all ears!

Armonline

Austin1 wrote: »

Can someone please explain to me what the benefit of having Plex on your ATV is? My current workflow after getting a movie file on my Macbook is as follows:

1. Convert file to m4V format using Handbrake, so it will play on itunes.

2. Once conversion is done(painfully slow as its practically in real time for a large file thats 1GB+) import the file into iTunes.

3. Play file on my Apple TV 3rd Gen through my TV.

How is using Plex better than the above? Does it just play the unconverted file without me having to put it through Handbrake? Or is it just their streaming channels that appeal to people?

If there are any other benefits to Plex I'm all ears!

Install Plex server on you Mac book & Plex Client on your ATV. No conversion required for your m4v.

Plex also indexes all the media on your Mac and presents it on the ATV (or other devices) with cover art and descriptions.

OU812

Austin1 wrote: »

1. Convert file to m4V format using Handbrake, so it will play on itunes.

2. Once conversion is done(painfully slow as its practically in real time for a large file thats 1GB+) import the file into iTunes

Get iflicks. Super fast conversion & export directly to iTunes. Talking minutes for a large movie mkv or seconds for a tv show

cracker

An alternative to Plex comingif you want lossless audio, maybe.

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=238524&page=3

http://koditips.com/kodi-on-apple-tv-4-mrmc-coming-soon/

The Dark Knight

Austin1 wrote: »

Can someone please explain to me what the benefit of having Plex on your ATV is? My current workflow after getting a movie file on my Macbook is as follows:

1. Convert file to m4V format using Handbrake, so it will play on itunes.

2. Once conversion is done(painfully slow as its practically in real time for a large file thats 1GB+) import the file into iTunes.

3. Play file on my Apple TV 3rd Gen through my TV.

How is using Plex better than the above? Does it just play the unconverted file without me having to put it through Handbrake? Or is it just their streaming channels that appeal to people?rt

If there are any other benefits to Plex I'm all ears!

Why on earth do you put yourself to that trouble!
There are so many options out there, simplest and cheapest probably being a chromecast. Personally I'd also invest in decent NAS to act as your server.

Armonline

The Dark Knight wrote: »

Why on earth do you put yourself to that trouble!
There are so many options out there, simplest and cheapest probably being a chromecast. Personally I'd also invest in decent NAS to act as your server.

If you already have a Apple TV v3, you don't even need a chrome cast. Just play it on the Mac and airplay it over to the Apple TV.

But a decent NAS is the way to go with Plex if you have a lot of movies/TV shows

Senecio

The Dark Knight wrote: »

Why on earth do you put yourself to that trouble!
There are so many options out there, simplest and cheapest probably being a chromecast. Personally I'd also invest in decent NAS to act as your server.

I go to this much trouble (well almost, I use iFlicks instead of Handbrake) because I travel a lot for work and I want to be able to watch my movies on the go as well as in the home. Not that much trouble really.

OU812

The Dark Knight wrote: »

Why on earth do you put yourself to that trouble!
There are so many options out there, simplest and cheapest probably being a chromecast. Personally I'd also invest in decent NAS to act as your server.

It's no hassle to do it with iflicks. Just drag them in, give them a couple of seconds to grab the meta data & press start.

You end up with a georgous display of media with all meta data pulled in iTunes.

All that stuff is embedded in the file so if you copy media to an iPad or iPhone/iPod it goes with it too.

Blazer

Finally see what all the fuss is about plex..Set up my mac mini as the plex server and just kept the nas as storage. Installed it on the apple tv and it's fantastic...of course my mac and nas are hard-wired to a gigabit router with 802.11ac speeds which the atv has so it's exceptionally fast..you definitely want the fastest router you can get when streaming if not hard-wired.
Homeplugs are great too but I've two breakers in my house at least so they don't see the same devices on each which is a major pain.

Creamy Goodness

What's the best NAS to buy?

whiterebel

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

What's the best NAS to buy?

Synology Diskstation

Blazer

all depends..QNAP are good as well but the synology interface is miles better.
If you've an old pc at home you're better off using that and installing freenas on it.
I was looking at the latest synology ds216 play for transcoding etc but it doesn't handle some codec that the majority of users use. Plus reviews for it are pretty bad. Pity as I love my one. Have it 2 years and its extremely reliable.
Most reckon synology will launch a better ds216+ with better features.

Austin1

Armonline wrote: »

Install Plex server on you Mac book & Plex Client on your ATV. No conversion required for your m4v.

Plex also indexes all the media on your Mac and presents it on the ATV (or other devices) with cover art and descriptions.

How exactly do I install Plex Client on my ATV3? I did some online research which mentions running a Python script called 'Plex Connect' - that all sounds very complicated for a non-techie head like me! Is that the only way it can be done? If so would somebody be kind enough to throw up a YouTube link showing me step by step how you do this?

shanec1928

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

What's the best NAS to buy?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MfYoJkiwSqCXg8cm5-Ac4oOLPRtCkgUxU0jdj3tmMPc/htmlview?sle=true

DubDJ

Austin1 wrote: »

How exactly do I install Plex Client on my ATV3? I did some online research which mentions running a Python script called 'Plex Connect' - that all sounds very complicated for a non-techie head like me! Is that the only way it can be done? If so would somebody be kind enough to throw up a YouTube link showing me step by step how you do this?

There was a way of switching the trailers app on the Apple TV but that could be gone now.

EdenStudios

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

What's the best NAS to buy?

I've used both QNAP most recently a Synology.

My QNAP is about 5 years old and the UI and features reflect that. The Synology is a few months old and is bound to have better features and a better user experience by virtue of being more modern.

BUt all things being equal (hate that expression!) I much prefer the Synology and in the short time I've had it, use it tons more.

I haven't read the previous posts on this thread but just note that some of the Synology models don't suport Plex.

Blazer

shanec1928 wrote: »

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MfYoJkiwSqCXg8cm5-Ac4oOLPRtCkgUxU0jdj3tmMPc/htmlview?sle=true

That's bloody depressing...very few NAS support full transcoding...

squonk

I'd prefer not to be doing transcoding on my NAS tbh. A dedicated server PC is far better IMHO. Id' pick a NAS for small scale decoding jobs.

Blazer

OSI wrote: »

Well they're designed for storing, not playing.

Yah but you consider synology's market and it was original geared at home users and being able to stream to all your devices. Shove an i5 in there and we'll be sorted

adox

Looks like Siri integration with Apple Music is coming with 9.1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-r1BuOGvr4

sibergoth

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

What's the best NAS to buy?

use a Raspberry Pi and attach any USB HDD...

eeloe

Really considering upgrading here, can someone confirm that VLC is available on the App Store on the TV?

Sad Professor

VLC developers are still beta testing their tvOS app.

eeloe

Contemplating ordering from the UK to get Siri...I've read over the thread, and i can't really see there being many plus sides to getting it?

Are the remotes idential, apart from the irish model doesn't have a siri button?

mackerski

eeloe wrote: »

Contemplating ordering from the UK to get Siri...I've read over the thread, and i can't really see there being many plus sides to getting it?

Are the remotes idential, apart from the irish model doesn't have a siri button?

No, they are fully identical. Did you read the thread at all?

adox

eeloe wrote: »

Contemplating ordering from the UK to get Siri...I've read over the thread, and i can't really see there being many plus sides to getting it?

Are the remotes idential, apart from the irish model doesn't have a siri button?

The boxes and remotes are identical. Siri is matched to whatever iTunes account you are logged in to so there is no advantage to buying in the UK.

eeloe

Deepest apologies, I dunno why i thought the Irish model had a different remote...

sibergoth

it might be cheaper from the UK ?

EdenStudios

Why would Siri in Ireland on the ATV be restricted when it's available on the iPhone?