[AppleTV] Import existing Apple TV iTunes synced content into XBMC's library?
#16
jmarshall Wrote:The best way of getting _ANY_ file based content into XBMC is to just add the folder where they're located, and (if you want them in the library) scan them in.

Just add the iTunes music folder as a source, and scan 'em in.

Cheers,
Jonathan

I don't think this works on an AppleTV, unless you are referring to the Mac to which the Apple TV is synced. The ATV has its media files in odd places. I guess the question is to figure out how to play the media files living on the Apple TV ( not the streamed ones) through XBMC. It does work on XBMC on a Mac Mini.

philip
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#17
spiff Wrote:... when we get criticized and attacked for what we have done by somebody that has contributed zilch i WILL react, in particular when it is done in a mocking tone like that. he was way out of line there. not just against us devs, personally i have a thick skin, but also against all the users that actually have contributed to the wiki. nobody else will speak up so i do it even if it makes me unpopular and grumpy.

Well I do see your point. I guess I must be missing something. The problem of playing media file living on an Apple TV ( not back on the main Mac) using XBMC does not appear to be solved by using the iTunes plugin. I have read the wiki and can see how it works for XBMC on a Mac. The ATV has a different way of organizing its media files (no iTunes folder for one thing). I have tried to do this on several occasions. It really doesn't seem obvious, at least for the Apple TV version of XBMC. It would be great if it worked as XBMC on the ATV has really ended up being a jewel. Can't wait for my Crystal HD card to arrive...

Anyway, my first impression was that someone was asking a difficult question... never quite got to the mocking tone part. Certainly no place for that though. The vast, vast majority of XBMC users really appreciate the whole XBMC group.

philip
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#18
It doesn't matter where the files are, as long as you find them. I agree it'd be nicer if we made this easier for users, unfortunately I don't have an AppleTV so won't be of much help here. One presumes they're in _some_ folder somewhere - find where they are (doesn't really matter how they're organised) and add that folder and see how things go. Make a note of the folder and (assuming everything works OK) we can look at doing it automatically for new users.

Cheers,
Jonathan
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#19
jmarshall Wrote:It doesn't matter where the files are, as long as you find them. [ ] Make a note of the folder and (assuming everything works OK) we can look at doing it automatically for new users.

Cheers,
Jonathan

They are in /mnt/Media/Media Files . Each file is then in a subfolder named Fxx. Within F03 say the file has the name YCQJ.m4v or ().mov . In other words there is probably some other file which translates those names into the real names. It might be a file called "Media Library" which lives in /mnt/Media/Media Files .

It seems far more convoluted than iTunes on a Mac or PC. I'll try adding /mnt/Media/Media Files , but I would then never know what I was looking at!

Thank's...philip
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#20
Did you manage to get this to work pmcd?

The reason I ask is I have a similar question where I plan to sync all my movies to the appleTV (when it arrives at the weekend) so they will be accessable by the standard frontrow software, but I would also like that synced media to be accessable by XBMC (so I can turn off the PC)

Obviously the other option is to double up the movies on an external Hard Drive but id like to avoid that if possible!
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#21
The idea posted by Jmarshall works like a charm.
I am using my appleTV like this for quite a while now.

There is one catch, you have to have your tags up because you need to use library mode on it.

I vote for the automatic inclusion of this as a source as well btw Smile

Cheers for the debs and community making xbmc possible.
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#22
MrMario64 Wrote:The idea posted by Jmarshall works like a charm.
I am using my appleTV like this for quite a while now.

There is one catch, you have to have your tags up because you need to use library mode on it.

I vote for the automatic inclusion of this as a source as well btw Smile

Cheers for the debs and community making xbmc possible.

How exactly are you doing this? If you add the files in /mnt/.../Media they won't have names. Also, if a file is a tricked h.264 file then it won't play in XBMC. It will play using the ATV because that unit plays them. By tricked I mean an xvid file that has been placed into a mov container with an empty h.264 preamble ( ATV fooler is a utility that does this as does the excellent videodrive).

Any details would really be appreciated. I gave up cause nothing seemed to work.

Philip
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#23
Thumbs Up 
jmarshall Wrote:The best way of getting _ANY_ file based content into XBMC is to just add the folder where they're located, and (if you want them in the library) scan them in.

Just add the iTunes music folder as a source, and scan 'em in.

Cheers,
Jonathan

I have been able to point XBMC to my itunes library source however when the music files appear, they appear as folders, divided by artist. I cannot arrange these as a useable library and that function on the blade on the left is greyed out. I've checked my music and everything has tags. What am I doing wrong please? Thank you in advance!
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#24
exactly how did you get xbmc to point to your itunes library
I am trying to the same on my Windows 7 pc to ATV with XBMC on it
Can anyone help

Thanks all
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#25
I did it through the windows option on the interface when you click to browse for a source (cant remember the exact term that was displayed but was the only one that had the word 'windows' in it).
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#26
irishdean Wrote:I have been able to point XBMC to my itunes library source however when the music files appear, they appear as folders, divided by artist. I cannot arrange these as a useable library and that function on the blade on the left is greyed out. I've checked my music and everything has tags. What am I doing wrong please? Thank you in advance!

Have you got an iPhone / iPod Touch? I was in the same state as you in that I had added the source folders and could see my music as files, but unable to choose the Library Mode. It turns out you need access to the Context Menu which I don't think you can get to via the standard Apple TV remote (if I''m wrong on this, please someone correct me!).

I eventually found it through the XBMC remote for the iPhone - download this (it's free) and then start it up. Once you've connected into your Apple TV (you'll need to put in the username and password you've setup for remote connection), you can then go to More from the bottom menu, then Remote. Find a blank space by swiping to the side a couple of times and then click Edit and then Add from the top menu. In the list you'll then find Context Menu.

Once you have this, browse back to the sources section and to the top folder containing the sources you added. Now use the new Context Menu button here and you'll see Scan item to library. Click this - once it's completed, you'll see Library Mode is enabled and everything appears in a much more friendly format.

Hope this helps!
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[AppleTV] Import existing Apple TV iTunes synced content into XBMC's library?0