[climb.on]

Can I connect an external hard drive with ripped DVD's to my Airport Extreme (older saucer shaped one) and play those movies through XBMC?

If so, can you give me a specific suggestions for a 1-2tb external.

[climb.on]

Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[live4ever]

I believe this guy:



only had printer sharing (no hard drives).

[wmlang]

Why do you need the airport extreme if you have an ATV2? Run NAS or external hard-drive directly into ATV2 via ethernet. Its what I do using 2TB Buffalo Linkstation. Can buy cheaper versions but this is one I'm using. Runs torrents & back-ups in back-ground even while streaming HD vids to ATV2 using XMBC.
http://www.provantage.com/buffalo-techno...FLS04A.htm
Works great...just make sure you rip DVDs to H264 MP4. Doesn't run HD AVI / DivX consistently.

[climb.on]

Thanks wmlang. I thought you couldn't connect a hard drive directly to the ATV2 for streaming. If that's possible via direct ethernet connection from an NAS to ATV2, I'll just go that route for sure. That's really all I need? No other computer connected and running to stream? Pretty much any NAS will work?

[sickpuppies]

Thanks wmlang. I thought you couldn't connect a hard drive directly to the ATV2 for streaming. If that's possible via direct ethernet connection from an NAS to ATV2, I'll just go that route for sure. That's really all I need? No other computer connected and running to stream? Pretty much any NAS will work?

I've got an ATV2 running on a wired network off my Belkin N600DB router attached USB harddrive.

I found it works really well on most files but I had excessive buffering on some movies (I haven't quite worked out the pattern, but it seems to be mostly the MPEG2 files that I have issues with).

I figured it was more the power of the ATV2, rather than the files, or the network (especially after I wired it up using Cat5e, and then Cat6 cables), seeing how it ran flawlessly on my wireless i5 laptop, so I have ordered an A6-3500 powered machine.

Specs on that machine here.

Hope this helps,

francis

[climb.on]

Francis, that looks like a sweet setup. I'm really trying to keep from adding another computer. I just don't have the time and $ to go that route. I'm sure there are lots of advantages, but I'm coming from a place where I want an ATV2 and just want to have as simple a system as possible to access ripped dvd's through it. No extra computers if possible.

[wmlang]

climbon
Just to be clear...I run NAS (Linkstation) to basic router to ATV all via ethernet (that way can also stream from NAS to laptops with XBMC).
Then ATV --> A/V receiver & 50" plasma with HDMI. But you should be able to wire NAS to ATV2 directly also. Just need to tell ATV2 where to find shares using one of various file protocols (I use SAMBA).

I was streaming wireless N to ATV2 but found wired to be just a bit more stable, especially with HD. Been using ATV2 setup for over 6 months. Very pleased. Streams all my mp3 files, photos, movies, and TV shows flawlessly. Will probably add to HTPC in near future & keep ATV2 for another TV.

Caveats:
1. Need to jailbreak ATV2 using Seas0npass.
2. Recommend install XBMC by SHH into ATV via PUTTY & then installing nightly updates thereafter (see stickies on ATV for ios forum).
3. 720p+ avi / divX files will buffer...lesser definition have no problem. For HD stick with MP4 (H264, X264, mkv files). Don't have any experience with other file types so can't comment.
4. Expect that heavy skins and fanart lag a bit compared to HTPC...but still work. I use stock Confluence skin and turn fanart off.

[climb.on]

Ok sounds like I can't connect a NAS directly to the ATV2 then and will have to go through a router, and my older Airport Extreme won't do it. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I would like to have a realistic plan before I go ordering stuff hoping it will work a certain way.

[live4ever]

You could still use the router - but I'd suggest connecting the ATV2 and the NAS to a gigabit switch (which is also connected to the router).