Ripping DVDs to iTunes & then Apple TV (1st gen)

cymruoasis

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I've bought a 1st gen Apple TV, and just wondering what's the best way of getting things off DVD to the ATV with the best possible PQ, and without losing the 5.1 soundtrack? :thumbsup:

I have handbrake, but I think I read that using that alone will mean not retaining 5.1 ... ?
 
Depends you running just stock Apple player to using XBMC ?

If using stock Apple player it only supports H.264 video through iTunes so use Handbrake AppleTV1 preset, on the audio tab remove the AAC track and make the AC3 passthru track the default.

If using XBMC just rip as .ISO image or use MakeMKV to extract the main movie as a standalone file, there is no need to convert the video stream it will play natively which either of those methods will deliver.
 
Depends you running just stock Apple player to using XBMC ?

If using stock Apple player it only supports H.264 video through iTunes so use Handbrake AppleTV1 preset, on the audio tab remove the AAC track and make the AC3 passthru track the default.

If using XBMC just rip as .ISO image or use MakeMKV to extract the main movie as a standalone file, there is no need to convert the video stream it will play natively which either of those methods will deliver.

Yes, it has XBMC installed. So if I use MakeMKV I can just stick the movie in iTunes and straight to the ATV? Out of interest, what do you with "rip as .ISO image"? :smashin:
 
You don't use iTunes at all with XBMC present.

MakeMKV will copy the main movie from the DVD as a .mkv container with, all you do is share out the folder holding it or copy it to your NAS whatever you prefer. In XBMC go to videos\add source\windows networks SMB and add the folder you shared out.

For ISO images these are if you want the DVD menus intact, you can use software like AnyDVD to do this.
 
cymruoasis said:
I've bought a 1st gen Apple TV, and just wondering what's the best way of getting things off DVD to the ATV with the best possible PQ, and without losing the 5.1 soundtrack? :thumbsup:

I have handbrake, but I think I read that using that alone will mean not retaining 5.1 ... ?

Handbrake has many 5.1 options and you can encode multiple surround formats into the same movie...

I convert HD audio into stereo/pro logic II at 320 for maximum compatibility and then for 2nd I use the 6 channel passthrough setting, can't recall what it's called...

But you can have like 5 different audio "tracks" and then choose which one you want to listen to via appletv remote... The appletv passes through multichannel surround sound to your av receiver....
 
You don't use iTunes at all with XBMC present.

MakeMKV will copy the main movie from the DVD as a .mkv container with, all you do is share out the folder holding it or copy it to your NAS whatever you prefer. In XBMC go to videos\add source\windows networks SMB and add the folder you shared out.

For ISO images these are if you want the DVD menus intact, you can use software like AnyDVD to do this.

Ah, I see. I haven't received it yet you see, so don't know what to expect. So when I connect at ATV to my laptop I'll be able to "explore" it, and there will a an XBMC file visable?
 
Handbrake has many 5.1 options and you can encode multiple surround formats into the same movie...

I convert HD audio into stereo/pro logic II at 320 for maximum compatibility and then for 2nd I use the 6 channel passthrough setting, can't recall what it's called...

But you can have like 5 different audio "tracks" and then choose which one you want to listen to via appletv remote... The appletv passes through multichannel surround sound to your av receiver....

Ok, thanks. I'll look at that option too :smashin:
 
Ah, I see. I haven't received it yet you see, so don't know what to expect. So when I connect at ATV to my laptop I'll be able to "explore" it, and there will a an XBMC file visable?

Download XBMC for your PC and run it to get a feel as it behaves the same way.

When running XBMC on the ATV you will have to share out PC folders so it can access the PC and when in add source you just go to Windows networks SMB and browse the workgroup to find your PC and it's shared folders then add that folder.


If you dont care at all about the AppleOS on the ATV1 and are purely using this for XBMC only, use Crystalbuntu instead, this will erase the AppleOS and replace it with a custom linux OS that boots into XBMC it runs much better/faster and gives other features like 1080p display support, Airplay, use of USB ports etc.
 
Download XBMC for your PC and run it to get a feel as it behaves the same way.

When running XBMC on the ATV you will have to share out PC folders so it can access the PC and when in add source you just go to Windows networks SMB and browse the workgroup to find your PC and it's shared folders then add that folder.


If you dont care at all about the AppleOS on the ATV1 and are purely using this for XBMC only, use Crystalbuntu instead, this will erase the AppleOS and replace it with a custom linux OS that boots into XBMC it runs much better/faster and gives other features like 1080p display support, Airplay, use of USB ports etc.

It's safe to say I'm totally confused :laugh: (it may become more clear once I have the device?)

So if I'm using XBMC on the ATV I have to have my laptop on too so that they're on a shared network?
 
No it does not need to be running, you just share out folders on your PC and XBMC on the AppleTV reads those.

If you want to get a feel of how XBMC operates I strongly recommend installing the PC version and have a play around with that before jumping to the AppleTV version.
 
I have downloaded it now :thumbsup:

I'll bump this thread up again once I receive the AppleTV if I get stuck, thanks for your help :)
 
Ok, I've had my ATV today. Managed to get my music across easily from iTunes, but can't work out XBMC.

I've ripped a few things to my laptop using MakeMKV, is there an idiot's guide how to get them to XBMC on the ATV? Also, are there any settings I need to change on MakeMKV to get the best PQ & SQ?
 
Is XBMC installed on the AppleTV ?

If yes the go to videos\add source\windows networks SMB\ browse to your PC and add the folders. This guide shows how to properly share out folders via Win 7.

If your try to transfer files to the internal HDD of the AppleTV you will need to use an FTP client. The Apple OS does not provide SMB file sharing support, for that you would have to switch to Crystalbuntu OS.

There are no settings to change on MakeMKV because it is not doing anything, it is a 1:1 copy of the video stream to an mkv container.
 
Is XBMC installed on the AppleTV ?

If yes the go to videos\add source\windows networks SMB\ browse to your PC and add the folders. This guide shows how to properly share out folders via Win 7.

If your try to transfer files to the internal HDD of the AppleTV you will need to use an FTP client. The Apple OS does not provide SMB file sharing support, for that you would have to switch to Crystalbuntu OS.

There are no settings to change on MakeMKV because it is not doing anything, it is a 1:1 copy of the video stream to an mkv container.

There doesn't seem to be an 'add source' option. I've made sure the 'Show "Add source" buttons in file lists' option is selected in the settings.
 
It might be called add videos I think it's changed in newer builds and no longer called add source.
 
This is strange, under 'Music' and 'Pictures' tab, there is an 'Add source' option, but not under Videos .. !
 
Very odd, are you using the official release or a nightly build of XBMC for AppleTV1 (the old official release has a vertical home screen whereas the nightly builds have a horizontal home screen)

Try turning off the show add source option in settings/appearance/file lists then exit XBMC back to Apple dashboard, after that run XBMC again then go into settings and enable show add source.
 
Very odd, are you using the official release or a nightly build of XBMC for AppleTV1 (the old official release has a vertical home screen whereas the nightly builds have a horizontal home screen)

Try turning off the show add source option in settings/appearance/file lists then exit XBMC back to Apple dashboard, after that run XBMC again then go into settings and enable show add source.

It's got a vertical home screen like the one I downloaded to my PC the other day. I've tried that too, and no joy.

It may be that I'm in 'Library mode', but when I press left on the remote to access the sub menu that would normally have a 'Library mode' option, it's not there for me to try and switch it off.
 
When on the home screen go to videos then press right on the remote to bring out the submenu and you might see files selection.

On the old release library mode wasn't there until you scanned content which must exist as a files source first so I'm not sure how it could be in library mode. On the nightly builds the files and library mode both appear on the home screen under videos.

Option1: Are you attached at all to the AppleOS, if no now would be a good time to use Crystalbuntu, generate the patchstick to install to local HDD, plug the patchstick into the ATV (ethernet must also be plugged in) and it will replace the operating system with an up to date build of XBMC as well, your problems should be resolved from this. However you will loose the AppleOS unless you swap out the HDD or have a Mac to use ATVCloner to back it up with.

Option2: Try a nightly build of XBMC for ATV OS, if they still exist I'm not sure on that. Open up a SSH session to the ATV and input the string that begins with defaults write you see in that post then when you go to the launcher you should see XBMC nightly.

Option3: Try download XBMC & installing again.
 
Try the option 2 nightly build of XBMC it will replace the existing official build. If you still have problems after that then try the factory restore.
 
Try the option 2 nightly build of XBMC it will replace the existing official build. If you still have problems after that then try the factory restore.

I didn't really understand option 2, so I went with a factory reset.

It was all going great until it came time to prepare the 'patchstick' to install XBMC on the ATV.

The software I was using to create the patchstick stopped responding towards the end, and now my laptop won't read my USB stick :rolleyes:
 
Ok, I've just connected the USB stick to my ATV to check incase it had finished creating the patchstick. It seems like it has. I just need to download the updates for the launcher, XBMC and Boxee now, and hopefully it'll be sorted.
 
XBMC successfully installed, AND now there is an 'Add source' option under Videos :D

I still have issues though, which will hopefully be easier to answer.

When I navigate down to 'Windows network (SMB)' I get an error saying 'Error 2: share not available' even though I have made the 'Video' file from MakeMKV available to share with 'Everyone' as this guide http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=63123 shows me to do.

Any suggestions?
 
Your network name on the PC is set to workgroup yes ? That error message is a known one but it can mean a whole different bunch of stuff, if you google Error 2: share not available you will see a ton of results on the XBMC forum.

Try this
* Install the demo version of network magic and use it to share out a folder.
* Restart your network router
* Restart your PC
* Reboot the ATV

Now see if it can connect to the network share, if it doesn't then try this (when creating the patchstick you need to have enabled the SSH option)
* Download Putty.
* Run it and enter in the IP address of the AppleTV.
* The logins details for both the username and password is atv
* Copy and paste the command in below (right mouse click pastes in Putty)
Code:
defaults write com.teamxbmc.xbmclauncher XBMCAdditionalDownloadPlistURLs -array-add http://mirrors.xbmc.org/nightlies/osx/update_urls.plist

You can close Putty, now go to the launcher on the AppleTV and if you check you should see XBMC nightly as a download option, install the newer build and see if you still have connections problems.
 

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