Apple TV

RichPal shared this question 9 years ago
Answered

Hi, currently my Apple TV picks up my iTunes library from main computer, my Mac Book Pro.


Also connected to this computer is a 4TB hard disk, which I have a Tune Span library on.


My Mac Book Pro hard disk is almost maxed out. Can I add new stuff, movies especially, straight to my Tune Span Folder on my 4TB disk, without putting them into iTunes on my MBP.


Also, how do I get Apple TV to recognize that library?


Thanks,


RP

Replies (3)

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Thanks for getting in touch, sorry for my delayed response.


TuneSpan only recognizes media that's in your iTunes Library, and same with your Apple TV. So, you need to add the files to your iTunes Library before you can use them with TuneSpan or your Apple TV.


But, it is possible to add files to your iTunes Library without having the files copied to your default iTunes Media folder.


There is a checkbox option in the iTunes Advanced Preferences called "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library". To add new files to your library without having the files copied onto your iTunes Media folder (on your MBP) you can UNCHECK that option and then drag the files into iTunes and they will be added to your library, but referenced from where they are now rather than being copied into the default location. Then, when you're done adding the new media, you can recheck that option for normal usage, if you want.


But, there's also a cool trick to invert that option for each drag and drop into iTunes you do...


If you hold the Option key while dropping the files into iTunes, then that "Copy files..." option will be inverted. If it's checked, then holding Option will NOT copy the files. Or, if it's unchecked then holding Option WILL copy the files.


Hope that helps, please let me know if you have anymore questions.

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What would be great is if you could copy or not copy files to iTunes media folder based on media type- basically I manage my movie files externally and don't want to copy them to iTunes media folder, but everything else automatically copied. Can this be done through TuneSpan?


If not, your little tip is actually GREAT for me anyways, so thanks either way!!! Until now I was always going into iTunes prefs and checking/unchecking that box...

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Thanks for getting in touch.


But, I'm sorry to say that TuneSpan can't change where files go directly when they're added to iTunes, it just allows you to move them to wherever you choose once they're in iTunes.


TuneSpan can't change any actual behaviors of iTunes, it can just work with and around it in the ways that Apple allows through the AppleScript capabilities built into iTunes.

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