How do I load a video screensaver into my Apple TV?

Question

How do I load a video screensaver into my Apple TV?

I was in the Apple store yesterday, and noticed that the display Apple TV in the store would start playing a promo video as it's screensaver. I want my Apple TV to play a personal video as its screensaver. Does anyone know how to do this? Is it some kind of a hack?

Mac Pro 3 GHz Quad-Cor Intel Xeon, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 8 GB ram

Posted on Oct 19, 2009 5:55 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 19, 2009 7:18 PM in response to capaho

I don't want to sync photos. I want to load my own video into the options menu for screensavers on my Apple TV, and have that play as my screensaver.

This is not a setting that is available in the menu, but I know there is some way to do it. Apple hacks their own AppleTVs to play promos from the screensaver menu in their Apple Stores.

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Answer 2

capaho

Level 4

3,677 points

Oct 19, 2009 7:33 PM in response to Julian Whatley

There is no user option for setting a video as the screensaver, nor is it currently possible to set a video to loop. As for user hacks, they're not supported by Apple, and discussing them here is a sure way to get the thread deleted.

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Answer 3

Oct 20, 2009 3:12 AM in response to Julian Whatley

This is not a setting that is available in the menu, but I know there is some way to do it. Apple hacks their own AppleTVs to play promos from the screensaver menu in their Apple Stores.

I very much doubt it, I think you'll find they use a looping movie and play it in the same way as you and I would do, there is no way to add your own screensaver to the tv.

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Answer 4

Chenks

Level 5

7,435 points

Oct 20, 2009 12:21 PM in response to Julian Whatley

Julian Whatley wrote:
Go to an Apple store, and see for yourself. There is absolutely a way to do it, and apparently there is a legitimate way to do it using Keynote.

as said, they are simply looping a video, which can easily by done by anyone (it's not a special apple trick).

however, if you know better feel free to try and find out and then share it with everyone.

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Answer 5

Oct 20, 2009 1:41 PM in response to Julian Whatley

I would doubt that Apple would demonstrate an Apple tv doing something that it only does with unsupported modifications. As you mention keynote, then it seems less likely, however I wonder if what you aren't seeing isn't simply a slideshow screensaver made with slides exported from keynote.

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Answer 6

capaho

Level 4

3,677 points

Oct 19, 2009 6:19 PM in response to Julian Whatley

You can sync photos from your photo library or from a MobileMe account if you have one and use them for the screensaver by selecting them in the screensaver settings on the ATV.

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Answer 7

Oct 20, 2009 11:47 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Go to an Apple store, and see for yourself. There is absolutely a way to do it, and apparently there is a legitimate way to do it using Keynote.

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