Extracting Movie Files from Apple TV

bdm2010 wrote:
.... When I right click on the Apple TV icon in iTunes all I get is "Turn Streaming Off"

You have set it up for streaming not syncing if you see this message.

AppleTv will only sync purchases back to a sync library not to a streaming library.

The iTunes library needs to be the top entry in AppleTV's Settings>Computers menu.

There is a danger that if you change the library (by removing and re-adding) you might lose content on AppleTv when you set it up as a new sync library, but this may not happen if the purchases have never synced.

I cannot say for certain - this is one of the annoyances of the AppleTV sync/stream model - It's not always cvlear when setting up a new sync library deletes purchased content.

I've seen other people say that once they've moved the media folder to an external drive it's stopped transferring purchases from iTunes though this is only in recent months.

Send feedback to:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html

It may be a bug.

While you can have the whole of your itunes folder including the databaxse files and media on the external, I tend to keep it on the internal drive.

I set iTunes Preferences not to copy added media to the iTunes folder, so that the database just references file locations. On various externals I have groupings of media (I should consolidate them all) and drag and drop to iTunes which adds them to the library without copying the files.

With purchases, I locate them via itunes then copy them off to the external location manually, then delete the entry/files via itunes to free up internal space. Next I re-add the media from the external with drag and drop.

Admittedly this approach is a bit of a chore, but generally works for me, especially as I store different media on different drives.

I previously created a new iTunes folder/library on an external drive (database/artwork/media files and all) using option key when opening iTunes. From memory any purchases would transfer ok, but it was some time ago, and I've only seen reports like your in last 6-12 months.

I suspect it's a bug in iTunes relating to the storage path for AppleTV reverse transfers, but if it doesn't happen to everyone there may be some unique features for those affected.

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.....I bought and directly downloaded to Apple TV on my laptop......

If you are saying you bought and downloaded them to your laptop and then synced them to the Apple TV, then the original files should still be on your laptop. If they are not then the next sync you perform will delete them from the Apple TV unless they are still listed in itunes.

If they are already on your Apple tv, I'm not sure what it is you are asking as that's where you seem to want them to be in order to take them on holiday, or am I misunderstanding you.

I have a similar problem and I can't resolve it. I bought a whole bunch of movies on my Apple TV just about all of them. I noticed some of them were missing so contacted support. They let me download them to my computer but my computer ran out of hard drive space. Never got to finish downloading them. Then I got an external drive, changed the media folder location in the itunes advanced preferences to my external after moving the itunes music folder with my existing movies in it. No problems so far. Next I try to transfer the appleTV movies that are only on my apple TV to itunes. I tried right clicking on the Apple TV in itunes and nothing happens. I need help, I can see the movies in itunes on my computer that are on the Apple TV but they're dim. I wish I could just select them and drag them to my computer but they won't go. I tried re syncing them, nothing it only transfers my computer stuff to the Apple TV, nothing comes over from the Apple TV to the computer. My Apple TV is out of room and running real slow also.

Thanks for all the tips. I've read many threads on this issue and have come to the conclusion that it has something to do with iTunes and snow leopard and possibly the apple tv updated software. I used to buy movies in the apple tv and they would make their way to my computer. It's been a while ago I noticed things missing. That's when I ran out of hard drive. I have relocated the media folder back to my internal drive and still the same problem. When I go to transfer files from my apple tv nothing happens. The only thing that does happen is the window says syncing for just a second then goes blank. Transfering files from apple tv just doesn't work. I will submit the info through hhe link you've sent. Thanks.

fportschy wrote:
Transfering files from apple tv just doesn't work. I will submit the info through hhe link you've sent. Thanks.

Most of the time, for most people it does work ok, but it's bad experiences like yours that will have a negative impact on people using Appletv to buy media directly.

Select the Apple tv in iTunes, ctl-click and select transfer purchases.