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Level 8

41,164 points

Can I connect a hard drive to an Apple TV 2?

I note that the ATV2 has a USB port, but it is described for diagnostics only.

I do not want to depend on a computer to feed media to the TV, as that basically means running out of the room to fix whatever is feeding the material. I also assume that moving large files is going to just load up the wireless and possibly large downloads will also affect the ATV2's reception.

Is it possible to connect a HD full of media directly to the ATV2?

Or is the only possible connection, via Ethernet and Wireless?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), iMac 27" Early 2011

Posted on Dec 4, 2011 7:59 PM

17 replies

Nov 19, 2012 11:30 AM in response to Dale Saddington

ATV2 is a media player for the Apple media store and for a connected iTunes server.

That's it.

If you think it will do something else then you will be disappointed.

For me, that is just fine because I don't mind the 20 foot network cable to the router I already had and I stream content from my always-on iMac in the other room. I would rent movies online but my Internet connection is just too slow so I download them at work onto my Macbook and use Airplay.

The only thing Apple can be accused of is spending too much time on the pretty pictures and glossy promises and not enough on the limitations.

But when did they ever do otherwise?

PeterBreis0807 Author

Level 8

41,164 points

Dec 6, 2013 4:28 AM in response to HappyFatty

Just an update.

I bought a Playstation 3 and it really is the dream media server. It plays just about everything including DVDs and BluRay and of course whatever you stick into the USB port, including Flash Drives and HDDs.

It also picks up all the Macs and their media over our WiFi, without my telling it to.

Bit late for my brother to get his money back though.

Peter

Can I connect a hard drive to an Apple TV 2?