Apple TV - Frustrated with configuration and no help from Apple Support

[Raptor007]

I got my Apple TV about a month ago and just got my new HDMI media switch and cables so I could hook it up. I have had the WORST experience with Apple Support in a nearly 20+ years of using Apple products. First the level 1 tech had no clue how to use Apple Configurator (at all) she puts me on hold and after 5 minutes I get transferred and I was not told I was being transfererd. This tech also tells me he has only used Apple Configurator once and to just hook up the Apple TV and do the install that way. Then after the 25 minutes of being on the call I get a fast busy and hung up on. Thank you Apple.

So I go and hook up my HDMI switch get everything set up and begin setting it up. Seems easy enough until I need to find out why my iTunes media isn't there. So I call magical support again and get another (un)friendly fella who was even less helpful than the last one. I am told that Apple does NOT support any type of External HDD that is network based (like my WD MyCloud Duo that is tied into my Airport Extreme). Odd how that is since they used to support external HDD just fine. I asked where I am supposed to put 1TB of media (and growing daily), he told me an external HDD connected via 1 of the 2 USB ports on my MBP. Perhaps I should buy a Mac Mini to run my iTunes (not likely). So after the run around with this support agent who is simply not getting my question about how to share my iTunes (also I hate iTunes 12 the UI sucks even more than the app itself) and I finally turn on Family Sharing on my computer, my wife's computer (Win7) and also turn on AirPlay Multiple for the computer and Apple TV on her computer (sharing my iTunes) and just the computer on my iTunes.

Since she leaves her computer on all the time most in sleep mode she can simply select my iTunes Library and voila get access to the media.

Here is the challenging part, I did update my Apple TV software, but when I configured Family Sharing tied it into my AppleTV and iTunes shouldn't it show ALL of my media under "COMPUTER"? Its only showing a few albums and that's it. No movies, no TV Shows, No other music, no Podcasts, just a few albums. Now I get that my 1TB of movies, TV Shows and music may take a bit to show up but really the sorting on the Apple TV for "COMPUTER" is about as useful as the iTunes App search which is useless too.

Did I miss something in my configuration? Does it take hours for the first time to load?

Thanks in advance.

 

[kch50428]

Make sure you've turned on home sharing on your iTunes on computer using the same AppleID on both the computer & AppleTV... and Tunes has to be left running on the computer in order for your AppleTV to see your library... configuration is a breeze if you use an iPhone or iPad during initial set-up as long as bluetooth is 'on' on the phone - the AppleTV will read all it needs to set up and run... no need for 'configurator' at all... and get Apple's Remote app on your phone... makes for entering text on the AppleTV much easier should you need to...

 

[Raptor007]

Thank you for the reply. I did follow all of what you said and did configure Home Sharing on my wife's computer and now its gone. So I am going to remove it from her PC and redo it again.

On a side note Apple is WRONG. Apparently my Apple TV did not actually update like I told it to before I got into this mess with support. So I actually updated it again made sure it was done and voila. Apple was WRONG, you can have your iTunes library on an external HDD attached to an Airport Extreme (MyCloud Mirror) and with iTunes running access all of your media.

Still at some point I may opt to get a single 4TB HDD to hold my media on and keep the MyCloud as my cloud only use and redundant backup.

Mods you can close this since I figured it and thanks again kch50428 for your help.

 

[kch50428]

I have part of my iTunes library on an external HD connected to my TimeCapsule and it works fine...

 

[afxPT]

Hi,
Nos you can solve Your problem downloading VLC for tvOS. VLC can access your NAS and play your content withou any OS X or iOS device running.
I'm running this configure with a WD My Cloud Mirror just fine.
Best Regards
AF