HP Media Smart Server and AppleTV - Success at last

[macphanatic]

Maybe I was naive, but I thought that an Apple TV could connect to the HP MSS as it's listed as an iTunes server. It is, but only for music.

It turns out that you can install a version of iTunes on the MSS as it Windows Home Server is a modified version of Windows 2003. It took a bit of tinkering as iTunes 9 won't run on 2003. I wound up installing a modified iTunes 8.2.1 then running just the iTunes 9.2 msi. Launched iTunes on the MSS and it immediately recognized the ATV.

AppleTV will stream from the server, but won't sync with it. It may be because I haven't authorized iTunes yet - not sure though. The streaming works perfectly, so I'm not sure that not being able to sync will be an issue.

[Forrest]

On the AppleTV, you can choose to stream OR sync, but not both.

[macphanatic]

When I set it up to connect to the MSS, I don't think that the Sync option was available. Not really too concerned about it as the streaming works very well.

I really hope that Apple comes out with their own home server. The Mini Server is too expensive and has no internal expansion.

[Forrest]

FYI here a link to setup Syncing or Streaming on the AppleTV
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1143