General Mac software discussions forum: How to stream .avi files from iMac to a TV

Sorry, should have been clearer - I don't have an ATV as I'm still looking for a way to play the files - no point in buying hardware if it's not going to work.

On the basis of your advice, I'll buy one and try both Beamer and ATVFlash on demo - one of them should work.

Still nobody with experience of either?

and with ATVFlash it plays just about any video file that I throw at it, including those marked .avi

Version 1 of the AppleTV had an internal hard drive on which to store the video files but with the AppleTV 2 they are streamed from a computer on your network.

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The ATVFlash site has several pages of arcane instructions for its use. When I fired up Beamer, it immediately reported that it couldn't find an ATV (cos I don't have one) - I'll try it first.

Thanks to all - that should close this thread.

are not that arcane.
However, you do need an AppleTV to use it.
The, slightly, complicated part is creating the installer on a USB drive.
Once done, the ATV boots from the drive, installs its program and reboots the ATV.

Let us know how you get on with Beamer

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I've just taken delivery of my Apple TV and set it up. Went to my iMac and opened Beamer - "connected" it says, "drop movie here". I drop an .avi movie and immediately hear it start up on my TV two rooms away - that's what I call great software! Don't even think about using anything else! And it costs a measly seven bucks - that's near enough to free for me!

Care to share the link to the Beamer software?

Google does not turn up anything significant.

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it requires you to start each movie at your Mac.
That's not too much of a problem but not quite as satisfying as surfing through your movie files from the comfort of your couch.

ATVFlash uses your Mac as the fileserver and allows you to surf your movie files, and the web, from your couch.

However, whatever works for you is good.

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I'm happy with Beamer - I don't need to trawl through my files, just play one now and again so it's good.

See beamer-app.com - I gave the link in my initial post.

I found it after I asked for it and then got side tracked.

enjoy Beamer


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I included it initially because it took me forever to find it - searching for "beamer" brings up a million BMW hits on Google so I eventually used "beamer apple tv" and there it was.

I've been using it for a while and I'm very happy with it - the only issue I have is that the ATV occasionally fails to find my wireless network when I boot it (the ATV) up - I have to go to Settings and verify it. I can hardly blame that on Beamer.

BTW, beamer hopes to include mirroring in Mountain Lion.

good to hear that you are having success with it


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