this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2023
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For many years, I've used the excellent https://airvideo.app - it has a free little server component that runs on a Mac and a paid for iOS app that lets you watch on the device or stream to Chromecast or Apple TV.

I wanted to give my kids access to my ripped movie collection, but the app seems to have gone missing from the (UK) Appstore - and the developers aren't answering e-mail.

So. Here's what I'd like.

Something that will show me the contents of my folder of video files on my Mac and let me stream to my TV.

I've had a look at

  • Plex Hugely overly complex - tries to be an entire media manager for everything in the world

  • VLC Streamer By HobbyistSoftware. Kinda OK, but seems to take up about 300% of my M1 iMac CPU and is a bit clunky.

Any other recommendations?

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

I use infuse, works great. If you wanna keep it simple you can just connect the app directly to a NAS or file share from your Mac, even easier than air video just set up file sharing in system settings. Works great on Apple TV and Mac also

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/infuse-video-player/id1136220934

And if you wanna get fancy down the road you can hook the app up to a Plex or Jellyfin

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I second this. I have a sizable collection and use Infuse exclusively. It works a lot better than Plex. You can download the shows using the app if you are going leave your house.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Looks good, but I'm not going to pay a subscription simply to send my own media to Chromecast. No problem at all with paying a lump sum. But not subscription.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Infuse has a lifetime purchase option for $95. Don’t know whether you consider that in your price range but you don’t need a subscription

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Pretty hefty if you have 4 devices in the family.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

To be clear the lifetime subscription is eligible for family sharing so you only have to purchase it once to have access to it on all of the devices is your family group

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I don’t have the “pro”, I use the free functions of the app. Haven’t run into an issue yet! Been using it for years, no subscription needed. The app runs great on Apple TV so no need for AirPlay, and when I travel I plug into HDMI

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Infuse is great. It’s my go to for streaming my media from google drive now that Plex doesn’t allow adding cloud shares. Works on iPad, Apple TV, and iPhone and I don’t have to maintain a VPS/home server to host the front end

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Just had a play with a few things and it looks like the combination of the Jellyfin server and the Jellyfin app is pretty much whaty I'm after. Thanks!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I’m surprised you mentioned Plex to be too complicated but ended up on jellyfin! I use jellyfin as well, love it. Pairs perfectly with infuse, I found jellyfinios and swiftfin to not have enough polish or features

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I’ve used Airflow for a few years now, playing all sorts of movie files from my Mac to a Samsung TV.

https://airflow.app/

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Cheers. Will check that out

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I tried the Mac app on M1 Mac mini and the app crashed. I think it’s telling before the crash the apps prompt for changing airplay permissions uses the old system “preferences” instead of the new “settings” label…. Additionally, last iOS update to the companion app was 3 years ago….I think this might actually be abondonware too.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

The IOS app is written by the same company who wrote the Air Video HD, so it seems likely.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I will sometimes have come issues with subtitle files being displayed or causing an error but otherwise no crashes and the Mac app seems to be constantly updated. Not looked at the iOS companion app.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

I tho k I rejected it in the end because it doesn’t seem possible to watch the content on the iOS device itself - only cast to a tv, though I could be wrong