Ok, i dont know if this will make sense, but bear with me.

I have an Tv in our loungeroom. All our media is stored in our office, on an external harddrive (WD mybook something, connects via usb) that is connected it our Airport Extreme.

Its becoming quite common that is has some issues, and doesnt show as connected to our airport, which means we have no apple tv, or itunes

So, if i brought a hard drive that connects via ethernet, could i plug it into the tv and make it wireless by connecting it to an airport express? Or will the tv make the hard drive wireless.

Will this work?

anyone?

i don't think airport express supports external hdd's. Only airport extreme.

Edit:

couldn't you do this.

Store all your media on this external drive. Hook it up to a computer you can leave/have on for when you want that media and set itunes not to import the files, but simply list the files on the external hdd. So when you play a file, it essentially plays off the external hdd, and itunes is just the app that mediates between you and your external hdd.

Then on your apple tv, set it so that it shows everything listed in itunes, not just the stuff that has been synced to the apple tv.

that's how i would do it. I'm guessing you have this problem because the amount of media you have wont fit onto your computer.

i currently stream all our media from the external hard-drive, and do it as you suggest.

the problem is more with my hard drive not always showing itself on the network, despite being connected, thus i am considering a ethernet hard drive connect directly to the tv. (wireless is driving me nuts).

Correct - AirPort Express does not support external HDD. I tried, and nothing. I used a WD Passport, and the status light just kept on blinking. Not even trying AirPort Utilities helped. So my guess is the same, use AirPort Extreme base station instead.

The problem is that the apple tv needs to use itunes, so i dont think an external drive hooked up would work... at least not without hacking it.


Do you currently have the hdd connected via usb to the airport extreme or to your laptop? the reason i ask is that i think you would have better stability with it connected to your laptop.

the hard drive is connected via usb. I if i am in our office i connect the whole airport to my computer via ethernet, but it is very rare that i am in the office.