iTunes Integration (sync and importing local files)

[iBog]

One of the features I like most with the Apple TV is the ability to synchronize content from my iTunes library to my Apple TV. This integration is the single reason I no longer bother with many of the Apple TV plugins.

This request is actually in two parts.

1. For content (video, music photos) already synced to the Apple TV, I would like Boxee to be able to scan the local drives and import this existing content. Likewise, on my Mac, I would like Boxee to be able to show content that resides in iTunes. Mozilla's Songbird media management software can import from iTunes and export to iPods. I recall media is stored on the Apple TV in a structure similar to that on the iPod.

2. I understand Boxee can mount remote drives or I could copy files locally to it via whatever protocol I want. However, it would be kickass if there were an iTunes clone that would manage the media library on my Mac/PC and sync to the Apple TV in a way that Boxee can read and import. Something like Mozilla's Songbird, http://getsongbird.com/. "Songbird promises to be the firefox of media players". This could be done as a Songbird plugin. I'm going to investigate this.

[avneron]

there is work on an iTunes and iPhoto plug-ins, which will enable you to browse your iTunes library (playlists, etc.)

boxee today does not sync, but rather streams the media directly from the source. this could be a cool feature for future releases.

[iBog]

I do get the feeling that Boxee is designed primarily to load content from remote sources (network shares and RSS feeds).

Are you saying that you're working on supporting the digital media access protocol (DMAP) that iTunes and iPhoto use for sharing music, videos and photos on the network? Or, are you working on importing local iTunes and iPhoto data?

I consider sync support to be more related to a feature of the media management software you run on your Mac, Windows or Linux computer and not necessarily a function of Boxee. However, Boxee could integrate with the service used to transfer files.

The Apple TV is not much of a storage device, especially when videos are involved. However, there are still times when I like to sync content to it. Since the patchstick includes SSH, I'll use that as the default protocol for copying files to the Apple TV.

Boxee includes the following default media sources so I'll assume this is the path files should be synced to:
Video - /Users/frontrow/Videos
Music - /Users/frontrow/Music
Photos - /Users/frontrow/Pictures

[xain09]

Music to my ears

[erikveland]

there is work on an iTunes and iPhoto plug-ins, which will enable you to browse your iTunes library (playlists, etc.)

boxee today does not sync, but rather streams the media directly from the source. this could be a cool feature for future releases.

Will these plugins override the current Music and Photo features? As it stands now just simply reading the raw files from my music library is of little value to me.

I think Boxee should try and read Metadata from iTunes, iPhoto, Aperture, Whatever DB it has access to FIRST, and then use the current filestructure parsing as a fallback. If this was possible it would be a very very Apple-like "It Just Works" solution.

I understand that it's Alpha now, but any media centre should strive to the push-button, no need to think simplicity that Apple is trying to do (and sometimes succeding) with everything.

[Zenara25]

I just started testing today and so far I like it. But I don't love it yet.

There is 1 huge feature that would really be great for me. It's when playing podcasts (video and audio) that I've got in my itunes library, I'd like the itunes library to be synced/updated on where I've left off. Using itunes is of course how I sync my podcasts onto my ipod touch (which I use ipod touch 50% and itunes 50%). Yes I really do watch quite a few podcasts on my ipod touch

It's too convenient of a feature to give up.

So I'm really hoping Boxee does this. Right now, the only use I see myself personally using Boxee for is to watch hulu using my harmony remote.

Watching Netflix would be awesome as well.

[monkeyleader]

Any news yet on the ability to read the iTunes library - this would be a fantastic addition !

[drmcfunk]

Good to hear that iTunes and iPhoto plug-ins are in the works. For those of us who have apple products that require file management through iTunes it would make Boxee a usable music player as well. I, for one, am not interested in having to manage my music in multiple places, which removes Boxee as an option for music player.

I don't happen to manage video through iTunes (beyond a few iPhone formated moves), so the music is of primary concern.

iPhoto's file structure doesn't allow for folder scanning, nor would I want to manage two photo libraries, so I'm stuck with front row as a photo browser as well.

I look forward to being able to use Boxee as a primary media browser for all media!

[binaries4me]

I look forward to being able to use Boxee as a primary media browser for all media!

This the thing i use boxee now only fore video I still use frontrow fore Music,podcast,Photo's. If the plugins come out and it works fine then boxee is the thing that do it all, and i like that idee.

[baratunde]

i pointed boxee to my itunes folder as a media source: big mistake.

it thinks TV shows are movies and doesn't know what a podcast is. my only option within boxee is to manually crawl the folder structure.

so basically i use boxee for web video + web music + bittorrent video
and i use frontrow for itunes music + audio podcasts + video podcasts + purchased apple tv/movie content.

it's not an ideal structure, but the most important fix would be a smart integration with itunes as mentioned above from oct/nov. meaning, access to playlists, podcasts, video podcasts etc.