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iTunes Movies Streamed to your iPhone - no software required.

embraceware.com — Find out how to stream your iTunes Movies to your iPhone using nothing more than System Preferences and the Terminal.

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  • .Steven, on 10/10/2007, -43/+4W00T First to comment. (Predicts dugg down...)
    • Celeron, on 10/10/2007, -18/+6W00T First to reply. (Predicts dugg up...)
      • KibibyteBrain, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7I'm guessing you should leave the predictions to Miss Cleo.
    • franklymister, on 10/10/2007, -5/+2First to ban.
  • filefly, on 10/10/2007, -2/+35I don't care if you're an Apple fanboy or not... that's just freaking cool.
    • xGrill, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6you can also do this with mp3s. If you really wanted to, just set your Apache server folder to your iTunes music folder.
    • TaylorTAP, on 10/10/2007, -6/+1OS X just gained so much value in my mind. I'm really teetering on OS X. I just can't see the wasted extra $1,000+- you pay just to own a Mac. It's nice hardware but I'm a bang for buck kind of guy. They need to license OS X out to OEMs.
      • chrisxkelley, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9... how about a mac mini for $599 ?
    • gothicform, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Oh wow. There's a workaround now so you can view these on the iPhone. How cool it doesn't show up as a proper portable storage device with the necessary player (like say my archos) and instead you have to use a work around. KEWL!!!
  • Cockslap, on 10/10/2007, -13/+3whats an iphone?
  • RadicalEdward, on 10/10/2007, -4/+13On the touch this doesn't work, you have to embed the file in a page, which sux.
    • akf2000, on 10/10/2007, -7/+10Really?? What a pain in the arse, thanks Steve, you ***** software-crippler.
    • franklymister, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Safari on the Touch can't view directories on a web server? That makes no sense at all.
      • Firehed, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I'm sure it can do directories - it sounds like it doesn't want to open the file directly. But I'm sure there's some software out there that'll read the directory contents and spit out the appropriate code so you can view them embedded on the page.
    • blackjack75, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3You could easily write a PHP file that builds that page for you though with an lovely iphone-fomatted listing of your files. There's a package out there to install php in the included apache webserver with a pair of clicks.

      I'd love to write that one.. but my country hasn't been blessed by the iPhone yet.
    • Drizzit, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Wrong,

      Works on my iPod Touch with a Linux webserver using a NFS mount to the directory it's being served from.

      Still trying to figure out why m4v plays and m4p does not.
  • bpapa, on 10/10/2007, -15/+10This sounds like a useful hack. Because I know that when I'm at home near my Computer with iTunes on it, I'd much rather watch movies on my iPhone than on my TV.
    • calgone, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14Or if you weren't being a douche, you'd realize this is for when you are away from home. You just use port 80 to stream the content from your WAN IP address.
  • niamu, on 10/10/2007, -6/+1This doesn't work on my iPhone either. There's built-in security in the Safari browser that stops this I think.
    • akf2000, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1It's more probable you're not port forwarding/ opening ports/ have a dynamic dns provider than any Safari *****.
  • SpacePirate, on 10/10/2007, -2/+5You also need to ensure your Movies folder has read/write access granted to Others. Otherwise, you'll just get 403 Forbidden.
    • lpmusix, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3uh, you mean just read, why would they need to write it...?
      • SpacePirate, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1You raise a valid question. But you get the idea. ;)
      • JamesWilson, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2You don't write movies with your iphone? Hm. Just me then.
    • jaym, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4It should be read/execute access to 'Others' in the movies directory (not read/write). Execute allows you to browse the directory, and read allows you to read the movie files.
  • zigziggityzoo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1No dice.
    • franklymister, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Check your permissions on the Movies folder, and make sure you're pointing your browser at the right IP address. There are a lot of things it could be, but I had a little trouble diagnosing the exact nature of the problem from "no dice."
  • wonginator1221, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4I'm getting a 403 forbidden after i place the symbolic link. Help?
    • wonginator1221, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3oh... no spaces in symbolic links allowed. My iPod touch just tried to download the video. It all came up as garbled text.
  • franklymister, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3This works great for me, using my iPhone and Mac on the same network. The only problem is, I can't open any of the larger movies, like the feature length ones, because "Safari can't open the page because it is too large."

    For TV shows and music videos, though, this works great!
    • SpacePirate, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6.m4v files will not load by default. To fix this, you have to modify the mime.types file in /etc/httpd, and add "video/x-m4v m4v" to the list (requires sudo), and restart your webserver (turn off Web Sharing, and turn it back on). Afterwards, it works perfectly.
      • melmyfinger, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2How to do this??

        Must stream porn NOW!
  • niamu, on 10/10/2007, -6/+1Symbolic links do not work on the iPhone. Everything has to be a direct link. Too bad. This looked cool.
    • jaym, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1If set up right, the iPhone should have no idea that it is visiting a symbolic link. Most important tho is to give read/execute access to 'Others' in the movies directory (not read/write as SpacePirate suggested above. Execute allows you to browse the directory, and read allows you to read the movie files.
  • akf2000, on 10/10/2007, -8/+1This is basic *****, if you can't manage this then go to Woolworth's tomorrow and buy yourself Microsoft Bob.
  • Me1000, on 10/10/2007, -2/+5Why not just use Telekinesis?
    it is free and easy to setup, then you can use any file (not just your media in iTunes)


    • Phipman, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I don't know why this guy is getting dugg down, because telekinesis is the best iphone web app since online sliced bread.
      • Firehed, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Sliced bread is an iPhone web app? Link please.
        • JamesWilson, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2You have to buy it, comes as part of the iLoaf suite
  • adamchristopher, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2for the rookies who want to try . . .

    could anyone please elaborate on "open the terminal"? i am in my library/webserver/documents.
    • Me1000, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7cmd+space

      then type 'terminal'

      open the application

    • stalefries, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2"open the terminal" means to open the application in your /Applications/Utilities folder called "Terminal"
    • SpacePirate, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3There is a Terminal application in your Utilities folder.
    • adamchristopher, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3thank you guys very much.

      only now its giving me a "In:command not found" every time i try to make the "link"
      • blackjack75, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2be very careful with the spaces.
  • pradador, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1You could always learn a little about Apache web server and change the root directory to avoid symbolic links. Pair that up with a dyndns dynamic hostname, and you can even make a domain that points to the media folder.
  • pyrates, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Doesn't need to be on port 80 if ur behind a router and can port forward say 8787 to the inside port 80 of your itunes then it wouldnt matter if it your isp blocked port 80.
  • bking, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Not working for me. I keep getting 404's, even after following the instructions to a tee.
  • willclarke, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2This works - you have to "sudo chmod 755 ~/Music" but that should do it.

    However I keep getting an error that "the file is too large" when I do it. Maybe it's because my iPhone is too full? I'll try deleting some stuff and try again.
    • adamchristopher, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1what does "sudo chmod 755 ~/Music" mean?
  • vassar, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4"sudo chmod 755 ~/Music" works for me! Thanks!
  • Foden999, on 10/10/2007, -8/+1Buried as itunes is *****, and not the cool sorta *****, the brown mushy type.
    • mentor972, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1and what does watching videos on your iPhone from a folder on your hard drive have to do with iTunes?
  • Bizarroscoper, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1Cool, enjoy watching videos on your iphone while hackers break into your computer through filesharing.... Not a good idea for people who don't know what they are doing. If you don't believe me do a little research. And before iphone fans start digging me down, just know I'm on your side. I've loved the f*ck out of my iphone since the day it came out.
  • t86y, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Anyone got any advice or maybe some step by steps on how I could stream my videos/music outside of network? It was mentioned in the article, but I am not sure how to do this.
  • ximiei, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Wake us if the phone rings?x
  • ekiwi, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Not bad at all. Suprised though that no one has commented on what must be the real end game...streaming live tv from EyeTV or dvd's from VLC. Now that would be frickin' awesome.
    Certainly possible, I do it from Mac to Mac at the moment via wifi so surely just a matter of someone creating a small app - native or web-based.
    Thoughts on the likelihood guys?
    Either way it's obvious after you've played Apple-Trailers that something big this way comes -sooner or later :)
    • ekiwi, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0dugg down for mentioning something related that may also be of interest to people. Yeh this site rocks :/
  • thenewkasanova, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2ln: illegal option -- /
    usage: ln [-fhinsv] file1 file2
    ln [-fhinsv] file ... directory
    link file1 file2

    That's what I get when I type in the command linking to my Movies folder. Please help.
  • diggmeplease, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I have the same prob as thenewkasanova. Whats the prob?
  • nullfame, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I built something similar earlier this week because I wasn't happy with panning and zooming to use the Apache-generated lists. It needs PHP but otherwise it's about as easy as this. Plus mine has shiny buttons. :-)
    http://pixelcity.com/iphone-streaming-music/
  • mentor972, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12 Steps taken out... make a directory in your Webserver/documents/ folder called "Movies"

    Then type the terminal command the RIGHT WAY!...

    Example: ln -s volumes/macintosh HD/users/yourusername/music/iTunes/iTunes music/movies Movies

    Notice there is no forward slash in front of volumes. Also, if you have spaces in directory names, put a backslash in there...
    Example: if the directory is "itunes music" then type "itunes music"

    Hope that helps.
    • mentor972, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Edit: Don't need to make the movies folder
  • Wander2000, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Hmm, any chance we could get Perian or Mplayer in the iPhone? Most of my stuff isn't in native quicktime format.
  • kashem, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I can't seem to get this to work. The only difference I can figure out is that I have my itunes library on a different drive. I successfully create the symbolic link, but all I get is a 404 on the phone.
  • JasonHawkins, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Has anybody actually gotten this to work yet? I've tried all sorts of variations trying to create the link, but with very little success.

    I can access the default Apache page from my iPhone when I try to connect. However, when I try tagging on "/Movies" it eventually tells me it can't find the server.

    These are some of the paths I've tried creating the link with (I have limited experience with the command line):

    ln -s "/Volumes/Macintosh HD/Users/Jason/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Movies" Movies

    ln -s Volumes/MacintoshHD/Users/Jason/Music/iTunes/iTunesMusic/Movies Movies

    ln -s Volumes/Macintosh HD/Users/Jason/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Movies Movies

    The first option produces the best results. It creates a an alias for "Movies" in "/Library/WebServer/Documents/" which I can navigate to from the computer via the browser just as you'd expect. It also works on other machines using "http://10.0.1.7/Movies", but not on my iPhone.

    Any ideas? Thanks.
  • adairnic, on 11/20/2007, -0/+1where are all the comments?
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