Using Apple TV without iTunes/MacBookPro off

Question

See various posts along these lines, but nothing that seems to answer my question. I want to use my ATV without the need for having my notebook open. I see posts regarding hard sync but search for that topic and see nothing. All I want to do is to have my content available without the need for my Notebook open. Hints?

Answer 1

The AppleTV 'device' seen in iTunes, is either set up to stream to AppleTV (shared library) or to sync and stream.
You can only have 1 sync and stream library, that lists media under My Music, My Movies etc. With iTunes off the list of media shown only shows what is synced to AppleTV's hard drive, which may be nothing, some or all of your media depending on how you configured it under the iTunes Devices tab. There are automatic 'iTunes best guess of what you want to sync' and Custom settings. If everything isn't synced then when iTunes is open the list shown also includes stuff available to stream live, but synced and stream entries are merged in the list transparently to the user so it looks like a single list.
If you set iTunes up to stream only the content will be selectable under My Shared Music etc option only and you can't sync.
Only the sync library can accept reverse syncs of stuff purchased on AppleTV.
Changing the sync library erases media on AppleTV to give a 'clean slate'.
If you got to Settings>Computers on AppleTV then the top entry in the list is usually the sync library.
In iTunes Devices>AppleTV if you only have 2 tabs> Summary and Photos, you are set for streaming only. A sync libarry has several tabs for each media type to configure what syncs.