What's the best way to display my lightroom pictures onto my TV via Apple TV? i..e make a slide show

Question

This was done flawlessly with aperture but Apple doesn't like non-apple products so I was not sure if there was an easy way to do this?
I want to choose pics from my various collections and see them on my tv using apple tv.  I would rather not COPY the pics to a new location since there are many many gigs of pics and they are all stored on my networked drive.  Anyone using a Mac and apple tv manage to figure out how to do this with Lightroom 5?

Answer 1

Ok - see if I can do it 'the hard way' ....
Hi Jeff,
By "Output Only Folder”, I am suggesting a folder that you export to, via LR, and then never re-import it … it’s just a place to dump the images and since you can re-create them any time, you could delete it at will.
Here’s the Export Dialogue I have setup from LR to iPhoto …. The optimal output dimensions are 1920 x 1080.  If you crop each image to that ratio, which is the same as 16 :: 9, then the images will fill the screen.  Otherwise just let one of the dimensions max out and the other will fall suit to 1920 or 1080 or lower as the case may be and it will map onto the Plasma at 1 :: 1 – so the Apple TV won’t have to scrunch it again.
My  output dialog follows.  Note that it sets it up to go under Users/Jim/Caches/iPhoto Cache and then I setup a sub-folder name right underneath which I change (it’s Merc in this example).  So, this becomes the folder in iPhoto – and I can move that into an album or not as I wish.  See the iTunes screen shot a little further down.  The dimensions are setup to 1920 x 1080 at 100%.  The last section, under Post Processing, causes the folder to get read by iPhoto as soon as the Export finishes running and, voila, they are in iPhoto.  I can then clean iPhoto out when I wish.  Yes, it’s a duplicate – but these JPEG’s are smaller than the raws….maybe 300-400kb.
(side note – the LR Mogrify section is a section you will NOT likely have – it’s merely a plugin I have that allows me to put some borders around output images, watermarks and so forth as the last step in the process – strictly optional but occasionally useful.  It’s not expensive – just google for it)
Then here’s how it looks when it arrives a second or two later in iPhoto.  So, you can manage these into Albums, etc.  Then look to the bottom for the iTunes interaction.
From the iTunes menu, select File | Home Sharing | Choose Photos to Share with Apple TV
Then …..
Note in the left panel, I have checked Last Import – where this photo was – but you could move/arrange the photos into new Albums and then they would show up and you could select them.  After you select then and Apply, turn on your Apple TV – and it may take a few minutes to sync up.  But then it’s done and you can choose Transitions and so forth on the ATV to nicely display them.
Jim Camelford