How to Play 4k HEVC Video on Apple TV

Did you recently try to play 4K H.265/HEVC files on your Apple TV only to discover that your device can’t read this file format?

We know that Apple TV 4K is a commendable option for watching UHD and HD videos. However, Apple natively supports a few file formats, including MOV, MP4, M4V with H,264m H.265, and MPEG-4. Conversely, MKV is not a natively supported format for Apple TV and its related products.

In this article, we’ll discuss whether or not your Apple TV supports 4K H.265.HEVC, how you can play them on your Apple TV, and also introduce an uber-convenient, easy, and safe way to stream 4K H.265.HEVC videos on your Apple TV. At the end of this article, you can also find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions to gain more in-depth knowledge pertaining to this topic.

Can You Play 4K Videos on Apple TV? [Apple TV H265 Support]

Apple TV 4K has introduced several benefits for users, including compelling details supported with four times the number of pixels as those found in HDR. In addition, HDR has introduced a wider range of more vibrant and richer colors.

Your Apple TV 4K will support videos that are in H.264, HEVC (H.265), HEVC Dolby Vision, and MPEG-4. H.264/HEVC SDR video up to 2160p, 60 fps, Main/Main 10 profile. HE-AAC, AAC, protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Apple Lossless, FLAC, AIFF, WAV, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound, and Dolby Atmos are some of the supported audio formats.

However, it is pertinent to note that if your 4K H.265.HEVC files are encoded with codecs that Apple does not natively support, so you will have trouble playing such video files on your Apple TV 4K. For example, if your file is encoded at 120fps, contains DTS audio, is in another container format, etc., you will have trouble playing it on your Apple TV.

How to Play 4K H.265/HEVC on Apple TV?

To play 4K H.265.HEVC on Apple TV, you will first need to convert it to an Apple-friendly video format. Since both iTunes and QuickPlay don’t support the HEVC video format, you will need to consider a third-party video converter to make watching such videos on your Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and other related Apple devices possible.

While you can opt for free converter tools online for such conversions, we would recommend not going that route because the end results – in most cases – are not optimal or even bearable, to say the least. If online video converters do not take several hours to convert your files, they will offer output files with glitches and sometimes even missing video images or audio.

Additionally, a lack of customization options will prevent you from gaining much control over the output files and result in a loss of original quality. For these reasons and many others, we recommend using Beamer, a time-efficient and budget-friendly desktop app introduced by Softorino. Keep reading to learn how to use Beamer to stream videos on your Apple TV without any unwanted problems.

Steaming 4K H.265/HEVC on Apple TV with Beamer

If you’re looking for a trustworthy, reliable, and efficient tool to stream 4K H.265.HEVC on Apple TV, Beamer is your best bet! You can watch movies for hours without any interruptions or even having to leave your seat to use your Mac. The biggest advantage remains that users don’t have to spend long hours converting their videos to an Apple-friendly format before they can begin watching them on their Apple TV or Google Chromecast.

You can practically watch any video format – even ones not natively supported by Apple TV and other Apple products, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc. Some of the various supported formats include AVI, MKV, WMV, MOV, FLV, SRT, SUB/IDX, etc. However, DVD and Blu-ray files are not supported due to their copyright protection.

There are several other benefits of using Beamer to stream videos directly from your laptop to your Apple TV, which we will discuss later in this article. For now, let’s take a look at the four simple steps you need to take to start using this state-of-the-art software:

Step 1. Download Beamer on Your Mac

Click on this link to download the Beamer app on your Mac. Before you invest in the paid version, you can download its free version, which will allow 15 minutes of watch time and give you a sneak peek into the app’s features and functions. The free version will also give you a brief intro to how easy it is to stream non-supported video formats on your Apple TV or Google Chromecast.

If you’re satisfied with the app and its offerings, you can purchase its budget-friendly paid version. This version allows unlimited watch time and introduces other premium features, such as queues and playlists.

Step 2. Install and Launch the App

Once you’ve downloaded and installed the app and followed the instructions on your screen, you can launch Beamer. After you double-click on the application, a small window will appear with a message that reads, “Drag movies here to stream to…”

Step 3. Select Your Device

After launching the app, the first step is to ensure that your Apple TV/Google Chromecast and your Mac are connected to the same Wi-Fi connection. Once you’ve done that, you can use the software to locate your device and connect it to Beamer.

The lower right corner of the Beamer window contains a device menu. Click on this menu to view all the available devices, and then select your Apple TV or Google Chromecast to stream your video files.

Step 4. Drag, Drop, and Dive!

Once you’ve selected your Apple TV or Google Chromecast, you can select the 4K H.265.HEVC files or any other format you want to stream to your device. You don’t have to transcode the movies into an iOS-friendly format; simply drag and drop as many videos and even formats as you like into the Beamer window and wait for the playback to begin, which will happen almost instantly.

Why Is Beamer The Best Streaming Option For You?

As we mentioned earlier, online converter tools are not very reliable or efficient. They also don’t offer support for all formats and ignore the need for batch conversions. Beamer, on the other hand, offers hassle-free watch time with no drawbacks whatsoever.

With Beamer, you don’t have to create duplicate files and waste your storage space, and you can even watch multiple formats in one sitting. The app will also automatically remove all watched videos, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning up space for other files.

The following are some other unavoidable benefits of using Beamer:

1. Stream Multiple File Formats At Once

Are you tired of going through the hassle of using different video converter tools for different formats and waiting hours before you can finally watch your favorite movies? With Beamer, you can stream all video formats without having to sit through the conversion process and watch all of your favorite videos in one sitting.

2. Minimal To No Loss in Quality

Beamer supports videos at up to 1080p with Surround Sound. The video and audio quality are as good as the original file, with no glitches or missing audio or video images. The app uses a high bitrate and its native streaming capabilities to offer users the best overall quality no matter which file format is being streamed.

3. Support for Subtitle Files

Beamer automatically detects and adds embedded or associated subtitle files to the playback. DVD, MPL(2), Blu-ray, Subrip, Subviewer, etc. are all supported subtitle formats, including text-based and embedded subtitle formats.

3. Drag, Drop, and Let Beamer Take Care of the Rest

Whether you want to pause, stop, rewind, or fast-forward the movies, you can do all of this with your Apple TV remote without having to touch your Mac once the videos have been added to the playlist. In addition to this, you can also double-click the Play button on your Siri remote to view the next queued video on your playlist.

4. Playlist and Queue Options

Whether you want to create a playlist of all your favorite movies to binge-watch over the weekend or queue them according to your preference, Beamer allows you to customize playlists and create sequences most conveniently. You can also easily remove any unwanted files from the playlist and even review the total duration of your playlist from the menu.

FAQ

Can Apple TV play H.265?

The Apple TV 4K box, since its introduction, has been capable of decoding and playing H. 265. However, there are some restrictions to this. For example, both the video codec and audio codec need to be natively supported by Apple in order for them to work.

How do I play HEVC on Apple TV?

To play HEVC on Apple TV, you will first need to convert it to an Apple-friendly format. You can also use Beamer to directly stream HEVC videos from your Mac to your Apple TV or Google Chromecast.