Regular TVs cannot satisfy our growing demand as the pace of life is getting quicker. And an Apple TV undoubtedly is a nice entertaining tool to enjoy movies, TV shows, and funny videos from TV stations and platforms like Netflix and YouTube.
Why Apple TV cannot play a DVD directly
But one significant drawback of the Apple TV that bothers us a lot is that Apple TV cannot play a DVD.
- Reason for this: The DVD format (.vob) is not under Apple TV’s support list, you can never play the DVD by popping the disc into the SuperDrive.
Some may try to use an iMac or Macbook to stream the movie on Apple TV through AirPlay Mirroring. However, if the DVD is copy-protected, you’ll likely experience some errors like playback failure, black-and-white pictures, loss of sound, etc.
To help you play a DVD on your Apple TV without any errors, I will describe 2 perfect methods in this instructable. Hopefully, you can enjoy the DVD on your Apple TV eventually.
Play DVD on Apple TV:
Method 1 Convert the DVD to digital files with a DVD ripper
In this section, we’ll focus on how to convert commercial DVDs into digital files that are compatible with Apple TV.
Since the VOB format, the default format of DVD, is incompatible with Apple TV’s playback system, we may use a Mac or Windows computer to convert the DVD into a compatible digital file with the professional DVD converter software.
If you have no idea which DVD converter software you should pick up, let me introduce one that is in the lead, the Tipard DVD Ripper.
How can Tipard DVD Ripper help?
DVD producers will install some DRM (digital rights management) methods on commercial DVDs to restrict copy and re-creation. But Tipard DVD Ripper is the one that helps you bypass all the DRM methods so that you can easily copy the DVD content to your computer without quality loss.
Also, for DVDs that have multiple clips, audios, and subtitles, you’re available to choose one from all those optional to lighten the burden of your computer hard drive. Of course, you can choose to copy the entire disc content as well.
Tipard supports converting DVD movies into digital files that are compatible with your Apple TV.
Anyway, with Tipard, you’re available to play the DVD as a digital video on your Apple TV.
Let’s convert the DVD for your Apple TV.
Step 1 Download and launch Tiaprd DVD Ripper on your computer
Step 2 Load up the DVD to Tipard
Pop the DVD into the disc drive of your computer, and click the blue&white plus icon on the middle of Tipard’s interface to import the DVD to the program.
Step 3 Set up for the conversion
After Tipard finishes processing the DVD, you need to decide the properties of the output video.
By default, Tipard will convert the main movie of the DVD to Apple-TV format with the primary audio and subtitle track.
You may:
- Hit the Full Title List and check the other clips to convert them to digital files.
- Locate Rip All to and choose a preferred format.
Note: Here, you may go to the Device tab and choose the Apple list. Scroll down and find Apple TV, and set this as the output format. In this way, you won’t have to choose a specific format and Tipard will choose a perfect one for you.
- Then, choose a suitable audio channel and subtitle track for the DVD movie.
Step 4 Complete the process
Before start, click Save to and choose a destination that is easy to find for your video. Hit Rip All to start converting the DVD. The process will be complete in a few minutes.
How to play the DVD converted files on Apple TV:
- Locate the output movie and upload it to the Apple TV app on your Mac computer. For Windows users, upload it to your iTunes > Apple TV.
- Then, open the Apple TV app on your Apple TV screen and start playing the DVD movie.
Method 2 Stream the DVD on Mac with the DVD player software
There’s a handful of powerful media player software that can help you encrypt the DRM methods on DVDs. You can download one on your Macintosh and use it to play a DVD, then apply AirPlay to play the DVD on Apple TV without any errors.
Among countless media player software, there’s one that you should never skip, the Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player.
- Compatible with most digital files, CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, the Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player can play movies and music from various sources in high quality.
- Programmed with powerful decryption capability, the program can help you get rid of the DRM methods on all commercial DVDs and Blu-ray discs so that you can stream the disc on your Mac computer and play it on Apple TV through AirPlay without errors.
Now, let’s use Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player as the DVD player for your Apple TV.
Step 1 Play the DVD on your Mac computer with Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player
Download the player on your Mac computer and launch it. Click the buttons below and get it for free.
Then, insert the DVD into the Apple SuperDrive and use Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player to play the DVD.
Step 2 Stream on the Apple TV via AirPlay
Connect your Mac to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV has connected. Then, on your Mac, go to System Preferences > Displays and set the Airplay Display option as On.
Then, on Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player, start to stream the DVD on your Apple TV by clicking the Apple TV icon -” 
“.
Note：Make sure both your Mac and the Apple TV are AirPlay 2 – compatible devices. Otherwise, you cannot achieve streaming via AirPlay. Try Method 1 and convert the DVD to digital files.
To warp up
Though Apple TV doesn’t support playing DVDs directly, we can still manage to play a DVD movie on it through our computers and some powerful software. Now, pick up one that fits you the most to play the DVD on your ATV.