AirPlay doesn't work on a G4. Why?

[Doq]

Okay, I've perused Google enough, time to ask the experts.

I've got a PowerBook G4 here (my A1046) that I recently upgraded to the latest Leopard, with all updates applied, for the purpose of using it as a music box to blast to a Klipsch Gallery G-17 Air that I recently acquired. Now, the G-17 Air is an AirPlay speaker, and while it works great with my iPod Touch, I can't seem to connect to it at all with iTunes on the G4.

I have made sure that both the Air and the G4 are on the same network, both on wifi. The G4 does have an AirPort Extreme installed. iTunes will report that the Air is available and can be selected, but after a few seconds of connecting, it silently fails and nothing changes.

I've looked around for a bit and there are many a solution that involve using an AirPort Express with its audio out; however, I'd like to try to avoid this unless it's absolutely mandatory, since I already have the AirPlay-supported speaker.

What are my options?

 

[eyoungren]

Some things to try.

- On the Mac, turn off iPV6 in Network Settings.

- Do you have AVG installed? That's anti-virus. Either the firewall needs to be off or port 5353 UDP (both dirrections) needs to be opened in the firewall.

- If you don't have AVG installed, you could try port forwarding on your router to the Air. Again, the port Apple uses for Airplay is 5353. Why you'd have to do that I don't know but might be worth a try.

That's about all I've got.

 

[chscag]

I don't think a G4 supports AirPlay. From Wikipedia and some other sources:

AirPlay Mirroring
However, an unofficial AirPlay protocol specification is available. Supported hardware (when using OS X Mountain Lion or later) includes any 2011 or later iMac, Mac mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or the Mac Pro (late 2013 or newer).
Release date: : June 7, 2004 (as AirTunes); Se...
Developer: Apple Inc.

However, you might be able to use Air Parrot to do the same thing. You can try before you buy just in case it doesn't work.

AirParrot 3 | Mirror & stream content from your Mac or PC to Apple TV, Chromecast & more

Mirror and stream from Windows and macOS to Apple TV, HomePod, AirPlay-enabled speakers, Chromecast and more. Wirelessly connect your computer to any TV or computer and stream movies, photos or music!

www.airsquirrels.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirPl...ficial AirPlay protocol,(late 2013 or newer).

​

 

[reukiodo]

Sending AirPlay should be supported from iTunes, but only AirPlay v1. There is a new version of AirPlay (v2) which will not work with PPC Macs. I think even the PPC version of SoundFlower doesn't support the new AirPlay protocol.

Are you certain your AirPlay speakers speak v1 protocol?

 

[Doq]

Party replies!

Some things to try.

- On the Mac, turn off iPV6 in Network Settings.

- Do you have AVG installed? That's anti-virus. Either the firewall needs to be off or port 5353 UDP (both dirrections) needs to be opened in the firewall.

- If you don't have AVG installed, you could try port forwarding on your router to the Air. Again, the port Apple uses for Airplay is 5353. Why you'd have to do that I don't know but might be worth a try.

That's about all I've got.

- I've heard of this solution, but didn't think it'd make a difference. I tried it, no difference, as expected.
- AVG is not installed, so I skipped this.
- Tried this as well. Not sure why I would need to, but it did nothing either.

I don't think a G4 supports AirPlay. From Wikipedia and some other sources:
[....]
However, you might be able to use Air Parrot to do the same thing. You can try before you buy just in case it doesn't work.

It *should*. Unless there's some sort of specific hardware lockout, which wouldn't make any sense because AirTunes was a thing for a long time, and if there was then the button wouldn't show up in iTunes at all.
That said, AirParrot, even version 1, requires at least Snow Leopard, and thus Intel.

Sending AirPlay should be supported from iTunes, but only AirPlay v1. There is a new version of AirPlay (v2) which will not work with PPC Macs. I think even the PPC version of SoundFlower doesn't support the new AirPlay protocol.

Are you certain your AirPlay speakers speak v1 protocol?

I'm certain it supports AirPlay 1, as my iPod Touch (5th Gen), stuck on iOS 9.3, will communicate with the Air just fine.

 

[reukiodo]

After looking at the manual for the G-17 Air, it seems there is way to check for firmware update in the web interface. Have you tried that already?

 

[Slix]

Does it output any sound to the Air before it stops working, or does it just not play at all? I had similar issues with my MacBook playing music to a 1st gen Apple TV via AirTunes, and connecting the TV via ethernet fixed it. Can you try connecting the PowerBook and/or Air via ethernet and see if that changes anything? You are using iTunes 10 correct?

Ok, so actually I just tried something similar on my PowerBook running Leopard, and indeed it won't even connect to AirPlay 2 devices (new AirPort Express/Apple TVs). Everything else works just fine. Maybe it's a weird AirPlay 2 device limitation for some older hardware that isn't iOS?

 

[reukiodo]

I thought newer AirPlay2 devices specifically don't support AirPlay1 ?

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

I don’t have much to contribute, but if you need an AirPort express with AirTunes, pm me. I have one of the first models I’m willing to sell.

 

[for this]

I thought newer AirPlay2 devices specifically don't support AirPlay1 ?

I think so. My LG TV won't work with AirPlay 1 Mac, only with AirPlay 2. The said backward compatibility probably means a Mac with AirPlay 2 will work with AirPlay 1 and 2 devices.

 

[Doq]

After looking at the manual for the G-17 Air, it seems there is way to check for firmware update in the web interface. Have you tried that already?

I have, and have updated it to the latest FW. No difference.

Does it output any sound to the Air before it stops working, or does it just not play at all? I had similar issues with my MacBook playing music to a 1st gen Apple TV via AirTunes, and connecting the TV via ethernet fixed it. Can you try connecting the PowerBook and/or Air via ethernet and see if that changes anything? You are using iTunes 10 correct?

Ok, so actually I just tried something similar on my PowerBook running Leopard, and indeed it won't even connect to AirPlay 2 devices (new AirPort Express/Apple TVs). Everything else works just fine. Maybe it's a weird AirPlay 2 device limitation for some older hardware that isn't iOS?

It doesn't even connect. It'll show the bar for about a second before going away and sticking to the G4's internal output. This is iTunes 10, and trying with Ethernet made no difference.

 

[Slix]

I have, and have updated it to the latest FW. No difference.

It doesn't even connect. It'll show the bar for about a second before going away and sticking to the G4's internal output. This is iTunes 10, and trying with Ethernet made no difference.

I had the same issue. I think it must just be that AirPlay 2 (or at least some of them) devices won't connect via older iTunes. A shame, since iOS seems to work as you said.

 

[Doq]

I had the same issue. I think it must just be that AirPlay 2 (or at least some of them) devices won't connect via older iTunes. A shame, since iOS seems to work as you said.

I'm pretty sure my G-17 Air is not an AirPlay 2 device, because the copyright date on all the manuals is 2011 and the most recent firmware was from 2015. AirPlay 2 didn't roll out until 2017.

 

[Slix]

Do you have a newer Mac/PC with iTunes/Music to test it the speaker works to AirPlay from there? I don’t see why it wouldn’t work if it isn’t AirPlay 2, but I’m not sure otherwise.

 

[Doq]

oops. forgot about this thread.

Do you have a newer Mac/PC with iTunes/Music to test it the speaker works to AirPlay from there? I don’t see why it wouldn’t work if it isn’t AirPlay 2, but I’m not sure otherwise.

I did try my PC running both iTunes 10 and iTunes 12 and it also wasn't able to connect. So is it possibly an issue with the speaker?

 

[JohnAJ]

One thing to try before giving up is to install an alternative AirPlay client from MacPorts. There are a couple AirPlay *nix tools that work on OS X. I use shairport-sync, which is an AirPlay server (accepts incoming audio), but there is also at least one client that might work. (Can't remember the name right now, and I'm not at home, so I can't check, but it does exist.)

 

[Doq]

One thing to try before giving up is to install an alternative AirPlay client from MacPorts. There are a couple AirPlay *nix tools that work on OS X. I use shairport-sync, which is an AirPlay server (accepts incoming audio), but there is also at least one client that might work. (Can't remember the name right now, and I'm not at home, so I can't check, but it does exist.)

Yeah I just got my hands on Airfoil and use that. No issues, and I can connect to Airfoil Speaker servers, which I've done with the No-Graphics eMac to test that with.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Only on Intel it works sadly