Airplay

[87vert]

Has anyone gotten airplay to work correctly? I can only get audio

I have an iPad running 4.2GM and running iTunes beta 10.1 on my iMac (10.6.4)

Do I need 10.6.5? when I hit the button for airplay it shows my apple tv 2g but only shows it as a speaker.

Anything I am missing?

 

[drewc1138]

Gotta wait for them to update AppleTV to 4.2 as well.

 

[87vert]

Gotta wait for them to update AppleTV to 4.2 as well.

ah figured they would have already had the feature in there. I'm guess no betas were released for that? I have not heard of any talk about them, its probably going to kill the jailbreak right? So it wouldn't be worth jailbreaking yet.

 

[newagemac]

ah figured they would have already had the feature in there. I'm guess no betas were released for that? I have not heard of any talk about them, its probably going to kill the jailbreak right? So it wouldn't be worth jailbreaking yet.

Yeah, jailbreaking isn't worth not having Airplay. Even with Plex now available through jailbreaking. With Airplay, you could just use Plex through your mobile iOS device and Airplay it to your TV. And it won't be a limited and buggy version of Plex like the jailbroken version.

Plus you would have content from native and 3rd party iOS apps playable on your TV as well as all the video on the web that's playable on your iOS device on your TV. Now with Skyfire, that would possibly even include Flash video. Not to mention 4.2 probably would include bug fixes and UI improvements.

There's no way I would give all that up for a jailbreak.

 

[optophobia]

save your SHSHs to tinyumbrella, that way you can always revert back to the older iOS.

 

[JoshBoy]

does anyone know if all features will work with the original apple TV (streaming of video from IOS device to the appletv)
)

 

[OmegaRed1723]

does anyone know if all features will work with the original apple TV (streaming of video from IOS device to the appletv)
)

No, the first-gen TV won't be receiving any new updates.

 

[malikk]

Can someone explain to me where airplay is at currently? I have tried some google searches, but i guess I just failed in the google department.

I hear it is not on aTV yet. But it does work on the ipad or iphone? I am a little confused about airplay at the moment but am interested it in the aTV and airplay depending on what it lets me accomplish.

 

[Peter Harrison]

Can someone explain to me where airplay is at currently? I have tried some google searches, but i guess I just failed in the google department.

I hear it is not on aTV yet. But it does work on the ipad or iphone? I am a little confused about airplay at the moment but am interested it in the aTV and airplay depending on what it lets me accomplish.

Right now, you can stream video and audio from your computer to your Apple TV. So you can watch a film on your nice big TV, even if it is on iTunes, without plugging your computer into your TV.

Soon, you will be able to play video and audio from your iPhone or other iOS devices and have them appear on the TV by streaming to the Apple TV. This is a feature of the new OS 4.2 which isn't released yet.

 

[Kurgan]

Right now, you can stream video and audio from your computer to your Apple TV. So you can watch a film on your nice big TV, even if it is on iTunes, without plugging your computer into your TV.

Soon, you will be able to play video and audio from your iPhone or other iOS devices and have them appear on the TV by streaming to the Apple TV. This is a feature of the new OS 4.2 which isn't released yet.

Reading this I don't understand why a AppleTV update is necessary. I have heard that a new version of the iOS for AppleTV is needed.

 

[Creative One]

Right now, you can stream video and audio from your computer to your Apple TV. So you can watch a film on your nice big TV, even if it is on iTunes, without plugging your computer into your TV.

Soon, you will be able to play video and audio from your iPhone or other iOS devices and have them appear on the TV by streaming to the Apple TV. This is a feature of the new OS 4.2 which isn't released yet.

FYI, you have been able to stream movies, music, and photos to your Apple TV from day one.

 

[From A Buick 8]

Right now, you can stream video and audio from your computer to your Apple TV. So you can watch a film on your nice big TV, even if it is on iTunes, without plugging your computer into your TV.

Soon, you will be able to play video and audio from your iPhone or other iOS devices and have them appear on the TV by streaming to the Apple TV. This is a feature of the new OS 4.2 which isn't released yet.

Just a slight correction (underlined above), right now it must be in iTunes for it to stream from your computer to ATV

 

[KeithJenner]

Reading this I don't understand why a AppleTV update is necessary. I have heard that a new version of the iOS for AppleTV is needed.

We don't know for sure what is required, but plenty of people are running the final version of iOS4.2 and Airplay is only working with Audio.

The logical conclusion is that it is the Apple TV that is missing something so we will probably get an update for that at any time which will make video Airplay work.

 

[Javit]

So am I understanding correclty that AirPlay, when fully functional, will be able to stream any video file I have on my computer regardless of type and location? I have tons of .avi's that I'd love to play without converting.

 

[rotax]

AirPlay needs to be able to stream to any running iTunes

To make AirPlay really useful and not rely on Airtunes or AirPlay devices.. many of us have machines with iTunes running hooked to speakers and AV systems... we should be able to stream to any running copy of iTunes with permissions or passwords as required. This would make the need for Airfoil go away. Not that I dont love Airfoil.... I do

 

[irishv]

To make AirPlay really useful and not rely on Airtunes or AirPlay devices.. many of us have machines with iTunes running hooked to speakers and AV systems... we should be able to stream to any running copy of iTunes with permissions or passwords as required. This would make the need for Airfoil go away. Not that I dont love Airfoil.... I do

I completely agree with you. I have a mini serving as an HTPC with Plex and EyeTV. Adding AirPlay capabilities would be very welcome.

 

[jclardy]

I just downloaded iTunes 10.1, I can use it for audio but it won't let me send video. The icon shows up when I play a video file but it only lists my computer.

I guess Apple TV needs to be updated to a new version that enables video airplay.

 

[fpnc]

...With Airplay, you could just use Plex through your mobile iOS device and Airplay it to your TV. And it won't be a limited and buggy version of Plex like the jailbroken version.

Plus you would have content from native and 3rd party iOS apps playable on your TV as well as all the video on the web that's playable on your iOS device on your TV. Now with Skyfire, that would possibly even include Flash video...

There seems to be a lot of confusion about AirPlay, but it won't allow you to view just any video that is playable or accessible on the sending device. The only video that will be able to be streamed to the new Apple TV using AirPlay will be content that is ALREADY compatible with the Apple TV. That means H.264 and perhaps MPEG-4 (that is, whatever the current specs are for video playback on the Apple TV). Thus, unless Plex transcodes the video into H.264 (or some other Apple TV compatible format) you won't be able to use Plex to stream content over AirPlay. Of course, if the content was already in an H.264 format then there is no reason why Plex couldn't stream that to the Apple TV, but there'd be no point in doing that since then you wouldn't even need Plex. I suspect that the VLC app will be in the same situation, you won't be able to use VLC to stream .avi or .wmv or MKVs to the Apple TV.

The same is true for games, AirPlay won't suddenly makes games work on the Apple TV.

If you need to stream video that isn't natively compatible with your iOS device you'll need an app like AirVideo or StreamToMe. But, of course, since third-party apps aren't yet available for the Apple TV that won't work just yet (directly from Mac/PC to the Apple TV). I guess it might be possible to run AirVideo or StreamToMe on your iPad/iPhone and then have that video stream to your Apple TV, but a double wireless hop like that (from Mac/PC to iPad/iPhone to Apple TV) might cause some problems.

As for Skyfire, that might actually work since the Skyfire servers will be transcoding the Flash video into HTML5/H.264.

 

[fpnc]

So am I understanding correclty that AirPlay, when fully functional, will be able to stream any video file I have on my computer regardless of type and location? I have tons of .avi's that I'd love to play without converting.

No, that won't work. Read my previous post.

 

[newtoiphonesdk]

But video streaming from iPad if you have 4.2gm won't work until apple tv is updated, right?

 

[newagemac]

...There seems to be a lot of confusion about AirPlay, but it won't allow you to view just any video that is playable or accessible on the sending device. The only video that will be able to be streamed to the new Apple TV using AirPlay will be content that is ALREADY compatible with the Apple TV..

If you are using your iOS device to Airplay to the Apple TV, then the video is already compatible with the Apple TV. Not sure what you are saying here. There is no video that can be played on an iPhone 4 or iPad that cannot be played on the Apple TV. And if an app like Plex or Air Video converts video on the fly to be able to be played on your iPhone, what exactly makes you think that same converted (and now compatible) video won't be able to be played through the Apple TV with Airplay? You are missing the fact that if you are sending content through Airplay it is inherently compatible with the Apple TV. If the content is not compatible, you would never even be able to play it on your iOS device and never get the Airplay controls.

Ok I just went back and reread your post and maybe you weren't aware that Plex converts video on the fly to a compatible format just like Air Video.

I guess it might be possible to run AirVideo or StreamToMe on your iPad/iPhone and then have that video stream to your Apple TV, but a double wireless hop like that (from Mac/PC to iPad/iPhone to Apple TV) might cause some problems.

As for Skyfire, that might actually work since the Skyfire servers will be transcoding the Flash video into HTML5/H.264.

I don't see how this would be a problem. As far as your iPhone or iPad is concerned, all it sees is a compatible video stream coming from the Air Video or Plex Server on your Mac. That's not much different than a stream coming from iTunes, over the web with Safari, or any other source that's supposed to work with Airplay. There really is no "double hop" at least not in comparison to any other method. The source has to come from somewhere, arrive at your iOS device, and Airplay to your Apple TV. And it certainly should be able to do that over your own local network if it's supposed to do that with video coming from the web with Safari.

 

[Erurainon]

I just downloaded iTunes 10.1, I can use it for audio but it won't let me send video. The icon shows up when I play a video file but it only lists my computer.

I guess Apple TV needs to be updated to a new version that enables video airplay.

I am having the same issue, has anyone seen anything different with 10.1?

 

[fpnc]

If you are using your iOS device to Airplay to the Apple TV, then the video is already compatible with the Apple TV. Not sure what you are saying here. There is no video that can be played on an iPhone 4 or iPad that cannot be played on the Apple TV. And if an app like Plex or Air Video converts video on the fly to be able to be played on your iPhone, what exactly makes you think that same converted (and now compatible) video won't be able to be played through the Apple TV with Airplay? You are missing the fact that if you are sending content through Airplay it is inherently compatible with the Apple TV. If the content is not compatible, you would never even be able to play it on your iOS device and never get the Airplay controls...

What you say is mostly true. However, just arguing that it will work because AirPlay is enabled doesn't prove that just any app WILL work (what I mean is that if the app or video stream is not compatible with AirPlay -- for whatever reason -- then it won't play). Also, it isn't true that there, "is no video that can be played on an iPhone 4 or iPad that cannot be played on the Apple TV." The VLC app for iOS handles video formats that are not normally native to the iOS.

Ok I just went back and reread your post and maybe you weren't aware that Plex converts video on the fly to a compatible format just like Air Video.

True, I wasn't certain whether Plex on the Mac offered transcoding. However, I specifically allowed for that possibility in my original post where I said, "unless Plex transcodes the video into H.264 (or some other Apple TV compatible format) you won't be able to use Plex to stream content over AirPlay." Thus, since the Plex application/server on the Mac does transcode to H.264 there is a possibility that it will work with AirPlay.

I don't see how this would be a problem [a "double hop"]. As far as your iPhone or iPad is concerned, all it sees is a compatible video stream coming from the Air Video or Plex Server on your Mac. That's not much different than a stream...over the web with Safari...

You may be correct. However, until someone is able to use Plex or StreamToMe or some other video transcoding server that runs on the Mac we won't know for sure. For example, I believe that AirPlay will only work in apps that are using the iOS-standard video player UI. Of course, with iOS's object frameworks it would be possible to change the appearance and behavior of the standard player without affecting AirPlay compatibility but it's also possible that certain code overrides would break or disable AirPlay.

Lastly, I'm of the opinion that certain apps will either block or be incompatible with AirPlay. Plex, AirVideo, and StreamToMe would have no reason to block content but I'm pretty confident that so-called premium content players like the ABC app and Hulu Plus will block AirPlay streaming to the Apple TV.

In any case, I'm really looking forward to getting AirPlay on the Apple TV. In some respects, this could make or break the Apple TV, at least until (or if) native apps come to the product.

 

[fpnc]

...Ok I just went back and reread your post and maybe you weren't aware that Plex converts video on the fly to a compatible format just like Air Video...

Can you give your opinion on the transcoding performance of Plex (i.e. quality and stability). I've found that the video transcoding in AirVideo and StreamToMe is pretty unreliable. I haven't tried in the last few months with either app but I wasn't that impressed with the usability of AirVideo. I was streaming from a Mac Pro (2x2 at 2.66GHz) so I don't think it was a problem with the resources on my Mac.

 

[stuartmeyers]

iTunes to iPad

I have been trying to find this answer before buying an ATV2.

If I am watching a movie from iTunes to the ATV2 and my wife wants to watch normal tv, can I switch airplay to continue playing the movie on my iPad?

I like the idea of leaving the movies on the pc and not have to synch and play them from the iPad.