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Airtunes?

mwp98223

mwp98223

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 24, 2007
256
1
Conway Washington
Ok, I understand that it is a new feature that AppleTV can act as an Airtunes. This is new in that I can "push" music to AppleTV from the computer now, and before AppleTV could only "pull" music from my computer.

I've seen several comments from people that this is a great new feature. I've never had an airport express so maybe I don't understand what all this means. Can someone explain to me how this is a big "new" feature since I could play all my music from AppleTV before?

Be clear, this is not a gripe or whine, I'm trying to understand what this might mean for my use of the system.
 
mwp98223 said:
Ok, I understand that it is a new feature that AppleTV can act as an Airtunes. This is new in that I can "push" music to AppleTV from the computer now, and before AppleTV could only "pull" music from my computer.

I've seen several comments from people that this is a great new feature. I've never had an airport express so maybe I don't understand what all this means. Can someone explain to me how this is a big "new" feature since I could play all my music from AppleTV before?

Be clear, this is not a gripe or whine, I'm trying to understand what this might mean for my use of the system.
Click to expand...

Before the update, Airtunes was only functional using Airport Express. Basically, wherever you had an Airport Express plugged in, you could also add some sort of speaker system to that Airport Express (via the headphone jack). Once plugged in, you could go to iTunes, and in the bottom right hand corner you would see a list of ALL the Airport Expresses in your house. Whichever Airport Express you chose from the menu, is where iTunes would send the music (instead of your computers speakers).

So, you could have an airport Express in the kitchen, send the music there, or have one in the dining room and send music there.

Now... the new AppleTV update gave this same functionality to the Airport Express. Assuming your Apple TV is hooked up to a speaker system, you can now choose your AppleTV from the pull down menu in iTunes and send your music right to your living room... without buying another Airport Express.

It's a very nice feature... but the one thing I'm not sure about is whether or not you have to have the speaker directly connected to the Apple TV, or if it will go through the TV, into the receiver and out (for example) to your surround system. If so, that would be VERY cool.
 
I'm assuming that you have to have the analog audio or digital audio out hooked up to a receiver? I tried it out last night using only the hdmi-to-tv hook up and got nothing. Could somebody please elaborate on how this setup works?
Thanks!
 
As I write this, I'm sitting here, pushing music through my TV using TV.

It's very easy to set up. Just switch both your TV and TV. Go to iTunes and start playing music. At the bottom of the iTunes window, there is a drop down menu where you can select to push your music to your TV.
 
fivepoint said:
Before the update, Airtunes was only functional using Airport Express. Basically, wherever you had an Airport Express plugged in, you could also add some sort of speaker system to that Airport Express (via the headphone jack). Once plugged in, you could go to iTunes, and in the bottom right hand corner you would see a list of ALL the Airport Expresses in your house. Whichever Airport Express you chose from the menu, is where iTunes would send the music (instead of your computers speakers).

So, you could have an airport Express in the kitchen, send the music there, or have one in the dining room and send music there.

Now... the new AppleTV update gave this same functionality to the Airport Express. Assuming your Apple TV is hooked up to a speaker system, you can now choose your AppleTV from the pull down menu in iTunes and send your music right to your living room... without buying another Airport Express.

It's a very nice feature... but the one thing I'm not sure about is whether or not you have to have the speaker directly connected to the Apple TV, or if it will go through the TV, into the receiver and out (for example) to your surround system. If so, that would be VERY cool.
Click to expand...

I'm still not getting it. Other then the fundamental difference between pulling from the AppleTV and pushing from the computer, how is this anything "new" You could stream music from iTunes on AppleTV before and if it was hooked up to your stereo it would play. I guess I'm just not understanding how the push/pull distinction is that big?
 
mwp98223 said:
I'm still not getting it. Other then the fundamental difference between pulling from the AppleTV and pushing from the computer, how is this anything "new" You could stream music from iTunes on AppleTV before and if it was hooked up to your stereo it would play. I guess I'm just not understanding how the push/pull distinction is that big?
Click to expand...
The main difference is that you control what's being played from your Mac. Right now I've got party shuffle on, and I don't to touch TV to skip songs or to change the playlist.
 
for me, the great feature is that there exists, through programs such as Remote Buddy and others, the ability to control iTunes on my Mac remotely with my iPhone (works with Touch, as well).

This means I can control my living room music without turning on the TV (and without having to use a clumsy remote—iPhone's soft keyboard will obviously work much bettter with searching through your library).

Perhaps an AppleTV Remote App for iPhone/Touch will come later. That would likely be a more efficient solution. For now, though, iPhone with Remote Buddy to iTunes to AppleTV to stereo is the core functionality that will finally get me to buy one.
 
mwp98223 said:
I'm still not getting it. Other then the fundamental difference between pulling from the AppleTV and pushing from the computer, how is this anything "new" You could stream music from iTunes on AppleTV before and if it was hooked up to your stereo it would play. I guess I'm just not understanding how the push/pull distinction is that big?
Click to expand...

Its so you can control everything from your mac. You can sit in one place (your desk) and control music throughout the entire house. You don't have to walk to the area of the speaker and 'pull' anything form iTunes, you just sit at your desk, look at the long list of possible rooms to pump music too, and start streaming.

From one chair, you can control the entire house's music.

Also, I belive you can send music to all of them at the same time. So.. if you're having a party, you can choose to send the music to the kitchen, living room, den, basement, etc. All at once. From one chair.
 
fivepoint said:
Its so you can control everything from your mac. You can sit in one place (your desk) and control music throughout the entire house. You don't have to walk to the area of the speaker and 'pull' anything form iTunes, you just sit at your desk, look at the long list of possible rooms to pump music too, and start streaming.

From one chair, you can control the entire house's music.

Also, I belive you can send music to all of them at the same time. So.. if you're having a party, you can choose to send the music to the kitchen, living room, den, basement, etc. All at once. From one chair.
Click to expand...

If I understand, a key difference here is that before, the AppleTV played music by itself, but not in tandem with other Airport express locations, but this way, you could send music to multiple locations, including where the AppleTV is located.
 
Before this update, I had an AirportExpress and and Apple TV hooked up to the same system, because I prefer to control music from my Mac rather than with the Apple TV remote. Now I have no need for the AE on that system, which is nice.
 
yeah, it's cool, but out of sync

It's great to have AirTunes now coming out of my HDTV, but it's out of sync with my main mac and my airport express (which sync perfectly). I even tried hard wiring my AppleTV to my Airport Extreme and same thing.

It's a pretty good sized lag, too.
 
fivepoint said:
Its so you can control everything from your mac. You can sit in one place (your desk) and control music throughout the entire house. You don't have to walk to the area of the speaker and 'pull' anything form iTunes, you just sit at your desk, look at the long list of possible rooms to pump music too, and start streaming.

From one chair, you can control the entire house's music.

Also, I belive you can send music to all of them at the same time. So.. if you're having a party, you can choose to send the music to the kitchen, living room, den, basement, etc. All at once. From one chair.
Click to expand...

I can't wait to try this with Google Telekinesis and control it all from my iPhone or iPod Touch.
 
I use my Airport Express a lot to play music in the backyard during BBQs and it's nice to have it playing in the house as well. In the past I had to start the music on my Mac to play in the backyard and start the Apple TV as well on the same playlist, both unshuffled since they would both shuffle differently. And I would have to run out back and back in to make sure they were fairly close to each other in time, pausing one to sync it to the other. Now, I can select both to play to and not have to mess with it anymore than that.
 
cowboycoffee said:
It's great to have AirTunes now coming out of my HDTV, but it's out of sync with my main mac and my airport express (which sync perfectly). I even tried hard wiring my AppleTV to my Airport Extreme and same thing.

It's a pretty good sized lag, too.
Click to expand...

yea i noticed that too, but only since i was in the same room w/ my laptop and the aTV. if people were throughout the house, they would have no idea.
 
Some Content won't play on Apple TV

I had never used Airtunes until tonight. I purchased my Apple TV about 3 weeks ago and I was really bummed out when I found out it would not play any content purchased directly from audible.com.

I discovered the Airtunes functionality and now I can at least redirect my audible content to my Apple TV via Airtunes. Not perfect but it solves my particular problem.

I understand that you can also stream Internet radio to the Apple TV through Airtunes.
 
Just a note guys, its not just "...from your mac..." All of my systems are pc's and there is NOTHING cooler than controling music all over the house from my OQO, or Q1. Pure touch screen, full iTunes control goodness!

Although, I might be experiencing some M$ weirdness, when I try to add my airport express to the party, I'm told that it "does not support playback as part of a group and am asked if I want to "switch" to it? Any one else seeing this?/Have any thoughts?
 
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