ATV + Remote App for iPod Touch

[netnothing]

So I'm looking at getting an ATV for my living room. The primary function for this would be to stream music and movies from my Mac Pro over the 100Mbit network to the ATV.

I've been searching and haven't found a definitive answer yet on what I can do with the Remote App on my iPod Touch on the ATV?

Remember, than I won't have much on the ATV itself, as I want to stream almost everything.

Does the iPod Remote App give you access to everything on the ATV (other than Volume I'm guessing since that is controlled by my receiver)?

I'm read some articles about it only working with music, and other about it only working with media local on the ATV itself (not streamed).

Thanks!

-Kevin

 

[xraydoc]

Yes, the remote app will give you access to all the content that your Apple TV has access to, including content on iTunes on your Mac (provided your Apple TV and your Mac/iTunes are properly setup first).

I keep very little actual content on my Apple TVs and the remote app (via iPhone) works wonderfully. Even supports multiple Apple TVs, AirPort Express speakers and iTunes on the Mac itself.

 

[Duffinator]

Doest Remote control the ATV directly? From my use it controls iTunes on my computer which streams the content to my ATV. I'm not sure Remote is communicating directly with my ATV.

 

[netnothing]

Doest Remote control the ATV directly? From my use it controls iTunes on my computer which streams the content to my ATV. I'm not sure Remote is communicating directly with my ATV.

It should be communicating directly with the ATV.

1) You setup the remote by entering the code ON the ATV.
2) You don't need to have iTunes running if you are syncing music/videos to the ATV, therefore, it would need to talk directly with it.

Got my ATV last night. Basically, the Remote App works just like if you were controlling iTunes on a computer. So for the ATV, you just get access to your music and videos (regardless of whether they are local or streamed).

You do not get access to all the functions of the ATV. It's not like a full remote of the ATV. You can't control photos, youtube, etc. You can't use it browse the iTunes store, movie trailers, etc.

If will display on the iPhone or Touch whatever is playing, so even if you use the Apple remote to watch a trailer online, you'll see the coverart on the phone/touch.

-Kevin

 

[Duffinator]

It should be communicating directly with the ATV.

1) You setup the remote by entering the code ON the ATV.
2) You don't need to have iTunes running if you are syncing music/videos to the ATV, therefore, it would need to talk directly with it.

Thanks, I'm streaming not syncing so that's the difference.

 

[netnothing]

Thanks, I'm streaming not syncing so that's the difference.

Shouldn't make a difference. Streaming just basically means that your Apple TV is requesting music/video FROM your computer running iTunes. The request still comes from the Apple TV....so Remote App should be controlling the Apple TV itself.

-Kevin

 

[netnothing]

Yes, the remote app will give you access to all the content that your Apple TV has access to, including content on iTunes on your Mac (provided your Apple TV and your Mac/iTunes are properly setup first).

I keep very little actual content on my Apple TVs and the remote app (via iPhone) works wonderfully. Even supports multiple Apple TVs, AirPort Express speakers and iTunes on the Mac itself.

BTW....thanks for the info. Gave me the push to get the ATV last night!

Only thing is I wish you could stream photos to the Apple TV instead of syncing. The only way to stream photos is to break the syncing connection, and setup as a shared library....but then any content on the ATV itself is removed.

-Kevin

 

[Duffinator]

Shouldn't make a difference. Streaming just basically means that your Apple TV is requesting music/video FROM your computer running iTunes. The request still comes from the Apple TV....so Remote App should be controlling the Apple TV itself.

-Kevin

The Remote app can control iTunes directly and stream content to the ATV or AE. I'm not saying it doesn't control the ATV directly but when I tried the Remote app on my Touch it was connected to iTunes via my WiFi connection and showed as a device in iTunes. Whatever showed on my Touch played through my ATV but also played on my computer. That's not the case when using the Apple remote supplied with the ATV. My Touch was not controlling my ATV.

 

[netnothing]

The Remote app can control iTunes directly and stream content to the ATV or AE. I'm not saying it doesn't control the ATV directly but when I tried the Remote app on my Touch it was connected to iTunes via my WiFi connection and showed as a device in iTunes. Whatever showed on my Touch played through my ATV but also played on my computer. That's not the case when using the Apple remote supplied with the ATV. My Touch was not controlling my ATV.

Did you add your Touch to your ATV under Settings - General - Remotes?

-Kevin

 

[xraydoc]

The Remote app can control iTunes directly and stream content to the ATV or AE. I'm not saying it doesn't control the ATV directly but when I tried the Remote app on my Touch it was connected to iTunes via my WiFi connection and showed as a device in iTunes. Whatever showed on my Touch played through my ATV but also played on my computer. That's not the case when using the Apple remote supplied with the ATV. My Touch was not controlling my ATV.

Not for me. I have control of 3 separate ATVs from my iPhone, in addition to iTunes on my Mac Pro and the AirPort Express speakers in another room.

Something isn't configured correctly for you, then.

The remote app controls the ATV you indicate (but via the wifi network, not as an IR remote, just so we're clear). You can't select YouTube, photos or the iTunes store on the ATV through the iPhone/touch or navigate the ATV's on-screen menus, but you can select any content to play - streaming or not.

 

[Avatar74]

Not for me. I have control of 3 separate ATVs from my iPhone, in addition to iTunes on my Mac Pro and the AirPort Express speakers in another room.

Something isn't configured correctly for you, then.

The remote app controls the ATV you indicate (but via the wifi network, not as an IR remote, just so we're clear). You can't select YouTube, photos or the iTunes store on the ATV through the iPhone/touch or navigate the ATV's on-screen menus, but you can select any content to play - streaming or not.

If the content is playing through iTunes on the computer AND the AppleTV, then it would appear that the iPod/iPhone Remote app has been code-synched with iTunes on the computer, not with the AppleTV itself. And, the reason it's playing through to both is possibly because he's got AirTunes on iTunes set to Multiple Speakers.

At least that's one possible explanation... there may be others. But if he goes back and configures the Remote app to talk to AppleTV by entering the code on the AppleTV *NOT* his computer's iTunes app... He can leave both the iTunes config and the AppleTV config in the remote and switch between the two, but make sure that Remote has the AppleTV device selected in order to be sure you're directly controlling it, rather than controlling the computer and using the AirTunes method of playthrough to AppleTV.

 

[Duffinator]

If the content is playing through iTunes on the computer AND the AppleTV, then it would appear that the iPod/iPhone Remote app has been code-synched with iTunes on the computer, not with the AppleTV itself. And, the reason it's playing through to both is possibly because he's got AirTunes on iTunes set to Multiple Speakers.

That's how I had it configured. I was just messing with it to check it out and I'm not using it. The point of my comment was that it can control iTunes on your computer as well and I never said it wouldn't control the ATV. Now I know it will, thanks.

 

[Avatar74]

That's how I had it configured. I was just messing with it to check it out and I'm not using it. The point of my comment was that it can control iTunes on your computer as well and I never said it wouldn't control the ATV. Now I know it will, thanks.

Ah. I thought you were wondering why.