Cannot get our NPR stations on AppleTV

[Schtibbie]

This is absolutely maddening. So, we just bought this new AppleTV and supposedly it can stream stuff from the internets. But it seems to be intentionally obfuscated as to how to do it. I must be missing something.. I did manage to find the Internet>Radio menu, but the two NPR stations we're trying to listen to are inexplicably not on the list AND THERE'S NO WAY to add stations or search! Huh?

So, I thought maybe I could go into iTunes on our Macbook Pro and do it from there. No dice. One of the two stations (KIOS 91.5) has an iTunes link on their site, but the stream only plays IN iTunes with no way to send it to the AppleTV. Yes, I tried making a playlist and dropping that KIOS stream in there. The playlist shows up on AppleTV (under music) but claims "There are no songs in this playlist".

The other station, KUT 90.5, has no iTunes stream - it just plays in a web browser WITH NO WAY to send to AppleTV.

And before anyone suggests that I need to have a third Apple device because two isn't enough: I'm not gonna accept that. How many internet connected devices does it take to play a radio station?

 

[chenks]

sounds like you didn't investigate what the device could and couldn't do before you bought it.

you should be mad, mad at yourself.

 

[balamw]

with no way to send it to the AppleTV.

Even Airplay?

The TV is not a radio. For National NPR shows, you might be better suited with one of their MANY podcasts.

B

 

[techchallenger]

"...the stream only plays IN iTunes with no way to send it to the AppleTV"

Not true if you have the PC and ATV on the same network

 

[Schtibbie]

"...the stream only plays IN iTunes with no way to send it to the AppleTV"

Not true if you have the PC and ATV on the same network

Ok, so if I'm playing a stream in iTunes on the Macbook, how do I start making it play over through the AppleTV (and thus my bigger speakers, etc, which is the whole POINT)? Are we talking 3rd party software?

 

[marzer]

Ok, so if I'm playing a stream in iTunes on the Macbook, how do I start making it play over through the AppleTV (and thus my bigger speakers, etc, which is the whole POINT)? Are we talking 3rd party software?

Select the Apple TV as the "output speaker" from the Airplay device selection icon located in the lower right-hand corner of iTunes.

 

[davidoloan]

sounds like you didn't investigate what the device could and couldn't do before you bought it.

you should be mad, mad at yourself.

No, he has a point.

The Apple TV2 is my favourite Apple device and I use it every day, but the Radio section looks like it got stuck in 1998.

I listen to Radio every day, but never on the Apple TV2.

I use the Arcam Tuner below the TVs, or sometimes tune in digitally through the TV.

The main thing that surprises me is that few people seem interested in the Radio section. You won't find much talk about it here. So maybe most people are not interested. Or maybe they all listen in their cars. Still, if Apple are going to have a Radio section they ought to put some effort into making it a pleasure to use - like every other section of the Apple TV2.

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The TV is not a radio.
B

Well it should be. It has a Radio section and plays streaming media.

 

[balamw]

Well it should be. It has a Radio section and plays streaming media.

It plays some streaming media, it does not include an AM or FM or DBS radio receiver.

Not every station will work. (e.g. those that may stream as RealMedia or WMA).

Both stations are available via the NPR app on iOS, which is why I hope to see limited app support in TV3.

B

 

[davidoloan]

It plays some streaming media, it does not include an AM or FM or DBS radio receiver.

Not every station will work. (e.g. those that may stream as RealMedia or WMA).

Both stations are available via the NPR app on iOS, which is why I hope to see limited app support in TV3.

B

What do you think of the Radio interface and use-ability?

Why is that although the BBC streams one of its Music stations in much higher quality than FM or over the air digital, and is available on the Apple TV2 list, I only listen to it on FM or digitally through my TV, Dac and Amp at lower quality, even though I use most other sections of the Apple TV2 enthusiastically?

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which is why I hope to see limited app support in TV3.

B

+1

I use the BBC IPlayer on the iPad and send it to the various Apple TV's and it is good though a bit buggy. Unfortunately, it also puts the iPad out of use, while you are watching the programme.

Apps on the Apple TV will be great if it happens.

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it does not include an AM or FM or DBS radio receiver.B

I know. I wouldn't want it to.

 

[techchallenger]

Select the Apple TV as the "output speaker" from the Airplay device selection icon located in the lower right-hand corner of iTunes.

Yes - This is how I listen to NPR (and my iTunes Library) in multiple rooms.

 

[machpost]

No, he has a point.

The Apple TV2 is my favourite Apple device and I use it every day, but the Radio section looks like it got stuck in 1998.

And the first-generation Apple TV would allow one to put streams into a playlist, and play them through the Apple TV without resorting to playing them in iTunes and sending them to the Apple TV with AirPlay. This feature was left out of the Apple TV 2. Very frustrating for those of us who got a lot of use out of that functionality.

For the original poster, you might try contacting those stations to ask them if they'd be interested in submitting their streams to be listed by Apple in iTunes and on the Apple TV.

 

[Nychot]

Better yet forget the atv and stream your radio from the ipad to a bluetooth soeaker like the one creative makes. Beautiful sound fills our living room. Here on the east coast usa i listen to bbc as if it was next door. Can also do the same by mirroring a radio app to atv.

 

[dgalvan123]

So, I thought maybe I could go into iTunes on our Macbook Pro and do it from there. No dice. One of the two stations (KIOS 91.5) has an iTunes link on their site, but the stream only plays IN iTunes with no way to send it to the AppleTV.

That is exactly what Airplay is for. When the stream is playing in iTunes on your mac, just select the Apple TV as the output speakers from the airplay menu. One step and you are done.

The other station, KUT 90.5, has no iTunes stream - it just plays in a web browser WITH NO WAY to send to AppleTV.

This is trickier. At the moment, macs only serve media to the ATV (both audio and video) or Airport Express (just audio) through iTunes, either via Home Sharing or Airplay. If your radio stream is not in iTunes, you have several options:

1. Use third party software now: AirParrot http://airparrot.com/ will mirror your mac's screen and audio to your apple tv, just like Mountain Lion will, but AirParrot works on Snow Leopard and Lion as well. Cost is $10, and there is a free trial you can use to test and make sure it works.

2. Use a different device besides your mac to access the radio station. If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, you can access the website stream using mobile safari, then airplay that audio stream to your Apple TV.

3. Plug bigger external speakers into your computer.

4. Wait for Mountain Lion (summer), which supposedly will mirror your mac desktop and your mac audio to your ATV, eschewing iTunes entirely.

 

[Schtibbie]

OP here. Thanks for all the responses folks! I wasn't aware of the itunes airplay option from Mac OS.

In general, I guess I just find it weirdly non-"IT JUST WORKS". As a consumer (taking off my computer-guy hat), I expect to be able to go play a streaming media service on a device that I have hooked to my TV, given that the device in question has adequate horsepower and has a wifi connection. That's it. I shouldn't need another one (or two!) devices and some hacky workarounds.

No, I don't own an iPad and shouldn't *need* one. Yes, I have an iPhone, but shouldn't have to tie it up sending bits to another Apple device.

 

[adbe]

And the first-generation Apple TV would allow one to put streams into a playlist, and play them through the Apple TV without resorting to playing them in iTunes and sending them to the Apple TV with AirPlay. This feature was left out of the Apple TV 2. Very frustrating for those of us who got a lot of use out of that functionality.

+1.

So many times I've come close replacing my V1, but then I remember all the things that don't seem to work quite right on the V2. I'm not even fussed about the internal storage, since I do actually stream everything, but things like the missing playlist support just irk me.

 

[balamw]

In general, I guess I just find it weirdly non-"IT JUST WORKS". As a consumer (taking off my computer-guy hat), I expect to be able to go play a streaming media service on a device that I have hooked to my TV, given that the device in question has adequate horsepower and has a wifi connection. That's it. I shouldn't need another one (or two!) devices and some hacky workarounds.

I'm glad you have apparently found a solution that works for you.

Airplay is a pretty non-hacky workaround.

The problem is that (as you have already noticed) not every "streaming media service" is created equally. Some only work in your browser, others can work in iTunes, some work in RealPlayer, some work in Windows Media only, ....

The "standards" that exist there are loose and many.

B