Mirroring -- how do you pause a film?

[roberticus70]

I'm thinking about buying the new Apple TV to make use of Airplay Mirroring. My new retina MBP will be in another room of the house. I'd like to be able to play a film using a 3rd party app (VLC, for example) and then walk over to the TV room and play it by mirroring -- but the key is that I want to be able to pause/start the film when necessary.

Can this be done through Apple TV? Or do I need to have the MBP in the same room?

In other words, if I want to stop and start films, am I limited to itunes on apple tv?

Thanks!

 

[Matthew Yohe]

Use the Apple Remote?

 

[roberticus70]

Thanks Matthew, but forgive me for asking -- do you mean that the apple remote for the apple tv will pause or start a film that I am mirroring from my MBP on VLC or some other app?

I'm hoping that it will, but I'm not sure how it would do that. (Or is this just one of those pleasant surprises from Apple...?)

 

[Matthew Yohe]

Thanks Matthew, but forgive me for asking -- do you mean that the apple remote for the apple tv will pause or start a film that I am mirroring from my MBP on VLC or some other app?

I'm hoping that it will, but I'm not sure how it would do that. (Or is this just one of those pleasant surprises from Apple...?)

Your MacBook Pro has an IR sensor (unless it's the retina...) and you can buy the Apple remote for cheap somewhere. You can get the current aluminum one, or the older white version. Either will work.

You then pair the remote to your macbook in System Preferences. (Type in the word Remote in the search to help you find where the Pair option is.)

So, your macbook will need to be within line-of-sight in order for it to work, but it might be good enough to bounce around a corner or two.

 

[roberticus70]

Matthew, yes, I do have the retina mbp -- and so this was precisely the issue: can you control viewing without interacting directly with the mbp?

Can I be alone in wondering about this? Does everyone plan to have their computer in the same room when using airplay mirroring?

 

[Matthew Yohe]

Can I be alone in wondering about this? Does everyone plan to have their computer in the same room when using airplay mirroring?

Yes. That is really the point in most cases. Otherwise you could use a remote application on your iOS device.

 

[roberticus70]

Thanks Matthew. Any suggestions for remote control apps for ipad or phone?

 

[BFW122083]

Thanks Matthew. Any suggestions for remote control apps for ipad or phone?

Apple makes an app simply called "remote". It's awesome. Never use the Apple tv remote anymore...