Multiple iOS devices & iTunes accounts over homesharing

[Nocaster]

I just received our ATV2 this week and to date I haven't been able to pair a second iOS device to it (my wife's iPhone 4). Am I doing something wrong, or can you only pair one? I understand only being able to use one at a time, but if I'm not home, I don't see why my wife wouldn't be able to use hers.

In addition to both of us having the iPhone Remote App, we each also have our own computers, iTunes accounts etc. Is there any way to switch between our libraries without having to sign out of one and into the other? I mean, the "Computers" tab on the main menu is plural

 

[saving107]

1.I don't understand what you mean by pairing an iOS device to the Apple TV, Do you mean pair it to use the remote app?

2. In iTunes, go to the Advance Tab (File,Edit,View---Advance) and click on "Turn On Home Sharing", make sure that your computer and your wife's computer on logged on to the same account (just for home sharing), then Both your computers will show up on the Apple TV under the Computers Tab. Also, once every computer and iOS Device (iPhone/iPad/iPod touch) has Home Sharing enabled, then you don't have to pair the remote app to the Apple TV,

 

[Nocaster]

1.I don't understand what you mean by pairing an iOS device to the Apple TV, Do you mean pair it to use the remote app?

2. In iTunes, go to the Advance Tab (File,Edit,View---Advance) and click on "Turn On Home Sharing", make sure that your computer and your wife's computer on logged on to the same account (just for home sharing), then Both your computers will show up on the Apple TV under the Computers Tab.

1. Yes, sorry, I meant via the remote app.

2. Thanks, I'll give that a try. I was under the impression you had to be logged into the appropriate iTunes account to access it's library.

 

[saving107]

lets say you have 3 iPhones, an iPad and a couple of iPod touch's in your household, as long as every device has the Home Sharing enabled, then all of those devices can control the Apple TV without having to be paired 1-by-1 like the old Apple TV.

 

[Nocaster]

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That did the trick, thanks for the help.

 

[Surf Monkey]

lets say you have 3 iPhones, an iPad and a couple of iPod touch's in your household, as long as every device has the Home Sharing enabled, then all of those devices can control the Apple TV without having to be paired 1-by-1 like the old Apple TV.

That's the exact setup I have. I've got both a 4 and 3G iPhone and my girl friend has my old first gen iPhone. I've also got an iPad. All of these are able to control the ATV via the Remote app.

 

[dezza.1985]

The only thing that I am wondering with this is what if you currently have 2 iTunes accounts that you have purchased different things with?

Me and my partner both have an iTunes account that we buy seperate stuff on, however authorise each others accounts so that we can share data.

When I went to authorise Home Sharing then it said that I had to use one account across everything?!?! Thus meaning that all the stuff on one account would then not be used or authorised?

Please tell me if there is a way or if I have miss understood something, it's just I can't see anyway of merging the two accounts without doing it the way that we currently are??

Cheers

 

[dXTC]

The only thing that I am wondering with this is what if you currently have 2 iTunes accounts that you have purchased different things with?

Me and my partner both have an iTunes account that we buy seperate stuff on, however authorise each others accounts so that we can share data.

When I went to authorise Home Sharing then it said that I had to use one account across everything?!?! Thus meaning that all the stuff on one account would then not be used or authorised?

Please tell me if there is a way or if I have miss understood something, it's just I can't see anyway of merging the two accounts without doing it the way that we currently are??

The "one account" applies only to the Home Sharing aspect. Turn on Home Sharing on each computer using the same single account, and you'll be able to share all authorized content, regardless of the account used to purchase said content.

 

[newagemac]

Using Home Sharing doesn't change anything. Each person still would have their own iTunes accounts tied to their own computers and the Apple TV would recognize both under Computers without requiring signing in or out. It's a common misperception that enabling Home Sharing on someone else's computer using your iTunes account makes them use your iTunes account. It does not. It changes nothing in that respect.

 

[dezza.1985]

The "one account" applies only to the Home Sharing aspect. Turn on Home Sharing on each computer using the same single account, and you'll be able to share all authorized content, regardless of the account used to purchase said content.

It says when going to set up the Home Sharing that it will automatically copy files onto other Home Shared computers, does that work with both the laptops if either of us buy something on our own accounts but have the others authorised?

 

[newagemac]

Yes, if you enable the automatic option. You don't have to enable it though and you can also choose if you want automatic for different content types. For instance, you can make iPhone apps transfer automatically but manually transfer music. Another cool feature is you can choose whether to show all the content from other computers on Home Sharing or just show content on them that is not currently on your computer.

 

[Smighty24]

What about if you share a computer with someone and have two separate itunes accounts spread across 2 users? Is it possible for the 2g apple tv to find both of them with home sharing on?

 

[newagemac]

Yes, that works too as long as you keep both users logged in with iTunes open.

 

[dXTC]

What about if you share a computer with someone and have two separate itunes accounts spread across 2 users? Is it possible for the 2g apple tv to find both of them with home sharing on?

Only the active, running iTunes library(ies) will be seen, regardless of how many users there are on a given computer or what is in their libraries. Remember, tv 2 looks for running iTunes instances.

 

[Smighty24]

ok that sums it up really well! Thanks so much! I got an Apple TV for my Dad for Christmas and we were just amazed at how cool that little device is. We were just trying to figure out the home sharing/ multiple accounts issue. Thanks!