Share a printer through Apple TV?

[j-a-x]

I was just wondering,
Can I share a USB printer through Apple TV like I can with Airport Express? If so, I may just buy one of these things. Otherwise I'll probably try to find a cheap airport express on eBay.

Basically I want to move my printer to the living room on a wireless router, and maybe set another set of speakers up there so I can stream to either my bedroom or living room from iTunes. The Apple TV would take care of the music side of things, but would it work with a printer?

 

[EricNau]

No, sorry. The USB port on the Apple TV is purely for diagnostic purposes.

 

[j-a-x]

That sucks. What sort of diagnostics are people doing with this USB port? Seems like a waste of a port.

 

[sandman42]

That sucks. What sort of diagnostics are people doing with this USB port? Seems like a waste of a port.

I don't think Apple's made it clear what kind of diagnostics the port is intended for, nor have they implied it's for the user's use. I think their story is that it's for them to use if they have to diagnose a faulty unit. Personally, I think it's really for possible future expansion but they don't want people pestering them about it, so they say it's for "diagnostics". Either that, or it's for diagnostics.

As far as your plan for using the TV as a source for remote speakers, that will only work if you have a TV hooked up to it, under the current TV software. Maybe you do plan to connect your TV to it, but that's unclear from your post. The current software version 'pulls' the music to the device based on choices presented on your TV screen, unlike the Airport Express where you 'push' the music to it from your computer. Without the TV, you wouldn't be able to see what you were doing to control music with the TV. The 'Take 2' software may change this, as some screen shots show that it will have some function described as 'Airtunes', but so far I don't think we know exactly how that will work. Should find out any day now, though.

 

[j-a-x]

Thanks for your info. It sort of sounds like a second airport express is more what I need new, but I wish I could combine the functionality of both devices into one (have my audio and video hooked up wirelessly and add a printer). I guess that isn't possible.

I think Apple has some airport expresses for $70. I'm considering just getting one of those, but I wish if I am spending money on another wireless audio device that I could have video too.