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Video apps with Airplay

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Cyacene

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 29, 2010
50
0
With the release of 4.2GM, it looks like airplay is back in all apps that use the built in iPad video player. This is amazing if everything pans out. In Canada we have a CityTV app that is similar to the ABC app, that in theory, should be able to be streamed to our TV's. Does the ABC app use its own player or is it the standard iPad one?

Also, I wonder if this will cause a backlash for companies like this? All of a sudden, I get free tv shows (30 rock) streaming to my TV? Not sure if this was their intent when they released the app! It sounds like Apple is accepting 4.2 updated apps to the store. Will they allow this functionality to be blocked? Or only to be added to apps that use a different player?

Again, as of right now, with the CityTV app in canada, I should be able to stream (for free) 30 Rock, Fringe, The Event, Undercovers, Hells Kitchen and more, as it uses the built in iPad video player. Am I getting excited for nothing here?!
 
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JMarr

macrumors newbie
Nov 2, 2010
3
0
Kansas
So far every app I've tried as been able to stream to both my AppleTV 2 and old Airport Express. YouTube, Safari, Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, NPR... and Angry Birds! Obviously they're all audio only, and the audio from games was more than a little delayed compared to the on-screen video. But it's very promising.

With all of the TV sites blocking access to Google TV I hope all of this keeps working. Or rather, works with video at all once the Apple TV is updated.

$100 for that kind of functionality is a mere accessory for an iPad. If ESPN3 will stream through SkyFire to the AppleTV life will be beautiful.
 
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newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
I thought Hulu wasn't using the standard iPad Video player controls and therefore wasn't working with Airplay yet? Have they already updated it now or something to make it work with Airplay?
 
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JMarr

macrumors newbie
Nov 2, 2010
3
0
Kansas
It doesn't look like the standard player, but it seems like there is some sort of 'global airplay' that pushes at least the audio over to the AppleTV. When you double click the home button and slide past the audio controls there's another row of AirPlay controls. You can select the output and control the volume. It seems to send everything out.

But in the Hulu app itself there is no AirPlay button. Hopefully the video is pushed out too. Hopefully we'll find out next week?

VLC also sends out at least the audio portion...
 
C

canyonblue737

macrumors 68020
Jan 10, 2005
2,147
2,620
Perhaps their is an update that will come for AppleTV to enable this when 4.2 launches for the iPhone/iPod/iPad?
 
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fpnc

macrumors 68000
Oct 30, 2002
1,979
134
San Diego, CA
I think you can be pretty sure that Hulu Plus and others like the ABC app will block AirPlay video. They've blocked playback on just about every other device so I don't know why the Apple TV would be any different. In fact, without some truly groundbreaking agreement between the networks and Apple I'm afraid that our chances of getting AirPlay to work with Hulu and the ABC app are pretty slim. I'd have more faith in this matter if either Hulu or the ABC app allowed video out on the iPad's docking port, but they don't even allow that so why would they allow wireless streaming which would make the content even easier to access. My one remaining hope is that the recently released PBS app works with AirPlay (the video out port doesn't work on that app either, but one can always hope).

It does seem, however, that Hulu Plus has recently come to some devices, the PS3 -- if you also subscribe to Sony's PlayStation Plus membership which is $50/year. This additional cost makes me wonder whether Sony is paying a licensing fee to host Hulu on the PS3. If so, I don't see Apple (or Steve Jobs) willing to accept that cost without passing it on to the Apple TV consumers.
 
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fpnc

macrumors 68000
Oct 30, 2002
1,979
134
San Diego, CA
stix said:
...Angry Birds on a TV would be awesome!
Click to expand...
Not likely to happen with just AirPlay. Angry Birds would have to output streaming H.264 video which isn't how games work. However, they could write a dedicated app for the Apple TV, if Apple ever allows apps on that device.
 
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newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
fpnc said:
I think you can be pretty sure that Hulu Plus and others like the ABC app will block AirPlay video. They've blocked playback on just about every other device so I don't know why the Apple TV would be any different. In fact, without some truly groundbreaking agreement between the networks and Apple I'm afraid that our chances of getting AirPlay to work with Hulu and the ABC app are pretty slim. I'd have more faith in this matter if either Hulu or the ABC app allowed video out on the iPad's docking port, but they don't even allow that so why would they allow wireless streaming which would make the content even easier to access. My one remaining hope is that the recently released PBS app works with AirPlay (the video out port doesn't work on that app either, but one can always hope).

It does seem, however, that Hulu Plus has recently come to some devices, the PS3 -- if you also subscribe to Sony's PlayStation Plus membership which is $50/year. This additional cost makes me wonder whether Sony is paying a licensing fee to host Hulu on the PS3. If so, I don't see Apple (or Steve Jobs) willing to accept that cost without passing it on to the Apple TV consumers.
Click to expand...


Actually that does not appear to be the case. You are getting things mixed up. They are actively blocking the regular free Hulu only. They would love to offer Hulu Plus to as many different devices as possible and want as many subscribers as possible. They have already made Hulu Plus available on all the iOS devices as well as built it in to TVs, put it on the PS3, and announced other TV media devices like the Tivo and Roku will offer it as well.

So since they are already offering it on iOS and they are already offering it on media center devices and TVs specifically made for the living room, then what makes you think they do not want it on the Apple TV? That makes no sense. It's not like they make you pay for Hulu Plus on each and every device you add it to. So if you subscribe to Hulu Plus on the iPhone I see no reason they don't want to let you see it on your Apple TV through Airplay. I think they can't wait for Airplay to help them get more subscribers. Especially when it's less work for them through Airplay than having to actually create a whole new app like they did for the PS3 and have to do for the Tivo and Roku.
 
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tripjammer

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2010
581
0
newagemac said:
Actually that does not appear to be the case. You are getting things mixed up. They are actively blocking the regular free Hulu only. They would love to offer Hulu Plus to as many different devices as possible and want as many subscribers as possible. They have already made Hulu Plus available on all the iOS devices as well as built it in to TVs, put it on the PS3, and announced other TV media devices like the Tivo and Roku will offer it as well.

So since they are already offering it on iOS and they are already offering it on media center devices and TVs specifically made for the living room, then what makes you think they do not want it on the Apple TV? That makes no sense. It's not like they make you pay for Hulu Plus on each and every device you add it to. So if you subscribe to Hulu Plus on the iPhone I see no reason they don't want to let you see it on your Apple TV through Airplay. I think they can't wait for Airplay to help them get more subscribers. Especially when it's less work for them through Airplay than having to actually create a whole new app like they did for the PS3 and have to do for the Tivo and Roku.
Click to expand...

I agree...Hulu plus will be airplay video\audio by end of next week on the new AppleTv with the appleTV iOS 4.2 upgrade...and Hulu will knock the price down of Hulu plus to $4.99 by Xmas.
 
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Cyacene

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 29, 2010
50
0
I really hope that airplay is not going to become a promised feature that gets delayed past 4.2. Although it's already here, having no devices that support it is kind of a problem.

Maybe we'll get 4.2 on AppleTV along with Itunes extra's next week.

Fingers crossed.
 
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fpnc

macrumors 68000
Oct 30, 2002
1,979
134
San Diego, CA
tripjammer said:
I agree...Hulu plus will be airplay video\audio by end of next week on the new AppleTv with the appleTV iOS 4.2 upgrade...and Hulu will knock the price down of Hulu plus to $4.99 by Xmas.
Click to expand...
I find it somewhat amusing that so many people expect that Hulu Plus will become available on the Apple TV just because of the introduction of AirPlay. The two events do not need to be connected, since both Apple and the TV networks will probably need new licensing terms to allow Hulu Plus to appear on the Apple TV. Why would Hulu Plus work with AirPlay when you can't even use the video out on the iPad to view it today? I mean, if Hulu (or anyone else, like the ABC app) wanted their content to appear on the big-screen TV they could have done that long ago with the docking port (video output) on the current iOS devices (however, it's current blocked).

Expecting AirPlay to automatically allow Hulu Plus to be viewed on the Apple TV is just about like me saying that it will be available starting next Monday simply because it's my birthday (that is, the events could have no real connection whatsoever). I would suggest that people temper their expectations, Hulu Plus would be great on the Apple TV, but I don't expect that AirPlay (alone) will be the event that will make that happen. It will probably happen eventually, and it could be next week (IMO, unlikely), or next month, or next year (IMO, most likely).
 
P

pirateRACE

macrumors 6502
Feb 1, 2010
250
19
fpnc said:
I find it somewhat amusing that so many people expect that Hulu Plus will become available on the Apple TV just because of the introduction of AirPlay. The two events do not need to be connected, since both Apple and the TV networks will probably need new licensing terms to allow Hulu Plus to appear on the Apple TV. Why would Hulu Plus work with AirPlay when you can't even use the video out on the iPad to view it today? I mean, if Hulu (or anyone else, like the ABC app) wanted their content to appear on the big-screen TV they could have done that long ago with the docking port (video output) on the current iOS devices (however, it's current blocked).

Expecting AirPlay to automatically allow Hulu Plus to be viewed on the Apple TV is just about like me saying that it will be available starting next Monday simply because it's my birthday (that is, the events could have no real connection whatsoever). I would suggest that people temper their expectations, Hulu Plus would be great on the Apple TV, but I don't expect that AirPlay (alone) will be the event that will make that happen. It will probably happen eventually, and it could be next week (IMO, unlikely), or next month, or next year (IMO, most likely).
Click to expand...

Happy Early Birthday!

...and I agree. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see everything just sending stuff to the AppleTV. I'm excited for just the prospect of sending my current photos/video from my iPhone to AppleTV. Pandora would be a good first step and hopefully we'll see video apps follow soon after.
 
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newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
fpnc said:
I find it somewhat amusing that so many people expect that Hulu Plus will become available on the Apple TV just because of the introduction of AirPlay. The two events do not need to be connected, since both Apple and the TV networks will probably need new licensing terms to allow Hulu Plus to appear on the Apple TV. Why would Hulu Plus work with AirPlay when you can't even use the video out on the iPad to view it today? I mean, if Hulu (or anyone else, like the ABC app) wanted their content to appear on the big-screen TV they could have done that long ago with the docking port (video output) on the current iOS devices (however, it's current blocked).

Expecting AirPlay to automatically allow Hulu Plus to be viewed on the Apple TV is just about like me saying that it will be available starting next Monday simply because it's my birthday (that is, the events could have no real connection whatsoever). I would suggest that people temper their expectations, Hulu Plus would be great on the Apple TV, but I don't expect that AirPlay (alone) will be the event that will make that happen. It will probably happen eventually, and it could be next week (IMO, unlikely), or next month, or next year (IMO, most likely).
Click to expand...

I disagree. The reason they don't want video out from the docking port is because the docking port is analog and therefore there is no copy protection on it. However, streaming it through Airplay does not give you an easily copied analog interface. A small but very important difference.
 
F

fpnc

macrumors 68000
Oct 30, 2002
1,979
134
San Diego, CA
newagemac said:
I disagree. The reason they don't want video out from the docking port is because the docking port is analog and therefore there is no copy protection on it. However, streaming it through Airplay does not give you an easily copied analog interface. A small but very important difference.
Click to expand...
That's a potential factor, however, the analog output (component video) is already limited to standard definition and you can't even output protected content over the iPad's VGA interface. Furthermore, Apple is already allowing protected iTunes content to be sent over the iPad's component video out (thus, the movie and TV studios seem to be okay with that). In any case, if you really want to you can copy HDMI video with a widely available HDMI-to-component adapter (even in HD, which can't be done over the iOS's component or VGA adapters). If they were really that worried about content being pirated then I don't think they would allow Hulu to run on PCs, that's where the widespread copying will exist.

Note, I'm not saying that Hulu Plus will never appear on the Apple TV (or with AirPlay), it's just that there is no reason to automatically assume that it will become available as soon as AirPlay is released.
 
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