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chayes

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 4, 2010
31
0
I have recently purchased a Macbook Air and am curious about purchasing an Apple TV, in part for the whole iCloud aspect but also because of the Airplay Mirroring ability.

So my question is can I turn on the Airplay Mirroring ability then put my Macbook Air in Clamshell mode? Does anyone else use this setup?
 

iRooney

macrumors 6502
Jul 14, 2011
441
0
Charleston, SC
Once you close the lid, the system will go to sleep, unfortunately. At that point, you'll be AirPlay-ing the black screen your system will be showing in its closed state....so I guess theoretically, it work just fine...but it won't work the way you are actually wanting it to. I use Home Sharing from my MacBook to the ATV2, but I do have to leave the lid open when I do this. I usually just dim the brightness down to nothing so its like its not even on....it does need to remain open, however.

I wish there were a way to just run everything from an external hard drive connected to the network, but the ATV requires iTunes in order to do the home sharing.
 

Nychot

macrumors 6502a
Aug 15, 2011
790
71
Look around there are a couple of apps that allow you to do this and close the cover. However i believe the screen stil stays on.


Once you close the lid, the system will go to sleep, unfortunately. At that point, you'll be AirPlay-ing the black screen your system will be showing in its closed state....so I guess theoretically, it work just fine...but it won't work the way you are actually wanting it to. I use Home Sharing from my MacBook to the ATV2, but I do have to leave the lid open when I do this. I usually just dim the brightness down to nothing so its like its not even on....it does need to remain open, however.

I wish there were a way to just run everything from an external hard drive connected to the network, but the ATV requires iTunes in order to do the home sharing.
 

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
I use an app called something like "NoSleep". I am at work so I don't have access to my mac's (I downloaded it over a year ago, so I forget what it is called). It has a little toggle in the System Preferences that allows you to keep your computer from going to sleep when the Lid is closed. I use this mostly when I have a lot of encoding to do over night but don't want to leave the lid open. I also know of Sleepless and InsomniaT (used to be InsomniaX but T as updated for Snow Leopard). I can't speak to the last two since I don't use them, but I did find them when searching.

Edit: Found NoSleep http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/37991/nosleep
 

hafr

macrumors 68030
Sep 21, 2011
2,743
9
I have recently purchased a Macbook Air and am curious about purchasing an Apple TV, in part for the whole iCloud aspect but also because of the Airplay Mirroring ability.

So my question is can I turn on the Airplay Mirroring ability then put my Macbook Air in Clamshell mode? Does anyone else use this setup?

As it is: no, I'm afraid not. But there are people who claim that if you connect a monitor adapter the computer will think there is an external monitor connected, and closing the lid then will only turn off the screen but not send the computer into sleep.

I can't recommend this method since I've never tried it, but if you do a Google search you should be able to find more accurate information about how it's done.
 

Zudeo

macrumors member
Jul 29, 2010
89
2
Toronto, ON
I use an app called something like "NoSleep". I am at work so I don't have access to my mac's (I downloaded it over a year ago, so I forget what it is called). It has a little toggle in the System Preferences that allows you to keep your computer from going to sleep when the Lid is closed. I use this mostly when I have a lot of encoding to do over night but don't want to leave the lid open. I also know of Sleepless and InsomniaT (used to be InsomniaX but T as updated for Snow Leopard). I can't speak to the last two since I don't use them, but I did find them when searching.

Edit: Found NoSleep http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/37991/nosleep

I'm going to purchase an Apple TV (2012) today to test this out. I was using Caffeine before, but compared to NoSleep it's clunky in it's execution. I'm loving OSX and even the MacRumors community more and more. Thanks a lot!
 

mankar4

macrumors 6502a
Aug 23, 2007
624
0
USA
I'm going to purchase an Apple TV (2012) today to test this out. I was using Caffeine before, but compared to NoSleep it's clunky in it's execution. I'm loving OSX and even the MacRumors community more and more. Thanks a lot!

Did this work for you? Thanks for trying it out.
 

Zudeo

macrumors member
Jul 29, 2010
89
2
Toronto, ON
Did this work for you? Thanks for trying it out.

Yup. NoSleepHelper keeps my Mac on while I'm Home Sharing, using an external display or AirPlay mirroring. Although when I'm using AirPlay mirroring, I've found that every now and again AirPlay just *stops*. Although I could be an MPlayerX.
 

j.dstasio

macrumors 6502
Jun 9, 2009
333
10
South Jersey
Apps like Caffeine, No sleep, Insomnia, and others do not work with a Macbook Air unless something has changed that I'm not aware of. They work great on my Macbook Pro, but they do not support the Air.
 

MCSN

macrumors regular
Feb 7, 2012
103
0
Kayenta
sweet baby jesus

yes, I could not get my macbook pro to work in clamshell mode. And since I was unsure about the connect cable I tried the apple tv airplay. and it was magnificent as it shut off as soon as I closed the lid to the mbp. i installed the app No Sleep and viola! Everything is as it should be. I can be a functioning person again.
 
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