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jctivo

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 23, 2011
90
0
I'm beginning to think I bought the wrong one (IE Roku vs Apple TV 2).

So I tried to watch Amazon Instant last night for Downton Abbey with my wife and it wouldn't work. I was trying to use airplay to the apple tv from my iphone or ipad. I'm only doing this because my tivo crashed in the spring and I lost my saved episodes.

So frustrating that it works on my ipad but can't mirror it. Is this a permanent thing? If I jailbreak will it work?

I love the apple ecosystem but man, they seem to be behind the times. Just now got HBO go, etc.

Frustrated,
jctivo
 

SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
10,051
Detroit
I'm beginning to think I bought the wrong one (IE Roku vs Apple TV 2).

So I tried to watch Amazon Instant last night for Downton Abbey with my wife and it wouldn't work. I was trying to use airplay to the apple tv from my iphone or ipad. I'm only doing this because my tivo crashed in the spring and I lost my saved episodes.

So frustrating that it works on my ipad but can't mirror it. Is this a permanent thing? If I jailbreak will it work?

I love the apple ecosystem but man, they seem to be behind the times. Just now got HBO go, etc.

Frustrated,
jctivo

No one knows if this is a permanent thing or not, yet it's frustrating. I wish Apple/Amazon would bring the Instant Video to the ATV too. I don't understand why they don't/won't because you can watch it on the iPad - so why not the ATV?
 

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
Truthfully, I rarely find anything on Amazon Instant/Prime that isn't available on Netflix. Since i already have Netflix, not having Amazon Prime really isn't a loss. The handful of times that I have wanted to watch something on my ATV from Prime, I just fired it up on one of my Macbooks and Airplay Mirrored it to my TV. Would be nice to have Prime, but Airplay and Airplay Mirroring make the lack of Amazon Prime/Instant worth it.
 

jctivo

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 23, 2011
90
0
Downton Abbey

Thanks for the tips but Downton Abbey is only available on Amazon Instant now. It's one of those solo deals. And I don't have any apple mac computers.
 

charlien

macrumors 6502
Jul 3, 2006
266
53
Thanks for the tips but Downton Abbey is only available on Amazon Instant now. It's one of those solo deals. And I don't have any apple mac computers.

If you really want to see Amazon Prime stuff, 1saleaday has a refurb Roku 2XS for $50. Give up going out on the town one night and it is paid for. I got one and it works well. I use both.
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,019
8,383
New Hampshire, USA
If you really want to see Amazon Prime stuff, 1saleaday has a refurb Roku 2XS for $50. Give up going out on the town one night and it is paid for. I got one and it works well. I use both.

I'll never understood why some people don't consider getting both. As you said, they are very inexpensive.

Thanks for the tips but Downton Abbey is only available on Amazon Instant now. It's one of those solo deals. And I don't have any apple mac computers.

Downton Abby was on Netflix streaming earlier this year so you just missed it if you have Netflix. You are correct about it going exclusively to Amazon but it is still on Hulu for awhile. It is also on DVD.
 

jctivo

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 23, 2011
90
0
both :(

I don't want both. I'm trying to simplify. I like apple because I could use my iphone and ipad to airplay to the tv and I use that feature a lot. If Roku had that supported when I bought my appletv I would have bought a roku instead because it seems to be more advanced.

Also, I don't think the newest season of Downton Abbey which just ended in February was on Netflix streaming (I could be wrong but hence it's over so it doesn't matter).

I have a 4 input hdmi switch so adding a 5th component is not good. 2 cable inputs, dvd and apple tv.

Thanks for all of the advice, I just wish Apple TV would be open to apps and no for stupid restrictions on what can be mirrored.
 

chumawumba

macrumors 6502
Aug 9, 2012
471
1
Ask the NSA
If you jailbreak, there is a way to stream all video to Apple TV.

Sadly, Amazon figured this out. The Prime Instant video app will not work if your iPhone/iPad is jailbroken.
 

spacepower7

macrumors 68000
May 6, 2004
1,509
1
I don't want both. I'm trying to simplify. I like apple because I could use my iphone and ipad to airplay to the tv and I use that feature a lot. If Roku had that supported when I bought my appletv I would have bought a roku instead because it seems to be more advanced.

Also, I don't think the newest season of Downton Abbey which just ended in February was on Netflix streaming (I could be wrong but hence it's over so it doesn't matter).

I have a 4 input hdmi switch so adding a 5th component is not good. 2 cable inputs, dvd and apple tv.

Thanks for all of the advice, I just wish Apple TV would be open to apps and no for stupid restrictions on what can be mirrored.

"Beginning June 18, Amazon's Prime Instant Video service will be the exclusive subscription service for streaming Season 3 of "Downton Abbey," as part of a new content licensing agreement with PBS Distribution, a unit of The Public Broadcasting Service."

How is that good for consumers?

Amazon predatory licensing and pricing?

How is that legal, hello DOJ?
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
This annoyed me beyond belief. When I bought my new tv, I made sure it had amazon instant video built in.
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,668
940
"Beginning June 18, Amazon's Prime Instant Video service will be the exclusive subscription service for streaming Season 3 of "Downton Abbey," as part of a new content licensing agreement with PBS Distribution, a unit of The Public Broadcasting Service."

How is that good for consumers?

Amazon predatory licensing and pricing?

How is that legal, hello DOJ?

it's also on DVD/blu-ray, iTunes, and for pay in the Amazon store if you don't have prime.

why is Dexter only on showtime, and GoT only on HBO????
 

spacepower7

macrumors 68000
May 6, 2004
1,509
1
it's also on DVD/blu-ray, iTunes, and for pay in the Amazon store if you don't have prime.

why is Dexter only on showtime, and GoT only on HBO????

I guess I didn't thoroughly explain my opinion. Why is PBS, who licenses Downton Abby from the UK, a tax US taxpayer subsidized network doing an exclusive deal with Amazon and cutting out Netflix? Why does the US government favor one private corporation, Amazon, over another, Netflix, for distribution.

Private corps are allowed to control their own distribution in the cases of Dexter and GoT?

Taxpayer funded networks should not have exclusivity deals. Lawsuits 123...
 

Darby67

macrumors 6502
I guess I didn't thoroughly explain my opinion. Why is PBS, who licenses Downton Abby from the UK, a tax US taxpayer subsidized network doing an exclusive deal with Amazon and cutting out Netflix? Why does the US government favor one private corporation, Amazon, over another, Netflix, for distribution.

Private corps are allowed to control their own distribution in the cases of Dexter and GoT?

Taxpayer funded networks should not have exclusivity deals. Lawsuits 123...

PBS and NPR, part of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (a private corporation) receive a portion of their funding from the federal govt, the rest comes from a variety of sources with members making the largest percentage. So your premise doesn't make sense. I would assume that their charter allows them to give rights to whom ever they choose within their rules.

I wouldn't hold my breath for any conspiracy theories regarding lawsuits over Downton Abbey and Amazon vs. Netflix.
 

SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
10,051
Detroit
I just fired up the Nintendo Wii for the first time in a very long time and noticed that I can get Amazon Instant on it. I downloaded it and am now watching the pilot of Under the Dome just to see how well the Wii performs in streaming video. I'm not expecting much as it isn't HDMI and it uses a slower wireless connection than 'N.'
 

SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
10,051
Detroit
I just fired up the Nintendo Wii for the first time in a very long time and noticed that I can get Amazon Instant on it. I downloaded it and am now watching the pilot of Under the Dome just to see how well the Wii performs in streaming video. I'm not expecting much as it isn't HDMI and it uses a slower wireless connection than 'N.'

I next decided to fire up the Xbox for the first time, also i a very long time, and am now installing Amazon Instant on that too.

The Wii wasn't bad, but it wasn't HD. The Xbox obviously is, as it's connected via HDMI and has an Ethernet connection. This should be much nicer to watch things on than the Wii. Though I still am hopeful that Amazon comes to the Apple TV sooner rather than later.
 

scottw324

macrumors 6502
Mar 5, 2012
453
1
If you jailbreak, there is a way to stream all video to Apple TV.

Sadly, Amazon figured this out. The Prime Instant video app will not work if your iPhone/iPad is jailbroken.

Amazon Prime Instant works fine on my JB iPad 3 and iPad mini. Can't AirPlay it to the ATV3 though, just audio only.

----------

You can always torrent it and then use a streaming app like Airvideo to play the video on your iPad or iPhone and AirPlay it to the ATV. That is what I do with new content I have downloaded but haven't added to iTunes to stream directly from the ATV. Quick solution.
 

DisplacedMic

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2009
1,411
1
Truthfully, I rarely find anything on Amazon Instant/Prime that isn't available on Netflix. Since i already have Netflix, not having Amazon Prime really isn't a loss. The handful of times that I have wanted to watch something on my ATV from Prime, I just fired it up on one of my Macbooks and Airplay Mirrored it to my TV. Would be nice to have Prime, but Airplay and Airplay Mirroring make the lack of Amazon Prime/Instant worth it.

My 6 year old spongebob fan would like to speak with you about that;)

----------

I just fired up the Nintendo Wii for the first time in a very long time and noticed that I can get Amazon Instant on it. I downloaded it and am now watching the pilot of Under the Dome just to see how well the Wii performs in streaming video. I'm not expecting much as it isn't HDMI and it uses a slower wireless connection than 'N.'

works on PS3 as well.
Netflix covers most stuff but No Amazon & no AVi. Frustrating.
 

spacepower7

macrumors 68000
May 6, 2004
1,509
1
PBS and NPR, part of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (a private corporation) receive a portion of their funding from the federal govt, the rest comes from a variety of sources with members making the largest percentage. So your premise doesn't make sense. I would assume that their charter allows them to give rights to whom ever they choose within their rules.

I wouldn't hold my breath for any conspiracy theories regarding lawsuits over Downton Abbey and Amazon vs. Netflix.

The deal is probably thru BBC anyway.

PBS licenses Downton Abby from BBC?

I just find it weird that a TV show that the entire American public gets to watch for free, has an exclusive deal for streaming with Amazon.
 
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