Did you get over Amazon?

[thefredelement]

I'm dying to cut the cord, I can use exactly every feature of an Apple TV. I have a theoretical work around in place for NHL games. The only thing I'd miss are those shows that are on Amazon from prime that aren't on Netflix, or how I used Amazon as a backup when Netflix crashes.

I have bought into Amazon as well and have more than a few movies at this point.

Would you think AirPlay from the Amazon app on iPad or a Safari window would be a good viable long term solution? It kind of sounds like a pain in the butt.

Thoughts?

 

[SandboxGeneral]

I tested a show the other day just to see if it worked, and it did. The only thing was you had to leave the iPad screen on and not use it for anything else. Otherwise the stream would stop. Kind of annoying.

If you can settle for not using your iDevice while AirPlaying Amazon Instant to the Apple TV, then it's a doable solution.

 

[thefredelement]

Does it work with Safari a la ChromeCast? Like can I open Amazon on my Macbook or Mac Pro with a movie and just flop it onto my Apple TV?

 

[paulrbeers]

Does it work with Safari a la ChromeCast? Like can I open Amazon on my Macbook or Mac Pro with a movie and just flop it onto my Apple TV?

You can use airplay mirroring to the AppleTV but that requires a 2011 or newer Mac (Mac Pro does not work tho). This is how I stream all videos off the net.

 

[thefredelement]

Awesome, my Macbook can do that. I think that's enough convincing, seems like I can get to the Amazon media without having to add a bunch of annoying steps. Thanks!

 

[waw74]

one thing to keep in mind

airplay mirroring is not the best quality, without a high speed wireless or wired network, you may not be happy with the results.

it tends to stutter and drop frames (even with a good network connection)

airplaying from iOS will just send the file that it's getting from amazon, while mirroring from your mac has to re-encode in real time.

also you will not have 5.1 sound if that matters to you.


----
if you're not invested in videos from the iTunes store (or don't rent from there), look at roku before buying the aTV.
it does have an amazon channel, as well as all the major ones from the aTV.

 

[Che Castro]

You can't put the ipad to sleep while AirPlay is on using the amazon app ?

I can do it with a youtube app I use or a video from safari

 

[niteflyr]

Many devices and TV's have Amazon capabilities built in. My Samsung TV does. Better quality than mirroring.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/video/ontv..._t=1401&pf_rd_p=1578767762&pf_rd_i=1000663511

 

[alent1234]

buy a blu ray player that has amazon

i have a panny bdt-230 and it's like $99. amazon, vudu, cinemanow, flixster. i have like 20-30 movies in my ultraviolet

 

[Fissure]

This is what I do.

Airplay to Apple TV via Safari from a MacBook Pro.

As a remote I use an App Store App called "Mobile Mouse Pro".
There's an OSX install for it and an iPhone mobile App in the App store.
Mobile App connects to the OSX App via Wifi and allows you to control (pause, stop, etc) Safari that's being beamed to the Apple TV via AirPlay.

It works for me. I use it less now though since Amazons iPad app now does Video Airplay to the Apple TV (before it was just audio). Only catch is you can't put the iPad to sleep so just find what you want to watch and start it and plug the iPad in.

 

[musicpenguy]

Quite honestly the overlap between Netflix, Hulu Plus is so large that I don't care about Amazon Prime streaming and for purchases I'd rather go through iTunes

 

[paulrbeers]

Quite honestly the overlap between Netflix, Hulu Plus is so large that I don't care about Amazon Prime streaming and for purchases I'd rather go through iTunes

There is a huge overlap between Netflix and Amazon Prime especially. Rarely do I find something that is available on Prime that isn't available on Netflix (and vice versa). This is true for the stuff I watch anyway. I know there are lots of items that are exclusive to each service, but my guess that content is about 10% of their libraries (at best). I have both only because I order enough from Amazon that the free shipping is worth it to me. It would be nice to have an AppleTV app, but using an iOS device or my Macbooks is a good enough solution when I want to use that 10% that doesn't exist in Netflix.

 

[mlseiber1976]

Get a cheap Roku. I started with Apple TV but when Netflix lost all the Viacom kids shows, I looked in to Roku as we paid for Prime as we order enough via shipping to warrant having it. At the time, the Amazon app did not airplay, so we were without those shows. I added the Roku about 2 months ago and use both. I only use the Roku for Amazon though or on occassion, JustinTV app if I am trying to find a sports game that I cannot get either OTA or via an app on the ipad. I did not know you had to keep the new app open though if you wanted to watch it. I experienced that recently with the CBS Sports app while watching Alabama-Texas A&M. I just changed the sleep to not come on to watch but changed it back when done. My other apps play regardless.

 

[taedouni]

Unfortunately this is one of the reasons why I ditched my ATV3 and picked up a Roku 3. Apple needs to open up their Apple TV for third party apps. There are a ton of Apps of the Roku 3 (over 750+).

 

[linds15]

You can't put the ipad to sleep while AirPlay is on using the amazon app ?

I can do it with a youtube app I use or a video from safari

yea its annoying, i have to leave my ipad on when i stream from NFL gamepass, i just put it to the lowest brightness setting and watch redzone all aft, doesn't take too bad of a battery hit

 

[tonyr6]

yea its annoying, i have to leave my ipad on when i stream from NFL gamepass, i just put it to the lowest brightness setting and watch redzone all aft, doesn't take too bad of a battery hit

Why not just keep it plugged in.

 

[linds15]

Why not just keep it plugged in.

plug not close enough.