AirPlay Mirroring question: Are some sites restricted?

[HXGuy]

With the iPad, some Apps, like HBO Go and the ABC app won't let you mirror to the TV...does anyone know what happens if say you got to ABC.com, play a show and try to mirror to the TV? Does it work or do you get an error?

 

[quietstormSD]

I don't think so. I'd be surprised if sites found a way to ban you from viewing there website by knowing that you are mirroring.

 

[The Phazer]

I don't think so. I'd be surprised if sites found a way to ban you from viewing there website by knowing that you are mirroring.

There's a way outlined in the Developer docs. I imagine they'll be blocked within weeks.

Phazer

 

[ForzaJuve]

There's a way outlined in the Developer docs. I imagine they'll be blocked within weeks.

Phazer

Wait, so if I look at a website on my computer screen or if I hardwire my computer to my TV I can watch online videos, but if I send it to a larger screen wirelessly they block it? What would be the motivation for such block? It just makes no sense to me.

 

[The Phazer]

Wait, so if I look at a website on my computer screen or if I hardwire my computer to my TV I can watch online videos, but if I send it to a larger screen wirelessly they block it?

Hardwiring your computer to a screen is a pretty minority persuit, and looks naff. It just doesn't pass the living room test for many families and isn't mainstream enough to worry the studios.

(I actually imagine that many sites would block hard wiring if there were any plausible way to do it)

What would be the motivation for such block? It just makes no sense to me.

The adverts on a streaming websites don't sell for nearly as much as broadcast television adverts and viewers tolerate less of them. Studios don't want you to watch online shows on your TV, because ultimately it will cost them an awful lot of money.

Phazer

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

There's a way outlined in the Developer docs. I imagine they'll be blocked within weeks.

Phazer

They can block actual websites?

If so, then what happens when you start watching a video? Would your TV just go blank?

 

[The Phazer]

They can block actual websites?

If so, then what happens when you start watching a video? Would your TV just go blank?

No, but applications can.

So I imagine Adobe and Microsoft will have updates for Silverlight and Flash out within weeks that enable such blocking to be included by the site by a flag inside the player.

Phazer

 

[jeb2u]

With the iPad, some Apps, like HBO Go and the ABC app won't let you mirror to the TV

Actually I've been mirroring the ABC app to my Apple TV since Airplay Mirroring first debuted in iOS 5. The ABC app itself doesn't have Airplay built in, but I can still mirror the app's display/output/shows to my ATV2. I can't speak for the HBO app (don't have it) or how Airplay Mirroring will translate to websites on Macs.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

No, but applications can.

So I imagine Adobe and Microsoft will have updates for Silverlight and Flash out within weeks that enable such blocking to be included by the site by a flag inside the player.

Phazer

Ok so how can an application? Any time an app is open will the whole tv go blank? or will the rest of your desktop be shown on the TV with a big black box where the app window is?

And according to cult of mac it appears that websites will have no way of knowing if you are mirroring or not. Link

 

[baryon]

That would suck, who are they to limit the size of the screen I can output the content to? Isn't that like saying "You're not allowed go too close to your computer screen because it fills your field of vision and thus simulates a cinema screen". What if the music industry charged a premium for outputting their music to higher-power speakers? The possibilities are endless...

 

[jacbec]

AirPlay Mirroring: Are some sites restricted?

Yes definitely. TiVo for instance will not allow mirroring to a TV using AirPlay. Seems only Apple stuff works with mirroring. Sorry, you can't watch your TiVo Streaming recordings on the big screen not possible.

 

[aristobrat]

Yes definitely. TiVo for instance will not allow mirroring to a TV using AirPlay. Seems only Apple stuff works with mirroring. Sorry, you can't watch your TiVo Streaming recordings on the big screen not possible.

What app do you use to stream your TiVo to your Mac?

To the OP's point (from last year, when this thread was last updated ), AirPlay Mirroring from Safari on a Mac has always worked for me to get HBO Go over to my big screen.

 

[bogatyr]

HBO Go's iOS app has built in AirPlay support now.

For website viewing on Mountain Lion, no site has blocked me and I can't fathom any method for them to do so. Someone mentioned there being a way listed in the developer docs, but without a link of proof, I'm not ready to take their word for it. My experience says nothing blocks my laptop from using AirPlay. And I've used every major network plus Hulu, Netflix and HBO Go (as poster above me) without issue.

 

[anzio]

Ok so how can an application? Any time an app is open will the whole tv go blank? or will the rest of your desktop be shown on the TV with a big black box where the app window is?

And according to cult of mac it appears that websites will have no way of knowing if you are mirroring or not. Link

It would just create a checkerboard on the blocked content. Much like AirPlaying some protected iTunes content from your Mac. Or taking a screenshot of protected iTunes content.