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AirPlay Through a MAC without Using iTunes ?

augustya

augustya

Suspended
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
3,331
464
Can I play Music or a Movie in an Air-Play enabled Speaker from a Macbook ? Without Using iTunes ? Like for e.g If I have a separate MP3 file or a Movie in MP4 or a .Mov format on desktop (Not in iTunes) Can I play directly from my Mac Desktop via Airplay through a Mac ?
 
augustya said:
Ok...I Read it !

Are you sure this does not require to be routed only through iTunes because just yesterday I was in one of the Apple Reseller's shop and he was telling me, Airplay through a Mac is only possible using iTunes. You cannot play a direct audio or a video file from your Mac Desktop to an Airplay Speaker !
Click to expand...

He probably didn't understand why you would want to do that, and neither do I. Why would he be interested in giving you a complex solution to a non-problem? Apart from that, it depends on the model of Mac and the operating system that you are using.
 
gnasher729 said:
He probably didn't understand why you would want to do that, and neither do I.
Click to expand...

lol ! Why would I do that ?? lol ! To play Audio and Music Files without using iTunes directly from my MAC to a Airplay enabled speaker !! And you didn't understand that ? lol ! That is elementary !! lol !!
 
augustya said:
lol ! Why would I do that ?? lol ! To play Audio and Music Files without using iTunes directly from my MAC to a Airplay enabled speaker !! And you didn't understand that ? lol ! That is elementary !! lol !!
Click to expand...

You didn't say _why_.
iTunes plays audio and video files to Airplay just fine.
So why do you want to go the complicated way and avoid it?

Next you'll ask how to get your car from one place to another without starting the engine.
 
gnasher729 said:
You didn't say _why_.
iTunes plays audio and video files to Airplay just fine.
So why do you want to go the complicated way and avoid it?

Next you'll ask how to get your car from one place to another without starting the engine.
Click to expand...

Are you drunk while reading this ? If you read this properly I had very correctly written that the Apple sales guy said this to me to go through the iTunes way. I was looking out for solution so I had a requirement and you are saying I made it up ! LMAO !! Do I need to say this more that who will make such a nonsense statement after you having said that Oh well ! Why do you want to play Music or why fo you want to watch movie using Airplay !! Ha...Ha...That is insanely funny of you !
 
augustya said:
Ok...I Read it !

Are you sure this does not require to be routed only through iTunes because just yesterday I was in one of the Apple Reseller's shop and he was telling me, Airplay through a Mac is only possible using iTunes. You cannot play a direct audio or a video file from your Mac Desktop to an Airplay Speaker !
Click to expand...

Airplay is independent of iTunes. It is a feature built into the OS X which iTunes use. Whatever the reseller was telling you is wrong!

Once you select your Airplay enabled device as your output destination, as explained in the Osxdaily article, everything including the system sounds gets piped to the output device.

If a program has built in Airplay capabilities like iTunes, using that instead of selecting the output device from System Preferences makes sense because that way you avoid getting the system sounds in the middle of your music.

On the other hand, with programs like Spotify (OS X version) you have no choice but to use the System Preferences method to send the audio output to your Airplay enabled device.

To play videos, just use the Airplay Display mirroring. It works with virtually any program (except OS X's DVD Player.app for some obscure reason).
 
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bingeciren said:
Airplay is independent of iTunes. It is a feature built into the OS X which iTunes use. Whatever the reseller was telling you is wrong!
Click to expand...

Exactly and that is what I was saying and that is the reason I got pissed off with that sales man and later with @gnasher729 both of them dismissed my theory and especially @gnasher729 who was trying to suggest my question is fundamentally wrong. I always had a feeling that you can do a Airplay without a iTunes just didn't know which way ? Good You Confirmed this !

So but can I play a MP3 File or a MP4 Movie from directly Mac to an Air Play speaker ?
 
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augustya said:
Exactly and that is what I was saying and that is the reason I got pissed off with that sales man and later with @gnasher729 both of them dismissed my theory and especially @gnasher729 who was trying to suggest my question is fundamentally wrong. I always had a feeling that you can do a Airplay without a iTunes just didn't know which way ? Good You Confirmed this !

So but can I play a MP3 File or a MP4 Movie from directly Mac to an Air Play speaker ?
Click to expand...

gnasher was never saying you were wrong, he was simply pointing out that, while possible, the method is flawed.

Yes, you can play whatever you want through airplay, it'll send all system sounds. However if you're looking to stream things like songs iTunes is in fact the best method for it. Video, not so much, but for music its your best bet because of the way mac systems handle audio. All audio goes through iTunes by default and using iTunes would allow you to ignore all the system sounds when on airplay.

So yes, the apple person you talked to was wrong. It's very much possible because you can just stream your whole system. HOWEVER gnasher was not completely wrong. If you're looking to stream music over airplay iTunes is in fact the BEST option. Not the only one but the most logical.

As far as your question is concerned: I believe it was answered. It can be done (although playing a movie to a speaker might be interesting…) by mirroring your entire display onto the airplay device, in theory. What I don't know, and cannot test since all I have for airplay is my apple TV, is whether or not a speaker comes up as an airplay device in your settings seeing as the settings are designed for streaming to display which a speaker obviously cannot do.
 
augustya said:
So but can I play a MP3 File or a MP4 Movie from directly Mac to an Air Play speaker ?
Click to expand...

Sure can. But like I said, if the program does not have a built in Airplay support, like Spotify or Quicktime then you have to use the System Preferences setting to re-direct the sound to the Airplay enabled device.

Some programs, like the VLC player does have a built in support, but not immediately obvious. It is a bit hidden away. It can be accessed from the VLC menu, Audio/Audio Device/Air Play.:)
 
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Simple solution

There is a very neat and simple solution to your problem: just press "alt" and click the volume icon in top right bar, choose your Airplay alternative.

Tada!
 
razbiz said:
There is a very neat and simple solution to your problem: just press "alt" and click the volume icon in top right bar, choose your Airplay alternative.

Tada!
Click to expand...

I didn't know about that shortcut! So much easier and quicker. Thanks.
 
razbiz said:
There is a very neat and simple solution to your problem: just press "alt" and click the volume icon in top right bar, choose your Airplay alternative.
Click to expand...
Did you happen to read the thread? That's exactly the solution in the 2nd post of this thread.
satcomer said:
I was surprised no mentioned the shareware from Rogue Amoeba called Airfoil for Mac.
Click to expand...
Why use a 3rd party app when it's so simple to use the built-in capability in OS X?
 
razbiz said:
There is a very neat and simple solution to your problem: just press "alt" and click the volume icon in top right bar, choose your Airplay alternative.

Tada!
Click to expand...

Ok, So When I Press Option and the Volume in the Menu Bar it will show all the Air Play enabled Speakers, if I have any external Air-Play enabled Speakers in the vicinity which are available for pairing and I can select that and start streaming right ?
 
Ok Update : Yes ! The Audio File on your Desktop can play without being in your iTunes when you Press Option and click on the Sound Bar Icon in your Menu Bar area and select the desired Speakers. But even when I do that i.e play the Individual Audio file on my desktop it still plays through iTunes Player makes me think if I were to play that Audio File Via a Third Party Music Player like VLC etc...It would still play in the Air Play enabled speakers and this time without going through the iTunes way right Guys ?
 
And so if I select VLC it would still pay in the Air play Speakers using the above method Option+Click on the Sound Icon in Menu Bar and Select The Desired Speakers.
 
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