AirPlay w/ original Apple TV

[roland.g]

Don't worry, I know that you can't use AirPlay to push video to the original Apple TV and that there is no software update for the older units. However, with my Apple TV I can of course use the Remote App on my iPad or iPhone to control music of playback, and whether playing from my iMac through Remote or playing from the Apple TV library selection (both of which stream the iMac library), I can still select just the Apple TV speakers or add the AirPort Express speakers I have plugged in in the garage.

So my question is whether the original Apple TV supports AirPlay for Audio only. Can I stream music directly to the original Apple TV from an iPad or iPhone or am I still limited to the Remote App for AirTunes (now AirPlay) functionality? Most of the time I would probably control it, but I can see how sometimes I might want to play from my active iPhone song/playlist and not just cue up even the same song or playlist from the library.

 

[owen-b]

Don't worry, I know that you can't use AirPlay to push video to the original Apple TV and that there is no software update for the older units. However, with my Apple TV I can of course use the Remote App on my iPad or iPhone to control music of playback, and whether playing from my iMac through Remote or playing from the Apple TV library selection (both of which stream the iMac library), I can still select just the Apple TV speakers or add the AirPort Express speakers I have plugged in in the garage.

So my question is whether the original Apple TV supports AirPlay for Audio only. Can I stream music directly to the original Apple TV from an iPad or iPhone or am I still limited to the Remote App for AirTunes (now AirPlay) functionality? Most of the time I would probably control it, but I can see how sometimes I might want to play from my active iPhone song/playlist and not just cue up even the same song or playlist from the library.

Defying logic, Airplay doesn't support original style ATVs at all, not even audio, even though older AirportExpress plugs will accept an Airplay audio stream. It's batty, but it's because Apple want you to buy their new one.

 

[wunderboy]

Just to verify...I have confirmed this setup only works with AE and not my ATV1.

 

[roland.g]

Defying logic, Airplay doesn't support original style ATVs at all, not even audio, even though older AirportExpress plugs will accept an Airplay audio stream. It's batty, but it's because Apple want you to buy their new one.

I'm torn on the new ATV v old ATV idea. I could easily get a new one at the new price and have something that responds quicker and runs cooler. I like the smaller footprint and less noticeable color. The quicker element is appealing as our old tv drives my wife and I a bit crazy with the lag it has. However, I like having the HD in it. And I like the layout of media in the menus with My Movies, My TV Shows, My Music all in their respective categories vs. being under Computers. I like being able to purchase direct from the Apple TV and sync back to the computer. I like syncing my son's favorite movies for when I want to shut down iTunes, reboot the machine, give the drives a rest, whatever, and not have it always connected for streaming. We have many albums of photos synced to the Apple TV and it uses those for the floating screensaver anytime it is not in use, when playing music, or when a movie is paused longer than 2 minutes. Not sure how the new Apple TV handles this. Does it stream the photos for the screensaver. All this was handled on unit before. It has 8GB internal storage. Can they just allow for photo syncing? So I'm not in a hurry to upgrade. Not sure what TV I'd hook the old one up to.

But yes, when I brought up my AirPlay button on my iPad, I saw that our AirPort Express was listed but not the Apple TV. I didn't know if this was because the Apple TV didn't support audio, or if it was because it was in use. Video makes sense, but I don't know why it can support AirTunes streaming but not iOS direct AirPlay audio streaming. The video makes more sense.

 

[Fofer]

I'm torn on the new ATV v old ATV idea. I could easily get a new one at the new price and have something that responds quicker and runs cooler. I like the smaller footprint and less noticeable color. The quicker element is appealing as our old tv drives my wife and I a bit crazy with the lag it has. However, I like having the HD in it. And I like the layout of media in the menus with My Movies, My TV Shows, My Music all in their respective categories vs. being under Computers. I like being able to purchase direct from the Apple TV and sync back to the computer. I like syncing my son's favorite movies for when I want to shut down iTunes, reboot the machine, give the drives a rest, whatever, and not have it always connected for streaming. We have many albums of photos synced to the Apple TV and it uses those for the floating screensaver anytime it is not in use, when playing music, or when a movie is paused longer than 2 minutes. Not sure how the new Apple TV handles this. Does it stream the photos for the screensaver. All this was handled on unit before. It has 8GB internal storage. Can they just allow for photo syncing? So I'm not in a hurry to upgrade. Not sure what TV I'd hook the old one up to.

But yes, when I brought up my AirPlay button on my iPad, I saw that our AirPort Express was listed but not the Apple TV. I didn't know if this was because the Apple TV didn't support audio, or if it was because it was in use. Video makes sense, but I don't know why it can support AirTunes streaming but not iOS direct AirPlay audio streaming. The video makes more sense.

Same page. I have an original AppleTV in my living room (connected to my whole home stereo) and I also appreciate it's HD with synced/cached content, simply because my primary computer is a MacBook Pro and I don't like having to leave it open and running just to listen to music. I full expected this to be compatible with AirPlay audio just as I've used it for AirTunes all along.

I also have a 2nd gen AppleTV in the bedroom.

That a 6-year-old Airport Express' AirTunes feature is forward-compatible with a AirPlay audio, but it turns out that a 1-year-old AppleTV is not, is just infuriating.

That iTunes 10.1 can send Airplay audio to my Airport Expresses and both generations of my AppleTV's, but my iPhone and iPad can only send to some... is downright confusing.

Why, Apple, why? This can't be simply because you were lazy, and/or figured we'd just buy the new model. (It almost feels like you deliberately disabled Airplay audio support on these original AppleTV units.)

What a disappointment. I never expected video support, but since AirTunes on an Airport Express is essentially the same as AirTunes on an AppleTV, I figured there'd be no distinction for AirPlay audio.

Now I'm going to have to rewire my whole setup. Or, perhaps, involve another Airport Express, for AirTunes only... which just makes the system all the more inelegant.

<sigh>

 

[roland.g]

Same page. I have an original AppleTV in my living room (connected to my whole home stereo) and I also appreciate it's HD with synced/cached content, simply because my primary computer is a MacBook Pro and I don't like having to leave it open and running just to listen to music. I full expected this to be compatible with AirPlay audio just as I've used it for AirTunes all along.

I also have a 2nd gen AppleTV in the bedroom.

That a 6-year-old Airport Express' AirTunes feature is forward-compatible with a AirPlay audio, but it turns out that a 1-year-old AppleTV is not, is just infuriating.

That iTunes 10.1 can send Airplay audio to my Airport Expresses and both generations of my AppleTV's, but my iPhone and iPad can only send to some... is downright confusing.

Why, Apple, why? This can't be simply because you were lazy, and/or figured we'd just buy the new model. (It almost feels like you deliberately disabled Airplay audio support on these original AppleTV units.)

What a disappointment. I never expected video support, but since AirTunes on an Airport Express is essentially the same as AirTunes on an AppleTV, I figured there'd be no distinction for AirPlay audio.

Now I'm going to have to rewire my whole setup. Or, perhaps, involve another Airport Express, for AirTunes only... which just makes the system all the more inelegant.

<sigh>

honestly, it doesn't bother me too much. I will continue to use the Remote App to control my iMac or Apple TV library to play AirTunes music. I have never really felt that I had to play content directly from an iOS device since that is a smaller limited set of my media. Sure it would be nice to have AirPlay for video, but I completely understand that requires newer hardware. I am sure there are software and maybe hardware reasons that the older units don't support AirPlay audio direct the way they can AirTunes audio. But I also leave my iMac running all the time and iTunes running as well and have the main playlists, photos and videos I need synced for when I'm not connected. But I also bought my original Apple TV in 2005 when they came out, not a year before the new ones came out. And yet I may or may not upgrade this year or next.