Apple TV over Airplay

[cressell]

Hello!

I have a number of issues with my Apple TV 3, using it together with my MBPr 15" (late 2013) and my iPhone 6.

First and foremost, I've been using my Apple TV exclusively in order to stream music to my speakers from my computer or smartphone using AirPlay. The Apple TV has been connected through either ethernet or wifi, no difference there.

My problems are as follows:
1) When streaming sound (any source) from my macbook to the apple tv through airplay, the sound tends to get choppy and laggy, at irregular intervals. This does not occur when streaming from my iPhone.

2) [solved] When connecting a monitor using HDMI while still leaving the speakers connected through the optical output, the sound quality (any source) suddenly goes down to '95s laptop quality. Unplug the HDMI and it recovers.

3) My apple remote does no longer allow me to change the song using the arrow keys, instead I hear the sound of it browsing through the menu.

4) My Apple TV goes in to sleep mode while streaming, this too at seemingly random occasions.


I've tried enlightening myself through Google, with little luck. These issues have been there since the time of purchase. I have used both 10.9 and 10.10 on my macbook since.

Details on the Apple TV:

Model: A1469
Apple TV Software: 7.0.2 (6915)

Any ideas? Please do ask if you need further details. 🙂

Yours-
Cressell

EDIT: Found the main problem already. The apple tv was streaming sound to both the monitor and the speakers, with the monitor standing in front of the speakers with it's '95 laptop style speakers making it all sound horrible. Doh 🙂

 

[waw74]

3. if you're using the airplay as a sound output on your mac, you won't be able to control songs with the remote. It works when sending directly from iTunes since there is an active program to send the commands to, with whole system audio it can't figure that out.
---to fix this look at airfoil it lets you pick one program to send audio from that. Airfoil also has apple scripting built in, if has pre-bulit controls a lot of popular 3rd party sound apps (like Rdio or musicbox (for pandora)) and if it's not supported, if you're familiar with applescript you can pretty easily implement your own controls.
*one small note, the sound will be delayed by a couple seconds, so won't work well for sending audio that needs to match up to video.

#1 - does this happen when sending from iTunes, or just if you use airplay as a sound output.

 

[cynics]

#1 I think I experience this anytime I'm airplaying from my Mac to the ATV. I notice it while mirroring regardless of content, the Mac is not lagging/stuttering.

For me the solution is to use home sharing for my iTunes content.

Which OS X are you running?