ATV 2.0 as AirTunes speaker?

[Surf Monkey]

Okay, I know this is supposed to work so I must not have it configured right somehow. What I want to do is simple. I want to use the ATV 2 just like an AirPort Express, sending music from my iTunes library to the box via AirTunes. I can see my ATV 2 in the list of remote speakers available to AirTunes, but I can't connect to the ATV 2. I select it as the speakers to use and iTunes cranks away "Connecting to Apple TV" for a long time and then the dialogue box disappears and it defaults back to the computer speakers.

Yes, I can use AirPlay to do the same thing, and it actually works on my setup, but I want to use AirTunes because doing so allows iTunes to continue to capture my play counts for each song. Using AirPlay doesn't increment play count (which, as someone who uses play counts to drive several Smart Playlists, is VERY frustrating.)

So, any advice here? Has anyone successfully used the ATV 2 as an AirTunes speaker or are you all just using AirPlay for this?

 

[Surf Monkey]

No one has tried this, either successfully or unsuccessfully?

 

[wpalomine]

I have AirTunes running on 2 sets of speakers via APE plus the AppleTV. It is a great setup; no need to have the TV turned on to stream music. Stream to 3 different speakers from the same source, each speaker with independent volume control via the Remote App.

The biggest plus: from the same iTunes library, I can stream music to AppleTV via Home Sharing, and stream a different song/playlist to my AirTunes speakers.

As for the TV setup, HDMI to TV and Toslink to my Receiver's DVD input. The TV is setup as a monitor. All audio is passed to via Toslink to my Receiver's TV input.

If I want AirTunes on the AppleTV, I set the receiver to DVD. If Home Sharing, I set the receiver to TV.

 

[pedz]

I had the same issue. I am using airplay though I believe. I didn't think AirTunes was an option in the new iTunes with the new atv. Where do you choose between the two? My issue and fix is for windows. Btw, I also have 2 ape units and they had the same problem, below fix handled both the new tav's and ape's.

When I chose the new atv from the speaker list at the lower right corner of iTunes, it would try to connect for a while but always fail eventually. I was on the phone with apple support for over 3 hours today, and I was escalated to their senior techs. We eventually figured it out, I needed to go into the windows firewall advanced screen and add an inbound and outbound entry for iTunes on all ports for udp and tcp (I did any). Any is probably overkill but I just wanted to get it working. Obviously this is a windows solution, you are probably on a Mac but I thought I would post just in case. Even though I was on the phone for hours they were very patient and helpful.

I still have one issue remaining. Two of my four atvs won't play sound when using airplay. We narrowed it down to the atv itself (swapped between a working and nonworking unit with all settings reset and one still didn't work, so the only diff is the unit itself.). I am away for a couple of days but will call the guy back at apple next week to resume. Thought I would mention this one too incase anyone has seen it before, the apple guy is pretty stumped.

Peter

 

[wpalomine]

Instead off using the itunes to control the speaker output, i use the Remote app from either an iPhone or iPad. In the remote app settings I have two library options, 'appleTV' and 'my iTunes library'. I toggle between the two to have different music streaming on each, making sure the appletv is deselected as a speaker output when playing stuff from 'my iTunes library'.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[SonicStomp]

ATV2 to AVR via HDMI

Home Sharing ON

Controlled by remote app, selecting ATV as a set of speakers in the same way I use my AE.

Works great!

 

[pedz]

Instead off using the itunes to control the speaker output, i use the Remote app from either an iPhone or iPad. In the remote app settings I have two library options, 'appleTV' and 'my iTunes library'. I toggle between the two to have different music streaming on each, making sure the appletv is deselected as a speaker output when playing stuff from 'my iTunes library'.

I hope that makes sense.

It does make sense. I assume when you select my iTunes library you are using your computer speakers or an airport express. If an ape then that is airplay. With the latest iTunes I thought airplay replaces AirTunes and there is no more AirTunes? Either way same concept. For the original poster, or anyone that might use windows my feedback might be helpful.

And if you select iTunes lib from the remote app and change the volume that is the same as changing it directly in iTunes. Remote app is great, but often I am already sitting at my computer so using iTunes directly is the fastest way for me.

Peter

 

[Surf Monkey]

ATV2 to AVR via HDMI

Home Sharing ON

Controlled by remote app, selecting ATV as a set of speakers in the same way I use my AE.

Works great!

See, that's my issue. As far as I know, I have everything set up right, but the system refuses to connect to ATV2 via AirTunes whether I select it as the target speaker via iTunes or the Remote app. Home sharing is turned on on both the ATV2 and the desktop Mac. Everything looks correct but when I select the ATV2 it just hangs for a long time and then defaults back to the computer's speakers without throwing any kind of error to clue me in about what the problem is. Again, AirPLAY works fine, but AirTUNES fails to function with the ATV2 as the target speakers. It's frustrating and inconvenient.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Yes, I'm on a Mac, but this is still useful information. It's possible that Little Snitch or GlimmerBlocker is causing my problem. I'll turn both off and see if that helps.

I had the same issue. I am using airplay though I believe. I didn't think AirTunes was an option in the new iTunes with the new atv. Where do you choose between the two? My issue and fix is for windows. Btw, I also have 2 ape units and they had the same problem, below fix handled both the new tav's and ape's.

When I chose the new atv from the speaker list at the lower right corner of iTunes, it would try to connect for a while but always fail eventually. I was on the phone with apple support for over 3 hours today, and I was escalated to their senior techs. We eventually figured it out, I needed to go into the windows firewall advanced screen and add an inbound and outbound entry for iTunes on all ports for udp and tcp (I did any). Any is probably overkill but I just wanted to get it working. Obviously this is a windows solution, you are probably on a Mac but I thought I would post just in case. Even though I was on the phone for hours they were very patient and helpful.

I still have one issue remaining. Two of my four atvs won't play sound when using airplay. We narrowed it down to the atv itself (swapped between a working and nonworking unit with all settings reset and one still didn't work, so the only diff is the unit itself.). I am away for a couple of days but will call the guy back at apple next week to resume. Thought I would mention this one too incase anyone has seen it before, the apple guy is pretty stumped.

Peter