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Best way to airplay video to TV

D

DevNull0

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 6, 2015
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I've never owned an AppleTV, but I use some at friends' homes to play video from my iPad and MBP on their TVs sometimes. I like that feature but there is literally nothing else I would use an AppleTV for. Are there any simpler and cheaper devices that will let me stream video from Apple devices without any "smarts" of their own? It is a 4k TV, and I don't really want to pay $250 for an AppleTV when I would never use it as an "AppleTV".

Right now, I use the displayport output from the MBP to connect to the TV with a cable, and don't stream at all from the iPhone. This is obviously not a good solution.

I don't want a chromecast because I don't want anything google.

Thanks
 
There would a downside to Chromecast anyway with Apple products, The list of apps that would be supported on iOS with Chrome cast would be smaller then that of Android apps. and even if supported, I dunno how el it would work together,

I think your stuck with buying an AppleTV if you wanna Airplay/Mirror.. unless you physically connect cable directly

Besides, how would you know before you even tried it ?
 
Tech198 said:
There would a downside to Chromecast anyway with Apple products, The list of apps that would be supported on iOS with Chrome cast would be smaller then that of Android apps. and even if supported, I dunno how el it would work together,

I think your stuck with buying an AppleTV if you wanna Airplay/Mirror.. unless you physically connect cable directly

Besides, how would you know before you even tried it ?
Click to expand...

I've used my friends' units so I know I don't care for the features, it's just a horrible clunky interface to try and actually play anything. And I watch the keynotes, it's just not an interesting product to me. Playing netflix/amazon prime/greatcourses plus/youtube on the iPhone and mirroring on appleTV is a fantastic interface with the iPhone's touch screen. Trying to use the clunky remote makes me want to whip the remote and appleTV out the window.
 
I use Apple TV to play the 1,000’s of videos that I have in my iTunes library, my MacBook Pro 15 acting as the server. I have my Apple TV connected via HDMI to my Sony 50” XBR to stream Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime and the picture quality is significantly better that if I streamed directing out of the Sony XBR. YouTube has upgraded their app and has better interface.

Oh and I’ll AirPlay out of my Apple devices to same TV once in awhile. Which Apple has made it so seamless and ridiculously easy.

Highly recommend Apple TV
 
DevNull0 said:
$259.90 for the 32 gig, taxes in here in Canada. Still over $200USD.
Click to expand...
I bought a 64 GB ATV 4K from Costco in Edmonton for $225 to try it, they have a great return policy. I worried about the cost and a couple of times I packed it up to return it but it works so damn well that I kept it. The 4K 32 GB is $220 and the 32 GB non 4K version is only $190.
 
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playaproved said:
Buy a used ATV Gen3 for like $50 if all you’re going to do is Airplay.
Click to expand...

I wouldn’t go lower than a 4th gen. I gave my old 3rd gen to my in laws and it’s painfully slow. Even my 4th gen is starting to show its age.
 
Dc2006ster said:
I bought a 64 GB ATV 4K from Costco in Edmonton for $225 to try it, they have a great return policy. I worried about the cost and a couple of times I packed it up to return it but it works so damn well that I kept it. The 4K 32 GB is $220 and the 32 GB non 4K version is only $190.
Click to expand...

I just checked my local costco (Toronto). They do have the 64 GB for $225, but no 32 GB. But for the $5 difference I'd take the 64 anyway even though at this point I doubt I'll benefit from it. It may be my best choice. They're also $190/$210 in the refurb store so the 32 refurb may be worth it as well.
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ACG12 said:
I wouldn’t go lower than a 4th gen. I gave my old 3rd gen to my in laws and it’s painfully slow. Even my 4th gen is starting to show its age.
Click to expand...

Good to know, thank you.
 
Gator1pk said:
I use Apple TV to play the 1,000’s of videos that I have in my iTunes library, my MacBook Pro 15 acting as the server. I have my Apple TV connected via HDMI to my Sony 50” XBR to stream Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime and the picture quality is significantly better that if I streamed directing out of the Sony XBR. YouTube has upgraded their app and has better interface.

Oh and I’ll AirPlay out of my Apple devices to same TV once in awhile. Which Apple has made it so seamless and ridiculously easy.

Highly recommend Apple TV
Click to expand...

Gator ole boy...I have about 300 ripped DVD's and home videos sitting on iTunes on an old MacBook Pro that I have connected to my Vizio P series. I have turned on home sharing so that MBP is in fact acting like a server for me too.. I have an Apple TV 4K that contains about 40 titles (and counting) movies I have "purchased" from Apple. Do you know a way for me to move the titles from the Apple TV 4K to the MBP so all my movies can be in one place the way yours are? Thank you
 
JasonHB said:
Does your TV not have that functionality? Lots of “smart” TVs now also do this through their own native app, or similar

Jason
Click to expand...

That would be great. Can you link to a TV that has that feature? I've never heard of a TV that can receive airplay mirroring, I just googled for it and came up empty, and checked several high end smartTVs, none of which can do it.
 
DevNull0 said:
That would be great. Can you link to a TV that has that feature? I've never heard of a TV that can receive airplay mirroring, I just googled for it and came up empty, and checked several high end smartTVs, none of which can do it.
Click to expand...

I think that post confused with open standard like "miracast". Most android can mirror to any smart tv directly with wifi-direct (or what you call airplay)

You are unlikely to be able to mirror your iphone direct to any TV due to restrictions put in by apple (i.e want you to buy apple tv). Not because of TV not supporting.
 
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