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Can I configure an Apple TV with just a Macbook Air?

M

Maui19

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 16, 2007
254
53
I am getting an Apple TV to control Apple Homekit devices in a new home. I won't have a TV in the house for a while, but I need to configure right away. Can is use my MBA to set up the ATV?

Thanks
 
you don't need an aTV for home kit

the only thing it does, is allow you to access your devices away from home. As will an iPad (with latest firmware, and on your home network and powered up), or a HomePod
there's not even a home app for the aTV yet, (although Siri on the aTV can control your HomeKit devices)

and also no settings in the aTV for HomeKit, once you've signed into your apple account, it automatically shares the devices.

everything will be set up using your phone/ipad,
 
if all you want is sharing, take it to a friends house, set it up with your Apple ID

then bring back home and plug into ethernet somewhere in the house.
 
waw74 said:
if all you want is sharing, take it to a friends house, set it up with your Apple ID then bring back home and plug into ethernet somewhere in the house.
Click to expand...

You wouldn't be able to connect it to your own wifi network doing that.
 
Maui19 said:
Can is use my MBA to set up the ATV?
Click to expand...

Short answer: No. When you take it out of the box and plug it in, it's going to check what resources are available to it. What wifi networks are near me? Am I connected to a wired network? What is the resolution of the TV I'm connected to? Is there an iOS device around me that I can get config info from? Based on what it finds it's going to ask you questions that have to be answered. It's going to ask them the only way it knows how.... on some sort of HDMI display. Could be a TV or a projector or a monitor. Once configured you can ditch the display (until you need to troubleshoot something) but for that first couple minutes of setup you need something that can display HDMI output.
 
Longkeg said:
Short answer: No. When you take it out of the box and plug it in, it's going to check what resources are available to it. What wifi networks are near me? Am I connected to a wired network? What is the resolution of the TV I'm connected to? Is there an iOS device around me that I can get config info from? Based on what it finds it's going to ask you questions that have to be answered. It's going to ask them the only way it knows how.... on some sort of HDMI display. Could be a TV or a projector or a monitor. Once configured you can ditch the display (until you need to troubleshoot something) but for that first couple minutes of setup you need something that can display HDMI output.
Click to expand...
If you dump a configuration profile into it from configurator, it would not have to ask these questions. You load a ready-made complete setup in. Essentially, just another MDM solution (MDM = Mobile Device Management).
It is meant for enterprises, that need to enroll loads of devices - doing it manually would be prohibitively time consuming.

Then again, waw74's comment is still relevant - you do not need aTV (as HomeKit hub), to run HomeKit devices.
There are 2 Apple products, that can act as HomeKit Hubs - iPad and appleTV (4 or later).
Having it in your hosehold, allows you to access Home apps over internet from anywhere. But HomeKit infra can be set up and run without a hub.
You will need an iPhone or iPad to set up and control HomeKit devices. Mojave will bring Home app also to macOS.
 
Maui19 said:
You wouldn't be able to connect it to your own wifi network doing that.
Click to expand...
why I said plug into ethernet,

since you're not connecting to a TV it shouldn't be an issue to place it next to your router.
 
Like my friend's Mom upon visiting son and finds out has no TV in the house, "how can you be a human being without a TV?!!!" :D
 
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