I'm new to Apple products, so can somone explain the difference between HDMI out vs Airplay(other than wired vs wireless)? Pros/cons of each.
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HDMI Out vs Airplay
- Thread starter leisenstein
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Here's the little I know:
AirPlay: Feature on iOS devices over WiFi. You must have an AppleTV for this to work. It has limited use right now, mainly for playing video and music and displaying photos from Apple-created apps. But this should change with the release of iOS 4.3 and the addition of the ability for third-party developers. I wouldn't be shocked to see YouTube add this functionality.
HDMI out: Just requires the $39 adapter, an HDMI cable and a TV with an HDMI connection. Mirrors everything on the screen. No wireless network or AppleTV needed. This will be quite useful in schools and offices for presentations. Another reason to need a notebook computer less.
There are pros and cons of both. You need to spend money on hardware either way. The cheaper way takes a wire, the more expensive one doesn't. Not everybody has an AppleTV; millions more have TVs with HDMI.
AirPlay: Feature on iOS devices over WiFi. You must have an AppleTV for this to work. It has limited use right now, mainly for playing video and music and displaying photos from Apple-created apps. But this should change with the release of iOS 4.3 and the addition of the ability for third-party developers. I wouldn't be shocked to see YouTube add this functionality.
HDMI out: Just requires the $39 adapter, an HDMI cable and a TV with an HDMI connection. Mirrors everything on the screen. No wireless network or AppleTV needed. This will be quite useful in schools and offices for presentations. Another reason to need a notebook computer less.
There are pros and cons of both. You need to spend money on hardware either way. The cheaper way takes a wire, the more expensive one doesn't. Not everybody has an AppleTV; millions more have TVs with HDMI.
I prefer AirPlay because it is easy and simple, and with iOS 4.3 I'll be able to push all kinds of video to my TV which I'll admit I probably won't do very much because I just stream from my MacBook Pro. I don't even like to plug in my Mac to the TV, wireless is just convenient.
AirPlay requires an AppleTV, and only works with specific content that the app developer has chosen to allow to be streamed and that's compatible with the formats that the AppleTV can play. If for example Hulu doesn't want to enable this feature, they could prevent their content from being sent over AirPlay.
The HDMI mirrored output works for anything you can display on your screen, whether or not the app developer has gotten around to supporting AirPlay yet. It allows you to put content on your TV other than just the video/audio/photos that the AppleTV understands, such as games or other apps. It lets you watch video at up to 1080p instead of AirPlay's max of 720p, but it requires you to either place your iPad next to your TV or string an HDMI cable across the living room.
The HDMI mirrored output works for anything you can display on your screen, whether or not the app developer has gotten around to supporting AirPlay yet. It allows you to put content on your TV other than just the video/audio/photos that the AppleTV understands, such as games or other apps. It lets you watch video at up to 1080p instead of AirPlay's max of 720p, but it requires you to either place your iPad next to your TV or string an HDMI cable across the living room.
It's great that the dongle and cable combination allow 1080p output, but the real question is--how much 1080p content will you have on your iPad in the first place?
If you want to put a movie on your iPad to watch, it has to first be on your computer. Of course, if you want to then watch that content on your TV you have to connect your iPad to the HDMI connection on your TV.
I use AppleTV and Airplay to avoid that scenario all together. Music/Movies/TV/Etc is all stored and managed on my iMac in iTunes. So long as my computer is on, i have full access to my entire library on my HDTV. This frees my iPad to be used during the movie (if i so desire) or save a few hours of battery life. It's a solution that works for me.
I use AppleTV and Airplay to avoid that scenario all together. Music/Movies/TV/Etc is all stored and managed on my iMac in iTunes. So long as my computer is on, i have full access to my entire library on my HDTV. This frees my iPad to be used during the movie (if i so desire) or save a few hours of battery life. It's a solution that works for me.
You forgot to mention that the adaptor is better... since pretty much everything the ATV can do.. the iPad can.. and it can present in 1080p!
Well, it's not "better".. the two are for different use cases. AirPlay doesn't requite a physical cable (obviously), and you can do other things with your iPad while you stream.. for example, play a game why you output YouTube video to your TV. HDMI adopter doesn't let you do either of those.
Also getting the HDMI adapter for my Touch for the simple purpose of watching my movies from iTunes on my HDTV.
I think the Apple TV is the future for digital distribution but because of the nature of the internet access in my area, it's just not a feasible solution for me. Streaming wireless in my area has caused me enough headaches. It's just not as perfect as I need it to be.
For film lovers, the future is coming and it's not physical discs anymore. I'm not waiting to jump on the digital bandwagon. At least with this HDMI adapter, I can safely get on that bandwagon without having to worry about buffering...
I think the Apple TV is the future for digital distribution but because of the nature of the internet access in my area, it's just not a feasible solution for me. Streaming wireless in my area has caused me enough headaches. It's just not as perfect as I need it to be.
For film lovers, the future is coming and it's not physical discs anymore. I'm not waiting to jump on the digital bandwagon. At least with this HDMI adapter, I can safely get on that bandwagon without having to worry about buffering...
One thing we don't the ipad can do is output 16:9. In all the videos and reprorts so far, the mirror mode will cause black bars on a widescreen tv.
We'll see once the ipad 2 is released how much the developers will be able to work with in regards to outputing in 16:9.
We'll see once the ipad 2 is released how much the developers will be able to work with in regards to outputing in 16:9.
Thanks for the replies.
I think I'll start off with the HDMI cable, then possibly get the AppleTV later. Between the iPad, case, cable, warranty and tax, I'm around $1000.
I think I'll start off with the HDMI cable, then possibly get the AppleTV later. Between the iPad, case, cable, warranty and tax, I'm around $1000.