How good is AirPlay?

[Fortimir]

I have a MBPr, ATV3, and a DIR-655 router. Everything wireless and in the same room... and I was streaming 1080p videos from Vimeo flawlessly. There is a delay on the MacBook, but the audio is synced up with the ATV so it doesn't matter.

Definitely couldn't game with it, but streaming web content is no problem for me what-so-ever.

 

[gentlefury]

I have a MBPr, ATV3, and a DIR-655 router. Everything wireless and in the same room... and I was streaming 1080p videos from Vimeo flawlessly. There is a delay on the MacBook, but the audio is synced up with the ATV so it doesn't matter.

Definitely couldn't game with it, but streaming web content is no problem for me what-so-ever.

yes, on my rMBP it streams quite well. Occasional stutters..but for the most part fine. ATV3 as well. MBA however just can't handle it.

 

[Panini]

I have a MBPr, ATV3, and a DIR-655 router. Everything wireless and in the same room... and I was streaming 1080p videos from Vimeo flawlessly. There is a delay on the MacBook, but the audio is synced up with the ATV so it doesn't matter.

Definitely couldn't game with it, but streaming web content is no problem for me what-so-ever.

How does the TV deal with the fact that the rMBP has a higher resolution? What happens when you try to stream your desktop?

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

yes, on my rMBP it streams quite well. Occasional stutters..but for the most part fine. ATV3 as well. MBA however just can't handle it.

Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge MBA? Ivy Bridge processors have a 40 percent faster H.264 encoding unit (source: AnandTech).

 

[steve-p]

How does the TV deal with the fact that the rMBP has a higher resolution? What happens when you try to stream your desktop?

I don't have a retina, but on my 17" it asks you when you turn mirroring on if you want to change the laptop resolution to match ATV. In my case it's 1920x1200 native, and it changes the laptop display to an effective 1920x1080 with black borders top and bottom. It's a bit strange seeing OS X letterboxed, but at least it doesn't stretch it. On the retina, I expect it will switch to the 1920 scaled resolution and do roughly the same thing. With smaller non-retina MBPs that can't do 1920x1080, I suppose it must reduce the resolution on ATV to match the laptop somehow, rather than the other way round.

I don't know how much I will use AirPlay desktop mirroring as such. My main use case is using ATV as an output device for music and 1080p video pushed from iPhone/iPad/MBP, which doesn't need mirroring (assuming compatible formats anyway).

 

[Beta Particle]

Is this true for all HDTV's, or specifically the plasma ones?

Specifically Plasmas, I use a 46″ Sony LED as my main monitor via HDMI without issue.

therefore completely defeating the point and the convinience of airplay.

AirPlay is more for presenting than using as an external monitor. It’s much easier to show someone else something on my iPad using AirPlay Mirroring on my TV than it is to have them looking over my shoulder for example.

 

[hallux]

well if you think that is suitable with your needs and wiring is not an option for vanity reason that is fair enough. But you need to take into consideration that streaming over wifi overheat a router and your apple TV. You don't want to overheat your router. You begin to see a degrade connection and speed.

Wiring isn't an option, but not for a "vanity reason" but for a SAFETY reason. To run a network wire to my ATV requires a trip across a walkway.

 

[etsi]

Is it good enough to play a movie from vlc player and watch it on TV or the frame rate sucks?

 

[jammybastard]

Is it good enough to play a movie from vlc player and watch it on TV or the frame rate sucks?

IMHO you are better off converting the movie to .mp4, importing it into iTunes and watching it via AppleTV.

 

[etsi]

IMHO you are better off converting the movie to .mp4, importing it into iTunes and watching it via AppleTV.

Using itunes I can stream any mp4 to appletv which will play much smoother?

Thanks for replying

 

[jammybastard]

Using itunes I can stream any mp4 to appletv which will play much smoother?

Thanks for replying

Are you wired or wireless?
My guess is that streaming via iTunes to your Apple TV will always look and sound better.

 

[iMacFarlane]

Specifically Plasmas, I use a 46″ Sony LED as my main monitor via HDMI without issue.

Ah, good. You had me a little worried about the XBOX 360 that my son thinks should be called the XBOX 24-7.

 

[gentlefury]

Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge MBA? Ivy Bridge processors have a 40 percent faster H.264 encoding unit (source: AnandTech).

2011 so whichever is the older one.

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Specifically Plasmas, I use a 46″ Sony LED as my main monitor via HDMI without issue.

AirPlay is more for presenting than using as an external monitor. It’s much easier to show someone else something on my iPad using AirPlay Mirroring on my TV than it is to have them looking over my shoulder for example.

I've used airplay on my iPhone to watch a movie. I actually used it to stream the iTunes music event. It's not just for images.

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IMHO you are better off converting the movie to .mp4, importing it into iTunes and watching it via AppleTV.

I think the idea tho, is that its a lot easier to just press a button and start watching than to encode a file for an hour then play it.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

I think the idea tho, is that its a lot easier to just press a button and start watching than to encode a file for an hour then play it.

QuickTime X in Mountain Lion can use Quick Sync, which encodes your H.264/MP4 file much faster.

 

[undies1993]

yes, on my rMBP it streams quite well. Occasional stutters..but for the most part fine. ATV3 as well. MBA however just can't handle it.

I have a MBPr, ATV3, and a DIR-655 router. Everything wireless and in the same room... and I was streaming 1080p videos from Vimeo flawlessly. There is a delay on the MacBook, but the audio is synced up with the ATV so it doesn't matter.

Definitely couldn't game with it, but streaming web content is no problem for me what-so-ever.

On my rMBP the screen doesn't go back to best for Retina display when turning off airplay. Do you have that issue?

 

[Actie]

How good is AirPlay for more routine tasks, like writing (MS Word) and browsing?

I'm thinking about getting an ATV just for the purposes of AirPlay, since writing and browsing on my 11" MBA can be a bit frustrating due to the small screen size. I have no intention to game or even watch video, really. The ATV would use a wireless network (i.e., would not be wired to the router). I'd also be using a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Latency issues likely?

 

[hallux]

Is it good enough to play a movie from vlc player and watch it on TV or the frame rate sucks?

The occasional stutter but overall it's fine. I didn't try with MplayerX but it may be better as that plays better anyway. In my case, the videos are stored on my Windows desktop so my Mac pulls from that over the network then pushes it back to the ATV. MplayerX appears to buffer, where VLC doesn't.

 

[Krazy Bill]

How good is AirPlay for more routine tasks, like writing (MS Word) and browsing?

It will suck.

AP is for watching movies and screen presentations - not to replace external monitors. The slight lag you will experience will drive your eyes bonkers.

I have to say though, the improvements from DP4 to the GM (and resultant release) seemed huge to me. Even with my crappy wi-fi I can now mirror web video without much time needed to buffer a good chunk first.

Now, if only I could get rid of a few remotes.

 

[comptr]

As airplay only works on 2011 macs or newer so have any you tried out air parrot as its a way to get air play like functionality on older macs.

 

[psykick5]

I like my HDMI