iPhone remote app

[mac2thefuture]

OK, I have the most recent update on TV and I have the remote app on my iPhone. I can use the app the select media and play it successfully on to my iMac but I can't select any content on my TV.
When I go to the remote menu on TV via General -> Settings the remote part which you'd use to configure an iPhone / iTouch is greyed out!!

BTW, i stream content

Any solutions please?

 

[spice weasel]

Have you added the Apple TV to your Remote app? Launch Remote and then click settings. Add the Apple TV library.

 

[mac2thefuture]

I have now.
It looks like I may have mis-understood what to app can do. I thought the remote app would in a sense replace the need for the standard white remote that comes with ATV. Now I selected the ATV library it displays no content as I stream my media.
Am I right, can this app be used as a replacement for the standard white remote when streaming content? If so, what settings do I need to rectify? Thanks again all ho assist.

 

[spice weasel]

You should be able to see all your media in library, regardless of whether you stream or sync or do a bit of both.

The Remote app can replace the white remote in all except waking/sleeping the ATV. Maybe it can do this too, but I haven't found a way yet.

I don't know what's going wrong with your setup. I'll try to get on my ATV and play around with it and see if I can get you some more info.

 

[sandman42]

Am I right, can this app be used as a replacement for the standard white remote when streaming content?

The answer is almost, but not completely. You can use the remote app to browse your TV library (and it shouldn't differentiate between synced or streamed content), select and play (and stop, pause, etc) any of your movies, TV shows, music, music videos, podcasts, etc. For music you can control volume, and specify which speakers (via airtunes) play the output.

What you can't do is navigate the rest of the TV's menu. You can't access photos, settings, or YouTube (but read on), nor can you select the on-line portions of the Movies and TV Shows menus (via the ITMS), like movie trailers, rentals, or TV shows for sale.

The kind of screwy thing is that you can use the Remote app for any searches that require text entry, like for movies and TV shows on the ITMS, or YouTube. When you navigate to a search screen (using the white remote) and you have the Remote app running, a search screen pops up on your Touch (or iPhone) where you can type in the text, rather than using the white remote and the onscreen text selection. This turns out to be a much easier way to enter the text, but you have to have two devices on hand to do it.

Regarding synced and streamed content, I have a 40Gb TV and way more content than that in my library. I don't configure my TV not to sync; I just let it sync what it wants and stream the rest, by default. When I use the Remote app it's just like using the white remote -- there's no distinction in the library listings, synced and streamed both look the same and work equally well.

Hope that helps.

 

[mac2thefuture]

I can search for all my content with my iphone remote app but when I select something it will only play on my imac.......not sure what to do
Also, all content I've purchase on my ATV cant be found on my imac i.e on itunes -> purchased on ATV.

 

[sandman42]

The Remote app treats the content on your iMac and the content on your TV as separate 'libraries'. It sounds like you need to add the TV library to the app.

Do this:

- start the Remote app on your iPhone

- select 'Settings' in the Remote app.

- select 'Add Library'. Your iPhone should display a 'Passcode'.

- on your TV, select 'Settings' --> 'General' --> 'Remotes'

- enter the passcode (I think -- I'm not in front of my TV right now)

Now, when you run the Remote app, you should be able to switch between the libraries in 'Settings'. Select your TV and you should be in business.

Incidentally, when playing music (but not video) from your iMac's library you should be able to select the TV as a second set of speakers (via AirTunes). Try playing a song and while it's playing (and showing as playing on the Remote app), single tap the screen of your iPhone. You should get a 'Speakers' button -- tap that, and you should be able to select the TV as a second 'speaker'.