A couple of newbie questions about Apple TV...

[anon(4698833)]

So I've been looking to check one of these out. I currently have a Mac Mini connected to my TV, but having that machine as a separate entity from my main computer (my Macbook Pro), presents it's own convenience issues (so to speak)...so I was curious about a few things before I go slap down $100 for one.

- Since I have a Macbook Pro capable of AirPlay mirroring, is this function limited in any way? For example, if I'm mirroring, will a program like VLC media player be able to play video and audio through the TV while mirrored from my Macbook Pro? Or another example, say I'm working on a project on my computer in Photoshop, will Apple TV mirror all functionality I see on my Macbook Pro (like it would if it was hardwired to the TV via HDMi)?

- Is there any kind of performance delay between mirrored devices? Right now, I use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard (mighty mouse and keyboard specifically) with my Mac Mini, and it works with no lag...if I am doing things on the Macbook which is being mirrored on the TV, is there any lag between the two devices that would be noticeable?

- Obviously mirroring will not yield true surround sound, but is mirrored audio limited to 2channel only? I have a surround sound connected via HDMi to my Mac Mini and it is able to process various different audio signals...I am not expecting that kind of performance out of the Apple TV, but was curious if 2 channel audio is all that is available...

...again, thanks, I know these are really basic things, but I have never really given the Apple TV much thought.

 

[Just_Me_D]

So I've been looking to check one of these out. I currently have a Mac Mini connected to my TV, but having that machine as a separate entity from my main computer (my Macbook Pro), presents it's own convenience issues (so to speak)...so I was curious about a few things before I go slap down $100 for one.

- Since I have a Macbook Pro capable of AirPlay mirroring, is this function limited in any way? For example, if I'm mirroring, will a program like VLC media player be able to play video and audio through the TV while mirrored from my Macbook Pro?

Yes. You will be given the option to select your MacBook, TV or both. If both are selected, video and sound will play on both devices.

Or another example, say I'm working on a project on my computer in Photoshop, will Apple TV mirror all functionality I see on my Macbook Pro (like it would if it was hardwired to the TV via HDMi)?

Yes, it could.

- Is there any kind of performance delay between mirrored devices? Right now, I use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard (mighty mouse and keyboard specifically) with my Mac Mini, and it works with no lag...if I am doing things on the Macbook which is being mirrored on the TV, is there any lag between the two devices that would be noticeable?

- Obviously mirroring will not yield true surround sound, but is mirrored audio limited to 2channel only? I have a surround sound connected via HDMi to my Mac Mini and it is able to process various different audio signals...I am not expecting that kind of performance out of the Apple TV, but was curious if 2 channel audio is all that is available...

Good question, and it is something that I really haven't paid that close attention to, but I want to say yes to this question.

...again, thanks, I know these are really basic things, but I have never really given the Apple TV much thought.

You're very welcome. The Apple TV was something I really didn't plan on getting but was convinced to get because of the posts I had been reading about it hear at iMore. One thing is for certain, though, I have no regrets about buying it, my friend....

 

[anon(4698833)]

I think I'm going to pick one up today after work...my Mac Mini is a 2010 model, and while it still runs very well, there are things that I want to do with it that require a little extra effort, something that mirroring my Macbook Pro would eliminate. It's good to hear that you've had a satisfying experience with it, hopefully some others will chime in too, but given it's only $100, I think I can safely grab it and not feel too terrible about it if some of the things I listed above are not possible (or not as I expect).

Thanks man! RAMBLIN' WRECK!

 

[Fausty82]

So I've been looking to check one of these out. I currently have a Mac Mini connected to my TV, but having that machine as a separate entity from my main computer (my Macbook Pro), presents it's own convenience issues (so to speak)...so I was curious about a few things before I go slap down $100 for one.

- Since I have a Macbook Pro capable of AirPlay mirroring, is this function limited in any way? For example, if I'm mirroring, will a program like VLC media player be able to play video and audio through the TV while mirrored from my Macbook Pro? Or another example, say I'm working on a project on my computer in Photoshop, will Apple TV mirror all functionality I see on my Macbook Pro (like it would if it was hardwired to the TV via HDMi)?

- Is there any kind of performance delay between mirrored devices? Right now, I use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard (mighty mouse and keyboard specifically) with my Mac Mini, and it works with no lag...if I am doing things on the Macbook which is being mirrored on the TV, is there any lag between the two devices that would be noticeable?

- Obviously mirroring will not yield true surround sound, but is mirrored audio limited to 2channel only? I have a surround sound connected via HDMi to my Mac Mini and it is able to process various different audio signals...I am not expecting that kind of performance out of the Apple TV, but was curious if 2 channel audio is all that is available...

...again, thanks, I know these are really basic things, but I have never really given the Apple TV much thought.

I have one in my office connected to a 40" tv that I occasionally use to display things for family - photos, websites, etc for specific purposes. It works well... no real lag. You can also use the AppleTV and airplay to extend your MBP/iMac display - either to mirror your screen or as an extended screen. That, too, has proven useful on occasion.

I don?t have any kind of surround sound setup in my office, so I cannot speak to that...

 

[anon(4698833)]

So I bought an Apple TV a week ago, and have used it for a week...today I brought it back to Apple for a refund, and here are a few reasons why...

- Streaming HD videos outside of iTunes was constantly jittery and laggy. Attempting to use VLC left me with sync issues (that could be adjusted, but I didn't want to go through that every time), and a choppy replay on 1080p files.
- Strange reformatting of my MBP's mirror on the TV. It seemed to drop the resolution back making everything tiny on the TV compared to the Macbook's screen. I could adjust it but that would present it's own website fitment issues (having to scroll left and right to read text became annoying sometimes).
- Airplay worked pretty cool, except slo-mo videos from the 5S wouldn't play unless loaded directly into iTunes (which defeats the purpose of the airplay feature directly from the iPhone).

...it was a cool piece of tech, the apps on it worked flawlessly, it connected flawlessly, and anything loaded into iTunes played effortlessly and quality degradation was minimal...that said, I'm not willing to keep using it if I have to load all of my stuff into iTunes because it's just too time consuming for me. My Mac Mini might require a few extra steps to shoot files from one device to another, but it plays everything perfectly, and I think that was the biggest thing I wanted from the Apple TV. Just wasn't meant to be in the my setup.