Streaming content to AppleTV

debusohdebusoh
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I pulled the trigger on the new AppleTV when it was announced. I have a Netflix subscription and it seems like a great way to get content from Netflix streaming to my TV. I also have a mac laptop and think it will be cool to run iPhoto slideshows to my big screen in the living room.



I would love to be able to stream other content to it. For example, espn3.



Does anyone know if that will be possible? If I connect to espn3 on my MacBook Pro, can I forward that stream to the AppleTV device?



I have a mini-displayport to hdmi adapter that I can use for this, but I would rather not have to make a physical connection between the laptop and the TV.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    bballboybballboy Posts: 12member
    I don't know the answer to your question, but I selfishly have to ask your impression of the AppleTV. I have wanted one for a while now, but haven't purchased one, yet. My friends tend to think it's a stupid invention, but i like the idea of having all of my movies/ tv shows in the same location.
  • Reply 2 of 3
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by debusoh View Post


    I pulled the trigger on the new AppleTV when it was announced. I have a Netflix subscription and it seems like a great way to get content from Netflix streaming to my TV. I also have a mac laptop and think it will be cool to run iPhoto slideshows to my big screen in the living room.



    I would love to be able to stream other content to it. For example, espn3.



    Does anyone know if that will be possible? If I connect to espn3 on my MacBook Pro, can I forward that stream to the AppleTV device?



    I have a mini-displayport to hdmi adapter that I can use for this, but I would rather not have to make a physical connection between the laptop and the TV.



    Hi Debusoh,



    I see that no one ever replied to you, so I thought I would provide some answers. I think you may be confused about what the Apple TV is capable of. I am not a technology expert or an entertainment/copyright lawyer, but based on information currently available, you won't be able to get a feed of ESPN3 over your AppleTV. It is definitely not going to be the holy grail device that streams all paid and free internet content. If it did, you would have heard all the other tech companies imploding after the announcement last week. Here are the basic three functions you can expect it to have out of the box on launch day.



    1. Stream photos music movies that are in your iTunes library from your Mac or PC to the Apple TV for viewing on your TV.



    2. Connect to the iTunes store to rent TV shows and movies.



    3. Stream movies from the Netflix instant library if you have a netflix membership.



    Think of it this way...if you were able to stream any feed you found online then Apple wouldn't need to establish any agreements with networks and studios. But of course they are definitely trying to secure these agreements. At the AppleTV presentation they announced partnerships with ABC, FOX, Disney and BBC America, and it is likely that a lot of the other studios and content providers will come on board also. But you should be aware that these agreements are so that you can rent movies and TV shows, not get them for free.



    For you to view a feed of ESPN3, you would basically be trying to double stream he content: once from ESPN to your computer, and then again from your computer to the AppleTV. I can't imagine this ever working. If at some point ESPN content comes to AppleTV, I can only see it being individual games, and definitely not live games. It would be at least a day after it aired live. You definitely wouldn't be able to see all their programming like Sports Center and and the 2011 NFL Draft show for example.



    There is some speculation that Apple will eventually announce apps for the ATV and an SDK, so at some point you may be able to buy an app that streams some ESPN3 content, but it won't be free. And I wouldn't expect this for at least a year while they work out licensing deals, if ever. This whole thing is so new, it could work out any number of ways.
  • Reply 3 of 3
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bballboy View Post


    I don't know the answer to your question, but I selfishly have to ask your impression of the AppleTV. I have wanted one for a while now, but haven't purchased one, yet. My friends tend to think it's a stupid invention, but i like the idea of having all of my movies/ tv shows in the same location.



    Hi bballboy,



    The AppleTV is a good product, for some people. If you want an easy way to get the music movies and photos from your iTunes library onto your HDTV from your Mac or PC, then yes this is a great buy.



    Also it is good timing, because the main problems with the previous AppleTV have been fixed. It had old hardware components (processor & video card), which made it run slow and really hot. Both of these problems have apparently been fixed with the new hardware. Not to mention it is a much smaller box than before. I didn't have a problem with the size of the previous AppleTV, but some people did. In any case, it is a really good upgrade. Also, it gains the ability to stream movies from the Netflix instant queue (if you have a netflix account).



    So, the AppleTV may be a good buy for you, and maybe not. Just depends on what you need it to do.
Sign In or Register to comment.