EricWeir

Q: AirPlay options in YouTube greyed out

I am able to stream music from Apple Music on my MacBook Air to a stereo system connected to an AirPort Express router. However, when I click on the AirPlay icon in the bottom right of the Youtube screen "AirPlay to: Looking for devices" is greyed out. I can send YouTube videos from my iPhone to the stereo system.

 

Any suggestions for getting sound from YouTube videos to my AirPlay connected stereo? I want the sound only. I don't care about video.

 

Thanks,

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Feb 29, 2016 5:28 AM

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Q: AirPlay options in YouTube greyed out

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  • by CellarDwellr,

    CellarDwellr CellarDwellr Feb 29, 2016 5:40 AM in response to EricWeir
    Level 4 (1,212 points)
    Feb 29, 2016 5:40 AM in response to EricWeir

    Hello,

     

    It's not possible to stream sound-only from OS X apps. You can, however, stream sound-only from the entire OS X (system sounds and all)

     

    Find your way to: " > System Preferences > Sound" Click on the tab called [output] and click on Apple TV in the list. Now your Apple TV functions as the speaker of your MacBook Air.

     

    If this also doesn't work, unplug from power your modem, router(s), Airports- whatever you happen to have. Plug it all back in after 30 seconds.

     

    Did this solve your problem?

  • by EricWeir,

    EricWeir EricWeir Feb 29, 2016 11:24 AM in response to CellarDwellr
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Safari
    Feb 29, 2016 11:24 AM in response to CellarDwellr

    Thanks.

     

    I don't have Apple TV, just an AirPort Express connected to my stereo system, which I use primarily to stream music from Apple Music on my MBA to the stereo system.

     

    Enabling AirPlay through system preferences > sound allows streaming to just one device at a time. Apple Music allows me to play music though the MBA-connected speaker and to stream to multiple devices siimultaneously--e.g., to my speaker system and a portable battery-powered AirPlay speaker.

     

    I disconnected my modem, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express, left them unconnected for a full minute, then reconnected them. I still have the problem.

     

    I thought maybe AirPlay on YouTube assumes a video playback device, but I can stream from my iPhone to the stereo system.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Mar 8, 2016 7:17 AM in response to EricWeir
    Level 6 (11,844 points)
    Mar 8, 2016 7:17 AM in response to EricWeir

    EricWeir wrote:

     

     

    Enabling AirPlay through system preferences > sound allows streaming to just one device at a time. .

     

    In comes Audio MIDI Setup, in /Applications/Utilities.

    Create a new "Aggregate" device for audio output, for example called "Internal Speakers+Airport Express".

    Then in System Preferences->Sound, or by holding option key and clicking the sound icon in the menu bar, select this as your output device.

    Boom - audio on more than one device at the same time, system-wide.

  • by EricWeir,Helpful

    EricWeir EricWeir Mar 8, 2016 8:15 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Safari
    Mar 8, 2016 8:15 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

     

    In comes Audio MIDI Setup, in /Applications/Utilities.

    Create a new "Aggregate" device for audio output, for example called "Internal Speakers+Airport Express".

    Then in System Preferences->Sound, or by holding option key and clicking the sound icon in the menu bar, select this as your output device.

     

    Thanks, Luis. First, curious. Why aggregate rather than multi-output? I take it the difference is that the latter is output only, no input. Second, whichever of these I choose, I'm not able to add devices--the AirPort Express and the battery-powered AirPlay speaker (iHome iW3). Only the built-in devices, the ones on the MacBook, are available. Audio MIDI Setup help suggests the other devices should be displayed.

     

    If I right-click on the new aggregate or multi-output device an option to "configure device" is greyed out. I take it this relates to configuring the new device, not to  adding new devices, e.g., the AirPort Express or the AirPlay speaker.

     

    Have I overlooked a way to add these devices?

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Mar 8, 2016 8:34 AM in response to EricWeir
    Level 6 (11,844 points)
    Mar 8, 2016 8:34 AM in response to EricWeir

    EricWeir wrote:

     

    Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

     

    In comes Audio MIDI Setup, in /Applications/Utilities.

    Create a new "Aggregate" device for audio output, for example called "Internal Speakers+Airport Express".

    Then in System Preferences->Sound, or by holding option key and clicking the sound icon in the menu bar, select this as your output device.

     

    Thanks, Luis. First, curious. Why aggregate rather than multi-output? I take it the difference is that the latter is output only, no input.

     

     

    You are right - Multi-output is what you want.

    I was quoting this off the top of my head.

    As long as you have Airplay turned ON, you should see it as a device in Audio MIDI Setup:

     

    Screenshot 2016-03-08 at 16.33.35.png

  • by EricWeir,

    EricWeir EricWeir Mar 8, 2016 9:39 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Safari
    Mar 8, 2016 9:39 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Thanks again, Luis. AirPort Utility shows both my AirPort Extreme and Airport Express as connected. I successfully stream to the AirPort Express connected to my stereo system and the battery-powered AirPlay speaker from iTunes. But AirPlay does not show up as an available device for adding to a multi-output device.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Mar 8, 2016 9:41 AM in response to EricWeir
    Level 6 (11,844 points)
    Mar 8, 2016 9:41 AM in response to EricWeir

    Are you actually CONNECTED to the Airplay device (as in actually playing something to Airport Express) when attempting this in Audio MIDI Setup?