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Sharing multiple user accounts to AppleTV on one Mac

I can't remember if I did this before with software 1.0/1.1, but I'm sure the possibility of having two concurrently active iTunes libraries on a single machine has been discussed as one way of separating out content.

To do some more testing on software 2.00 + libraries I have just created a new user account with a new iTunes library, and registered it as a shared AppleTV library on AppleTV 2 running 2.01 (I've not updated to 2.02 yet for a reason).

So imagine this setup:

Single iMac.

User Account A - called iMac - the main sync/share library.

User Account B - called Test - the sharing library.

Both Users iTunes apps open (switching between users obviously without logging out).

AppleTV listed under devices in both iTunes instances.

Both iMac and Test libraries solid white in 'Computers' setting on AppleTV.

Can play iMac content logged into User account A having switched from B.

I select My Shared Music - long wait - says it's not connected to shared Test library, and checking Computers 'Test' is now greyed out.

Switching to user B the AppleTv is still listed under Devices. I still cannot connect to My Shared Music and 'Test' Library remains greyed out. I can still while logged into B play the sync/share content of User A - I had expected I would be able to do the converse.

Both iTunes libraries show the other library under shared libraries in iTunes.

This is baffling me.

Rebooted etc etc etc.

iTunes can see the shared library of the other user account but AppleTV can't.

AC

iMac Core 2 Duo 20", Mac OS X (10.4.11), Intel Macbook, iPhone, old Risc OS and Windows boxes!

Posted on Apr 23, 2008 1:02 PM

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Posted on Apr 23, 2008 2:38 PM

I can confirm this worked, I haven't done it under v2 and it was at least one upgrade of Leopard ago, but I did test this scenario some time ago.

Just to be clear, are you saying you can't connect to the test library regardless of which user account you have active.

By the way this won't work on a PC.
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Apr 23, 2008 2:38 PM in response to Alley_Cat

I can confirm this worked, I haven't done it under v2 and it was at least one upgrade of Leopard ago, but I did test this scenario some time ago.

Just to be clear, are you saying you can't connect to the test library regardless of which user account you have active.

By the way this won't work on a PC.

Apr 23, 2008 2:48 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill wrote:
Just to be clear, are you saying you can't connect to the test library regardless of which user account you have active.


That's right.

The main sync/stream library content is available on AppleTV regardless of which account I'm logged into on the iMac. I have nothing at all synced so know that I'm seeing the "main" iMac library streaming.

Both libraries show up as shared libraries in the other's iTunes shares, and I can load the 'test' library under the other account iTunes instance and play music back which proves to me that the other account isn't dormant.

I've just updated iTunes as I hadn't done the last update but no difference.

Am now updating AppleTv to 2.02, I just hope that that doesn't disable simultaneous audio via optical and HDMI.

AC

Apr 23, 2008 3:40 PM in response to Alley_Cat

I can't see it as an issue. I know it might sound like stating the obvious but this is either something that no longer works or something peculiar to your set up.

If it is that it no longer works it may not necessarily be because of the tv or itunes software but could just as well be system software. ( I regularly use 2 user accounts on my main mac - work and play - and I've seen some peculiarities in using more than one user account following recent system updates).

I think it is probably too early to say one way or the other and further user experiences may help answer this.

Apr 23, 2008 4:48 PM in response to Winston Churchill

2 things that didn't work:

Changed the library name as it had an apostrophe, no difference.

Logged into my iTunes store accout in the new library, again no change.

Rebooted the iMac and logged into Test account first.

Could now play My Shared music.

Next switched to the main library.

Albums/movies list but there is not cover art and trying to play any file gives an AppleTV cannot play this or format not recognised type error.

AC

Apr 23, 2008 4:49 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill wrote:
I'd offer to try at my end, but it's a no-goer at this time of night, 3 tv's are being used right now, you should hear the shouting if I do something to interrupt that. Installing software that requires me to restart now can only be done at certain times of the day.

I might try some other time.


Thanks - I'm giving up myself now and will try again tomorrow.

AC

Apr 26, 2008 1:25 AM in response to Alley_Cat

It seems that the first iTunes instance that is opened hogs the communication somehow.

Whichever user's iTunes I open first will stream fine, but even though the second appears connected on aTV as soon as you try to play something streaming you get a spinning wheel which can't connect to the library.

At the iTunes end the second library comes up with an error about the iTunes sharing port, which is odd as the respective libraries show up in iTunes and work.

AC

Sharing multiple user accounts to AppleTV on one Mac

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