How to install a 2nd hand Apple TV to a macbook air

The Moonraker wrote:

The SkyTrac app is installed on my MacBook Air. It talks to the actual monitor and records the action of the club & ball by radar etc. The app decodes the data and provides an image of the golf course and where the ball traveled.

So, the golf course image is projected to the screen, but that is generated on the Mac. It simply needs to be mirrored from the Mac screen to the Projector via an Apple TV brick, which I hooked up to the Thunderbolt port on my Mac.

Then you are doing it backwards.

The Apple TV can receive a video signal from the Mac wirelessly and send it to the projector via an HDMI cable.

The Mac can mirror its screen to the Apple TV and the Apple TV can then feed it to the projector directly via a cable.

Again, why are we involving an Apple TV exactly? Do you need to the screen mirroring from the Mac to the projector to be wireless?

What exactly are you expecting the Apple TV to do by connecting it to the Mac?

Are you thinking it will magically send a wireless video signal to the projector? It won't.

As I said above, you can connect the Mac directly to the projector, or if you need it to be wireless, connect the Apple TV to the projector using an HDMI cable and Airplay mirror the Mac's screen to the Apple TV which in turn sends the video signal to the projector over an HDMI cable.

You cannot connect the Apple TV to the Mac directly via a cable that is not how it works.

If you explain the purpose of the Apple TV specifically we can provide more specific advice.

But in general, the set up, is

Mac ----- wirelessly send image to ----- Apple TV -----connected via HDMI to ------ Projector which then Projects image on a screen or wall.

Or just connect the Mac to the Projector directly. Is there any reason you can't do this?

Please answer the questions posed, so we may understand you requirements. Leave the app on the Mac out of ti for the moment. The Mac will mirror whatever is on its screen to the projector any way to you do it.

The HDMI port on the Apple TV set-top box is for output only. You run a cable from that port to a HDMI input on a TV set or monitor.

The Mac talks to the Apple TV set-top box using your local-area network. I believe that all of the Apple TV set-top boxes have some form of Wi-Fi, and many have Ethernet. You will need to use the management interface on your router and the menus on the Apple TV set-top box to set up the network connection. Hopefully this second-hand Apple TV set-top box came with the matching remote.

Set up your Apple TV - Apple Support

Stream video and audio with AirPlay - Apple Support

Why would a Golf simulator show your MacBook Screen?

If you want to mirror your MacBook Air's screen to a BenQ projector and see whatever is on your Mac's screen (including an app such as SkyTrak) through the projector, why can't you just connect the projector directly to the MacBook Air? Why are we involving an Apple TV? Do you need the mirroring to be wireless from the Mac?

You may need an adapter, to connect the MacBook Air directly to the projector though.

Tell us what model of MacBook Air you have exactly or what ports it has, and we can offer adapter suggestions.

click here ➜ Identify your MacBook Air model - Apple Support

If you need the connection to be wireless, then yes, you can use the Apple TV directly connected to the Projector to Airplay to from the Mac. It should be as simple as finding the Apple TV in Display Settings' Mirror or Extend to Dropdown or the Screen mirroring button in Control Center. There is nothing to install on the Mac. You cannot install an Apple TV box on a Mac.

click here ➜ Use AirPlay to stream audio and video to Apple TV - Apple Support

Also, if possible identify the model of Apple TV.

click here ➜ Identify your Apple TV model - Apple Support

The Apple TV device has no inputs for video. It's a video out only device. You might be able to stream a wi-fi signal to it, but nothing more.

You did not mention the specific model Apple TV you were given, but you can find documentation here: Apple TV Manuals and Downloads - Apple Support.

I do not believe they shipped with any printed instructions anyway.

Apple TV is designed to be used wirelessly using AirPlay. All models have Ethernet ports, with the exception of the most recent for which Ethernet is an option. The only other cable connections are power and HDMI out to your projector or other display.

The Moonraker wrote:

Currently I'm using a VGA port through a dongle which converts to a HDMI cable into the Apple TV brick and onto the projector.

Are you trying to use some sort of HDMI to VGA adapter to convert the HDMI output from the Apple TV set-top box into an analog VGA signal for the BENQ projector?!?

If so, have you verified that this adapter goes from HDMI input to VGA output – not the other way around? (It looks to me like it might be possible to get adapters in either direction, but that any particular adapter is unidirectional.)

Any link to the description for the specific adapter you are using?