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can i control apple tv from my macbook? -- verification needed!

I know there are a lot of threads on this, and they all say no... (I did my due diligence in searching the forum, web, etc.!) But in one thread someone said YES, but didn't explain how!

So... Just for the record... The answer is no?

Thanks!

3.0 GHz 8-core Intel Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8), two 17" Apple Monitors w/DVI-ADC boxes, PCIe USB hub, Digidesign 002R /Command|8

Posted on Jan 12, 2011 12:31 PM

71 replies

Jul 17, 2014 9:55 AM in response to Eric Rosenwald

Add me to the wish-list too. I have an Onkyo receiver that I have attached to the Apple TV. The receiver has much better sound than most of my audio equipment and play in multiple rooms. It's my personal wall-of-sound. Plus why leave a TV running in an empty room?


My ideal OSX app would control the Apple TV and provide the same visual features as the IOS Remote app - current track with album art, whats up next list option along with selectors for albums, artist, playlist etc. Of the Apps for OSX, I think that Air Squirrels might have the programming chops to make this happen. Here are screen shots of my iPod touch running in the Reflector Airplay emulator on my Mac Pro.


Yeah there is a real need for this!

User uploaded file User uploaded file

Apr 4, 2014 4:30 PM in response to Eric Rosenwald

Here's another person who found this thread because of wanting to control an AppleTV with my MacBook. I'm happy to have found the 3rd Party "1Keyboard" app through this thread.


It's currently available in the App Store for $4.99, it does what I want and I'm very happy to have found it. The price feels totally reasonable to me. You can get it here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/1keyboard/id766939888?mt=12

Jan 13, 2011 6:01 PM in response to vazandrew

NO! I just realized that I, and everyone else is wrong! This may be because of a new update or something... but you CAN control iTunes from your MacBook, so that it plays through Apple TV! All you have to do is click on the AirPlay tab on the lower right of iTunes, and select "AppleTV" as the speakers to use, as opposed to the built-in ones. Maybe everyone already knows about this...

Jan 13, 2011 6:34 PM in response to vazandrew

Cool, I get it. But for all intents and purposes, you ARE controlling Apple TV from your MacBook -- but only with respect to the iTunes library. (You are controlling what is displayed on the TV screen, and played through the audio of the Apple TV -- from your MacBook.) Because, with that logic, the Apple remote is controlling iTunes, even though it's technically controlling Apple TV. I wish people made the clear! It's a subtle distinction, but an important one.

Mar 5, 2011 4:39 PM in response to Eric Rosenwald

I have tried this but get an "unknown error (-015006) while connecting to the remote speak AppleTV."

(Separately, I have had success using the ATV remote and the Remote app on an iPod to drive music through to the AppleTV, but the user experience is a bit bizarre with one song streaming from the Macbook playing on the TV while another song plays simultaneously on the Macbook.)

Back to the problem, here's the layout: MacBook (2006, white), AppleTV-2 w/HDMI cable into Samsung LED TV, audio out to a PolkAudio soundbar. First obvious question: Do the remote speakers need to be directly attached to the AppleTV?

Jan 29, 2013 7:25 PM in response to fresheyeball

I meant attaching a computer would allow for more of what you're looking for. How would one paste from a web browser into the native Netflix app without there being a browser on the device itself?


Apart from the bundled remote, there is the IOS app and now keyboard support. Really the only direct input is navigating the screens and typing. Anything else is through mirroring, not communicating with the native apps.


You may be able to think of many use cases and may have desire but most don't. You are the first i've seen looking for it anyway.

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can i control apple tv from my macbook? -- verification needed!

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