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

I don't understand this attitude of "I don't see why you'd want that, so here's some other, completely pedestrian suggestion, along with a little sarcasm." I'm sure that's what people were saying to guys like Ford, Edison and Jobs. "I don't see why you'd want a moving pointer on the screen controlled by this mouse thing, Steve."

I'm sitting in my living room, watching my AppleTV while checking my email and surfing the web on my Macbook. Why not have an app on my Macbook that allows me to control the AppleTV? Why must I go get the iPhone from upstairs and have a second computing device in my hands when I already have a much more sophisticated computing device already in my hands? After all, the slippery little AppleTV remote has slipped into the furniture somewhere, so I'm either going to have to go upstairs and get the iPhone off the charger, or download an app really quickly and use it. Sure, maybe copy and paste would be handy too. And being able to use the keyboard would also be nice. But the main point is that I want to jump around IN the AppleTV between Netflix and Hulu, or go into the Settings menu using my laptop as the controller. This is not the same thing as controlling iTunes and using AirPlay or using AirPlay from the Macbook. I'm looking for a simple app that can control the AppleTV just like the iOS Remote app does. In fact, as I am writing this, I found the AppleTV remote and the battery is dead. Doh! It seems like a no brainer to have an OS X app for this. Maybe YOU don't see a need for it, but the original poster does; I do. So comment if you can be constructive, but don't make these unhelpful comments like, "you don't need that because with airplay you can blah blah blah." In fact, the original subject line suggests a yes or no answer. And the keyword is "control", so AirPlay does not qualify.

My suspicion, since this seems like an app that must have been thought of by many a developer, is that Apple does not publish the specs for controlling the AppleTV over IP, or they simply have a restriction on apps submitted to the app store.

Well there have been very few people asking for it, if there was a need they would likely look into developing it. However, You are free to leave feedback directly, and if there really is a need and people let Apple know then it may be developed. As it stands there is nothing any user here can suggest.

Would it not make more sense to simply have a functional iOS emulator that could run apps already in your iTunes library? Note: the iOS dev SDK does NOT have this function.

Apple could sell so much more from the App store if they opened this aspect of their ecosystem. As a shareholder, just thinking out loud.

"I don't see why you'd want that, so here's some other, completely pedestrian suggestion, along with a little sarcasm"

My god yes, it is so completely annoying.

For what it's worth, I want this too. So simple to make-- I assume if it were possible, someone would have already hacked this together? Closed system?

I was also very frustrated by the lsck of sn app. Clearly this is something a lot of people would want to do.

I came accros this gem http://www.eyalw.com/1keyboard Essentsilly makes your mac into a bluetooth keyboard and works fantasticslly to control apple tv - far batter than the IOS remote app in my humble

It does exacly what i need - it is awsome well worth the $7.

I don't understand this attitude of "I don't see why you'd want that, so here's some other, completely pedestrian suggestion, along with a little sarcasm." I'm sure that's what people were saying to guys like Ford, Edison and Jobs.

Oh. hells yes. Maybe there'd be more voices asking for the same thing if the first few voices weren't shouted down by "Why do you want that (with the implied, "you moron")?!!"

In addition to every reason mentioned so far, my Apple TV runs my background music system for my house. I sit at my computer in the office and listen to iTunes off my computer speakers because it's less hassle than getting the old iPhone 3g I keep on my desk only for this purpose, waiting for the Remote app to connect to the Apple TV, and then navigating the Remote menus.

Serious, this is exactly the kind of usability that Apple normally provides. It would also seem to be a pretty trivial extension of the existing functionality. No brainer.

Interesting.

Vazandrew, you are right. As I re-read the thread carefully with your comment in mind I see that you have been the consistent responder and that you were neither sarcastic nor dismissive.

What's interesting is that I now see your comments as those of an hard-core engineer: factual, logical, and seemingly blind to the rising emotional tension of the dialogue. People don't like to be told that they don't need what they want. It may be true, it may not be true, but it is rarely received well. That's why several of us apparently saw you as sarcastic and/or dismissive tho you were only being factual, as you saw it.

As it happens, I learned a lot from this thread. I am now controling my Apple TV for BGM from my computer, I d/l-ed 1keyboard, tho it doesn't seem to fit my current needs, and I will shortly go see if I can (finally) hook up a bt keyboard to my Apple TV.

Thanks vazandrew and all!

I too would like a remote option for Mac OSX. I often surf the net while watching a show and would prefer not to stop and hunt for the remote (which often fell down somewhere). My hands are already on a computer device so why not use the Mac?

Chalk up another coming to this thread from google looking for a solution. My iPad's in the other room charging, I've got the Mac, it's all Apple, so why can't they talk to each other? Sure, I can use Airplay, but that won't hit the sound quality of going from the AppleTV itself.

I agree, this makes so much sense, I really cannot quite understand why Apple don't offer it. The closest thing is to play iTunes content through your Airplay target to Apple TV. I want a similar app to what is available on the iOS devices, so it is seamless to control, no matter whether I use my iPad, my iPhone or my Macbook. Considering they add all those apps nobody asked for like Maps and iBooks, this seems a bit rich. Has everybody on here requested it as I have? There is already an Airport app, Apple please let us control our Apple TV's from OS X.

Another 'me too' here. Lying on the sofa, typing this out on my Macbook Pro. Apple TV has fnished playing what it was playing and I don't have the remote instantly to hand, it's just gone on to screen saver slideshow. iPhone is upstairs charging, and it would be so much easier to flip up an app and control the Apple TV from here without having to look for the remote or go upstairs to get the iPhone.

I need this app too, but there is one simple explanation. Apple cannot make MONEY off of an app on my Mac, or they could have very easily developed one already. Instead, I have to either tear the house apart to find the little booger remote, or pay whatever they demand for a new one. This is economics 101.

Count me in as well. Another one here thanks to google, searching for something that somehow, does't currently exist.

People keep banging on about the awesome Apple ecosystem, to me it seems rather IOS or bust focussed. Lame.

I appreciate much of what folks have posted here, but there are some points that need to be considered:

Apple doesn't, and never intended, to provide all of the solutions to all users. They create products, yes. They provide development environments for their two ecosystems, yes. They created two non-identical operating systems, yes. But those two OSen are NOT the same thing, much as they may appear to be. The AppleTV is an iOS device (like the iPad, iPod, iPhone) -- we all know that. That environment is NOT the same as the Mac OS.

I'm not thrilled that Apple didn't produce a Remote app for the MacOS, but as others have pointed out, there are developers who have pieces of solutions. I've found nothing amiss with 1keyboard for my typing needs -- it's only missing navigation. Maybe it has features in the pro version I am unaware of, as I'm using the trial now. I like what the developer has done thus far, and hope they continue with a navigation module next. Then again, I've learned that the last thing I want near me while I watch something through AppleTV or listen to the family music itunes machine is a computer -- I spend FAR too much time on one as it is, and prefer to focus solely on one media form at a time. That's a new paradigm for me, but I am finding I like it much.

More importantly, this forum (and most online resources) are largely ignored by Apple. If you want to gain attention, you need to use their feedback forms on this website. Squeaky wheel is really part of their culture. You want to really get attention, go into the store, buy something (AppleTV, highest end MBP you can afford, etc.), take it home -- then take it back to the store for a full return a few days later. Ask to speak to the Store manager -- not just the manager or supervisor on duty -- personally hand the kit back to them with a very civil, very polite, very firm reason why this combo of product is not working for you. Express your disappointment, and ask them if they can recommend an Android solution of hardware and software that would do what you want. Repeat as desired.

I'm not suggesting you unwrap the devices, and certainly not break the factory tape on the boxes -- just a purchase and return. Do that several times if you wish to be an activist. Fussing here will get you absolutely NOWHERE. Only what occurs at the retail end and to a much lesser extent the feedback forms gains any attention from Apple. And even that's iffy based on my experience in trying to contribute to the server OS product line (basically crippled and dumbed down to the 4th grade level ever since its high point with 10.6).

My opinion. YMMV.

This my use case for wanting to control apple tv from the iMac:

Context:

1) we own an iMac , 2 Macbooks, 3 iPads and 2 iPhones in our family, and the Apple TV, which is hooked up to the AV receiver.

2) our music library is in the Cloud (using iTunes Match).

3) we like to listen to music.

Situation before Apple TV:

When one of the family members wants to play music to the HiFi, he uses iTunes on one of the OSX or IOS devices and sends the music to an airport express hooked up to the HiFi.

This is rather confusing one must realise: it is easily forgotten from which OSX or IOS device the music is being streamed.

Situation after Apple TV:

So we purchased an Apple TV, and we agreed to play the music directly from the Apple TV using iTunes Match. This no longer involves any of the iOS or OSX devices and hence all of the confusion.

In addition , we prefer not having to switch on the TV screen and moving to that part of the living room.

It is perfectly possible using an iPad and the Remote App to choose an album or playlist on the Apple TV and start playback of that.

For convenience it would be nice, when sitting behind the iMac to be able to do the same thing: using a remote app , or even better, in iTunes to start playing music via the Apple TV, NOT STREAMING IT from the iMac.