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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

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71 replies

Jun 24, 2015 7:19 AM in response to Eric Rosenwald

So 3 and a half years later, is this an option yet?


My kids constantly lose our AppleTV remote.


Our mac is always in the same spot.


We have no special keyboards or anything like that. We would not use them enough to justify the cost and I am nervous to buy some third party software suggested here.


Can I use my mac to control our appleTv to watch Netflix or are we just going to not be able to use AppleTV til we find our remote or go out and buy another?

Jun 28, 2015 6:41 AM in response to jamsden

jamsden wrote:


I would like this as well. To be clear. I am sitting in my living room, working on my MacBook pro. Apple TV is playing iTunes Radio with the TV off (so its not distracting). I want to be able to change to a different station. Currently I have to get up, turn a huge TV on, then use the Apple, iPad or iPhone remote to change the radio station, turn the TV back off, then press play a couple of time on the Apple TV remote because my TV tells Apple TV to pause when it turns off through the HDMI cable.


What I want to do is bring up and app on my iPad, iPhone, or MacBook Pro that lets me not only control the Apple TV (which I can do through the remote or a bluetooth keyboard), but to also be able to see the Apple TV display on my remote device without having to turn on the TV.


A work around is to use AirPlay and stream the music from my computer to Apple TV. That's ok, but it seems like Apple TV and AirPlay should be bi-directional - any device should be able to display and interact with any other device.

Exactly my use case. Also while playing Radio, to be able to favourite a song. Skipping a song can be done with TV off but to favourite a song you have to make several steps and visual aid is necessary.

Aug 24, 2015 6:35 PM in response to Eric Rosenwald

Absolutely there is a need for this. From what I understand, M$ has decoupled the mobile experience from the desktop/laptop experience in Win 10. What a silly decision. We want the same experience on every device. I have a macbook, ipad, iphone, apple tv, apple bluetooth keyboard, apple bluetooth mouse, etc -- and I still did not have a nice unified experience within my home network. Rubbish.


Bare minimum: I'm using my laptop wirelessly on the couch while watching a tv that is play apple tv. I want to control the apple tv from my macbook pro so I can change the channel or do absolutely anything the two-button remote that comes with the apple tv does.


I also had to purchase the app, Mobile Mouse and setup a server, simply to use my ipad as a mouse for my macbook. These things should all work together, but u know that 😉.

Aug 24, 2015 8:08 PM in response to ppallesws

Another use case. I'm on the macbook pro, and I remote into my work desktop. Now I want to walk around the house, so I leave the laptop on the coffee table, then pick up the ipad to carry around the house with me. I should be able to view my macbook. I can accomplish this with an app such as 'Teamviewer' but jumping through all these hoops is pretty annoying.

Jul 3, 2016 10:29 AM in response to ppallesws

While reading this thread i found an app called CiderTV for the MAC. its a free app and seems to be designed to do exactly what this thread is asking for, installs an app on the Mac that can control your AppleTV exactly as you remote would, allowing you to navigate and play movies, tv programs netflix etc.. however got bored trying to get it to connect via bluetooth...


if anyone finds this successful please let me know

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

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