switch off auto stream to apple tv

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switch off auto stream to apple tv

Hi guys. I have an annoying problem with air play on iTunes.
We have an apple TV (newest kind) and use Air play a lot. That is we stream the iTunes library from iMac to Apple TV accessed via the Apple TV.
The problem is when I now try to play a video on iTunes on my iMac it automatically wants to play it over Air tunes on Apple TV. I have not figured how to change this presetting since it is really annoying. While I watch something on Apple TV my little one choses to watch something on iTUnes (iMac) and it kicks my program out of Apple TV.
I tried changing the little icon on the right hand side of iTunes and in the play controls itself. But this will not give me an permanent "fix".

Any one with some ideas??

Thank you guys.

iMac 27", Mac OS X (10.6.6), iTunes 10.1.2

Posted on Feb 6, 2011 3:22 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 6, 2011 5:37 AM in response to NCrudy

I'm not entirely sure I understand your question but am going to give it a go. It sounds as if you're trying to watch one thing streamed from your computer to your ATV while someone else tries to use the same iTunes to watch something different on the computer at the same time. That's not going to work. You may be able to both watch the same thing though I admit I haven't tried.

Additionally, if I recall correctly, iTunes will use whatever Airplay settings were last selected until you change them.

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Answer 2

NCrudy Author

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Feb 6, 2011 7:04 AM in response to NCrudy

The problem is that I can not permanently change the setting in iTunes that it will first want to show a video in iTunes instead of ATV. Even if I temporally change it, the pre-setting is always ATV. I can switch of home sharing and then it will work, but nor otherwise. Eve.n if ATV is not in use and is in sleep, it wants to always show in ATV first.
Surely that can't be it?!

P.S. I have a screen shot if you want to 'see' my problem

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Answer 3

Feb 6, 2011 7:25 AM in response to NCrudy

Not quite sure why you are going to your iMac and using AIrPlay to send a film to your Apple TV. If you have Home Sharing turned on in both iTunes and on your Apple TV, you can use the remote on your Apple TV to browse your itunes library, and select anything to play. At the same time, your daughter could be watching a movie on iTunes on your iMac, again without using AirPlay.

Hope that helps.

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Answer 4

NCrudy Author

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Feb 6, 2011 7:35 AM in response to NCrudy

But that is exactly the problem I face. I'm sitting in front of my ATV watching via home sharing while my little one accesses iTunes on imac. But it auto streams to ATV so it'll kick my show on ATV out. And suddenly I'm watching Donald Duck.
I want the function that it auto streams from iTunes to ATV out.

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Answer 5

Feb 6, 2011 8:15 AM in response to NCrudy

If this is happening, your little one must be somehow clicking the AirPlay button on iTunes while Donald Duck is playing, and changing the output from Computer to Apple TV. Make sure it is set to Computer.

If you don't use any other devices e.g. iPad, iPhone to send video to your Apple TV you could always turn AirPlay off in the Apple TV settings menu. It won't stop you accessing tour iTunes content.

Hope that helps.

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Answer 6

Feb 6, 2011 8:25 AM in response to NCrudy

Sorry NCrudy I misread your earlier post, I can see you are having trouble with the iTunes AirPlay button not changing to computer. I can't offer any explanation for that at the moment, but my suggestion of turning AirPlay off on the Apple TV until you figure out the real problem might at least help keep you sane in the short term. Good luck.

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Answer 7

Turbomac

Level 1

10 points

Feb 6, 2011 11:04 AM in response to NCrudy

I'm having this same issue. With iTunes 10.1.2 if the TV 2 is on the network anything attempting to play is automatically sent to the TV. I can select the AirPlay button and switch it back to the local screen but as soon as I close that playing window and open the next podcast it's right back to the TV. Very frustrating. This is new with 10.1.2. Previous versions defaulted to local display with the option to AirPlay out.

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Answer 8

bkellogg

Level 1

0 points

Mar 16, 2011 11:45 PM in response to NCrudy

I have the same exact issue as Turbomac. I hope Apple fixes this soon. It is very annoying.

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Answer 9

Mar 30, 2011 6:05 PM in response to NCrudy

same problem. reaaallllyyy annoying. they better fix this and develop an option for default playback

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Answer 10

gmarq

Level 1

4 points

Apr 17, 2011 6:08 PM in response to NCrudy

I had to turn off AirPlay on ATV to be able to view my videos in iTunes. Hope this gets fixed soon as it is really very annoying!

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Answer 11

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Apr 17, 2011 7:20 PM in response to NCrudy

I do not have this problem.

I can play something on the AppleTV2 and play something different on the computer.

The problem is when I now try to play a video on iTunes on my iMac it automatically wants to play it over Air tunes on Apple TV.

Double click a movie in iTunes, click the AirPlay icon and set it to Computer.

Seems it keeps the previous setting.

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Answer 12

sommertj

Level 1

4 points

Jul 24, 2011 11:52 AM in response to Chris CA

I tried this and it seemed to work until I went to a different movie. Even though I did the double-click and chose "computer" from airplay, the Apple TV is still the default playback device for all movies anf TV shows. Is there someway to fix this so the computer will be default playback device?

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Answer 13

Feb 8, 2012 4:47 PM in response to sommertj

I just wanted to chime in and say I'm having the exact same problem as nCrudy.

I've rebooted iTunes and my Mac. I've tried launching movies, music videos and TV shows.

No matter what, when I attempt to play a video on my Mac, iTunes automatically tries to AirPlay it. It refuses to default to playing on the device that launched the video ... my Mac.

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Answer 14

Jul 31, 2012 5:02 PM in response to NCrudy

What a pain this is. As soon as I open my macbookair it streams my screen and audio to the apple TV so I have to turn off airplay. If I use one comuter to stream through airplay I cant use my other at the same time to read an email or look on the web cause it puts it to airplay. Really dumb. Steve Jobs would be turning in his grave with this crap

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Answer 15

furrytoes

Level 2

235 points

Aug 24, 2012 11:41 PM in response to NCrudy

I have the exact opposite problem.

I want it to automatically send to my AppleTV2 - all the time. I never use iTunes to watch a video on my Mac.

But every single time I play a video in iTunes, it plays it on "Computer".

Sure I can click the dropdown and select "AppleTV" but I have to do that every time.

What we all need is a setting that actually sets it to use a default -> Computer or AppleTV

I gather from all this help and no resolution, that this is not available.

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