Can I stream content from my iMac to my TV?

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Level 1

76 points

Can I stream content from my iMac to my TV?

I'm truly a novice when it comes to this, so please forgive if this question belongs in the wireless section.

We live on a farm and have analog (10+ years) TVs and just finally got DSL in our area 🙂

I have an iMac (Intel) that is located in the upstairs office (the only room with the DSL connection.) I would like to see if we could have the internet content appear on our TVs (whether the main one downstairs or the one in the bedroom.) I am confused about whether we need a wrieless router or if the iMac actually already has that ability built in (isn't that what Airport is?)

If so, do I just need another computer, laptop or hard drive or whatever with Airport downstairs by the TV to be able to connect to the TV and stream the content by turning on Airport?

Or do I need something else?

I realize we will likely have to get a new TV or monitor. We don't have things like Wii etc., which I gather can also be used for this purpose.

Do we need to get an Airport Extreme box? or a wireless router? There are no Mac people within hundreds of miles of us and everyone (including the phone company) are all PC people.

Many thanks!

iMac 5,1, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Apr 20, 2011 1:22 PM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

82,841 points

Apr 20, 2011 1:55 PM in response to lilskye

Your iMac can either act as a WiFi receiver to an Airport Extreme Base Station, Time Capsule, or Airport Express, or be a WiFi transmitter to another device that supports WiFi reception, such as an AppleTV which can pickup anything you download with iTunes. It can also be wired via ethernet to your DSL modem, and transmit that, but that leaves it open to ping attacks. Better to leave it as a reciever and use the Base Station, Time Capsule, or other WiFi router connected to the DSL modem. Third party routers are harder to support than Apple's own. Your iMac does not transmit audio over its video port, so either an AppleTV, or DVI audio adapter to HDMI is recommended to hook your iMac to TV. The latter supports DVDs, where the former does not.

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Answer 2

ssls6

Level 4

2,879 points

Apr 20, 2011 1:59 PM in response to lilskye

An apple TV may be just what you need. It is the $99 box that has wireless built in. Your iMac also has wireless and the apple TV can access netflix or your iTunes library on the mac. I do this in my apartment. I use an apple TV to watch movies from iTunes on my TV. You just need to make sure the iMac is doing internet sharing.

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Answer 3

lilskye Author

Level 1

76 points

Apr 20, 2011 2:08 PM in response to a brody

Thank you so much for the detailed response. Just so I'm understanding the general idea, my iMac can indeed transmit to another Mac (say a laptop) both having airport active (I've never used this - can you tell? LOL!!!)

But the downside to this is that its hackable by potential neer-do-wells. Yes?

Therefore it is more desirable to get an Apple TV box to act as the main transmitter of the DSL, then it would connect to the TV and I'd be able to have my iMac upstairs receive the regular DSL connection we need for "normal" computer activity?

Am I getting this right?

I assume we'd also have to get a more modern TV and/or monitor to use as the TV?

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Answer 4

lilskye Author

Level 1

76 points

Apr 20, 2011 2:12 PM in response to ssls6

Thanks ssls6, with Apple TV can we access all internet content? or is it limited to what you have to get thru iTunes? Honestly we only use iTunes for housing music we already own (or create) - we never use it to buy or download from. Could we have things like Netflix or Hulu, etc., on the Apple TV?

Do we need to get a separate ATV box for each TV in the house?

Thanks!

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Answer 5

Apr 20, 2011 2:14 PM in response to lilskye

The AppleTV has Netflix on it. (the new AppleTV)

Yes, you have to have a seperate AppleTV for each TV.

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Answer 6

lilskye Author

Level 1

76 points

Apr 20, 2011 2:15 PM in response to JoelEsler

But can still connect via only the one DSL transmitting to the iMac & the other ATV?

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Answer 7

Apr 20, 2011 2:17 PM in response to lilskye

Not sure what you mean by "DSL". Unless you mean your connection to the internet.

Sounds like you need a Time Machine as well. Connect all your devices to your time machine then connect your DSL router to your time machine.

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Answer 8

Apr 20, 2011 2:21 PM in response to lilskye

Lil,

Your basic setup (assuming that you are intending to view content on your iMac on your TV) would look something like this:

Your internet is coming in via your modem, your modem connects to your wireless router to broadcast a wireless signal to allow your devices to connect to the internet. Your iMac and AppleTV then connect to the broadcasted wireless signal from your router. This allows them to communicate with each other and connect to the internet.

After you get your AppleTV plugged into your tv it's as simple as setting up your AppleTV and allowing it to sync with iTunes on your iMac. Keep in mind you will need a TV that has an HDMI input.

Here's a guide on how the basic AppleTV set up goes.

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/Apple_TV_2nd_gen_Setup_Guide.pdf

Best of luck!

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Answer 9

ssls6

Level 4

2,879 points

Apr 20, 2011 2:29 PM in response to lilskye

Here is what I would do..

1) I would hook the DSL up to a wireless router, they are pretty cheap. You can skip this step if you make your iMac into a wireless router via internet sharing and airport. The routers are so cheap now I prefer just to use one.

2) I would run a cable from the router to my iMac using one of the ethernet ports in back, it sounds like they are would be in the same location so no need to use wireless on the mac.

3) I would put an apple TV box near my TV and set it up to see the wireless network you setup in (1)

Now, the apple TV can access youtube, netflix, itunes, etc. The TV will need an HDMI input connector, if your TV doesn't have it, then it may be really old and forget the apple TV plan or ask some one at best buy if there is a convertor from hdmi to composite video.

You don't need to rent movies from iTunes but you can use it to add movies from your DVDs, or movies you've downloaded, or created, whatever. It is a way to stream from the Mac to the apple TV via something apple calls home sharing. I have avi files I convert to mkv files using a free program called handbrake and plop those into itunes so my apple TV can find them. I also have netflix which has a huge library of stuff that can entertain for days, weeks, ...

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Answer 10

lilskye Author

Level 1

76 points

Apr 20, 2011 2:31 PM in response to JoelEsler

Hey Joe! Welcome to living in rural Virginia! Like a mammoth portion of the country, we only last year got access to "highspeed" DSL (3M) - the folks down the road are still on dial-up. LOL! But when you've been suffering with dial-up only for the past decade, this seems like a miracle!...

If I had a time machine, I'd be fast forwarding 10 years to have what you likely have now....you lucky fella..

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Answer 11

a brody

Level 10

82,841 points

Apr 20, 2011 2:34 PM in response to JoelEsler

The AppleTV can only receive internet, local area network, or computer transmissions, and make them usable to the TV. You need a separate router, or your DSL modem to make its own local area network for the AppleTV and the computer to use signals simultaneously.

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Answer 12

Apr 20, 2011 2:38 PM in response to lilskye

I know what dsl is. It was the context in your sentence that didn't make sense.

Time capsule is an Apple product. Http://store.apple.com

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Answer 13

lilskye Author

Level 1

76 points

Apr 20, 2011 2:43 PM in response to ssls6

Thank you ssls6! This sounds like what we indeed need to do. I was mostly confused about needing a router cuz I thought the iMac itself would really act as one if we turned on Airport, but you're right, as they are not that expensive, and if it creates better security as well as allowing the TV to access the internet and be used separately from the computer at the same time, this sound like what we need to do. (If I'm understanding abrody's last response.)

Thank you folks for being so kind to help!

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Answer 14

lilskye Author

Level 1

76 points

Apr 20, 2011 2:52 PM in response to JoelEsler

LOL Joel !!!!!!!! I thought you were being sarcastic, as we certainly could use a time machine to bring us out of the digital Stone Age... didn't know it was the name of a product!

I was just trying to ask if we only would need one internet connection which would then "talk" to all the various computers, and ATVs in the house. Sounds like it does.

Honestly all I really wish to ultimately do is access my iMac content downstairs on the family room TV so I'm not stuck up here in the computer room constantly. If we can eliminate needing satelitte TV, more's the better.

Thank you!

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Answer 15

Apr 20, 2011 3:08 PM in response to lilskye

Get a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme Base Station. Plug your DSL Router into it. Then plug your iMac into it as well with an Ethernet cable. Then have your AppleTV's connect to the Time Capsule (or Airport Extreme) via wireless. Turn on home sharing on your iTunes and AppleTVs, and you are done.

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