Can Apple TV handle multiple devices

I have a B&O music/TV system throughout the house and I have been told that if I connect an Apple TV to the main hub I will be able to access our digital media in any room. My wife and kids all have wifi enabled Apple devices and have their own libraries, but shre the same apple account i.e. everyone sees everyone under home sharing. If the Apple TV and al lthese devices are registered on our wireless network can any of the devices stream their own content to the Apple TV? If so how does the Aplle TV decide if more than one device is trying to stream to it simulataneously?


Does the streaming work by just installing the remote app on each device?


Thanks for any advice before I take the plunge


Mike

AppleTV 2, Windows 7

Posted on Apr 22, 2011 9:01 AM

Reply
10 replies

Apr 22, 2011 9:24 AM in response to masplin

Basically AppleTV can only perform Home Sharing with one account, but if you have several computers setup for itunes using that account, they can all stream to AppleTV.


So for example, I have Macbook, Mac mini, MacPro each with slightly different libraries in iTunes all registered to the same iTunes ID, and each computer is accessible separately in the AppleTV menus.


Similarly any iDevices you have set up for home sharing with that account can use AppleTv as an Airport output destination, or alternatively you can use the remote app on any iDevice to control any registered local itunes library - you can either stream from the iDevice to AppleTV or control a computer setup for use by the iDevice's remote app.


This will work fine for a TV connected to AppleTV 2 via HDMI - whether or not it will distribute to the B&O system over HDMI I do not know, but it probably will if it's HDMI and HDCP compliant.


You will not however be able to watch different things in different rooms from one AppleTV 2.

Apr 23, 2011 1:08 AM in response to Alley_Cat

Thanks Alley-Cat


How does it handle conflicts if 2 devices try to stream to the same Apple TV? Just thinking of my wife getting annoyed by my daughter jumping on the system!!! Does it just take the command from the last device to initiaite one i.e. my daughter would steal the stream? It amy be from what you are saying you have to go to the TV in question and select the device for mthe Apple TV menu i.e. it's locked to that device until you change it.


Thanks

Mike

Apr 23, 2011 1:31 AM in response to masplin

You don't select the remote controlling iDevice at the AppleTV though you can select computer for streaming using the IR remote.


I've not done major testing but just started a TV programme playing on AppleTV from itunes.


If I then go to the remote app on my iphone it shows what's playing now. The iphone remote app allowed me to change what was playing from that itunes library, so in theory one user can change what another has started watching.

Apr 23, 2011 3:26 AM in response to masplin

If e.g two people both with iOS devices both try to AirPlay content to the same Apple TV the last person to send content will interrupt the stream of the first person, and a steaming fight can soon break out with both people very quickly! You could if you want to turn off AirPlay and then this forces the household to use the remote control to choose what you want to stream from iTunes, but obviously this loses functionality. Perhaps the solution is to buy more than one Apple TV then your daughter can have her own Apple TV in her bedroom to stream to (assuming she has an HD ready TV in her room).


Hope that helps.

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Can Apple TV handle multiple devices

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