Apple TV name followed by random number when using AirPlay

Question

Level 1

36 points

Apple TV name followed by random number when using AirPlay

Hi, I've been having this issue for a while and it's getting on my nerves because I can't seem to find a reason and there's nothing on the internet.

Lately, whenever I use AirPlay, the name of my Apple TV in the drop-down list of devices appears like this:

There's that annoying number between brackets following Apple TV, and I've no idea why it's there. Whenever I try to use AirPlay to stream a movie, I see 188, but when I stream audio I see '2', and some time ago, number 5 appeared; they keep changing. Right now, for instance, there is no number when streaming audio (just 'Apple TV'), but sometimes that annoying number will appear.

I see the number from either my Mac or my iPhone. And just in case it's important, my Mac is connected through ethernet to a Time Capsule, and the Apple TV is wirelessly connected to the TC.

I know it's something rather silly but what bugs me the most is not having the slightest idea of what that number is or why it appears. I want to get rid of it.

Thanks in advance.

AppleTV 2

Posted on Apr 5, 2012 2:12 PM

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Answer 1

dclayton

Level 1

40 points

Jul 14, 2013 3:10 PM in response to gusjc

It is a bug in File Sharing. Turn File sharing off in System Preferences and then you can delete that number.

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Answer 2

Apr 24, 2012 9:47 AM in response to gusjc

experiencing the same issue.

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Answer 3

gusjc Author

Level 1

36 points

Apr 24, 2012 12:21 PM in response to bandit731

I solved it by changing my Apple TV's name to "Living Room Apple TV". I don't like it as much as simply "Apple TV", but at least I'm not getting those weird numbers.

I haven't tried changing its name back to Apple TV to see if numbers reappear, though.

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Answer 4

HACKINT0SH

Level 5

5,810 points

Apr 24, 2012 3:03 PM in response to gusjc

2 & 5 are channels for the 2.4 GHz band, and 188 is one of the channels available for 5GHz WiFi band.

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Answer 5

gusjc Author

Level 1

36 points

Apr 24, 2012 3:16 PM in response to HACKINT0SH

Hmmm, interesting, but why would those numbers appear?

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Answer 6

Apr 24, 2012 3:41 PM in response to gusjc

I believe it's extremely unlikely it is anything to do with the Wi-Fi channels. I'm not really certain myself, but think it could relate to the last digits of the IP address. If so this is caused by not naming your Apple TV, in the event that you have more than one Apple TV it is necessary to identify them from each other.

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Answer 7

gusjc Author

Level 1

36 points

Apr 24, 2012 3:43 PM in response to Winston Churchill

I've got a single Apple TV, so that can't be.

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Answer 8

Apr 24, 2012 3:53 PM in response to gusjc

I'm not sure why that would make any difference.

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Answer 9

FFS48

Level 1

49 points

Aug 6, 2012 9:26 PM in response to gusjc

I changed my Apple TV name to Living Room Apple TV but it still has the number following the TV identification in the mirroring window. It starts at no number then gains one number at a time. If I unplug the Apple TV electric plug, then plug it back in, the number disappears - then, sometime later, starts adding the number again. Doesn't affect the Apple TV performance, just an irritation.

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Answer 10

Aug 20, 2012 12:42 PM in response to gusjc

I am having the same issue. Everything works fine, but my Apple TV shows up with a (2) behind it for Airplay and iTunes.

I recently replaced my 2nd Gen Apple TV with a 3rd Gen Apple TV and sold my 2nd Gen to a buddy.

I have a feeling that somehow my MBP or Time Capsule based wireless network think there is a another Apple TV that may be turned off etc., and it has added my 3rd Gen as an additional unit. Just a theory.

I wonder how you teach your Mac or Timecapsule/Airport Express network that an Apple TV has left, never to return ?

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Answer 11

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,554 points

Aug 20, 2012 2:51 PM in response to gusjc

I've seen it too.

I've often wondered if AppleTV IP address changes over time (restarting with DHCP IP allocation), but iPhone/iPad remember the same device name at a different address so think it's a similarly named duplicate AppleTV and append a number.

Annoying.

Hmm wonder if it has any relation to the Home Sharing issues some of us are seeing.

AC

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Answer 12

Aug 20, 2012 3:02 PM in response to Alley_Cat

Maybe.

Not so much that this might be the cause of home sharing issues but rather that it could be a result of the same same issue that causes the homesharing issue.

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Answer 13

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,554 points

Aug 20, 2012 3:04 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill wrote:

Maybe.

Not so much that this might be the cause of home sharing issues but rather that it could be a result of the same same issue that causes the homesharing issue.

Yes, could it be a manifestation of the same issue.

I assume you've never seen this at all with Airplay?

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Answer 14

Aug 20, 2012 3:08 PM in response to Alley_Cat

No.

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Answer 15

Aug 20, 2012 3:23 PM in response to Winston Churchill

But come to think of it (I'm thinking now that the high number (188) might have thrown me), I've seen it plenty of times on other peoples networks but applied to computers set up for file sharing, or more commonly with printers and to a lesser extent with other network devices such as IP cameras.

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