Mountain Lion AirPlay Mirroring (iMac to AppleTV) Not Working

Mountain Lion successfully installed on my iMac.


AppleTV sucessfully networked with my iMac (at least where iTunes and iPhoto are concerned.)


But AirPlay icon is NOT appearing in my menu bar. Any clues as to why this is?


In System Preferences, I've checked "Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available" but still nothing.


Below is a screenshot of my menu bar. Thanks in advance!




User uploaded file

Posted on Jul 25, 2012 9:13 AM

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1,096 replies

Aug 4, 2012 7:40 PM in response to Gatorchamp2c

Gatorchamp,


Actually, let's put it into perspective shall we? Over 3 million downloads, a few thousand complaints, mainly from a bunch of the same people who continually post that this is the demise of Apple, Apple are terrible, etc. And what good is an AppleTV without mirroring? It had the same purpose before the release of Mountain Lion.


If this was the cataclysmic con job that most of the people here purport it to be, the press would be all over it like a seagull on a chip. That hasn't happened. Why?


  • Apple said you can't run AirPlay mirroring on a Pre 2011 iMac, MacbookPro. Period.
  • People downloaded it without checking. Specs are on the website for all to see.
  • There really aren't that many people with AppleTV's...
  • It cost you $20. Fork out $10 for AirParrot and stop being tight.
  • It's not that big of a deal, get over it. Go outside, read a book.


If this loses Apple a few customers, it'll be better than wading through this load of self entitled bollocks.

Aug 4, 2012 9:59 PM in response to Colin Neeson

Colin,


I think you misunderstand what has happened here. Apple could have easily avoided annoying loyal customers, like some people who shelled out $2500 less than two years ago for a MBP, or those of us who have been spending thousands on Mac machines for decades. All it would have taken was an "If you have a new Mac . . . " in then ML promo about mirroring. $20 is an OK price for an upgrade, but ML is hardly an upgrade without mirroring. It's an update, which should have been free. Sure, it was noted in some small text, but who thinks they need to check every feature of a system update to make sure it will work on a computer which can handle everything's else graphically you can throw at it?

Aug 5, 2012 1:42 AM in response to jcetheredge

Second attempt as this.


Two previous critical post removed by Apple last post crashed out so into the breach one more time.



I am quite please with Mountain Lion my main reason for upgrading was the hope that Apple would right all the problems they created with Lion and they have made an excellent job doing this my MacBook pro is much faster with Apple and third party apps so very pleased.


My negative posts have been about Apple's misleading web pages regarding AirPlay mirroring. Have complaind to the UK Advertising Standards Authority but I am not optermistic as Apple have place on their site the tech specs that stay it won't work with older machines. Although this is very well hidden and thousands of people did not delve down into Apple's web pages to get the full picture my complaint is unlikely to succeed because Apple did put it on their site and it was my stupidity for not looking hard enough for it.


Still very pleased with Mountain Lion (hope this stops Apple from removing this post.)


The really good bit to come out of it is the huge amount,of money Airparrots creators must be making. Let's hope the use some of the money to continue to improve their product for older mac users. Let's also hope they resist the temptation to put it on the app store so Apple will get no credit and no money from their excellent creation.

Aug 5, 2012 4:07 AM in response to jcetheredge

Thanks Apple. It also happened to me. IMac Late 2010 with i7 and 16G Ram. It was the strangest machine available and also the most expensive one 3000$.
Now I've updated my machine just because of the airplay feature and they just do not support it.


How can it work on my Iphone4s and not on a iMac?


Was there already any answer to this from Apple. Let me guess, NO there wasn't!


I also just bought the AppleTV because of this feature. Would have been better to go for a different box as they support DLNA. So Apple if you are not able to support airplay for all your machines then it might be nesseary to bring DLNA support for your Apple TV box. How should I get my movies (what are not in apples supportet format) to the apple tv?


I am really ****** of with this company.

Aug 5, 2012 11:53 AM in response to jcetheredge

I just wanted to add my fustration to the thread as well since I don't know that there is a more official way to complain to apple. This was the #1 featue I was looking forward to with Mountain Lion and I'm totally bummed out that my mid 2010 MacBook Pro is left out. Sure I'll enjoy the rest of the featues, but this one really had me excited for sharing photos, etc on my TV. Please figure out a way to open this up to the rest of us apple!!

Aug 5, 2012 12:17 PM in response to jcetheredge

I also can not believe that my 2 years old Mac will not be supported.

I am realy happy with my apple devices and I am used to have some restrictions in order to get devies that are working well together.

But this is too much!! I bought a Mac because it will work for years (I also own a good working G3), and my iMac is too old after 2 years??


I am realy feeling cheated!!!

Aug 5, 2012 12:57 PM in response to jeremy.wiebe

Quit whining about the cost of Mountain Lion and AirParrot.


Perhaps you've forgotten that only a few years ago, this is what an OS Upgrade Cost:


(From Wikipedia: Tiger was released to the public on 29 April 2005 for US$129.95)


Yes -- OS X Tiger was $130.


Older machines (pre 2011) don't have on-board H.264 encoding -- a requirement for Mountain Lion to natively stream to Apple TV quickly, easily (and in a manner that gets Apple's stamp of approval). Be happy that someone has figured out a software solution for only $10 to get you the functionality.


Not long ago, you'd have had to pay for a hardware upgrade. And I guarantee you that'd cost more than $100, rather than the cost of 2 Strabucks lattes.


Pay the money and stop wasting your breath. Go get angry at something truly detrimental to society...

Aug 6, 2012 12:48 AM in response to MoDee228

Hello there MoDee228 and everyone else.


You don't seem to get it do you, like some other people here that believe they are lecturing by getting into technical details or pretending this isn't a big deal for them. Bottom line this has nothing to do with ML price or useless comparisons like yours. First of all, no upgrade should cost a penny, simply because you have already paid for it when you bought the computer. Mountain Lion is an upgrade for Lion am I right? And why exactly did it need an upgrade? That's right, to overcome some errors and flaws in the first place and of course include some features. After all It didn't take too long for ML to come out after L.


The frustration relies in the fact that a Mac that is supposed to "just work" it won't in less than a year. We have to admit its only one feature but it appears to be the one feature many where expecting, It relies in the fact that Apple is actually saying "It won't work on computers before mid 2011". In other words, The frustration relies in the fact that Apple itself is recognizing the obsolescent in their one year old machines and this my friends is something to worry about. Lets forget for a minute the mirroring issue. What will technology come up with next year that your up to date 2012 mac wont be compatible with or capable to perform? Isn't that frustrating? Thinking for a moment that there is a new feature, a single one that your late 2012 (retina) MacBook Pro wont be able to perform? That's really where the disappointment finds its ground.

Just for you to know and also everyone else here that think costumers are "whining" I´m actually running a mid 2012 i7 MacBook Pro. Which means everything works. But it doesn't give me the right to say to costumers to stop "whining". On the contrary I support them simply because they have the right to complain and to give an opinion on whatever put their money on. Even if its 2 Strabucks lattes. Not the cheapest computers either.

Aug 6, 2012 1:22 AM in response to jcetheredge

I am also disappointed!!

I just upgrade my OS to have airplay mirroring and i discovered after i bought ML that it's not working for my late 2008 mac.

Someone could say "you had to get all the information before doing that...". Since today i always completelly trusted apple release and products withou getting deep informations as apple had always guaranteed hw and sw quality in everything it did...

This time you cheat you customers and i am one of those one that feel frouded.

Aug 6, 2012 1:53 AM in response to Krauter

Oh how I agree with you... My iMac is 2010 and **** it it has accepted all updates etc so why the **** wont it make Airplay work.


Frankly if I had seen the "specs" myself and learned their hidden agenda, I would not have really downloaded Mountain Lion. I had no real need for it.


The ONLY feature I was looking forward to was Airplay. I don't have working DVD player and use mainly WD TV Live for all my movies. Thought, once I get Airplay, I can play the movie on the mac and use airplay via my Apple TV to watch it on TV. Phusssssssssssssss, all my air taken out.


Quite upset. Apple, I just has a great experience with support where my hardware issue was fixed. I would hope you read these forum and MAKE Airplay work for mac's etc. Its a 2010 i5 Intel processor. WHY wont it work????

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Mountain Lion AirPlay Mirroring (iMac to AppleTV) Not Working

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