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 6, 2012 7:01 AM in response to jcetheredge

I also went with AirParrot. From what I've read, this is a pure SW solution and puts the CPU through the hoops. When I maxed the settings out to 60 fps, even my i7 started choking up a bit.


I wasn't going to bother to post anymore, but I just got a notice that MY original complaint post was deleted by the admin as 'non-constructive ranting'. reallly... I realize this is an Apple owned forum and they can do what they want, but jeez. Little heavy handed, Apple. This is a COMPLETELY legit compalint, a big issue (not because a simple feature doesn't work) but because of how it's being handled.


Apple should rething their relationship with their customer base.

Aug 7, 2012 1:10 PM in response to ehensley

Fyi, AirPlay desktop mirroring just barely works on my Mac mini 2011 with 8gigs of ram and Ethernet. Its fan sounds like a DustBuster while streaming a flash video from the web to the apple tv3. It drops a few frames in the process as well. What makes you think desktop mirroring would work on an older Mac if it barely works on mine? I have to set airplay to 720p in order for it to work as advertised!

Aug 7, 2012 2:54 PM in response to jcetheredge

I’d like to add my thoughts to this thread as well.


I have a Macbook Pro purchased early 2011; i7 2.8 Ghz, 8GB RAM. Cost $2800;

Airplay not available for ML

To those who see us as a bunch of whiners, please let me be clear: I do not feel ripped off, misled, nor do I want a refund for my ML purchase. $20 is very reasonable and I enjoy the upgrade and feel that it was worthwhile despite the disappointment of not having airplay working. In short, I feel good about my purchase.


Having said that, I will not be purchasing Apple products in the future. Not out of spite, mind you, but because I cannot feel secure with any apple purchase anymore as there is no guarantee their product can support their own technology as soon as one year down the line.


I have been down this road before with PCs. I’ve purchased new systems where a game would come along 18 months later that would not run at optimum settings with the rig, but I cannot believe that I am now faced with this problem with an OS (not a game) made by the same people that assembled the hardware in my Macbook Pro. Why would they create a feature that does not work on the majority of their own products?


In addition, at least in the case of a new high-powered game, the game would at least run and the performance vs. settings would be in my control and I could decide whether the game is playable on my current hardware. I wish Apple took this same approach i.e. let me use Airplay despite the lack of the new hardware and I will judge whether its performance is useful to my needs (for example, perhaps I could not stream lag-free video, but maybe I could still do PowerPoint presentations).


Anyway, I appreciate anyone who has taken the time to read this. Like I said, I still love my Macbook Pro and I love ML, but I with Apple would allow its users decide who has a machine that can handle their specific Airplay needs. Oh well. I’m still anticipating having a good more couple of years with my trusty Macbook Pro—even if I can’t use all of Apple’s features, and I’m comfortable allowing my business relationship with Apple to conclude at that point.

Aug 7, 2012 4:57 PM in response to Colin Neeson

Colin,

It's difficult to expresse a full opinion in a few words. I will try to clarify. I am an Apple advocat. Apple is a great company with great people, great ideas and awesome products and I will continue to buy Apple product. I agree with you not being able to mirror my desk top on my livingroom TV is not a big deal. But Apple TV is different things to different people. I was looking forward to this feature because my computer room is in my basement I don't always want to be in the basement in front of my computer. Mirroring my desk top on my HDTV in my living room would have allowed me to do the stuff I do on my computer in my living room with my wife and grand kids using an app called Rowmote Pro. This would have made my Apple TV a lot more useful.


Apple have their reasons not to make the mirroring feature backwards compatible but I am just saying that if they start doing this more and more often, people may start mistrusting there product and go back to buying computers that are just as powerful but 3 times less expensive. I mean, there is a reason for paying $3000 for a computer, right. You expect it to run upgraded software especialy if it comes from the same company that built the hardware.


I have come to beleive and trust that if you buy Apple product, it's just going to work. And this is what I keep telling people (friends) that don't have Apple products. I can't truthfully say that anymore. It feels like Apple is taking a side step from the very thing that made them what they are today. They slightly moved away from their principal: "It Just Works". However, I have a feeling they will fix this. I trust they will.


I am a senior product developer for the leading company in our industry and we work extremely hard to stay number 1. I know Apple is interested in what we have to say. I certainly would want to know. And this is what we are doing in this forum. I am not bashing Apple. I feel we are helping Apple by giving our honnest opinion.


I was thinking about AirParrot but to your point, I want to make sure it won't harm my computer first. Can you help me on this?


Talking about good books to read, you can go to the iBook store and buy "How the Mighty Fall" by Jim Collins. It's only $12.99 and it's very enlightening.


Cheers

Aug 7, 2012 9:52 PM in response to jcetheredge

Hi everyone,


The airplay feature is great but I am not really stisfied with it because it works for just one hour then the airpaly mirroring will be droped. Also, the icon will disappear until the computer and the apple TV are restarted.


can anyone have a solution for this issue? or suggest thing to fix it? or do you think it is a problem in the hardware of one of them?

Apple TV3 = checked

Macbook pro mid 2011 = checked

ML = checked

Thanks

Aug 8, 2012 3:03 PM in response to jcetheredge

Hi everyone,

I just moved from MacBook Air Mid 2011 to new one Mid 2012.

This month I upgraded to ML.

The main reason to upgrade Computer and SO was the feature of using AppleTV as second monitor.

Unfortunatelly all I can do is mirror my Mac display to my LCD TV.

But there is no option for Extended Desktop.

Because that I still using AirParrot to work with dual monitor with extended desktop feature (and audio).

So, I suggest to everyone who is registered as Apple Developer to open a ticket on their BUG Report Application.

I'm very surprised to not found any Apple reply about this AirPlay Issue.

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Mountain Lion AirPlay Mirroring (iMac to AppleTV) Not Working

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